Coming Home To self retreat May 2 - 9, 2026
We invite you to the Coming Home To Self Retreat ~
A mindful movement healing retreat featuring Nia dance and unique workshops at Mexico's beautiful and stunning Mar de Jade resort. Alongside your hosts, Julie and Yvonne, you'll slowly shift into peace, joy, love and belonging at this hidden jewel nestled between the jungle and the sea. See for yourself! Watch here.
A retreat for the body, mind and soul
Are you ready to rediscover the joy of living life fully? Are life’s demands weighing you down? Join us for our Coming Home To Self Nia dance-infused healing retreat in Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico!
Get a fresh new perspective on living. Refresh. Rest and refill your cup with us at Mar de Jade, a beautiful wellness and retreat center by the sea.
During our specially curated event including Nia dance you’ll go from feeling mentally and/or emotionally depleted to experiencing renewed energy and deep relaxation.
Dance, play, swim and learn as you discover new pathways to wellbeing from the inside out. Emerge with deeper reserves of confidence and gratitude and a feeling of vibrant, shimmering health.
What’s possible for you during this retreat
- Re-energize body and soul to reclaim your zest for life
- Cultivate joy through music and movement to delight your senses
- Restore from mental and/or physical fatigue to reawaken your best self
- Release and heal subtle impacts of the daily grind to consciously reclaim your sense of identity
- Find peace and connection in the company of others to counteract feelings of isolation
- Intentionally create, sustain and appreciate stillness to unwind and live with more ease
- Sleep deeply to awake refreshed
- Return home with a smile to feel relaxed, peaceful and strong
Awaiting you
The Retreat
- Three full, healthy, deliciously fresh meals daily
- 6 - 8 Nia dance classes
- Restorative and mild yoga poses and stretches
- Morning centering meditations (optional)
- Add-on group excursions
- Add-on spa services – massage, acupuncture, manicure and pedicure (optional)
- New-found body wisdom and practices to sustain the peace and calm
- Abundant downtime to slow the nervous system
Nia dance – healing, joyful movement
Highlights
- A detox for your mind, spirit and emotions, Nia offers a path for expressive, easeful and spontaneous movement to release negativity
- No judgment – Nia is for everyone and every Body! No experience is needed. Moves can be easily modified so you move in your body's way
- Movement variety – your body and brain thrives on diversity. Nia is a fusion of dance arts, martial arts and healing arts
- Juice for the joints, music for the muscles, tunes for the tissue and bones, Nia is a healing balm for the whole body that celebrates living in a body that is designed to move
- Freedance body artistry lets you express your authentic self
Wisdom playshops
Highlights
- Learn about “The 7th State” to reorient your mind toward calm and peace
- Move through breathing exercises to calm the nervous system
- Practice mindfully “letting go” of stressors and triggers to slow down
Restorative stretches and poses
Highlights
- Restore the body to its parasympathetic nervous system function
- Help your body rest, heal, and restore balance
- Bring out your body’s natural relaxation response
Sample Activities offered by the resort
Highlights
- Hike through the jungle to a secluded swimming area
- Tour the organic farm and workshops that sustain the resort
- Visit indigenous cultural sites to appreciate history
Downtime
Highlights
- Luxuriate by the pool or bathe in the ocean to decompress
- Enjoy quiet time with a book in the guest lounge facing the ocean
- Book a manicure or pedicure (requires additional resort fee)
- Book a massage or acupuncture session (requires additional resort fee)
Centering Self
Highlights
- Soothing music to connect to the vibration of the day
- Meditating in your own way to prepare your mind for fresh insights
- Sitting quietly to tap into your senses
- Journaling to recapitulate thoughts, insights, new perspectives
- Gently stretching or dancing if you feel so moved
You're in good hands
“Yvonne and Julie are skilled presenters and Nia teachers who use their talents to inspire and uplift everyone around them!” -- Meg L.
Staying at Mar de jade
A story all its own
Mar de Jade has a devoted following of retreat goers. Learn more about this unique retreat center from others when you view these video clips.
