Join Jessi and Zach at Casa Floresta for a transformative
retreat on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala.  

This all-inclusive experience invites you to explore the vibrant Maya cultures, traditions, and landscapes of this sacred region while reflecting on the ripples we can create within ourselves and in the world.
Each day offers a balance of movement, reflection, cultural exploration, and time in nature—allowing you to feel the subtle ripples of transformation that will extend long after your return home.
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This retreat provides the perfect balance between rest and relaxation in one of the world's most beautiful settings, engaging in cultural knowledge and making an impact in the community.
Our arrival day includes transportation from the airport and via boat to Casa Floresta. During our retreat, we will honor and learn from traditional Mayan Fire Ceremony guided by Tata Walter as well as traditional Mayan weaving and natural dying by Lema Women's Cooperative. We will visit and build relationships with two long standing local NGOs: Konojel and Escuela Caracol. For decades we’ve been collaborating with these projects and are thrilled to be able to share with you all they are doing to create lasting impact.

​Through shared meals, guided practices, and intentional connection, you’ll have time to pause, play and listen deeply to your own heart, the community, and the miraculous natural world that supports us all. 
​Come as you are.
​Leave with a deeper sense of purpose, belonging, and the reminder that every ripple matters.
Schedule

Monday, March 2 (13 Kawoq)
1:00pm- Shuttle leaves airport
4:30pm- Shuttle arrives to Lake
4:45pm- Private boat to Casa Floresta dock
5:30pm- Dinner
6:30pm- Opening Circle and Welcome 

Tuesday, March 3 (1 Ajpu')
8:15am - Grounding Yoga
9:15am- Light breakfast 
10:00am- Ripples Workshop 
11:30am- Brunch
1:00pm- Cacao and Mayan fire ceremony 
5:30pm- Dinner
6:30pm- Optional sauna

​​Wednesday March 4 (2 Imox)
Lake morning and SUP
9:15am- Light breakfast 
10:00am- Lakeside Yoga
11:30am- Brunch
1:00pm- Impact day at Konojel & Escuela Caracol
5:30pm- Dinner
6:30pm- Sound ceremony by Hayley & Jaya
Thursday March 5 (3 Iq')
8:15am - Grounding Yoga
9:15am- Light breakfast 
10:00am- Free time
11:00am- Brunch
12:00pm- Lema Women's Weaving Association & Shopping in San Juan
5:30pm- Dinner 
6:30pm- Closing Celebration with Music by John Medeski
​(of Medeski Martin and Wood)
​Friday, March 6 (4 Aq'ab'al)
Lake morning and SUP
9:00am- Breakfast 
10:00am- Closing Ripples Workshop
11:00am - Check Out

​* Optional Ceremony on the night of March 6. This is not part of the retreat but an extra opportunity, please inquire if interested
About Casa Floresta

​Casa Floresta is a family-run eco-retreat center on Lake Atitlán, designed as a space for connection, creativity, and community. With sweeping views of the lake and surrounding volcanoes, cozy cabins, a private dock, and a dedicated Temple space, Casa Floresta invites guests into a world of natural beauty and quiet reflection.
Tucked into the peaceful cove of Pasajcap, just around the bay from San Marcos La Laguna, you’ll find the perfect place to disconnect and reconnect.
​About Tata Walter

A native of San Marcos La Laguna, Tata Walter carries forward the sacred traditions of his ancestors through the Maya Fire Ceremony, a spiritual practice he has been leading for over a decade. Deeply rooted in his community and lineage, he weaves the wisdom of the Maya Calendar (Tzolk’in) and the Maya Nawals into each ceremony, creating a powerful space for reflection and connection.
Fluent in Spanish, English, and Kaqchikel, Tata Walter bridges cultures through his teachings, offering participants a way to honor the elements of earth, water, wind, and fire. His ceremonies invite you to connect more deeply with your own energy, the rhythms of nature, and the 260-day cycle of the Maya calendar.
About Konojel

Konojel, based in San Marcos La Laguna, is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to reducing chronic malnutrition and poverty through nutrition programs, educational opportunities, job creation, and community-led initiatives that empower local families and foster long-term resilience. Their Healthy Babies program supports mothers in preventing malnutrition early in life, and the Young Leaders Program helps indigenous youth to complete their education and achieve future professional goals.
​About Caracol

Caracol School (Escuela Caracol), in San Marcos La Laguna, is a nonprofit Waldorf school offering holistic, bilingual, and culturally immersed education. Approximately 90% of students are local Mayan children (Kaqchikel and Tz’utujil), and nearly all of them receive almost full scholarships covering tuition, materials, and meals to ensure access regardless of financial means. The first Waldorf School in Guatemala, Caracol provides the diverse cultural communities in San Marcos a heart-centered and nature-based education opportunity.
About Lema Weaving Association

The Lema Weaving Association is a women’s cooperative in San Juan La Laguna, founded to strengthen the economic opportunities and quality of life for local families. Representing 15 Tz’utujil families, the association preserves and shares the rich tradition of backstrap weaving, a skill passed down through generations from mothers and grandmothers. Each handcrafted piece reflects the vibrant culture, symbolism, and natural beauty of Lake Atitlán, while supporting sustainable livelihoods for the women artisans who create them.
All packages include all workshops, classes, nourishing vegetarian meals, transportation to & from the airport and your choice of accommodation:
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*EARLY BIRD ENDS DEC 1ST*
 
Early Bird Rate:
$1595 - shared accommodation
$1995 - private accommodation

After Dec 1:
$1895 - shared accommodation
$2295 - private accommodation

*Flights to/from Guatemala not included

Ripples retreat ​registration

MEET YOUR FACILITATORS

We met in Guatemala on New Years Eve 2013 and connected through our shared passions of working in the nonprofit sector in Guatemala, of yoga and movement, and of travel. Once Zach arrived on the land of Seven Springs, we began to dream up the retreat center where people could come to connect with the beauty of the land. We simultaneously created Kula Collective, an international yoga school, with several friends. After birthing many passion projects, we then set out on our greatest creations: our two sons, Kai and Cedar.
​Our complementary facilitation skills have planted seeds for collaborating on many retreats and workshops together. We have a deep passion for connecting through creativity, communication, and cacao!  

​Jessi Townesmith
Since a young age, Jessi has studied dance and creative movement. Since her first RYT200 teacher training in 2008, Jessi has led retreats and workshops throughout the States, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Bali, and Costa Rica. She completed her RYT500 certification in 2012 and now leads retreats and teacher trainings in places she most enjoys sharing. Jessi teaches an accessible and holistic yoga practice to offer students at all levels of yoga the experience of yoga. 

For a portion of the year, Jessi lives and teaches in Guatemala. She originally found herself in Guatemala in 2009, called to work with local women's cooperatives and artisans. She founded JUSTA, an NGO and holistic network that connects indigenous artisans, global designers, and projects that promote self-sustaining development, creative expression, and holistic empowerment within family and community.
​Zachary Townesmith
​Zach brings humility and humor to his facilitation and coaching. He inspires participation and thoughtful consensus in a wide array of groups. He is dedicated to developing intercultural relations and facilitating innovative solutions for regenerative well-being.
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His Cum Laude B.A. from Harvard College led him to explore issues of privilege and work for justice from his hometown of Philadelphia to the Guatemala City garbage dump. This work has taken him throughout the Americas engaging diverse stakeholders in strategic planning through the development of creative and critical thinking in fields such as education, public health, business, creative industries, and entrepreneurship.
Questions?