Return to Center
A Soft Landing for Those Who Keep Showing Up
February 13th- 16th 2026 - Joshua Tree, California
A Sacred Pause
In a world that asks so much of our bodies, spirits, and hearts,
Return to Center offers a refuge — a homecoming.
Join us on retreat where we will weave together yoga therapy, Ayurveda, somatic healing, ritual, self-inquiry, and nervous system repair. Through gentle movement, breathwork, deep rest, and community connection, we return to the sacred rhythms of body and breath — and to the quiet wisdom of the natural world around us.
Held in the vast, open stillness of the desert, Return to Center invites you to root into what has always carried you:
your breath, your body, your belonging.
A sanctuary for body, breath and belonging
This retreat is for
those carrying not only their own exhaustion, but also the weight of holding space for others — and living through these times.
It is for the healers, caregivers, educators, therapists, artists, and community builders who continue to show up — even as the ground shifts beneath us.
This retreat welcomes:
Social workers, and mental health practitioners, educators, organizers, activists, and community care workers, artists, healers, and space holders.
Those navigating grief, burnout, transition, or deep emotional fatigue.
No experience with yoga is necessary.
You only need a willingness to arrive exactly as you are — with your weariness, your hope, your grief, and your breath.
Your Retreat Home
Our retreat home is a private sanctuary nestled in the quiet beauty of Joshua Tree, California. Surrounded by the expansive desert landscape, it offers wide open skies, spaces to rest and gather, and the simple invitation to slow down.
Here, the land invites you to soften your breath, settle your body, and listen to the natural rhythms around you. Each room is designed with comfort and spaciousness in mind — offering places to connect with others and places to find stillness on your own.
Beyond the walls, the desert becomes part of the practice:
the warmth of the earth underfoot, the stretch of the horizon, the quiet that invites your nervous system to unwind.
You’ll be nourished each day with seasonal meals, guided through gentle practices, and given the time and space to return to yourself — held by the steady presence of the desert.
This is not just a place to stay.
It’s a place to breathe, to root, and to remember what carries you.
Sample Schedule
7:00- 8:00am: Coffee, tea, fruit
8:00 - 9:45am: Morning yoga practice
10:00am: Breakfast
11:00am- 1:00pm: free time for hiking, trips to town, pool, relaxing
1:00pm: Lunch
1:30pm- 4:30pm: free time for hiking, trips to town, pool, relaxing
4:30pm- 6:00pm: Ayurvedic Self Care Ritual
6:30pm: Dinner
8:00pm- 9:15pm: Evening Practice
9:30pm: stargazing, bonfire
Meet Your Hosts
Crissy Luna (she/they)
Luna is a trauma-informed somatic practitioner, yoga therapist, mental health worker, and community builder devoted to the healing and liberation of marginalized communities. She bridges neuroscience, yoga therapy, somatic movement, rest practices, decolonization, and deep self-inquiry to support individuals and collectives in reconnecting with their inherent wholeness.
Alongside her private yoga therapy practice, Luna is a collaborator with The Pink Moon Healing Collective, a community-centered space offering psychotherapy, somatic healing, and restorative practices for BIPOC, queer, and marginalized communities. She is also a group facilitator at Los Angeles Outpatient Center (LAOP), working with individuals navigating complex trauma, mental health challenges, and recovery.
Guided by a deep trust in the body's wisdom, the ancient teachings of yoga, and a vision of collective healing, Luna holds spaces where people can root into themselves, reclaim their stories, and remember that healing is both personal and profoundly collective.
Maya Semans, C-IAYT (she/her)
is a certified Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor specializing in the integration of mind-body practices for mental health, trauma recovery, and emotional resilience.
Maya works with over 150 clients a week facilitating yoga therapy groups in an Intensive Outpatient mental health program and providing affirming care to a diverse range of identities including LGBTQIA+ groups, neurodivergent groups, trauma recovery groups, substance use recovery groups, and perinatal mental health groups.
Before stepping into clinical mental health spaces, Maya spent five years teaching and facilitating restorative justice circles in Oakland Public Schools. Her work as a restorative justice trainer continues to shape the way she holds healing spaces — centering trust, deep listening, relational care, and the co-creation of community.
Through retreats, groups, and individual sessions, Maya creates spaces where people can root into breath, body, and belonging — remembering that they are already whole.
Our Approach
At Return to Center, we offer practices rooted in yoga therapy, somatic healing, Ayurveda, ritual, and collective care.
Our work is grounded in trauma-informed principles, healing justice values, and a deep respect for the wisdom of the body, the breath, the land, and the lineage we carry.
We are yoga therapists trained in the tradition of Krishnamacharya, a lineage that honors the adaptation of yoga to the unique needs of each individual. Our teaching is breath-centered, relational, and rooted in the understanding that yoga is a path of remembering — not performing.
We weave together the tools of yoga therapy, Ayurveda, somatic practice, nervous system education, and yoga philosophy to offer spaces of deep care and resilience. Each practice — whether movement, breathwork, rest, or self-inquiry — is offered as an invitation to return to yourself with gentleness and agency.
Our sessions are slow, choice-centered, and attuned to the realities of grief, trauma, exhaustion, and longing for connection.
