Heart Opening Retreat
South Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Thursday - Sunday, May 5 - 8, 2011
In the glorious surroundings of Lake Tahoe spend a weekend opening your heart. Come away, breathe deeply and be refreshed in one of the most majestic settings on the planet on the beautiful South Shore of Lake Tahoe. A land of windswept peaks, clean air and pure water awaits you.
Nurture yourself, cultivate deep relaxation and inner peace, and feel connected to all of life. The Heart Opening Retreat is truly an enchanting journey into your heart center where you'll find a deeper sense of love and safety. Even if you have never ventured into singing or meditation, you will love this weekend.
You'll be immersed in uplifting music, singing, call and response chanting, guided and silent meditations, gentle self-discovery exercises and nourishing time in nature. You will rest into the blissful stillness of your own being
Find your authentic voice and be completely supported in the process as you deepen your awareness of the real you, outside of your roles and stories.. Experience a true connection with yourself and others as you practice honoring yourself and communicating your true feelings.
The retreat is facilitated by presenter/performing artist Kathy Zavada and meditation trainer Sarah McLean. They will gently lead you as you explore:
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Deep Silent & Guided Group Meditations
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Heart-centered Chanting & Uplifting Music
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Truthful and Heartfelt Communication Practices
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The Yoga of Breath - Pranayama
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Harmonizing with the Nature's Rhythms
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Meditation in Motion - Mindfulness Practices
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Communion & Reflecting in Nature
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Walks in the Wilderness
Retreat Location: The Zephyr Point Conference Center is a serene and private South Lake Tahoe retreat setting. We'll be meeting at their Tahoe Center.
Schedule: Check in for the retreat begins at 3:00 pm, and the program begins at 7:30 pm on Thursday, May 5th. The retreat ends at lunch on Sunday, Sunday, May 8th.
Meals Included: Meals from Friday breakfast through Sunday breakfast are provided. We'll need to know of your food preferences such as vegan, vegetarian or allergies or dietary needs you may have at least 10 days in advance of the retreat, in order to accommodate your request.
Registration: Click on the blue button below for a registration form, or call 928.204.0067 or email info@sedonameditation.com.
Retreat Fee: is payable in full at the time of registration. This fee does not include housing.
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$375 early registration (21 days in advance)
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$425 regular registration
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$275 Alumni Rate (21 days in advance)
Housing at the Retreat: You can stay right there at the conference center, or at more luxurious accommodations a mile or two away. Onsite you can choose to stay in a single room for three nights for $300, or find a roommate and stay in a double-occupancy room for $150 per person.
Confirmation: You’ll receive an email confirming your registration with more details.
Find out more, contact Sarah at 928.204.0067 or click on the blue box to print out a PDF of the registration form.
What participants are saying.....
"Oh my goodness…the facilitators are truly inspiring! It is the beautiful union between meditation and uplifting music that make this retreat so unique and powerful."
"Sarah is blessed with the gift of empowering participants to search deep within themselves. She lays the foundation for opening hearts by cultivating self-love, and then expanding love into the greater world. She has a wonderful way of making people feel safe and loved."
"Kathy is not only an incredible vocalist and pianist, she is gifted with the ability to move her audience. The lyrics to her songs and chants really made me reflect upon what was happening in my own life, and to make connections. Her gentleness and the pureness of her voice make her so precious!"
"The retreat was a fabulous balance between meditating, singing/chanting, journaling, sharing, communing with nature, and discussing the practice of meditation. I also appreciated the times when silence was kept. Oh…and the meals were simply marvelous. I could taste the love! Everything really flowed so smoothly. I love how there was such a variety within the schedule."
"I left the retreat with an increased love of myself and a solid foundation for the practice of meditation. I also left with a profound respect for how individuals are capable of transformation when they are part of a supportive group. It is because of this safe and nurturing environment that we are able to open their hearts, share experiences, learn about ourselves and help others along the way."
"My favorite part of the retreat was our morning meditation and chanting. You put 150% of your feelings into your singing and playing--so the depth of it reached me fully, opening me up and touching me deeply. It was transformative." -- Mary Lynn Peters
"My heart broke open with Kathy's music, group chanting, sharing, hugs and fun. I felt such peace in my mind, body and spirit. The person who left the retreat was transformed from the one who first arrived. I felt supported and embraced in love throughout the entire retreat." Peters
"It was pure heaven. I hadn't been feeling well before I came and was still not 100% when I arrived. It took just a small bit of time for all the love vibrations to fully hit me and open me up, but I definitely opened up."
"Beautiful music, relaxing, safe and inviting."
Read more testimonials.
Heart Opening Retreat Facilitators
Kathy Zavada:
Kathy is a performing artist of sacred music and inspirational retreat leader and teacher. Her programs support the awakening of greater consciousness in humanity. Her expression of love, joy and wisdom help invoke an awareness of one’s true nature, as well as helping her students fully experience the heart’s opening.
Kathy began her musical career at the age of four, and in 1989 began her professional recording career. Her CD’s have appeared on Amazon.com’s 10 Best List, in the top 50 most played on public radio. Her music has often been called soulful, inspirational, and heart opening.
Kathy spends time with and is often invited to sing for her spiritual teacher Mata Amritanandamayi, the hugging saint, and shares her music at programs for Gangaji, a distinguished and well-respected American spiritual teacher. Kathy makes her home in Mount Shasta, California. Listen to her music here.
 Sarah McLean:
Sarah is an explorer of the inner and outer worlds and has been meditating since 1989. She worked with Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, Gary Zukav, and Byron Katie among others. Each hired her to help them share their knowledge and talents with the world. As she developed mind/body health centers, self-discovery programs, curriculum, and events for them worldwide, she was fortunate enough to become immersed in their wisdom and knowledge. This has been an important part of her path to self discovery.
She has journeyed thousands of miles through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia by bicycle in search of the secrets of this world and this life. After eight years working at Deepak Chopra's center as the Education Director, she traveled to India to meditate for six months, and then became a two-year resident in a Zen Buddhist training center.
Sarah, as the director of the Sedona Meditation Training Company, has created programs to help demystify meditation, and provides retreat environments for each participant to experience deep silence and self-awareness. She says her mission is to share her discoveries of expanded states of awareness and the mysteries of life, and to teach as many people as possible the practices of meditation in a nourishing and engaging learning environment. She likes to inspire each participant to still their mind, experience present moment awareness, come to know their true essence, and live a fulfilling life.
The origins of this retreat:
Sarah first heard Kathy Zavada's music while living in India in 1997. Kathy was playing her music for an Indian saint called Amma during an evening program in Kerala. Sarah found the music so deeply moving that when Sarah returned to the States, it was one of the few albums she listened to on her days off in the Zen Buddhist training center.
Two years later, Sarah later moved to work for Gary Zukav in Mount Shasta where Kathy lived, and they would see each other at Berryvale, the local health food store, but never met. Following that, Sarah moved to Los Angeles to work with Byron Katie. Katie played Kathy's music at her retreats, The School for the Work, in the US and in Europe.
In 2001, when Sarah's husband Marty proposed to her, he chose Kathy's music as the backdrop. A few years later, through a series of synchronistic events, Kathy stayed the Sedona at Sarah's guest cottage while she performed for the Raw Food Festival. Before she returned to Mount Shasta, Kathy offered to perform for one of the group meditations that Sarah hosts in her home for her students. It was magical. And it was that evening that they decided to create this retreat together and both are committed to sharing their deep awakening experiences with you.
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