Pachamama Medicina Retreat (en español)
Leaders
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Bianca AcostaCo-LeaderBianca Acosta is a trained teacher of somatic Qigong, traditional ecological design and farming practices (best known as permaculture), and Ecodharma ceremonies at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center. She is originally from Zacatecas, Mexico and has been living in Colorado for over 17 years.
She is proud of her indigenous roots and her life’s prayer is to be an active co-creator of a more beautiful world by sharing her gifts, being in synergetic relationships with Mother Earth, the diverse communities she is part of and embracing the multi-dimensionality of their being. She currently is in her last year of Capulli, a four year immersive program in curanderismo and ancestral/traditional healing. She envisions and leads healing retreats and ceremonies for Boundless in Motion including retreats for Indigenous women and for people of color.
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Berta NavichocCo-LeaderBerta Navichoc, called Nana Berta by her community, is an elder from the Mayan nations based in Guatemala who has dedicated her life to protecting the natural world through cultural preservation, water and ecosystem activism, and promoting ancestral textile production to create economic opportunities for her community. She leads the “Guardians of the Lake” collective, which educates young people on the importance of connecting with and stewarding sacred waters.
She is also the director of Teixchel (Tejidos Ecológicos de Ixchel), an association in San Pedro La Laguna that produces textiles using ecological and natural dyes. Although Teixchel was formally established in 2009, its roots go back 40 years when Tz’utujil women artisans revived the traditional backstrap weaving technique. Over the years, the women formalized their efforts into an association that supports their families through weaving. Today, Teixchel comprises 30 single mothers, widows, and elderly women with limited resources who rely on the profits from their artisanal sales. They have since developed expertise in the design, production, and export of their products.
Nana Berta is a powerful example of how one person can positively impact both community and planet, uniquely intertwining climate action, Earth-friendly clothing, cultural resilience, and community support.
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Miriam NovichocCo-LeaderMiriam Novichoc, also known as Nana Mimi, carries the authentic Mayan lineage and lives in Guatemala. She is invited by different groups in the U.S. to offer many different kinds of workshops and ceremonies around elemental pillars of Mayan culture: cacao, fire, tobacco, Mayan Astrology, and Mayan Womb Massage.
Nana Mimi unfolds the sacred traditions that have been a cornerstone of communal and spiritual life for over three thousand years. For example, “Cacao,” derived from the Mayan “Ka’kau” for “heart blood,” and “Chokola’j,” meaning “to drink together,” symbolizes profound community and spiritual connections. Mayans believed cacao to be imbued with the blood of gods and a divine gift to humanity, as “Food of the Gods,” essential for restoring balance and divine connection. Nana Mimi’s guidance through the ceremonial use of cacao, with songs and prayers uttered in her Mayan dialect, gives voice to the ancient belief that cacao serves as “food for the shift,” ushering in an era of love and peace and reconciling the imbalance between humans and nature.
EVENT DESCRIPTION
Para español, seleccione la bandera en el menú. This retreat holds the intention to create a safe space for Spanish-speaking women from the Americas who live in Colorado and want to reconnect with their indigenous roots through the healing and wisdom of Mother Earth. Please apply here. For any questions, please contact Bianca Acosta at Email: [email protected] or Phone: 720-447-4107
RETREAT DETAILS
This four-day retreat for womxn, descendants of Indigenous peoples, focuses on the central role womxn play in healing families, communities, and the land. The retreat leaders view land rematriation as a powerful way to restore balance and heal from the wounds of colonization, emphasizing the importance of returning to Indigenous ways of life and viewing all beings as relatives. Participants will engage in Earth-based ancestral healing practices aimed at healing ancestral trauma, reclaiming languages and ceremonies, and adapting restorative land practices to address the climate crisis. This process of healing is not only about personal transformation but also about revitalizing the land and its ecosystems, as Indigenous wisdom plays a vital role in safeguarding biodiversity and promoting sustainable environmental stewardship.
Held at the Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center (RMERC), this retreat will provide a safe, restorative space for womxn of all backgrounds to gather, share, and learn. Through a combination of solo time in nature, movement, guided rituals, affinity group work, and peer-to-peer dialogue, participants will explore ways to deepen love for each other and the land, heal ancestral wounds, and engage in the rematriation process. The retreat will be facilitated in Spanish and can accommodate up to 30 participants, creating an intimate environment for profound healing and connection. The leaders of this retreat aim to provide lasting resources rooted in Indigenous knowledge, empowering participants to bring transformative practices back to their communities.
PLEASE JOIN US IF:
- If you self-identify as indigenous and are interested in the climate and/or racial justice movement.
- If you feel burnt out and/or overwhelmed and need to recharge in an emotionally safe space in the mountains of Colorado where we gently witness and honor each other’s experience.
- If you believe we can build a climate justice movement that is rooted in our deepest indigenous values and truth and we can engage in justice advocacy as an integral part of our spiritual and emotional growth.
- If you feel silence, movement/dance, and empathetic emotional connection and Earth based practices and ceremonies with others can help release internalized white supremacy and other stresses lodged in our bodies.
SCHEDULE
Each day will include silent connection with Mother Earth, movement (Kundalini Yoga and somatic Qigong), traditional massage, relational practices in small groups or dyads, indigenous ceremonies by fire and water and short talks by the facilitators on indigeneity, permaculture and indigenous ways of being . The retreat sessions will discuss how our bodies store and remember trauma, how can we release these ancestral trauma through movement, rituals and group-work. We will do ceremonies to tap into our gratitude, express grief/anger or despair/fear and inspire actions.
