Sharing the practice of Yoga
When we first moved to Muir Beach in early 2024, we had a vision of bringing people together for daylong retreat experiences to build community and share the practice of Yoga that we hold so dear. Nestled along the picturesque Marin coastline, Slide Ranch provides the perfect backdrop for these intimate day-long yoga retreats. As the morning fog gently lifts, participants gather in the cozy yurt just past the local ducks and chickens, rolling out their mats while soft light pours through the round skylight above. There's something magical about practicing yoga in this unique space, where the sound of waves mingles with our collective breath and we’re immediately transported to a quaint oasis where time seems to stand still. Months later, we’ve come to love bringing people all over the Bay Area and beyond to the ranch to reconnect with themselves, their practice and the world at large.
The heart of our retreat experience centers around community, nature and nourishment. After our morning practice of yoga, meditation, mantra and conversation, we gather for a farm-to-table lunch prepared by our dear friend, fellow Yogi and talented chef, Ryan Baker. The meals are a celebration of locally sourced bounty, thoughtfully crafted to energize and support these soulful retreats. Many of the ingredients are from Slide Ranch itself! Sharing food together, we find ourselves naturally falling into the kind of deep conversations that emerge when people slow down, disconnect from devices and appreciate the simple pleasures and beauty of living.
The afternoon offers a precious gift that's increasingly rare in our busy lives: unstructured time to simply be. Some participants choose to explore Slide Ranch's network of trails, discovering the tide pools and coastal trail out to the Muir Beach overlook. Others find a quiet spot to journal, meditate, or simply watch the waves with wonder. This pause in the day's rhythm allows the morning's practice to integrate more deeply, creating space for insight and renewal. We reconvene in the yurt for a gentle afternoon practice that helps weave together all the day's elements – movement, nature, nourishment, and community. The afternoon is spent in rich dialogue and offers a slow and spacious practice meant to soothe the nervous system and cultivate deeper states of rest and relaxation. Our closing circle provides a moment to reflect and share, often revealing how even just one day of intentional practice and presence can shift our perspective and refresh our spirit.
These retreats remind us that transformation doesn't always require long journeys or dramatic changes – sometimes it's as simple as giving ourselves permission to step out of our routine and into a space where we can reconnect with ourselves, each other, and the natural world. We are deeply grateful for the sanctuary that Slide Ranch creates to make these gatherings possible and thrilled to now be working in partnership with the ranch. We believe in its mission and look forward to continuing to create magic at a place that has become sacred to us.
To learn more about upcoming opportunities to practice yoga at the Ranch with Nat and Lauren, visit www.laurencohenyoga.com and www.natkendall.com.
