Radiance Rising:
Spring Equinox Yoga and Renewal Retreat
March 21, 2026
Osteen, Florida
Sacred Forest Farm
10:30 am - 5:30 pm + fireside chat
"Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems."
– Rainer Maria Rilke
"These [the kleshas], when reduced to a subtle state, are to be eliminated by resolving them back into their original cause."
― Patañjali yoga-sūtra
Welcome to Radiance Rising, a day-long retreat at Sacred Forest Farm that invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect—with yourself, with community, and with the healing rhythms of the land.
This retreat offers a deeply restorative experience through vinyasa yoga, mindfulness meditation, pranayama, contemplative writing, philosophy, ritual, and crafts. All classes will take place under the comfort of the farm’s beautiful event tent, surrounded by the vibrant beauty and stillness of the forest. With guidance from yoga teacher and contemplative educator Shannon (Sati) Chmelar and an opening welcome by land steward Kelli Hastings, the retreat is a grounding invitation to reconnect with your breath, body, and the natural world.
Beyond physical movement, our time together is anchored in the wisdom of yogic and Buddhist psychologies, exploring the pathways of emotional and psychological transformation. Between sessions of guided study and seasonal crafting, we will gather for a wholesome lunch harvested from Sacred Forest Farm’s spring bounty—offering a true taste of the land’s abundance. The day culminates in a transformative fire ceremony, inviting you into deeper communion with the earth and your own inner landscape
Whether you're seeking clarity, restoration, or inspiration, Rising Radiance offers a rare opportunity to tune inward while rooted in the beauty and wisdom of the natural world. Space is limited to maintain a quiet, intimate atmosphere—early registration is encouraged.
What’s Included
Yoga Classes
Start your day with an energizing vinyasa flow. Move through breath-led sequences designed for most levels. Later, unwind with a calming restorative class. Gentle poses and stillness help you fully relax and reset.
Lecture and Reflective Writing
This lecture explores how our embodied system undergoes profound renewal through the lens of Buddhist and Yogic psychologies. Together, we’ll examine how unhelpful patterns and mental afflictions can “burn up” through awareness, discipline, and compassion.
Crafts + Fire Ceremony
We gather natural materials to craft seasonal crowns and wreaths, symbolizing the shifting of the seasons. Once our creations are complete, we transition into a 'letting go' ceremony: releasing our recorded afflictions into a communal fire to clear space for new growth.
Fresh Sacred Forest Harvest Lunch
Enjoy a four-course vegetarian meal inspired by the season’s harvest and the land’s rhythm. Dishes feature a diverse array of fresh produce, and unlimited kombucha on tap keeps you refreshed throughout the retreat.
Pranayama and Meditation
Pranayama practice during the retreat focuses on activating the parasympathetic nervous system and enhancing overall vitality. Meditation sessions provide a space for quieting the mind, fostering mindfulness, and deepening inner awareness.
Community Building
The class discussions, extended meal period, and an optional fireside chat offer opportunities to bond, exchange ideas and stories, and enrich the retreat experience. We hope new friendships bloom!
A Meal in Season
Our retreat includes a thoughtfully prepared, four-course vegetarian meal, deeply rooted in the rhythm of the land.
The season’s harvest will guide the menu — expect a colorful spread that may feature baba ganoush (eggplant hummus) with vegetable crudite, fresh harvest salad with endive and edible flowers, and roasted broccoli Romanesco, flame-star cauliflower, and bok choy.
Every dish is crafted with intention — simple, grounding, and nourishing — to support your practice and reconnect you to the earth.
And to sip throughout the day: unlimited kombucha on tap, refreshing and alive, to keep you hydrated and humming.
Our final menu will be shaped by the harvest and revealed closer to the retreat — nature always knows best.
Tentative Schedule
The retreat schedule will be finalized closer to the event date. Program details are subject to change as needed.
10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Arrival & Check-in
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Welcome/Meditation/Pranayama
11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Yoga Asana
12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Lunch
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Break
2:45 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Theory & Writing
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Spring Equinox Crafts
4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Break
4:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Fire Ceremony and Closing
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Optional Fireside Chat + Kombucha
*Bring your musical instrument if you want to play by the fire!