Booking your room
Work directly with Mar de Jade to reserve your accommodations using the retreat discount link we provide you. We'll send you a link after receiving your retreat deposit. The discounted retreat rate includes taxes. View your room selections first on the Mar de Jade website before booking your room with our discount link. The resort offers a small selection of rooms at the ground level that do not require climbing stairs. We recommend securing your accommodations early, especially if stairs are a concern for you.
Room Rates
Your weekly rate includes lovely accommodations, three freshly prepared meals served daily with locally sourced food and organic ingredients. You'll also gain access to the resort's common areas. The weekly room rates vary depending on the size and location of the room. Count on a range of $1,300 - $1,800 USD per person for double occupancy rooms; $1,900 - $2,700 USD for single occupancy rooms; and $1,050 USD per person for dorm-style rooms.
Payment of a 50% deposit is required to secure your room reservation, paid directly to Mar de Jade. We will send a special discount link after you register to attend the Coming Home To Self with payment of the retreat deposit.
Important considerations
- Register first with your retreat hosts before booking your room. Registration requires a $100 non-refundable deposit. Click the "Count Me In Button" to start the deposit payment process.
- Be sure to make your plane reservations. Cost of travel is not included in the retreat price.
- Travel insurance is highly recommended.
- Pay close attention to Mar de Jade cancellation policies and timing guidelines.
Meet your hosts
Julie
Yvonne
Yvonne
Julie Wilson is a Houston-based Nia Technique Brown Belt instructor who
lights up the room each time she steps onto the dance floor. She consistently delivers the Nia "promise" of inspiring wellness through movement and joy.
With a 30-year career as a communicator on energy-sector issues, she captivates audiences both big and small.
Yvonne
Yvonne
Yvonne
Yvonne Myles is a Nia Technique Black Belt instructor with more than 25 years experience. Now retired from the energy industry, she infuses her teaching with a spirit that people feel instead of hear. In 2019 she co-founded the Houston Nia Collective. Yvonne is committed to wellbeing through movement, eating well, mindfulness and reverence for nature.
Dreaming of a simple, yet inspiring getaway?
This retreat is for you whether you are ...
- A planner and a doer in need of a break to get your energy back
- An employee or boss who feels overwhelmed by life's treadmill
- A stressed-out, under-appreciated mom ready to put yourself first
- An empty nester searching for adventure, learning and fun with others
- A health-conscious traveler looking for an escape from the city
- Anyone caught up in the rush of life who yearns to slow down
- Someone who appreciates the beauty of nature in a simple surrounding
You’re in the right place. This retreat is for you!
a one-of-a-kind price!
Look around, and you'll find our retreat rate is lower when compared to offerings by similar retreats. Take advantage of the smaller, intimate group setting to receive all the benefits of our unique programming, all for only $779. Payment of a $100 deposit will secure your spot in the retreat. We have a limited number of rooms set aside, so register with us and book your room at Mar de Jade early.
NOTE: Accommodations not included in this rate. You must book separately with the resort.
Got Questions?
we've got answers
Where is the retreat?
The retreat center is located in Chacala, Nayarit, Mexico, roughly 90 minutes north of Puerto Vallarte on the Pacific coast.
What is the retreat fee?
The retreat fee is paid directly to the retreat hosts Yvonne Myles and Julie Wilson. The fee covers all Nia, meditation, stretching, yoga and playshop sessions.
What's the resort fee? What will it cost to stay there?
Your accommodations are a separate expense and must be booked directly with the resort using our discounted link. Weekly room rates will vary from $1,300 to $1,800 per person for double occupancy; $1,900 to $2,700 for single occupancy; and $1,050 per person for a dorm-style room. These rates include applicable taxes. The resort fee covers 7 nights accommodations, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and use of the resort pool and group retreat spaces. Not included are flights to and from Puerto Vallarte, Mexico, shuttle to and from the resort, alcoholic beverages, excursions, spa services and gratuities.
Is it safe to travel to this part of Mexico?
