Come experience Hawai’i like you have never experienced it before!
Explore the wonders of land and sea through the lens of mindfulness: a nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness.
Rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit the Aloha way.
Makalawena Beach
Come breathe some of the freshest air on the planet, slow down, feel the sun on your face, and open your heart to the beauty all around you and within you. Practice Yoga on the beach and at the retreat center’s yoga studio.
Perfect for beginners to more advanced students.
Mindfulness provides a new framework for exploring your established yoga practice, or a means for observing your experience as you begin a practice. The focus is on waking up to your body and to its connection to Nature. Mother Nature doesn’t mind if you can’t strike the perfect pose. Learn to lighten up and have fun with yoga.
“There is nothing more enchanting than morning yoga class on a black sand beach watching the waves break and listening to birds sing, while holding poses under a deep blue sky – and guided by Domonick’s wise teaching.” Rhonda Barosvsky
“Practicing yoga on the beach and on lava rocks, in warm water and on trails, opened my mind and body to new ways of experiencing the practice. We swam with sea turtles, did downward dog with waves crashing behind (and into!) us, learned a hula dance, ate delicious food, practiced pranayama and mindfulness, and were spared the distractions of email, phone calls, and media. I am so grateful to Domonick for creating a trip full of adventure and community, yoga and mindfulness.” Debbie Weinstein
“The Hawaii Yoga Hike Retreat is a magical escape from your daily routine to a special, beautiful place for a week of energizing, healthy group practice and hiking, a perfectly balanced combination of exercise and relaxation under Domonick’s expert and caring instruction”. Carol Shen
When
March 11th – March 18, 2018
Group transportation from will depart Kona Airport around 1pm on Sunday, March 11th. Alaska Airlines offers a direct flight (#857) from Oakland airport that arrives in Kona at 9:45 am (Note: Alaska updated this time recently). The group van will return to the airport on the 18th by 2:00 pm for outbound flights. Alaska Airlines flight # 826 direct to Oakland departs at 4:45 pm. You are welcome to make other flight arrangements. Please note that the retreat price includes only the ground transportation described above. If your flights do not correspond to the group shuttle, you’ll be responsible for your own ground transportation to Hale Kai (approximately $125 each way). You may also choose to rent a car, as some find it convenient for tooling around during your free time. Driving directions to Hale Kai, which is about 30 miles south of the airport, will be provided.
Where
This year, we will return to the amazing Hale Kai Retreat Center adjacent to Ho’Okena Beach (pictured) and near Hanoauna Bay on the Kona side of the island. Honaunau Bay has some of the most varied and extensive shallow-water coral gardens in Hawaii, with turtles, coral and fish, and frequent morning visits by dolphins.
The nearest airport is Kona (KOA). Feel free to take a look at my Google Map of the retreat area.
Ho’Okena Beach
Who
Well, you, of course…and Dr. Domonick Wegesin. Domonick combines his experience in yoga, mindfulness meditation, dance and psychology with his love of Nature to create unique, heart-opening outdoor yoga experiences.
Accommodations
We will be staying at the Hale Kai, a beach front retreat center in south Kona near Hanoauna Bay, which will be rented exclusively to our group. Hale Kai is an ecologically-conscious, off-grid development that uses 100% solar energy. The property is nestled in a traditional Hawaiian neighborhood 30 miles south of the busy touristy areas of Kona. The Balinese-inspired accommodations include a large yoga studio, tropical gardens, and both private and shared sleeping accommodations. You will be enchanted by Hale Kai; it truly is a magnificent place to unwind and a perfect size to contain our Yoga community for the week. Descriptions of the individual rooms are available here.
Meals
Our meals will be provided by the staff at Hale Kai (primarily vegetarian, with some fish and chicken options). All meals are included in the price of the retreat, except for our departure brunch, which we will eat in a restaurant near the Kona airport.
Schedule
I encourage participants to release their focus on time, and go with the flow of each moment. I will guide us through our days.
Each day will include a morning yoga practice, which can be followed by a quick dip in the ocean before breakfast. Most days include a Yoga Hike, which will move us across the unique terrains of the Big Island, crossing lava, beaches and grassy fields. An optional afternoon restorative practice will take place in Hale Kai’s open-air yoga studio overlooking the ocean.
The schedule allows for your own leisure time in the afternoon to lounge on the beach, snuggle in a hammock, take a nap or do whatever the moment invites.
We will have a goup dinner in the early evening, around 6pm. The evening practice will be a self-guided breath practice.
While I encourage you to participate in the group activities, all of the practices are optional, including the Yoga Hikes. I invite you to go with the flow of your experience, cultivating a relationship with your body and spirit, and knowing that however that manifests at the time is perfect.
There will be no group classes on Saturday to allow you to enjoy a more extended day trip or simply unwind at Hale Kai and Ho’Okena Beach.
Dolphin Swim
We will enjoy an amazing outing with Sunlight on Water to swim with the spinner dolphins off the Kona Coast. These are not captured dolphins in a managed aquarium, but rather wild dolphins swimming in their natural habitat. In past years on this retreat, we have swum with pods with over 200 dolphins, though the numbers vary year to year. It is truly magical being surrounded by the beauty and grace of these friendly beings. The baby dolphins in the pod tend to be the most curious of us. Though I have done this outing many times, I never tire of this experience; it is truly unique.
Rates
Complete packages start at $1600 and include:
– 7 nights ocean-side accommodations at Hale Kai Retreat Center
– 3 meals/day, breakfasts and dinners prepared by Hale Kai staff.
– daily Yoga
– daily mindfulness hike to local beaches and parks
– open water dolphin swim with Sunlight on Water
– ground transportation from Kona airport
– island transportation to Yoga Hike sites and to Dolphin Swim
Detailed information on individual rooms for your selection are available here.
Not included is the cost of your airfare to Kona airport, restaurant meals in Kona on departure/arrival, optional tips for the Hale Kai staff and Dana for the teacher and any equipment rental, e.g., for snorkeling, diving, etc. Note, snorkeling equipment is included in the Dolphin Dive. You may choose to rent a car, if you plan to explore the island independently during your free time. It may be possible to share the cost of a rental car with other participants. Contact me if you are interested in car-sharing, and I will connect interested parties. Availability of the van will be limited to group activities.
Registration
To register, complete the Registration Form
Mail your deposit or full payment to:
Domonick Wegesin
12 Shetland Ct.
Oakland, CA 94605
A 50% deposit will reserve your space in the retreat; date of receipt of the deposit will mark your place in line for room choices. The deposit is refundable until January 1st, less a 15% cancellation fee.
The full balance is due by January 1st. No refunds can be made after this time.
Credit Card payments can be made by phone or in person to Domonick (a 4% processing fee applies).
Questions
Please email Domonick with any questions regarding the retreat.
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