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upcoming international retreat
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Villa Sumaya - Guatemala
March 23 - 30, 2024
Explore The WHY, WOW & HOW
of the Power of Your Breath
with Laurie Ellis-Young
Relax - Revitalize - Rejuvenate - Regenerate - Refocus - Reset
AND Experience Semana Santa in Santiago De Atitlan
Watch the making of the colorful alfombras
(carpets made from seed pods, cornhusks and sawdust)
Witness the traditional Easter procession
(carrying Jesus around the town over the alfombras)

Easter is a most spectacular time on Lake Atitlan, filled with traditions that

provide the most unique cultural experience you will ever witness.

Laurie Ellis-Young, MTC, SYT, CVO is passionate about bringing people

to breathe together in one of her favorite places on Earth.

Just being in this special spot is transformational;

add the "Power of Breath” and it becomes pure magic!

This retreat is for you if you:

  • are open to a magical and nurturing experience of a lifetime. 

  • desire to learn and embody ‘Breath Literacy’ for yourself as your superpower. 

  • want to share what you learn to help others 

Breath Literacy = the wisdom and knowledge of how to breathe optimally,

moment by moment, breath by breath, and in circumstances all throughout life.  

Why Breath Is Life?
Without breath there is no life. Yet most of us rarely think about our breath or
how the way we breathe impacts the way we feel, think, sleep, solve problems or stay healthy.


Breath is literally our hidden superpower!

This workshop, based on the five-time award-wining  book, Breath Is Life: TAKING IN and LETTING GO,
How to Live Well, Love Well and BE Well 
by Laurie and her husband, Dr. George T. Ellis Psy.D.,
will teach you the art and science of breath, how to harness the power of your breath,
how to use breathing techniques to improve your life and so much more. 

 
Why Lake Atitlan?

The unparalleled beauty and power of this Mayan paradise helps retreatants relax, revitalize, refocus, reset, and leave informed and transformed, ready to make a difference in the world.

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Why Your Facilitator, Laurie Ellis-Young?

“Laurie teaches with mastery and heart like I’ve not experienced before.” ~ 2023 Retreatant 

Laurie’s mastery is derived from 40+ years of studying Eastern and Western sciences and techniques of well-being: Master’s degree in Therapeutic Counseling emphasizing breathwork (MTC), Senior Yoga Teacher (SYT) 1000 hours -UK Yoga Alliance, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction instructor (MBSR), and other multiple wellness certifications.

 

She is founding-director of Breathe The Change LLC, co-founder of nonprofit BreathLogic, an award-winning author, SHIFT Peace Ambassador, reforester, rainforest preservation activist, and globe trotter who has visited 90+ countries and led groups to over 20.

Her heartfelt facilitation is honed by 4+ decades of sharing Breath Literacy with diverse populations of all ages on six continents: individuals and groups desiring personal and professional empowerment along with those experiencing multiple types of trauma, stresses, illnesses, grief, poverty, war, sex trafficking, marginalization etc.

Retreat Details

What's Included

  • Greeted at the Guatemala City airport

  • Roundtrip transportation to/from airport and Villa Sumaya (shuttles, taxis, boats)

  • 7 nights double accommodations (singles and super luxury available - extra fee)

  • Exquisite indoor and outdoor training/practice facilities

  • 3 scrumptiously delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals (fish or chicken may be requested for an additional fee)

  • Unlimited purified water, herbal tea, and local coffee

  • All practices including yoga (all levels).

  • Five-time award-winning Book- Breath Is Life. Taking In and Letting Go: How to Live Well, Love Well, BE Well

  • Award-winning book Friendship: The Art of the Practice

  • Serendipitous surprises

  • Hiking / exploring / cultural  excursions/ special connections with locals

  • Front desk reception staff available 24-hours a day

 

  Not Included     

  • Airfare to/from Guatemala City

  • Gratuities at the Villa Sumaya ($7-$10/day suggested)

  • Harmony spa services

  • Adult beverages

Double Occupancy: $1,600 

For further information and registration, contact Laurie at Laurie@BreatheTheChange.com.

