Blackberry Farm Retreat

I recently collaborated with Blackberry Farm to design and teach a retreat called Welcome H(OM)E™️. The goal was to create an experience that would invite guests to return h(om)e to themselves. Mission accomplished! From the people, to the delicious food (and wine!), to the magic that is Blackberry Farm, it was an incredible experience.

There were a lot of highlights. Our yoga practice unfolded on a wooden yoga platform under a canopy of trees up in the mountains. I gave a talk on the philosophy that inspires my practice both on and off the mat. I worked with the Blackberry Farm floral team to create a seasonal herb-inspired tablescape demonstration. Dream. Come. True! There was a beautiful wine and cheese tasting all about connecting to the process. Believe it or not (believe it), I was the first wellness expert at Blackberry Farm to include wine tasting in a wellness retreat; now it’s one of their favorite wellness events! On top of it all, I felt like a goddess wearing the most beautiful clothes from Live The Process. It was pretty special.

It meant so much to me to be able to visualize and execute this kind of event—to share what yoga means to me in a way that fully integrated all of my creative passions. When I started my blog, H(OM)E®, almost ten years ago, it was an outlet to share the things I love—cooking, style, entertaining, travel, and, of course, yoga. I wanted to explore the practice in a way that felt authentic to me, even if it was different from what everyone else was doing. There’s no question: my blog gave me permission to be myself, helped me find my voice, and empowered me to practice my yoga.

I share this because, and I’ll be honest with you—before the Blackberry Farm retreat I was feeling completely stuck. In the midst of change, I got lost. Certainly motherhood has shifted my relationship to everything, especially myself. Disoriented, I started questioning my perspective. Truthfully, I doubted pretty much everything. I stopped listening to myself and started paying more attention to what everyone else was doing. I was no longer at h(om)e. I slid out of my own lane and I felt vulnerable and ashamed.

It wasn’t until I went to Blackberry Farm that I realized just how stuck I was. The retreat was a powerful reminder of why I do what I do. Talk about divine timing. My intention was to welcome my students home to themselves. I didn’t expect that I, too, would have my own homecoming. I left the retreat feeling aligned—with my practice, my purpose, and most importantly, myself.

Back home, both literally and energetically, I’ve recommitted to stay in my lane and do my yoga. After all, it’s my duty to walk my own path. No one can do it for me. I keep learning this over and over again. The truth is, we’re always returning. Yoga is a practice of returning. When we feel lost, we can find our way h(om)e by doing our work, practicing our yoga, and walking our path. I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to share what I love with others and to create such a memorable experience at Blackberry Farm. More than anything, though, I’m grateful to feel at h(om)e with myself. It’s good to be back.