“Imagination is evidence of the divine,” wrote poet and visionary William Blake more than 200 years ago. And yet we experience the world, imagine, and create through our very human bodies. In this retreat designed for artists and dreamers of every ilk, we will drop into the body and connect to the deepest parts of ourselves.
Through immersive yoga practices, including asana, guided breathing, and relaxation, coupled with writing exercises and playful ritual, we will unleash and explore the power that is our birthright, face our fears, generate new material, make resolutions, and discover the stories that emerge from and are written on the body.
Between facilitated sessions participants will have time for solitude, reflection, and play in nature on the sacred grounds of beautiful GilChrist.
Poet Mary Oliver wrote that “the most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and gave to it neither power nor time.” In this retreat we’ll give both power and time to the practices that will allow us to not only live without regret, but with fierce love, joy, and passion.
About the Facilitator
Marin Heinritz, PhD, ERYT-500, has been facilitating groups, teaching classes, and working one-on-one with clients using writing and yoga for healing, embodiment, and spiritual development for more than a decade. She is a published writer and Professor of English at Kalamazoo College where she has taught creative writing, literature, and journalism since 2003; and she teaches yoga classes as well as offers private yoga, writing, and cooking sessions virtually and in Kalamazoo. Writing and the body are inextricably linked in her work on the page and in the studio/classroom, and helping others fulfill their potential through both endeavors and live fully embodied is, for her, a spiritual practice.
Retreat Schedule
Friday opening circle 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Saturday morning practice 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Saturday afternoon practice 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Saturday fire ceremony 8:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Sunday morning practice and closing circle 9:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m
Registration and Lodging Details
First, email the facilitator to register for the retreat. Early bird registration for the retreat program is $400; on October 1, 2026, the cost increases to $450. Space is limited. Please inquire about options for financial accessibility.
Once you have registered and paid for the program with Marin, she will direct you to contact GilChrist to reserve your cabin using the online registration form (or calling the main office at 269-244-1130 with any questions). Lodging is $75/night per person in addition to the program fee, paid to GilChrist at the end of the retreat. Participants will check into their cabins between 1:00 and 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16 at a time communicated via your cabin reservation. Cabin check-out is at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 18.
