Refresh Your Senses

A YOGA & ADVENTURE RETREAT
GUATEMALA — OCTOBER 21-28, 2023

mindful movement.

nourishing adventure.

revitalizing creativity.

awesome humans.

mindful movement
nourishing adventure revitalizing creativity awesome humans

OUR RETREAT STORY

This was a retreat designed to wake up your senses. Through yoga, rest, meditation, nature, food, and community, we reconnected to our most aligned selves.

Our adventure began with one night in the charming city of Antigua and we traveled together to Lake Atitlán the following morning. Inspiration is boundless on the shores of Lake Atitlán, one of the most uniquely beautiful places in the world. Situated in the Guatemalan highlands, this deep crater lake is surrounded by volcanoes, colorful Mayan towns, lush jungles, steep hills, and peaceful shores.

The powerful connection to nature here is impossible to miss and makes it easy to come back to yourself. The moment we saw the first glimpse of this tropical lake we knew the journey was worth it.

THE VENUE

Casa Paloma is a picturesque waterfront property, serenely tucked away in a private cove on Lake Atitlán. You can soak in lakefront and volcano views from any corner of the property or wander through 2 acres of lush secret gardens, waterfalls and fruit trees. You might even find a secret nook to read or write. Enjoy the convenience of an easy walk to downtown San Marcos restaurants, shops and a local nature reserve. This is the perfect place to immerse yourself in both nature and community without sacrificing privacy.

Fully renovated in 2020 and featured in NYTimes, Casa Paloma features endless amenities including a private lakefront dock, temescal/sauna, yoga pavilion, access to kayaks, a paddle board and a secluded bay for swimming.

We will begin our retreat experience with our first night in the colorful and charming city of Antigua at a boutique hotel and spend the remaining 6 nights at Casa Paloma at Lake Atitlán.

OUR ADVENTURES

Sunrise Hike

We watched the sunrise from the Rostro Maya (Mayan Face) viewpoint with a stunning view of the lake and the surrounding volcanoes.

San Juan la Laguna Tour

We toured with a local guide and learned about various artisans in the small, culturally rich town of San Juan la Laguna. We visited an apiary (bees and honey!), a chocolate-making shop, a natural medicine women’s cooperative, and a women’s weaving collective where we learned how to spin cotton from natural dyes and weave on a back strap loom.

“Caitlyn Casson and Chelsea Banaszek led a transformative yoga retreat in Costa Rica a few years back and it changed my life. They used a combination of yoga and prompted journaling to help me better understand myself. After completing their yoga retreat, I quit my job and made a career pivot. If any of you are feeling disconnected from your work, scared of making a change, or are just looking to have a good time with good people -- this might be the choice for you.

PS: If you don't do yoga, don't let that hold you back. I was only a couple months into practicing yoga but have been practicing regularly ever since.”

-Hunter Yamashiro

TESTIMONIALS

“The Refresh Your Senses retreat led by Caitlyn and Chelsea in Guatemala was better than anything I could have imagined. I was so grateful for the opportunity to give my mind and body the attention it deserved through daily movement and mindfulness.

The structure of the retreat was perfect in that each practice built upon the next, and by the end of the week, I was doing more than I ever thought I was capable of. There was also the ideal combination of both free time and structured activities. I'll truly never forget this trip of a lifetime and I can't wait until their next retreat!! :)

-Katie Bonarrigo

THE FOOD

All of our meals were prepared with fresh, locally grown produce and herbs and beautifully presented by local chef, Rosa Maribel Navichoc and her team.

WHO WE ARE

Chelsea Banaszek has been teaching yoga and meditation for 4 years and has 600+ hours of certifications including hatha, vinyasa, yin, restorative, trauma-informed, mindfulness, meditation, and more. She has spent the last decade moving back and forth between Central America and NYC. Chelsea is passionate about reconnecting to our wildly intuitive selves through writing, nature, adventure, meditation, yoga, and community. She lived in Guatemala for two years and is very excited to share her deep love of this country!

Caitlyn Casson is a NYC based Yoga Teacher, Professional Contemporary Dancer and Certified Practitioner of Applied Positive Psychology. She has been teaching yoga for more than 10 years and has 500+ hours of certifications in a variety of styles such as vinyasa, yin, rocket yoga and mobility conditioning. Her love for movement and choreography inspires challenging classes that flow seamlessly from hands to feet and everything in between! Caitlyn is an avid traveler, foodie and lover of life. She believes that with hard work and an open heart, anything is possible!