Not All Wellness Retreats Are Created Equally
One is curated for the camera; the other is created for the soul.
I say this with love: there’s a place for yoga retreats full of twenty-somethings in matching Lululemon sets—bending into pretzel shapes, surviving on green juice for a week, and documenting every “blissful” moment for Instagram.
But let’s be real—that’s not for everyone.
And it’s not the retreats I create at The Green Maya Project.
What Retreats Mean to Me
As a woman in my late 40s who’s lived through grief, transitions, heartbreaks, and fresh starts, I want more than a surface-level, short lived “reset.”
I want depth. I want a sustainable foundation to grow from long after the retreat ends. I want to leave with my soul lighter, my body cared for, and my spirit deeply connected: to myself, to others, and to the earth.
For me, mindfulness is more than a 60-minute vinyasa flow class. It’s journaling in the stillness of the early morning with tea in hand. It’s noticing the jungle’s scent after the rain. It’s hearing the hum of a hummingbird’s wings and knowing—life is right here, in this moment. It’s feeling my heartbeat inside an ancestral ceremony and realizing I’ve just released something I've carried for years.
That’s the essence of the retreats I curate.
We go deep. We get messy. We allow space for silence, laughter, tears, breakdowns, and breakthroughs.
Yes, We Do Yoga—But That’s Just the Beginning
Yoga, meditation, prayers, affirmations, breathwork, ice baths, sound healing, journaling —these are tools. They support the path, but they’re not the entire journey.
I don’t create retreats to check boxes on a “healing” itinerary. I create them to help you actually transform, reconnect, heal, remember who you are and give you the tools for a solid path forward.
Culture, Nature, Wellness, and Spirit
In Yucatán, we’re surrounded by living traditions and ancient wisdom. Our retreats here aren’t just about self-reflection—they’re about a deep connection.
🌿 Nature: Floating in cenotes, exploring mangroves alive with flora and fauna, swimming in the emerald-green sea.
🌿 Culture & History: Learning from Maya communities, supporting their livelihoods, and walking among ancient stones in archeological sites- that carry centuries of wisdom.
🌿 Wellness: Nourishing local food, restorative movement, deep rest, body care, holistic healing, and time in nature.
🌿 Ceremony: Authentic ancestral rituals—cocao, temazcal, fire, blessings, cleansings, and offerings—guided by local healers.
🌿 Sacred Medicines: Offered with integrity and respect, for those who feel called.
This isn’t retreat-as-escape. It’s retreat-as-return.
Food as Part of the Healing
Have you ever been on a retreat where the food felt like an afterthought? Tiny portions, bland flavors, or overly “clean” meals that felt more like punishment than nourishment?
That’s not us.
Here, food is part of the experience: organic, locally grown, nourishing —but also delicious and satisfying. Every meal is prepared with intention and becomes part of your journey—another way to connect with the land, the people, and yourself.
Comfort Matters
Let me be clear: I like comfortable beds. I don’t want mosquitoes buzzing in my ear all night. I want to know I can shower in clean water and still feel held by nature.
Luxury doesn’t have to mean excess or performative minimalism—it means all your needs are met and a deep comfort that allows you to fully exhale and rest in ease.
That’s what we offer. A balance of deep inner work with spacious mornings, journaling, meaningful conversations, and a comfortable place to rest.
Because integration is just as important as ceremony.
Who You’ll Be With
I also believe in the power of community.
At The Green Maya Project, our retreats bring together adults who are ready to go deeper—people navigating transitions, processing grief, or simply longing for a real connection.
This isn’t about sitting in a circle with people who’ve barely started living their story. This is about gathering with others who get it—who have lived, loved, lost, and are ready to grow. And we do it with the support of professional guides, authentic local healers, and each other.
This Experience Is for You If…
✨ You’re tired of surface-level retreats that look better online than they feel in real life.
✨ You want a retreat that balances structure with spaciousness.
✨ You crave authentic connection: to yourself, to nature, to others.
✨ You want to explore both the spiritual and the cultural richness of Yucatán.
✨ You value comfort, authenticity, and transformation over aesthetics.
✨ You are ready to go deep, get messy, breakdown, and break through
A Note from Me
I’m Sara Renshaw—founder and retreat curator at The Green Maya Project. I’ve lived in Yucatán for over 20 years, building businesses in sustainability, ecotourism, and wellbeing. I’ve walked through my own dark nights of the soul, and I know what it feels like to not just need a vacation, but a true path back to myself.
That’s what Green Maya retreats are:
- A path.
- A remembering.
- A deep, beautiful, transformative return to you.
The Invitation
If you hear the whisper—if your soul is craving something deeper than a photo-worthy getaway—then it’s time.
This October, I’m hosting our Day of the Dead Retreat in Yucatán, Mexico—a sacred journey of culture, remembrance, grief healing, and connection.
We’ll build altars, walk in a candlelit procession, share meals prepared with love, and sit with ancestral traditions that remind us: life and death are not opposites, but part of the same cycle.
It’s not about escape. It’s about coming home—to yourself, to wellness, to community, to spirit.
🕯 I’m ready to remember. Are you?