The entire coastline between Puerto Vallarta and Chacala is extremely safe and continues to receive millions of visitors each year. Chacala is a small fishing town where visitors and residents alike feel safe to walk any time during the day or night. Children and families play in the area without fear.
For more information, visit the FAQ page of the Mar de Jade website.
What if I change my mind? Can I get my money back?
Because the $100 retreat deposit is non-refundable, we recommend that you feel certain about attending the retreat. The resort deposit payable to Mar de Jade is generally refundable within the resort’s parameters.
Will I be required to attend every Nia class?
You are not required to attend all of our programming, but we certainly hope you will! We support you in relaxing, resting, unwinding and having fun in the way that is best for you.
Is there a fitness requirement to join the retreat?
This retreat is meant to help you unwind from the pressures of modern living, including keeping up with a grueling schedule. So our pace will be leisurely.
Bear in mind, the resort is built from the seaside up into the side of a hill. There are rooms available on lower levels that don’t require stair climbing. However, other rooms will require climbing the equivalent of three or four stories. It is possible that stairs might also be required to access some or all our retreat's group spaces.
Therefore, retreat attendees should be in reasonable physical conditioning to be able to sustain a moderate level of movement in our Nia sessions and to access group spaces, individual rooms and spa services.
Is the water safe to drink?
The resort provides purified water for drinking. Each room is provided with fresh water every day and all water used to prepare and serve with meals is considered safe and purified.
What are the food options?
Mar de Jade serves wonderfully fresh, beautifully prepared healthy, balanced meals – including vegetarian and vegan options – each day. Meals often feature ingredients from its nearby organic farm. Daily breakfasts include fresh-sqeezed juices. Plus you’ll find fruit-infused water choices for lunch and dinner. With advance notice, Mar de Jade can accommodate special dietary requirements such as gluten-free and nut-free alternatives. Notify the resort before traveling.
On the fence?
Still thinking about it?
Does this sound like you?
- Every day just feels like you are losing your mind with so many demands.
- Maybe you’re tired of feeling tired!
- All you want is to feel relaxed and happy again with a zest for life.
- You’ve been thinking about doing something nice for yourself or with a friend, but you never have the time to plan.
If any of this sounds like you, then the right time is NOW to take action. It’s actually easier than you think. We’ve taken great care to create a supporting, learning community that will support you through this journey of discovery, improvement and greater health. Best of all, when you step into the retreat you’ll finally feel a sense of freedom from stress and worry, free from negative thoughts and free to move with more ease and grace.
No matter the outcome, you will have given yourself a taste of what vibrant health feels like, and your body will naturally point you in the right direction from there.
They say if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go with others.
The Coming Home To Self retreat is the perfect way to journey with others into claiming your birthright of confidence, peace, joy, love and belonging!
Still not sure? Send us a note at yvonne@vlivingu.com and let’s chat! Together we’ll explore whether this retreat is right for you.
Take it from someone who has been
Reflections on Mar de Jade
When I attended my first retreat at Mar de Jade, what stood out for me, and still does, was the sense of time slowing down. I felt more joy each day, noticed the lush beauty of the resort, connected to the land more deeply, and felt beckoned by the ocean.
I appreciated every nuance of my surroundings, from the care taken to arrange flowers in a nook few people would ever bother to see, to the artistry of meals which were carefully and lovingly set out for us.
As I let go of the programmed behavior of always “doing,” I fell naturally into the rhythm of simply “being.” These feelings stayed with me long after coming home.
Now I feel called to open the door so you can experience the gift of shifting gently into wellbeing. There is power and mystery in choosing peace, joy, love and belonging. This is the way to sustainable health.
Co-creating a Nia retreat experience for you fulfills my long-held desire to inspire deeper connection to health by centering reverence for body, movement, self and mother nature in the company of others.
As long-time friends and colleagues, Julie and I look forward to supporting you with our own synergetic connection, as well as our love of expressive movement.
Together we welcome you to our Coming Home To Self retreat!
Now is your chance to experience coming home to yourself.