A WEEK OF UNAPOLOGETIC QUEER JOY.

Dear Queer. You are precious. A tender, magnificent, multifaceted gem that thankfully will never fit in a square hole. And chances are, you’re probably exhausted, overbooked, overextended too much of the time. While you’re doing a lot for what you care about, you haven’t had enough space lately to soften, be in your body, resource. Maybe you love yoga, meditation, being in nature, or you want more of that in your life, but the heartbreaking grind of the world has made it challenging to prioritize.

Come release the stress and re-juice!

Stretch out and breathe

for 8 days, 7 nights at Mar de Jade, a gorgeous retreat center nestled between the tropical jungle and the golden sandy beach of Chacala, Mexico.

Join celebrated space holders Avery Kalapa and G Tiarachristie with an amazing circle of queers in intersectional paradise! We’ll gather with intention to strengthen how to meet ourselves and these times with radical compassion, loving kindness, courage, and equanimity. To go beyond survival and reclaim our thrivance!

Remember who you are underneath the hustle. Slow down and soften. Every detail is handled here. Let the land and ocean hold what you’ve been carrying.

Spend a full week centering your health, healing, and happiness with functional, accessible Iyengar Yoga. Clear away tension, pain, and fatigue as you stabilize your joints, strengthen, and regulate your nervous system. The Iyengar lineage offers rare depth. Different from most modern yoga, we’ll explore a unique approach to embodied philosophy, anatomical alignment, and transformation in body, mind, and breath. If you are unfamiliar with this method, we encourage you to try a class with Avery.

Discover new forms of joy, metabolize grief, and reclaim inner power through liberation somatics: movement, play, journaling, mapping, song, relational mindfulness, and *real* rest. Come home to embodied presence. Learn powerful skills to take back to your relationships and day-to-day rhythm.

Practice in a beautiful studio with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean, nestled in the tropical jungle mountainside. Nature, deep rest, connection, laughter… and the food is AMAZING. There’s spaciousness: free time to journal, pull tarot, nap, swim in the ocean or pool, soak in the hot tub, get a massage, savor alone time, or connect with dreamy new friends. Let your senses guide you… This is a space to honor your heart’s YES.

Let’s live into the liberated future our radical imaginations dream of, right here, right now.

Part of creating a brave space of belonging means our QT Retreats are designed for at least 50% BIPOC and 50% trans / non-binary participation. Come unfold alongside others who, like you, have been through a lot and are ready to give themselves permission to rest, expand, laugh and yes, receive.

Delight your senses, nourish your vitality: Incredible food together!

Mar de Jade’s food scene is ridiculously beautiful. Vibrant, rich, nourishing meals loaded with local flavor will be a memorable highlight of this trip. Savor the flavors of this unique region with fresh, organic, local foods. We’ll enjoy slow meals together, overlooking the ocean, with real gratitude!

There are kettles of fresh herbal teas always ready. We’ll have three buffet-style meals daily, plus a light breakfast for early risers. Delicious, healthy, creative – every meal here is a colorful feast! Fresh fish, eggs, herbs, fruits and veggies come largely from their own 18-acre organic farm.

Abundant, thoughtful options are available to accommodate your dietary needs, such as plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free options. A week off deciding what to cook is its own treat.

A Retreat by Us, for Us

We’re into queer spirituality, not spiritual bypass. A form of grassroots organizing, this emergent space has been crafted with care to center healing that is inclusive, dynamic, and brave.

Queer Joy Empowers Collective Change

This deep care, healing, play, and relaxation will have very real positive ripple effects – not only for you, but for all you’re connected to. This retreat is a uniquely inclusive, warm, luscious environment for 2SLGBTQIAA+ from diverse social locations to gather, practice, replenish, reconnect us to our purpose, and through that, catalyze positive transformation in our collective world. We are a skills-based retreat with visions of a more liberated future for all. We strive to equip you with medicines to practice at home to heal and free yourself, your relationships, and your communities.

QUEER & TRANS FOLKS DESERVE CARE, REST, SPACE TO

JUST BE.

