Ladyvana Retreat

stay tuned for 2027 details & join the waitlist here

When you come to my retreat, the first thing I say in the Welcome Circle is Thank You. Thank you for your time, your energy, your receptivity. Thank you for your days off work, your childcare, your finances and budgeting to make something like this happen. It is not lost on me how big of a deal it is to say yes, especially as a woman. It takes so much courage just to show up. I always feel immensely overwhelmed when I look around the circle and see women from all over the world that listened to the call of their own intuition to be here.

I started leading retreats when I was 22 years old. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to me. I love to teach yoga but more than that I was drawn to magic that happens when strangers gather in a beautiful place. The masks that fall, the walls that crumble, the breakthroughs that occur when you let someone truly see you.

At 24 I started Girlvana, a retreat for teen girls. I wanted teens to have more space outside of sports or summer camps where they could learn more about themselves, their mind, and their bodies.

My work with youth began to deeply inform my work with adults. The element of play, dance, art and a raw, no bullshit approach.

The birth of Ladyvana came on accident. I never intended to do women’s work and yet, all the women around me were begging for their own version of a Girlvana retreat. So I led my first one at 25 years old. A weekend filled with yoga, food, crafts, ocean dips and real conversations.

What emerged was the thirst we all had to discuss womanhood regardless of what juncture of life we were at…whether you were 20,30,40,50 or 70, we each had a story to tell and we all felt better when we were able to share it. We think we have stories, but our stories have us.

This sentiment guided these early retreats as a way to free women from their pain and shame. This was almost 15 years ago and these conversations were not mainstream. They felt like a secret. A place for women to come to and let it all out.

What formed was more demand. A year later I was leading about six a year. Not just for my community but for corporate off-sites for companies like Lululemon’s executive leadership teams.

Here I was mid twenties, zero formal training on how to do this but deep in my soul, I have always known how to do this. In fact, I know I have been doing this for many lifetimes.

I took Ladyvana international for the first time in Panama in 2018. A whole new depth of exploration. Instead of a ferry boat to a small island off of British Columbia, I was taking 30 women to a remote village six hours away from the city. As the years went on, I added more locations and more women from all over the globe began to show up. Beyond my Canadian roots, I started to see women from America, Germany, Italy, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.

What emerged was a global sisterhood of women who are doing the real work of valuing themselves, connecting with their hearts, sharing their stories and uplifting one another in beautiful ways.

After retreats, the group chats stay alive—they visit one another, they come back as roommates on new retreats, or they lead their own retreats, or they always have a place to crash when traveling. This is the part I never saw coming. The web that would weave from this 22 year old girl who loved teaching yoga and telling stories.

As I launch each retreat now, I can’t help but feel immensely grateful. To all the women over the last seventeen years that have said yes, thank you. My heart swells and I get full body chills thinking about how it has felt to be with you in those rooms. Our sweat, our laughter, our tears. All of it our medicine for our evolution in this life.

I bow humbly to you all. Thank you for allowing me to live my purpose and do my soul’s work.

The Intention

The intention of this week is to nourish on all levels. We see yoga, nature, laughter, connections (and sometimes margaritas) as powerful medicine for the weary soul. This is a space to get real about your life, clear the blocks, open your heart and tell your story. We deeply understand the need to bring women together to feel safe, seen and supported. 

Who is this for?

Well you. And other like minded, genuine, curious, creative souls who want to stretch, wander the jungle, get away, be good to themselves. The retreat content is geared toward women of all ages looking to recalibrate, reflect and adventure. Some women bring their sisters, coworkers, bffs and moms and many others enjoy coming solo. It’s your choice and if you’ve found us, chances are, this is the week for you.

The Yoga + Breathwork

The yoga is an intermediate flow style. Expect creative flows with big heart and deep hip opening. Classes are themed with deep intention to open you on every level. We suggest having at least 15 yoga classes under your belt before you attend a retreat but there are plenty of ways to modify for more beginner or advanced practices. Please let us know about your injuries prior to the retreat. La Joya has a beautiful open-air space for our practices, facing the ocean.

The breathwork is a deeply transformational experience designed to awaken stagnant energy and release emotions. It works in beautiful balance with our movement and self development work.

If you believe in the definition of a miracle is as a shift in perspective, Ladyvana isn't really a yoga retreat, it is a journey of creating miracles. Panama 2023 was my 2nd Ladyvana trip, and I can say with certainty now that the magic I felt the first time in Mexico was not a fluke or a one-off experience. Ally is such an incredible conduit for deep work and connection, and brings a beautiful balance of joy, humor and power to her retreats that makes the impossible feel easily accessible. Both retreats I've gone on have been truly life-changing experiences, and each one has helped me find exactly what I needed at that moment in my life, even when I had no idea what I was looking for. The women I have connected with on these trips have become friends for life, and I am so grateful to be part of this sisterhood of amazing, supportive, vulnerable and authentic women across the world. From helping plan before the trip with hotel recommendations for Panama City and packing lists, to navigating challenging logistics to get us all to Sansara quickly and safely, Ally truly went above and beyond to make sure everyone was supported throughout the entire journey. If you have been thinking about joining a Ladyvana retreat, consider this your sign to do it!

By Katy M