Hi babes! The Mind and Body Complete team and I are officially back at the Ranch in Texas following our Destin Florida Yoga Retreat. The retreat ran from Thursday, September 30, 2022, to Sunday, October 2, 2022. It was a very busy time for our team – my body and mind are a bit tired- but oh so rewarding! I know a few of you were bummed you missed out on this retreat, so I’ve written a diary to share our experience. Grab a cool beverage (ok, some of you may need something warm depending on where you’re located) and let’s chat.
The Week Before Our Destin Retreat in Florida
The week prior to our Destin Retreat was a dozy! I don’t think any of us got much sleep! As many of you know, you plan and then a few fires will pop-up, it can always be expected. But we worked through each one as best as we could as a team.
Unfortunately, some of that worry included watching Hurricane Ian’s projected path. While the City of Destin luckily avoided any impact from the storm, the same cannot be said for its fellow sister cities on the lower peninsula. I want to take a moment here to send strength and courage to anyone affected by the storm- personally or by way of loved ones. For those interested in donating towards the recovery efforts I’ve provided a few suggestions below, but feel free to check around for other charities and foundations.
- American Red Cross
- Feeding Florida
- American Humane – For our beloved pets
- Global Giving
- Florida Disaster Fund
Thursday, September 30, 2022
Today was the first official day of our yoga retreat. While we got there a day earlier to prepare; our wonderful guests were asked to arrive after 4pm. Everyone got a welcome package that included lots of fun goodies, and given the opportunity to settle in their room in our luxury waterfront estate.
We then hosted a welcome circle, so everyone from the community could (finally!) meet each other in-person. We also had a few familiar faces or two, who were happy to show the new ladies the ropes. We’re all about building a supportive sisterhood, so this was especially important to incorporate in the agenda.
Of course, this is a YOGA RETREAT, so at 6 pm, we rolled out mats (aka beach towels in this case) to enjoy a wonderful sunset gentle yin yoga practice right on the beach. I can’t tell you how peaceful it was for our guests, many had taken time off work, mothering and/or life-ing, so this was the perfect opportunity for them to kickstart the detox process.
What’s on the Menu?
At 7 pm, our team opened the taco bar! This is what was catered:
Taco Bar & Fixins
- Chili Lime Steak & Chicken, Pinto Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice
- Tortilla Chips
- Corn & Flour Tortillas
- Key lime pie dessert
Yum with a delicious crunch! (PS we do our best to cater to specific dietary needs too)
Friday, September 31, 2022
Friday was the first full day of the retreat for our guests. I should add here that it was very important for my staff, and I to SERVE these ladies so they can be fully present.
- No laundry
- No dishes chores
- No work
We wanted this to be a to be a time to be served and loved on. The day was all about creating memories while relaxing! We enjoyed an early breakfast together then went snorkeling! If you don’t know, let me be the one to tell ya, the beaches in Destin are beautiful. I’m talking white sand beaches and clear blue water. We collectively shared an amazing experience together at sea.
Of course, everyone was pretty drained after their morning swim, so we built in free time in our schedule for guests to rest, reflect and relax. At 6 pm, we rounded up the ladies and once again enjoyed a gentle sunset yoga session on the beach. We then grabbed a delicious catered dinner by the fireside, drinking, chatting and bonding.
What’s on the Menu?
- Crab Cakes w/ Remoulade
- Wedge Salad
- Yukon Mash & Green Beans
- Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin w/ Demi Glaze
- Sauteed Shrimp w/ Key Lime Butter
- Cookies for dessert
Those crab cakes were a BIG hit with our guests (and our team too!).
Saturday, October 1, 2022
Now that everyone had their yoga retreat sea legs, we wanted to dedicate this day to stress management. This was our schedule:
- 8 – 10 am – come & go breakfast
- 9 am– yoga flow
- 10 am– stress reduction workshop
- 1:30pm- til sunset yoga- free time
- 6 pm– healing sound bath
- 7:30 pm– dinner
We hosted a stress reduction workshop where we collectively share stress reduction tips and tools. Each guest was provided with their own mini workbook for the session. We focused on how stress affects us, what we can do to eliminate certain stresses and how to identify symptoms of stress. Each booklet had a section were participants could journal and reflect on their relationship with stress and how they could improve on coping with it.
I hear a few already getting ready to ask, what the heck’s a sound bath Shannon? It’s a simple but effective meditative experience where participants are immersed in different meditative sounds. I promise this was no Midsommar type event 😅 . Just pure positive sound vibes and breath work.
What’s on the Menu?
- Lemon Herb Chicken Breast, Baked Meatballs & Marinara, Cavatappi Pasta Tossed with Olive Oil, Garlic & Basil
- Served with Garlic Bread & Caesar Salad
- Brownies for dessert
Yummy!
Sunday, October 2, 2022
This was our final day, but we wanted to end our Destin Florida Yoga Retreat with a bang! Well, a calm bang….ermm…a blissful bang? You get where I’m going . We gathered for our final mat session, this time focusing on yoga flow. At this point, everyone was pretty darn blissed out, tanned and glowing from the inside out.
We then treated our guests to a scrumptious champagne brunch before their departure. We made an extra effort to make this one a truly wonderful send-off experience.
What’s on the Menu?
- Champagne
- Speciality Frittatas
- A wide variety of bread selections
- Freshly picked organic fruits
- Some extra love and yumminess
Total frittata heaven!
Final Reflections on Our Mind and Body Complete Destin Florida Yoga Retreat
My team and I love planning these retreats. We put our heart and souls in it because we want our guests to leave feeling connected, grounded, relaxed, reflective and happy. We also strive to weave a curated experience that’s grounded in building a strong community and a creating sustainable MBC sisterhood.
For the ladies that attended our Destin Florida Yoga Retreat, it was such a pleasure to serve you! We do hope to see you at one of our 2023 retreats. If you weren’t able to attend, no worries, there’s always next year. We’ll be sure to give an early roll call so everyone can plan around attending the event.
Until next week, namaste!