THINGS TO KNOW
The price of retreats is set as low as possible and covers only retreat center expenses. None of the fee goes to the leaders, who are solely supported by the voluntary dana offerings of yogis. In the tradition of the Buddha, the amount of the dana offering is up to each individual. We do ask that your offering be as generous as your finances allow in order to support the tireless efforts of the leaders. Please bring a check or cash. We are very grateful for your support.
Retreats with Private Registration
Please check with the organization hosting your retreat.
Retreats with Private Registration
Please check with the organizers of your retreat about the availability of scholarship funds. Note that in retreats with Private Registration, RMERC provides scholarship funds for individuals who belong to underserved communities and who are experiencing financial hardship.
Click here to apply for an RMERC Scholarship.
Scholarship awards do not guarantee acceptance into a retreat. Please register as soon as possible after receiving your award to make sure space is available.
Please check with your leader or the retreat listing about specifics of meals.
Tea, coffee and such are available all day long, along with some simple snacks such as mixed nuts and fruit. If you want a snack between meals, or supplemental protein, you can bring a small quantity of packaged unrefrigerated food. Please do not bring anything that needs refrigeration (medicine excepted). Excessive snacks are unnecessary: if you need a boost, a little gorp or an energy bar is sufficient for most people.
Most retreats begin at 4:00 pm on the first day of the retreat (please check the start times in the retreat details). Yogis may arrive 1 hour early but they will not have access to the lodge or bathrooms. Yogis who are camping may set up their tents at that time. Note that all tents must be on the lodge side of the stream.
Most retreats end after lunch on the last day of the retreat, and all participants must vacate the property by 2:00 pm.
RMERC is located about 45 minutes NW of Boulder, at 8941 Overland Rd., Ward, CO. If driving, please park in our main parking lot by the road and walk down to the lodge.
There is no public transportation to the center, and if you need a ride, the best option is to carpool with other yogis. RMERC provides a rideshare forum if your retreat uses RMERC-hosted registration (see details for your retreat). Otherwise, you may contact the leader of your retreat for assistance. Uber or Lyft may provide another option; please contact them to inquire.
Note: there is no cell phone service in the region around the retreat center.
Denver International Airport (DIA) is about 90 minutes from the center. Your best options for travel to the center are:
- Shuttle bus to Boulder (1 hr) and then carpool to the center; RTD public transportation ($10) departs DIA every hour, or check Green Ride Boulder.
- Uber or Lyft, either to Boulder or to the center
- Car rental
You should plan on your flight arriving no later than 1 pm to reach the retreat center on time. Return flights departing from the Denver airport should leave no earlier than 5:30 or 6 pm. Please do not plan on leaving the retreat early.
RMERC is a nonprofit organization with a mission to offer low-cost retreats to as many people as possible. At the end of your retreat, you are invited to make a tax deductible donation to RMERC, and also to join the membership program of the RMERC community if you so choose. More information is here.
RMERC does not allow pets or service animals, as moose and bears become more dangerous in their presence.
Download a Trail Map in Color or a Trail Map in Black and White.
Thunder and lightning storms are not uncommon during the summer months, and lightning is a very real hazard. Take shelter in a lightning storm, ideally in a building or in a car. If that is not possible, crouch down and maintain a low profile until the storm passes. Sound travels approximately 1 mile every 5 seconds. Count the number of seconds between a lightning strike and the sound of thunder; a 10-15 second delay indicates that lightning is several miles away, and is warning to take shelter.
Please check with REI in Boulder (303-583-9970) for rentals of tents, sleeping bags, pads, backpacks, etc. Boulder is the largest city in the area, and the best source of supplies. Nederland also has a few well-stocked stores, including grocery, outdoor shop, and library (but no pharmacy).
If you are searching for a place to camp prior to arrival or post-departure, we recommend using phone apps to search, for example,
- iOverlander, for a wide variety of options
- RV Parky, especially good for finding RV parking options
- The Dyrt, for both free and paid camping options (premium version is best)
- Recreation.gov app, for reservations at federal campgrounds (cost is very reasonable)
- Hipcamp, for lower-cost camping and lodging options
KEY POINTS
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DATES AND TIMES:
Arrival: July 1, Tuesday, 4 pm. Departure: July 6, Sunday, 2 pm.
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REQUIREMENTS:
Application required to register.
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PROGRAM COST:
- $111.00 – Intended for those living paycheck-to-paycheck, especially on hourly wages, or in significant debt. This covers majority of the cost of food. This is also the minimum non refundable deposit required by the center.
- $333.00 – Intended for those with access to some income but struggling to build savings and move away from debt. This covers only food and a part of retreat center rental costs. It does not cover all expense categories.
- $555.00 – Intended for those that are able to pay for “wants” and generally able to secure necessities for your household. This covers food, full rental cost, and other costs including a modest honorarium for guest teachers.
- $777.00 – If you are able to pay more than the cost of the retreat, please do: it will help us offer the retreat to those not able to afford the full cost of this retreat. We really want to make this retreat available for everyone, so please help if you can.
- All amounts over $55 are tax deductible.
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LANGUAGES:
Retreat in Spanish
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ALL QUESTIONS:
Contact Bianca Acosta: [email protected]
- EQUIPMENT LIST:
- CALENDAR:
RETREAT MANAGER
Retreat Manager
