Featuring live music ~ yoga philosophy ~ meditation in nature
Join us for an unforgettable weekend of restoration, awakening, and community!
Our time together will be filled with gentle yoga asana and pranayama classes accompanied by live music. As well as time in nature to meditate and experience the wild trails of Willow.
We will enjoy delicious vegetarian meals throughout the weekend, prepared fresh by Willow’s owner-operator Ravi Shimpi. Read more about Willow’s retreat meals here.
We will be the only group using Willow over this weekend, giving us plenty of time and space to connect with ourselves and each other.
Live Music
Allow the vibrations of guitar, singing bowl, frame drum, koshi chime, and voice to wash over your being, as you experience your yoga practice accompanied by sound healing instruments. Kimberly and Michael have been studying, practicing, and writing music for over a decade and can't wait to play for you!
Yoga Philosophy
We will be diving deep into the philosophy of Svadhyaya or Self Study; one of the 5 Niyamas within Yoga's second Limb on the 8 Limb Path. Cultivate a deep connection with yourself and begin to witness your own life journey.
Meditation in Nature
Spend time soaking in the energy of Vermont's wild nature. Bathe the green forest, breathe in the smell of pine, let your hands touch the soft moss of the woods.
Retreat Package Includes:
Comfortable and clean lodging for two nights. Shared room (2 people per room) and private bathroom.
5 delicious vegetarian meals: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sunday Brunch
Welcome Gift
Opening Circle
4 Yoga classes: 2 Evening classes, 2 morning classes
2 of these classes will be accompanied by Live Music!
1 Guided Hike with a Nature Meditation experience and Philosophy talk
Access to full grounds and woods around the property
Closing Circle
Fee: $855 per person, double occupancy. Singles who book a spot on their own will be paired in a double occupancy room with one other participant.
Early Bird Fee (before January 12): $777
Extend Your Stay
Willow encourages retreat participants who wish to stay in the area longer to book rooms or book the treehouse on nights before and after the retreat at sharply reduced rates. Extended bookings include a hearty continental breakfast.
Individual rooms are $135-185/night for up to two people. A discount of 15% applies to bookings of 3 or more nights.
We offer a seven-night single occupancy rate of $685 in selected rooms, subject to availability.
The retreat will be led by Kimberly Redd and Michael Gobiel.
Rooms and Amenities
Willow is a comforting and nurturing environment — furnished with a harmonious combination of custom contemporary and vintage furniture, rugs, artwork and crafts.
We provide comfortable overnight accommodations in double occupancy rooms. All rooms have dedicated ensuite or hall baths. We are outfitted with all the comforts of a typical guest house — linens, blowdryers, individually controlled heating and air conditioning. Our mattresses, pillows and furniture are exceptionally comfortable. Our soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions are organic. We support local craftspeople by supplying Willow with handmade and high quality goods — everything from lamps to rugs have been made by hand. You will feel very much at home.
The Colonial Revival main house offers open living space on the first floor: a grand foyer with sitting area and library, a spacious and light-filled living room with fireplace, a sunny veranda, a dining room, and a 14-person yoga studio painted in soft colors of the willow tree. The studio is fully outfitted with yoga mats, cushions, straps, blocks and blankets.
Meals
Meals are provided throughout the retreat, including dinner on arrival day, 3 meals each full day, and brunch on departure day.
Our menu is Indian, Tex-Mex and American-inspired vegetarian dishes with balanced proteins, fats and carbs. Our meals are healthy, filling, and made of local organic and natural ingredients. Please let us know at registration if you prefer vegan or gluten-free options. Please let us know if you have any food allergies. We cannot accommodate last minute requests during the retreat.
Coffee is served with breakfast at no charge. Tea is available all day at no charge.
Espresso, cappuccino, and fresh-pressed juices are available for purchase throughout the retreat. A menu of options will be posted in the dining room. Charges will be added to your account and billed at the end of the retreat.
The Schedule
Friday evening:
Dinner
Opening Circle
Slow Flow Yoga Class
Saturday:
Optional morning meditation
Breakfast
Energizing Flow Yoga Class
Gentle group hike
Dinner
Restorative Yoga Class
Sunday
Lite bite to eat
Gentle Yoga Class
Brunch
Closing Circle
What to bring
Clothes that you feel comfortable in to practice yoga
Swimsuits or not - Rock River swimming is clothing-optional. The water will be cold in May.
Artist supplies, journal or other hobbies for free-time segments
Slippers or house shoes. Willow is a shoe free household.
Hiking shoes and clothes
Headlamp or flashlight
Meet The Resident Cats
Willow is home to two sweet and friendly cats, Bear and Scratch. They love our guests and they absolutely adore being petted. But we ask that guests not pick them up. Too much of that and they will become stressed little souls.
We do our best to keep the cats out of the guest rooms so that people with allergies can comfortably stay with us. Please help with this by discouraging the cats from entering or napping in your room.
Traveling to Willow
Willow is located in the beautiful and quintessential village of South Newfane (population 300), a satellite of Newfane (population 1,700). We are located 20 minutes northwest of Brattleboro, 20 minutes northeast of Wilmington, and 20 minutes east of Dover and Mount Snow.
By car:
From Brattleboro, take Route 30 north about 9 miles. Go left on Depot Road where the West River and Rock River meet; travel 2 miles on Depot Road until you cross a small bridge over the Rock River; go left on Dover Road through the village of Williamsville; after passing through Williamsville you will cross a covered bridge. Willow is exactly 1.2 miles on your left. If you come to a stop sign you have gone 300 feet past our driveway.
From Wilmington, take Route 100 north toward West Dover about 3.5 miles. A half mile past the River Valley Market, take a right on East Dover Road; travel 1 mile. Take a right on Dover Hill Road; travel 8 miles on Dover Hill Road and E Dover Road (they are continuous) until you reach a 3-way stop sign in the village of South Newfane. Willow is 300 feet past the stop sign on your right.
By train: the daily Amtrak Vermonter stops in Brattleboro as it travels from Washington DC to Montreal and back. You can pick it up in New York, Hartford, Springfield to the south or in Montpelier to the north. Taxis are available in Brattleboro or Willow’s owners will pick you up in Brattleboro on the Vermonter’s arrival at 5pm (note this is after check in time).
By plane: Travelers may find Hartford (BDL—64.4 miles, 90 minutes) and Boston (BOS—85.7 miles, 2 hours 20 minutes) to be most convenient. Other nearby airports to check are Rutland VT (RUT, 55 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes), Manchester NH (MHT—85 miles, 2 hours), Albany NY (ALB—73 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes), and Worcester MA (ORH, 81 miles, 1 hour 50 minutes).
A note on driving: You may have spotty cell service in some parts of southern Vermont. Be sure to set your GPS before leaving home. Set it by typing “Willow Vermont Retreat” into your search bar. Please don’t use Willow’s address, as most GPS engines get southern Vermont addresses wrong. But don’t worry one bit, just remember this: following our guidance will lead you safely to Willow; following Google to Willow’s address will lead you 4 miles off target.