And that includes you. 

Avery is an internationally celebrated Iyengar Yoga teacher. They have been practicing yoga since 1999 and teaching since 2004. Their practice includes daily Vipassana/ Insight meditation, which has been supporting their life since 2001. They have been named an expert in their field, and, is someone who never stops learning. In 2009 Avery achieved the highest level of certification available through the US Yoga Alliance (eRYT500) and is a continuing edition provider (YACEP). They are a Level 2 Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher.

Known for their heartfelt enthusiasm, devotion, and depth of technique, Avery’s teaching uplifts inner healing rooted in collective liberation. An advocate for queer and trans inclusive healing, Avery blends alignment, mindfulness, and affirming spirituality in asana with somatic precision, reverence, and care.

They bring an in-depth knowledge of the human body and mind, and how to reduce suffering. Avery specializes in functional asana, stability, and embodiment as an entry point to shifting our relationship to the mind, towards freedom from patterns and conditioning that keep us stuck. Through internal integration, new collective possibilities become tangible.

This method offers a broad range of teachings, both therapeutic and advanced. Both rigorous and accessible, Avery’s teaching will organize your bones, energy (prana) and awareness through embodiment. Their deeply welcoming Iyengar Yoga classes strengthen and stabilize, as you regulate your nervous system. Avery weaves in yoga philosophy and collective liberation into their classes, and a lot of JOY as a rebellion from the forces that are trying to keep us small and scared. 

Avery’s work supports queers and other socially conscious yoga lovers to break the burn out cycle, be nourished, and spiritually powerful without bypassing the wisdom of their body and lived experience. Their upbeat, empowering approach to yoga helps people get real relief, and access tangible transformation in body mind and consciousness. They believe all people, especially folks who have been left out of or turned off by mainstream “wellness” should have access to the power and revitalizing nourishment of deep, classical yoga without having to code switch or assimilate in order to practice.

Avery stewards Sadhana Support Collective, an online yoga community based school, and teach retreats, workshops, and therapeutic private sessions. They are a white, queer, trans, working class parent of 2. They have ADHD and are a survivor. Avery is based in unceded Tiwa land, Albuquerque, New Mexico and is also an artist, astrology nerd, cloud watcher, dancer, gardener, goofball, and fabulous cook.

FAQ

Why is there an application process?

What are your health and COVID-19 protocols?

What if I have some physical limitations or other accessibility needs? 

We encourage you to reach out if you have specific accessibility needs or questions. Mar de Jade is nestled on a mountainside jungle with inclines and steps to get to most rooms, including the yoga shala, which is not wheelchair accessible. Classes will be adaptive and trauma-informed; and everything we offer is optional. Our sessions will include physical movements such as getting up and down from the floor, with individualized modifications and support offered as needed. Classes will be taught in English. We will be in heat and humidity, with air conditioning indoors. If you have questions or concerns, message us, let’s discuss!

What if I don’t have much experience with yoga or Iyengar Yoga?

No problem! This retreat welcomes all levels of yoga practitioners, including brand new. All that is required is a body and a willingness to explore being present in it. We will be practicing both active and restful asana (yoga poses). The classes will be catered to the group’s needs and experience. Individualized modifications and therapeutics will be provided as needed. Unlike other schools of yoga, Iyengar yoga emphasizes stability and alignment, and is usually not taught in a flow format. BKS Iyengar’s innovative approach led him to invent various props such as belts and blocks to support accessibility, prevent injury, challenge and awaken deeper understanding,  and allow students to receive the therapeutic benefits of the asanas. It is well suited for every level of ability, age, and physical condition. If you have questions or concerns about your individual condition or needs, please reach out and we can discuss one-on-one. For those who have never tried Iyengar yoga, we highly recommend checking out one of Avery’s online or on-demand classes to see if this style is a good fit for you. You can schedule a private session with them (online or in-person) for specific needs.

What is Liberation Somatics?

