June 10 -15, 2025
Menla Retreat:
Finding Safety in
Yourself & Others
A transformative 6-day retreat at Menla, an oasis in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, with Luis Mojica and the Holistic Life Navigation team.
Safety comes from within.
When we have trauma and chronic stress, our bodies live in a state of bracing from remembered and expected threats. Our nervous systems are often more attuned to potential danger than to positive events. This is simply the body prioritizing survival, sometimes to the extent of not recognizing that it is already safe.
This retreat will teach your body how to find safety within itself no matter what you’re facing, plus encourage constriction and expansion through many different paths: somatic lectures, small groups, dyads, demos, co-regulation with new/old friends, co-regulation with nature, being seen, somatic movement, somatic ceremonies, sound healing, nourishing meals, and integration through rest and free time.
Embodied Safety and Somatic Wisdom:
Exploring Holistic Recovery
This 6-day retreat is not just about learning concepts; it's an invitation to experience safety as an embodied reality with a group of open-hearted people.
We will dive deep into the philosophy of somatics, offering you insights, techniques, and space to recover from mounting stress and trauma.
You’ll discover how to feel safe in your own body, and have a deeper understanding of your body’s unique language. You will leave knowing how to tend to the body as a compassionate witness and friend.
Connection Through Practices: Movement, Sound Healing & Group Dynamics
In these sections of the retreat, we will bring theory into practice.
Participate in guided somatic group practices, engage in rejuvenating movement sessions, and immerse yourself in the transformative power of sound healing.
There will be so many ways to connect or reconnect with your body. To have a conversation. To learn what it needs.
Wholesome Dining:
Organic, Plant-Based Meals
Menla will offer organic, vegan, and vegetarian meals to our group, each thoughtfully bean-based and crafted on-site at the retreat center.
Every dish is a blend of nourishment and artistry, designed to delight your senses and support your journey.
For those with specific dietary needs or allergies, we're here to ensure your meal experience is as caring and personalized as every other aspect of your retreat.
Your Facilitators:
We are going to deeply support you through these six days with an amazing team of beautiful people trained in somatics, bodywork, psychotherapy, sound healing, and coaching.
This is also the only retreat in 2025 with the entire HLN team!
Luis Mojica
Luis Mojica is the founder of HLN and he’ll teach the lectures, lead the somatic practices, and be part of the Q&As. He is a globally acclaimed Somatic Educator who teaches people how to find safety in their bodies through nutrition, self-inquiry, and somatic techniques.
Camille Leak
Camille Leak is the Co-Facilitator & Community Manager at HLN. She’ll be here to assist in deepening Luis’ teachings, host the Q&A sessions, and support you in breakout groups and beyond. She is also trained in Somatic Experiencing at the Advanced level.
Marika Malaea
Marika Malaea is the Operations Manager & Assistant at HLN. She’ll be bringing her own brand of co-regulation, including really good hugs and laughter, to the retreat as well as offering on-demand support throughout the week.
Evan Glenn Adams
Evan Glenn Adams is the Admin Manager & Sound Healing Practitioner at HLN. He will bring his gorgeous medicine to this retreat, inviting you into daily sound healings to get you into your body and out of your mind. He’ll also be supporting you during breakouts and 1:1 mini sound healing sessions on-demand.
Holly Kiefer
Holly Kiefer is a licensed therapist, social worker, bodyworker, and self-described friendly witch. She will provide an earthy, grounded energy along with legendary hugs to her breakout group, while offering on-demand emotional and somatic support to everyone throughout the entire week.
Zach Kalatsky
Zach Kalatsky is a somatic coach and body worker. His hugs are like being held by a big rock with soft moss all over it. Zach will be offering his beautiful wisdom during breakouts and on-demand support emotionally and somatically throughout the entire week, as well.
June 10 -15, 2025
Schedule
Please note: The schedule is vague because it can shift from day to day to meet the needs of what’s coming up in real time.
Also: Every offering on the schedule is optional. Allow your own capacity and comfort decide what you do.
We will be offering optional breakout groups each day to support you in being seen, heard, and connected in an intimate setting. Each group will have 8 - 13 people in them.
We also have free time scheduled for each full day. This is your time. You can sleep, visit the spa or pool (or swimming hole!), hike the trails, sunbathe, read, dance, rest -- whatever your body needs to integrate the morning material before we dive into our evening work.
Tuesday, June 10th
Orienting, Grounding & Introductions
After checking in and getting acquainted with the space, we will all meet for dinner.
Post-dinner, Luis will orient the group to our week together and we will do introductions (team and participants). Evan will end the evening with a beautiful sound healing.
3:00 - 4:00pm
Check-in
4:30 - 6:00pm
Rest & hellos
6:00 - 7:00pm
Dinner
7:30 - 9:30pm
Grounding, introductions & sound healing
Wednesday, June 11th
Relating To Stress & Activation
8:00 - 9:00am
Breakfast
9:30 - 12:00pm
Morning session
12:30 - 1:30pm
Lunch
2:00 - 3:00pm
Breakout groups
3:00 - 6:00pm
Integration
6:00 - 7:00pm
Dinner
7:30 - 9:30pm
Evening session & ceremony
This will be the scheduled outline of our full retreat days except for Friday, June 13th which is an integration free day for everyone.
Thursday, June 12th
Boundaries, Fawning & Co-Regulating Through Touch
Friday, June 13th
Integration Day
Free day for everyone that ends with an optional community hang.
Saturday, June 14th
Co-Regulating With
Nature & Being Witnessed
Sunday, June 15th
Integration & Closing Our Space
We’ll start the day with breakfast, then enjoy an hour of free time to just sit with your body and notice what it’s feeling from the week.
We’ll meet up around 10:00am and go into our final session of integrating what we’ve experienced, sharing what you learned, and closing the space together.
We’ll have one final lunch together and then have lots of time for hugging, final sun bathing, and goodbyes.
8:00 - 9:00am
Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00am
Free time
10:00 - 12:30pm
Closing session
12:30 - 1:30pm
Lunch & goodbyes!