We bring with us years of experience holding space for high-acuity clients in mental health settings, and we carry that clinical sensitivity into our retreat spaces — balancing structure with deep listening and flexibility.
Meet Our Retreat Chef: Genevieve
At Return to Center, food is more than sustenance—it’s a pathway to healing. Chef Genevieve of brings a unique blend of culinary artistry and holistic wisdom to our table. Raised on a small farm in Northern Michigan, she cultivated her passion for cooking and baking alongside organic farmers, soil scientists, and chefs. Her deep roots in baking are complemented by her studies in herbalism and Ayurveda, allowing her to craft meals that are both nourishing and therapeutic.
Genevieve’s dishes feature organic, locally sourced ingredients, including thoughtfully prepared meats and sustainably caught fish. Each meal is infused with the intention to support emotional well-being, digestive health, and a sense of community. Her approach to food embodies the retreat’s essence: restoration, connection, and holistic care.
@sweet.genevieves
Here, healing is not a task or a destination.
It is a remembering.
A returning.
A rooting back into the steady ground of body, breath, earth, and community
Accommodations and Investment
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Shared Double Rooms $2,100 each
3-6 month payment plans available
$400 Deposit
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Shared Quad Rooms $1,475 each
3-6 month payment plans available
$400 Deposit
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Shared Quad Bunk Rooms $1,475
3-6 month payment plans available
$400 Deposit to Reserve
Scholarships Available
In the Spirit of Collective Care
In recognition of the emotional, financial, and systemic burdens so many carry, we are offering four $1,000 scholarships for therapists, healers, educators, activists, and care providers who serve marginalized and targeted communities, specifically folks who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+.
If financial support would help make this retreat accessible for you, we warmly invite you to apply.
FAQs
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Yes, absolutely!
Many of our participants come solo — and we design the retreat to feel welcoming, inclusive, and relational without forcing connection.
You’ll have plenty of space for reflection and personal time, as well as opportunities for meaningful community experiences.
You are so welcome just as you are. -
3 nights and 4 days of lodging at the beautiful Gaia Villa retreat center in Joshua Tree, CA
Daily trauma-informed Yoga Therapy and somatic practices
Ayurvedic seasonal care workshops
Breathwork, guided meditation, and self-inquiry practices
Nourishing, plant-forward meals prepared by a private chef
Optional nature walks and desert connection practices
Access to private pool, hot tub, and sacred gathering spaces
Community connection circles and free time to rest and reflect
A private welcome gift to support your journey
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Yes!
Three nourishing, organic meals per day are included, beginning with dinner on arrival day and ending with breakfast on departure day.
Meals will be plant-forward (vegetarian), with chicken and fish options, seasonal, and inspired by Ayurvedic principles to support digestion, restoration, and resilience.
We can accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options — just let us know your needs when you register. -
Yes.
To honor the depth of the practices and support nervous system restoration, Return to Center is an alcohol-free retreat.
We invite you to embrace the natural clarity and connection that emerges through rest, breath, and nourishing rhythms. -
Gaia Villa is located in Yucca Valley, just outside Joshua Tree National Park.
The closest airports are:
Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) — about a 45-minute drive
Ontario International Airport (ONT) — about a 1.5-hour drive
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) — about a 2.5-hour drive
Las Vegas Harry Reid International (LAS)— about a 3.5 hour drive
Pheonix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) — about 3 hours
Rental cars or carpool are the best option to get to retreat center from the airport.
Ridesharing options will be coordinated for those who want to carpool.
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Gaia Villa is a beautiful, modern desert retreat space with luxurious, earth-toned rooms designed for comfort and restoration.
Room options include shared double rooms and cozy bunk-style rooms.
All accommodations are thoughtfully designed to support deep rest and connection with the desert landscape. -
Yes!
We are offering four $1,000 scholarships for therapists, healers, educators, activists, and care providers who serve targeted populations.
Scholarships are intended to make the retreat more accessible to those doing essential work in our communities. -
Yes.
We offer flexible payment plans to make the retreat more accessible.
You can spread your retreat payments over 3 to 6 months depending on what best supports you.
When you register, you’ll be able to choose a payment plan option at checkout, or reach out to us directly for custom arrangements. -
All of our practices are trauma-informed, accessible, and adaptable for all bodies and experience levels.
Our approach is rooted in Yoga Therapy, breathwork, somatic awareness, and nervous system regulation — not performance or achieving specific poses.
You are welcome exactly as you are. -
Yes.
While we offer daily practices and optional workshops, there is plenty of free time for you to rest, journal, explore nature, enjoy the pool and hot tub, or simply be.
This retreat is designed to nourish your body, mind, and spirit — without rushing or pressure. -
Not at all.
While many of our participants work in caregiving, healing, or justice-centered fields, you do not need to be a therapist, educator, or healer to join us.What matters most is that you come with a spirit of self-inquiry, a willingness to engage relationally, and a consciousness around privilege, oppression, and collective care.
This retreat is rooted in trauma-informed principles, social consciousness, and healing justice values.
It is not a space for people who are new to conversations about privilege, systemic oppression, or social responsibility.
We seek to create an environment where all bodies, identities, and lived experiences are honored with care.If you’re someone who values equity, relational healing, embodied practice, and the interconnectedness of personal and collective liberation — you are welcome here.
Questions before getting started?