What people are saying 
  • I have expanded my understanding of breath and I will be forever changed.  – Retreat / Training

  • The depth and breadth of what we learned was beyond my expectations. – Retreat /Training
    Everything about this training and retreat was superbly orchestrated. I feel like I have lifetime tools that I can immediately share. – Retreat / Training

  • You are magical.  Our trip was so amazing – again! – and filled with such special experiences each and every day…… I am already using Heart Breath with preschoolers, adults and Seniors.  I can’t thank you enough for everything – Retreat / Training

  • You are a gifted and passionate speaker with such valuable information to share. This was the best-attended training we’ve had. –Corporate workshop

 

  • I am grateful beyond words for your work with us.  You covered an amazing amount of territory, so I applaud your courage and strength.  I feel today that a large amount of density lifted physically, mentally and emotionally.   And that process will continue for a while.  – Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • You are a gifted facilitator for deep transformational change.  –Power of BreathWorkshop

 

  • The Love I experienced was beautiful.  The Love I felt for every soul present was incredible.  The Love continues, always. –Retreat

 

  • I am beginning to realize how important the breath is to a healthy, radiant life – thank you once again.  –Power of Breath Workshop

  • “One of the most moving experiences I have ever had!”  –Retreat

  • “I have taken many workshops over the years, but this was THE VERY best!  –Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • Laurie was so inspirational!  From the embodiment of her ‘being’ and philosophy of her practice, I learned of a deep, spiritual respect for the art of breathing correctly and how it benefits both the body and soul.  –Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • Her presentation style is with grace, peacefulness and humor. I have never experienced anything like her before. –Power of Breath Workshop

  • Laurie Thank you for a “slice of heaven”!  –Retreat

  • I appreciate my new “tools” and the adventurous experiences.  –Retreat / Training

  • I feel expanded and more connected with all! –Retreat

  • You far exceeded my expectations.  You taught in such a way that I remembered just about everything you said, and that is unusual for me.  I would highly recommend this to everyone. –Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • Laurie’s breath workshop was one of the most profound experiences of my life. I have been a student of the spiritual all of my life and have explored many avenues in my quest. Laurie’s workshop was one of the most profound consciousness raising experiences I have had. –Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • While I only planned to attend the morning workshop, I was so inspired with her teachings that I stayed for the full day. It was the second half of the workshop that totally blew the top off for me. It was through her fun-loving and open-hearted approach to the breath work and an outdoor nature meditation walk that she opened me into the consciousness from which she was teaching. –Power of Breath Workshop

 

  • I have been in the healthcare field for decades and appreciate the incredible scope of her knowledge and teachings.” –Power of Breath Workshop

From NESA Educational Conference in Athens:
The Breath workshop exceeded my expectation in so many ways and I wanted to share some feedback about this with you using a basic framework that we use for IB lesson planning and delivery.  The framework is called KUD – as in Knowledge, Understanding and Doing (Skills).

KNOWLEDGE I found the depth of your knowledge about biology, physiology, human
anatomy, and logic, enticing and fascinating.  Your theoretical and technical knowledge
of the human body was used most effectively to supplement your anecdotal, and often
funny, background in breathing and yoga.

 

SKILLS (DOING) From the start of the workshop, you incorporated practice and demonstration into our learning as participants.  Rather than talk only, you preferred to demonstrate, and encouraged us to experience the impact/effects of proper breathing techniques on our daily lives.  This method of delivery allowed us to embed the practices into our lives in a seamless manner.  Your experiential approach enabled me to overcome my own inhibitions about breathing incorrectly and in front of others.

 

UNDERSTANDING What was apparent from the opening activity of the workshop, was your deep understanding of the many ways in which breathing techniques were transferable to participants.  As we practiced the techniques and the skills, our understanding deepened.  Through the fusion of real-world applications (your stories) and your ethnographic research (your life experiences), we were able to appreciate your passion and your authentic approach to the mantra of “breath is life”.

Registration Form
Save the Date!

Mark your calendar for a similar Guatemala retreat January 18-25, 2025.

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