healing sounds of water

How is the experience?

In this 3-day retreat set in the beautiful mountains of NC , we will embrace quietness be nourishing ourselves, body mind and spirit.

Every day we will start with guided meditation sitting on flat rocks in the Laurel River, allowing the sounds of the water to still our minds and heal our soul.

Every day will be a deepening of this practice .

Every day we will explore the surrounding nature.

We will experience the healing powers of the mineral hot springs in the nearby village of Hot Springs founded by the Cherokees using the springs for healing purposes hundreds of years ago.

The retreat will take place at Laurelriver Retreat, a quiet retreat situated very secluded facing Laurel river only a few feet away.

We are waking up to the sounds of the river.

All meals during the retreat will be prepared by ourselves in a fully equipped kitchen.

What are people saying?

The retreat with Isabel was a very deep and powerful experience. Being in an environment of stillness in the nature, mountains and listening to and wading in the flowing natural spring waters was extremely healing. With our daily practices of meditation — focusing on the breath, yoga, hiking, eating healthy, and being in silence helped me really connect with my self-consciousness, open my energies, and become more balanced. Being in our surroundings I was able to quiet my mind, be in the present and at peace, set my intentions, and be thankful. The experience of the retreat with Isabel was life-changing, and I feel I have the tools to help me to continue to focus on myself and my surroundings make for a much more positive, self-loved Sharon transferring that energy to my home environment making me a better mom, colleague, friend, and person.
Sharon Holm

attended a yoga retreat hosted by Isabel Shankle in October 2020 at Hot Springs, NC.
Covid-19 has caused all of us significantly more stress than normal. We had daily yoga, meditation, hiking, conversation and companionship that provided a perfect stress reliever and allowed me to re-center myself. Isabel created a quiet, calm environment where I could regain my perspective. The location was beside a fabulous river that musically calmed me night and day and provided one of the best yoga and meditational experiences I've ever had. I totally recommend Isabel and her yoga retreat it will be a gift you give yourself.
Gloria Bensch

I attended a yoga retreat held by Isabel Shankle near Hot Springs, North Carolina. Our lodging was just uphill of a river, so one morning we did our meditation on rocks in the river — it was a peaceful experience unlike any I've had, with steep cliffs on either side of the river sheltering us. I came away from the weekend relaxed and refreshed by the yoga, meditation, and Isabel's warm and reassuring personality. I would recommend Isabel's retreats to anyone looking for this type of experience.
Sally Bennett

My daughter and I spent three days on retreat with Isabel this summer, and the experience has stayed with me long after we returned home. I was grateful for the time to focus and rest in such a beautiful natural setting. We started our days with yoga and meditation followed by long, refreshing swims in the French Broad River. I welcomed hours spent reading while listening to the sounds of the river, afternoons and mornings walking on nearby trails, and evenings of conversation and connection. Now, when I feel anxious or overwhelmed, I often think back to the river and envision the beauty and peace I experienced on Isabel’s retreat. Isabel herself is a calming presence and someone with deep convictions about the healing power of water and nature, and this retreat remains an anchor for me in these anxious times.
Marty Metzl

If you’re looking for the opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life in order to reset your mind and body, look no further. Isabel’s retreat allows you to lose yourself via the immersion into all things nature, re-emerging as a better version of yourself at the conclusion of this retreat which is tucked away in the breathtaking mountains of North Carolina, outside of Asheville.

The peace and serenity you find while losing yourself in nature is hard to truly convey with words but the sense of healing, belonging and oneness are evident within moments of your arrival. Mediating under the full moon and stars atop large stones in the middle of a river on night one really set the tone for what to expect in the days to come.

Every morning, you awaken to the sweet sound of the flowing river, which is a stone’s throw from the house. Isabel leads daily morning meditations on the river, giving you the opportunity to express gratitude for the new day while reflecting on other moments from your past, present or future.

We were also able to hike the trail that follows the river, stopping periodically to bask in the beauty of the nature or take a dip in the water (the early-fall weather was perfect). The mineral bath was the grand finale of what was already a soul-shifting experience. The warm, healing waters from the natural hot spring has a myriad of benefits (listed at the welcome center upon arrival) as it cleanses both your physical and etheric bodies (you literally feel a tingling sensation on the surface of your skin while immersed in the water).

To say I truly enjoyed (and needed) this experience is an understatement. Isabel organized a serene retreat like no other, filled with the perfect balance of relaxation and low-intensity adventure. I can’t say enough great things about her kind, loving and welcoming energy or the lovely group of women who were also a part of the experience with me. We created memories to last a lifetime and I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate. If you’re considering this retreat, I’d simply like to tell you “if you can, you must!”
Whitney Johnson

Who is the host?

Isabel Skovgaard Shankle has 40 years of yoga/meditation teachings ( workshops, classes, international retreats)

Originally from Denmark she has lived in North Carolina, US, since 1986. She has had the privilege to study under numerous yoga/meditation masters including Freeman, Donna Farhi, Rod Snyder, Gary Kraftsow, Dr.Lad and Rolf Gates.

Dates

Please contact the host for the dates.