Return to the Lodge: A Weekend of Renewal
With Lynn Schauwecker, Jennifer Muir and Alison Sinatra
August 27 - 30, 2026
Menla invites you to step away from the pace of everyday life and enter a sacred space of reflection, purification, and renewal. Surrounded by the deep forests and tranquil mountains of the Catskills, this weekend retreat offers an opportunity to reconnect with the elements, your inner wisdom, and the living rhythms of the Earth.
At the heart of the retreat is the sweat lodge ceremony, one of the oldest forms of prayer and purification practiced by Indigenous peoples of North America. Entering the lodge is often described as returning to the womb of Mother Earth—a place of humility, intention, and transformation. Within the warmth of the lodge, heated stones carry the energies of fire and water as songs, silence, and shared intention guide participants through a process of release, reflection, and renewal.
Throughout the weekend, participants will be gently guided in preparation for the ceremony through teachings on intention, connection with nature, and the deeper meaning of this ancient practice. Time between ceremonies allows for quiet integration, walks on Menla’s sacred land, moments of rest and contemplation, and optional treatments at the Dewa Spa.
The experience can be both grounding and profound. Many people describe the lodge as a place where burdens are released, clarity emerges, and a renewed sense of connection—to oneself, to community, and to the natural world—begins to unfold.
Whether you are new to this tradition or returning to deepen your relationship with the practice, this retreat offers a supportive space to enter the lodge with respect, humility, and openness.
Come gather in circle, honor the elements, and return to the lodge for a weekend of renewal.
Schedule:
Thursday, August 27
- 3 – 6 pm Arrival and Check-in
- 6 – 7 pm Dinner
- 7:30 – 8:30 pm Welcome Circle
Friday, August 28
- 8 – 9 am Breakfast
- 9:30 am – 12 pm Guided Hike
- 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
- 1:30 – 4:30 pm Free time for Relaxation and Spa
- 4:30 – 6 Afternoon Circle
- 6 – 7 pm Dinner
- 7:30 Evening of rest, relaxation and journaling.
Saturday, August 29
- 7am morning fast and lodge preparation
- 8 – 12 Sweatlodge
- 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
- 1 – 4:30 Free time for Relaxation
- 4:30 – 6 Afternoon Circle
- 6 – 7 pm Dinner
- 7:30 Sound Healing Journey with Jennifer Muir
Sunday, August 30
- 7 – 11 am Check-out of Rooms – (Please check out by 9:30am before the morning program begins)
- 8 – 9 am Breakfast
- 9:30 am – 12 pm Yoga with Alison Sinatra
- 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure
*Please note that this schedule is subject to change at any time.
About the Leaders
Lynn Schauwecker
Lynn Schauwecker has spent more than 25 years immersed in healing paths rooted in Indigenous traditions and in collaborative partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide. Her work deepened in 2003 during her time in the Amazon rainforest, where she apprenticed with Grandmother Maria Alice Campos Freire of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers and trained […]
Learn more about Lynn Schauwecker
Jennifer Muir
Jennifer Muir is a Tibetan Tones practitioner, contemplative caregiver and a keeper of sacred space. She has worked for many years supporting those struggling with addiction and mental health issues. More recently she has embarked on a path of working with death and dying as an end of life doula and chaplain. Jennifer utilizes the healing vibrations of […]
Learn more about Jennifer Muir
Alison Sinatra
Alison Sinatra has been teaching yoga and facilitating healing retreats and spaces for women for over 25 years. Her work supports people in remembering their connection to Spirit. Drawing on her studies with North and South American Indigenous traditions, Alison weaves prayer, ritual, embodiment, and lightheartedness into all that she offers. She recently completed Dr. Gabor Maté’s […]
Learn more about Alison SinatraCategories : Menla Retreat (all retreats), Menla THUS