The Location
Sacred Forest Farm is an 11-acre regenerative farm and retreat center nestled in the heart of Northeast Central Florida. Dedicated to both ecological stewardship and spiritual growth, the farm cultivates food using regenerative practices while offering a range of unique experiences — from classes and events to immersive agritourism and personal retreats.
Important To Know
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Participants are required to bring: yoga mat, hand towel or yoga strap, water and water bottle, layers for chilly mornings, meditation cushion (optional), sun protection (for forest walk), appropriate footwear, shawl for meditation or savasana (if needed), journal, and writing utensil.
Spring crafts: supplies will be provided for you and included in retreat cost. However, if you have special faux or real flowers you love, you are welcome to bring them.
If we expect rain, please bring a raincoat and rain boots for the forest walk.
If you are bringing a lunch or snack, you have the option to refrigerate it
There is no automated filtered water at the farm. Sacred Forest Farm staff will bring filtered water on site for the retreat but quantities are limited. Please bring extra for yourself to ensure supplies last
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Please note that while our farm staff will provide a wholesome vegetarian meal during the retreat, we are unable to accommodate specific food allergies or dietary restrictions. If you have particular dietary needs, you are welcome to bring your own lunch and snacks. A refrigerator will be available on-site to store your bagged meal for the day.
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Registration fee is fully refundable (minus processor fees) through March 14, 2026.
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This retreat is suitable for most participants with a previous background in yoga postural practice. This retreat is not suitable for total beginners as we cannot provide the adequate attention required to ensure safe execution during instruction period. Advanced options (headstands) may be optionally offered to established practitioners but detailed instruction will not be provided on inversions. Students are encouraged to modify as needed to ensure safety and stability during class.
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The only required prop to bring for yoga posture practice is a stable yoga mat (not an exercise mat) and a small hand towel or yoga strap that will be used for shoulder and hamstring work. Modifications will be provided for postures. Yoga blocks will not be needed.
yoga mat
small hand towel or yoga strap
meditation/savasana shawl (optional)
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Light physical cues and gentle depth adjustments may be offered during classes to support safe alignment and body awareness. These adjustments will be minimal, as the retreat is designed to accommodate a range of experience levels. No intensive adjustments—typically more appropriate for seasoned practitioners—will be used.
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We kindly ask that all participants take personal responsibility for caring for their bodies throughout the retreat. As this is a one-time event, your instructor will not have the opportunity to become deeply familiar with your individual physical needs or limitations. If you are working with a serious injury or condition, please inform the instructor before class begins. You are always encouraged to modify or skip any poses as needed—listen to your body and honor its signals.
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Sacred Forest Farm provides a well-maintained (and surprisingly fancy!) compost toilet for participant use during the retreat.
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For questions regarding retreat classes contact Sati at satiyogini@gmail.com
For questions regarding Sacred Forest Farm contact Kelli at kelli@theyogalawyer.com
Sacred Forest Farm Website: https://sacredforest.farm/
Registration Page: https://www.theyogalawyer.com/event-details/autumn-nature-immersion-and-yoga-retreat
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Sacred Forest Farm is a drug-free, alcohol-free, and DEET-free environment. To honor the integrity of the land and the spirit of the retreat, we kindly ask that you do not bring any drugs, alcohol, or DEET-based products to the site. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe, clean, and respectful space for all participants.
Retreat Cost
$175.00 + processing fees
Refundable until March 14 (minus processing fees).
Rate Includes:
All classes
Craft supplies
4-course lunch with fresh farm produce
Unlimited Kombucha on tap
You’ll be directed to Kelli Hastings’s website (owner of Sacred Forest Farm)to complete your registration and sign a required liability waiver.
Your spot will be confirmed once this step is complete. Thank you!
Registration Opens January 24!
“Can words describe the fragrance of the very breath of spring — that delicious commingling of the perfume of arbutus, the odor of pines, and the snow-soaked soil just warming into life”
— Neltje Blanchan
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