Solstice Sanctuary: A Yoga Retreat in Mendocino County
June 20-25, 2025 | Week-Long Retreat | 6 Days | Friday to Wednesday
This immersive gathering honors the turning of the season through eco-supportive yoga, meditation, and daily rituals in nature. It welcomes dedicated yogis seeking a balance of silence, community, and personal growth. Held among ancient redwoods and coastal breezes, this experience invites deep exploration of body, mind, and spirit.
Modalities Included In This Northern California Retreat
Eco-supportive yoga
Meditation
Nature walks
Silence and sangha
Who the Retreat Is For
This retreat is designed for individuals of all genders and ages who have prior yoga experience and wish to deepen their practice in a supportive, nature-immersed environment. Participants should be comfortable with periods of silence, enjoy exploring long asana sessions, and be open to community interaction. Because this is not a beginners retreat, it best serves yogis seeking a more profound connection with themselves, the natural world, and the transformative energy of the summer solstice.
Retreat Description
Celebrate the Summer Solstice in a Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat
Experience the transformative power of longer days and nourishing practice in this annual celebration led by longtime teacher, Mary Paffard. In this Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat, participants gather to honor the season’s shift, dedicating each day to eco-supportive yoga, breath-work, and meditation. This unique event cultivates camaraderie as long-time retreat-goers and new participants practice together in an environment carefully attuned to silence, sangha, and mutual support.
Celebrate the Summer Solstice in a Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat
Experience the transformative power of longer days and nourishing practice in this annual celebration led by longtime teacher, Mary Paffard. In this Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat, participants gather to honor the season’s shift, dedicating each day to eco-supportive yoga, breath-work, and meditation. This unique event cultivates camaraderie as long-time retreat-goers and new participants practice together in an environment carefully attuned to silence, sangha, and mutual support.
Nature-Immersed Practice Among the Redwoods
Nestled within the majestic redwood forests and coastal breezes of Mendocino County, this retreat offers a sanctuary for profound inner work. The Yoga Retreat in the Redwoods unfolds at Spirit Camp, where forest meadows, towering trees, and a fresh sea breeze provide a natural canvas for the daily program. With nature walks, forest meanderings, and campfire gatherings, the retreat weaves the healing power of nature into every aspect of practice and rest.
Daily Rhythm: Asana, Reflection, and Community
Each day features long, dynamic asana sessions balanced with restorative and passive postures. Mornings often begin in silence, allowing time for reflection before breakfast. Midday breaks include leisurely lunches, rest time, or optional silent meditation. Evenings may feature a mandala workshop, community gatherings, or quiet practice—giving each participant freedom to engage as they choose. Throughout the retreat, there is ample time to soak in the stillness of the redwood groves, connect with fellow practitioners, and deepen one’s commitment to mindful living.
Partial registrations are not available, ensuring the continuity and collective focus of the group.
This experience qualifies for Yoga Alliance CEUs (certificates can be requested upon completion).
A portion of the retreat—typically mornings until lunch—is held in silence to nurture a profound internal experience and reflection.
Sustainable Environment and Comfortable Accommodations
Spirit Camp sets the stage for an ecologically conscious experience. From cozy cabins and glamping tents to a shared bunkhouse and dedicated tent sites, every accommodation option supports an immersive connection to the land. Communal bathroom facilities offer private stalls and hot showers, while shared meal times feature nourishing, vegetarian cuisine crafted by local chefs. Participants can relax around a campfire under the redwoods, bask in the coastal climate, and feel held by the calm yet vibrant energy of this Meditation and Asana Retreat.
Discount: Between February 1 and 8, 2025, a special discount of $300 off applies to remaining spaces. After February 8, the standard deposit and registration fees go into effect, with limited spots available for this popular gathering.
At the close of this Yoga Retreat in the Redwoods, attendees depart not only with renewed strength and clarity but also with a sense of profound connection—to the community of fellow practitioners, the timeless rhythm of the summer solstice, and the restorative embrace of nature.
This experience is perfect for those searching for: Summer Solstice Yoga Retreat, Yoga Retreat Mendocino County, California Yoga Retreat Summer, Nature-Immersed Yoga Retreat, Summer Solstice Yoga Mendocino, Yoga Retreat in the Redwoods, Silent Yoga Retreat California, Meditation and Asana Retreat
About The Retreat Facilitators: Mary Paffard
Mary Paffard has shared the practice of yoga for over four decades, guiding students toward holistic wellness and spiritual exploration. Dragged to her first class in London in the 1970s, she soon discovered yoga’s power to unite body, mind, and heart. Over the years, she continued studying with respected teachers in the Iyengar tradition, later expanding her practice to include Vipassana meditation, ecological awareness, and embodied movement influences.
Having lived off-the-grid on a Northern California apple farm for over 30 years, Mary’s teachings harmonize with nature’s rhythms. She co-founded Yoga Mendocino, where she served as Director of Teacher Training from 2000 to 2010, and has developed multiple 200- and 500-hour Yoga Alliance–certified programs. Mary’s dedication to community, environmental sustainability, and the contemplative aspects of yoga infuses her classes, workshops, and retreats with an atmosphere that is both deeply grounding and gently transformative.
Learn More and Book
Spirit Camp Retreat Center
Journey beyond the Bay Area’s bustle and into Mendocino’s storied woodlands, where Northern California Retreats at Spirit Camp provide a nourishing environment for self-exploration, healing, and community. The redwoods here speak without words, their towering presence reminding you that you, too, can reach upward toward new possibilities. Along private forest trails, ancient ferns and soft moss hint at the timeless cycles of growth and renewal. Around campfires, heartfelt dialogues spark between strangers who quickly become friends, united by the shared longing for authenticity and connection.
Spirit Camp’s calendar overflows with options, reflecting the many paths toward personal transformation. Immerse yourself in healing retreats that integrate breathwork, somatics, and mindfulness, or embrace your physicality through dance and embodiment retreats that let you express emotions wordlessly. Owned by a queer couple devoted to inclusivity, this center welcomes men’s gatherings, women’s weekends, and groups of all genders and identities. Whether your interest lies in yoga, ancestral reconnection, or simply the desire to unplug from screens and reconnect with the land’s quiet wisdom, you’ll find a nurturing space to thrive here.
Accommodations cater to your preferred level of immersion: private cabins invite restorative solitude, while camping and glamping options open the door to a more immediate communion with nature’s gentle lullaby. Each season brings its unique charm: winter’s cozy hush for introspection, spring’s lush revival, summer’s starry nights that dance above the treetops, and autumn’s quiet invitation to release what no longer serves. The center’s intention is always the same—to offer a nurturing haven where you can tend to your inner garden and watch it bloom.
As you prepare to depart, you’ll notice subtle shifts within yourself. A sense of calm where there was once tension, a feeling of openness where there was once guardedness. The lessons gleaned from redwood groves and warm conversations accompany you back into the world. In the days and weeks to come, you’ll find yourself increasingly attuned to the magic you activated here—resilient, compassionate, and deeply in tune with the core of who you are.