Often known as politicized somatics, liberation somatics is an embodied healing practice that explicitly connects body awareness practices and nervous system regulation with the fight against systemic oppression. It views physical and emotional trauma responses as shaped by systemic conditions like racism, classism, and oppression–using somatic awareness to decolonize the mind, process intergenerational and collective pains, build collective resilience, and drive systemic change. It recognizes the body as a primary site where systemic power, dominance, and resistance play out. It moves away from isolated, individualized wellness models and emphasizes shared, community-centered healing that fosters interdependence, connection, and ultimately, supports societal healing. It reclaims body wisdom through Indigenous, queer, and land-based frameworks rather than purely clinical Western models. Our practices will include movement, play, meditation, journaling, parts work, mapping, song, and various relational mindfulness activities. No experience necessary!

What if I have strict dietary restrictions? 

Mar de Jade offers options for meat or plant-based, dairy free, and gluten free. Dietary restrictions will be accommodated as much as possible. If you have strict dietary restrictions, please share that in your registration.

Do I have to do everything the group does?

Nope! We are into consent, agency and listening to what you need. Everything we offer is highly recommended to support your experience, and also optional, except opening and closing circles. For the best experience and to support the container of our group, we encourage you to attend all or most sessions. However, if you need to sleep in, take a nap, take a walk, or have alone time instead, no problem. Just let us know so we know you’re OK. In class, there’s always alternative set ups, ways of working, and options available. 

What’s the scene with substances and alcohol on these retreats?

We are honored to have sober queers on retreat with us, and want this to be a space that feels good for people in recovery. However, it is a mixed space where, while many people do not drink, some people may have an alcoholic drink, here and there, usually with dinner. We also want it to be as much as possible, a shame-free space, where we trust people’s agency and trust you to ask for what you need from the group. In the past, people have self-organized AA/ Universal Recovery meetings and those have been well attended and appreciated; we encourage these meetings if you’d like to create that space. If you have requests for how to support your attendance as a sober person, email us. Some people bring and quietly use medical marijuana; please note marijuana is NOT legal in Mexico. There is no smoking or vaping allowed at Mar de Jade, indoors or outdoors. Generally we are focused on healing and health. We do not support participants using recreational drugs during the retreat. Getting intoxicated on retreat is not allowed, and may lead to you having to leave the retreat early, without a refund. If you struggle with an addiction, or use a large amount of daily marijuana in order to cope, and are unsure if the space is right for you but want to attend, we invite you to share about your situation in the application. 

Is there a payment plan option?

What is your refund policy?

Obtaining travel insurance is highly recommended, as we cannot provide refunds, transfers, or discounts for cancellations, illness, arriving late, leaving early, or travel snafus. If you cancel your participation in the retreat for any reason, this cancellation policy applies. As soon as a deposit is made, these funds are used to secure your trip and pay the retreat center, which is what the majority of each ticket goes towards. These fees are due from the retreat organizers many months in advance. Payments to retreat centers by the organizers are nonrefundable, as the livelihood of the local staff relies on secure income. We are grateful to travel to special places and respect their policies. TRAVEL INSURANCE IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. The WeTravel platform we use offers quality and affordable travel insurance at registration through Trawick International, which, in the event of eligible trip cancellation or trip interruption, can cover 100-150% cost of your trip, including the retreat, flight, and other travel expenses. It costs about $140-250, depending on the level of coverage and costs you want to insure. In our continued COVID era it should be considered a given for any international travel.

In the event you have already paid and you are not able to attend, your funds paid will be donated as a scholarship slot, prioritizing QTBIPOC in financial need.

In the unlikely event that the organizers must cancel due to natural disaster, illness, etc, we cannot guarantee a refund – however, we will reschedule the retreat!

Am I queer enough?

Yes, no questions. Even if you’re in the most cis-het norm situation, you are queer regardless of what kind of relationship or community you have access to; regardless of what stage you are in your coming IN and/or gender transition journey. We welcome you with open arms and are excited for you to experience the magic of feeling affirmed in your queerness in community! You don’t have to perform anything. You are enough and already belong.

Still have questions? Want to inquire about a scholarship or make a donation to support QTBIPOC access? We’d love to hear from you!