Joshua Tree Yoga Retreat... 2024 Fall Journey Part 1

The main purpose of our 2024 fall journey was a yoga retreat at Joshua Tree National Park with Bigger Life Adventures. It was my fourth retreat with them, Mark’s first, and having Mark join me for it was special. We signed up right after we purchased our new camper van in the spring. The van fit into the retreat’s camping format well and we were both intrigued by the rock-climbing adventure portion.

Astrid and Rhonda's Joshua Tree Poses at Joshua Tree National Park.

 Photo by Carrie. 

We left our home on Sunday, October 13, 2024, several days before the retreat began. As retirees, we like to travel slow and find adventures along the way. This time we drove two long days, staying one night in El Dorado State Park’s Oak campground near Wichita, Kansas and another night in New Mexico at Santa Rosa Lake’s Rocky Point Campground. Both locations had ample space, but navigating their reservation systems was challenging. One had a self-pay kiosk and another an online system. I had to climb our van’s ladder to get enough signal to complete the Santa Rosa reservation. Mark laughed at me for that. 

Experiencing Sedona’s Vortex Energy

We traveled harder those two days so that we could spend some time in Sedona, Arizona before the retreat in California. We didn’t have a reservation in Sedona so took a gamble at the first-come, first-served sites at the Forest Service’s Pine Flat Campground. Luck was on our side, and we got there just in time to secure one of the last spots. We stayed there two nights and enjoyed it very much. 

The first night (Wednesday, October 16, 2024) we sat under the van’s awning during a short rain shower, then made pizza on the campfire. It was so nice to have a campfire again for warmth and ambiance. Many places had a fire ban but in the valley along Oak Creek, we were allowed fires in the campground.

Since we stayed two nights, we had a whole day to leisurely explore the area. We got up early, had coffee and oatmeal, then drove down scenic Highway 89A as the sun came up, spotlighting the cliffs all around us. It was such a pretty drive. Sedona is a fancy, touristy town. We drove through it to the Bell Rock Trailhead and got the last open parking spot. We had to remove the Yakima storage box at the end of our van and place it on the ground in the front of the van to fit into the parking space.

We hiked up to Bell Rock, then to the right around its base, climbing midway up and along a ridge. At one area a lady came through and said it was scary but doable, though it was her first hike. We scrambled over and through to the other side, then around and over to a flat rock area in the shade. There we sat to reflect silently and soak in the vortex energy that is found there. 

Figure 1. Bell Rock in Sedona, Arizona.

Sedona has many vortexes, which are thought to be swirling centers of Earth’s energy conducive to healing, meditation, and self-reflection. Many people feel inspired and alive with energy after visiting a vortex site. I closed my eyes and soaked up the vortex’s energy. It was subtle but I felt slight tingles in my hands and neck. As I let go, I felt my inner child and inner mentor (older self) merge into the present moment. They were both with me there in that magical setting and I felt at peace, calm, and happy.

The next vortex was at the airport. There was ample parking there for a $3 fee and a lookout area across the street. We hiked from the lookout area down to the Airport Mesa vortex. About halfway there I felt the vortex as my hands and neck slightly tingled. We climbed on top of the mesa and sat a long time. On the less windy side I felt such calm energy. I think the Airport Mesa vortex was more yin-like than the Bell Rocks yang-like energy. To me they felt different. 

Figure 2. View from the Airport Mesa in Sedona, Arizona.

Back at camp we walked across the highway to the other campground. We were on the first come-first served side and the campsites across the road by the creek were all reservable. We walked along the rocky creek a bit. It didn’t have much water, but we did see a small fish and a wren bird. 

Joshua Tree Yoga Retreat Arrival

The next morning, we drove from Sedona to our Joshua Tree Yoga Retreat, arriving on Thursday, October 18 about 3:00 p.m. Carrie met us, and we parked our van. The camping area was along a sandy road with lots of little desert plants spread out down a long, narrow area. Beside us was a rocky hill where a few guest’s tents were pitched. Beyond that was a large boulder hillside which led into the national park.  

Figure 3. Joshua Tree Yoga Retreat Campground.

We leveled the van and unpacked a little then went to meet old and new friends.  It was a Costa Rica Retreat reunion of sorts, since six of us had been there too in February. At 4:00 p.m. we had an open circle to introduce ourselves and orient to the place and retreat schedule. I said my intention for this retreat was to “Live in each moment,” and I feel like I did that. After circle, we had yoga for about an hour in a circular open area in the sand. I enjoyed it and found parts were challenging, probably from the unlevel sandy surface and tightness from driving and hiking in Sedona. After yoga we had supper. Zach made pumpkin curry over rice, which was very tasty and filling.

Later Carrie and Zach’s assistant Astrid lit a campfire, and we all sat around and talked until about 10:00 p.m. Zach brought out smore ingredients with vegan marshmallows, Lindt chocolate, and graham crackers. Mark made one and I had a bite. Astrid had us play a game of highs and lows. We each said our high and low for that day. I said my low was camper maintenance at Loves where we had our propane filled and did the typical dumps and fills. The high was when I came out of our camper for supper and turned around at the food tent to see the bright, splendid, full moon rising over our van and the hills in the distance. The moon was so bright that we didn't need lights to get around after dark. The stars were not as brilliant, but oh that moon! It was a fun evening around a blazing fire with new and old friends. A perfect start to our retreat.

Figure 4. Full moon over our camper van at Joshua Tree Yoga Retreat.

We slept well in our comfortable van, running the heater a little in the cool, desert night. We got up about 6:00 a.m. and made coffee in our van. I climbed the rocky hill beside us for the morning sunrise meditation at 6:45 a.m. It was only Carrie and me for most of it until another guest joined us later. It was a very cool morning so I'm sure most people stayed in their warm tents until breakfast. Zach made oatmeal with apples and nut butter for breakfast. He also made us all a sack lunch of tofu po’boys and fruit, which was very tasty at noon when we were rock climbing.

Facing Fears to Climb Rocks at Joshua Tree National Park

We waited an extra hour before going to the park to rock climb since it was so cold and windy that day. Our professional climbing guide Amylee and her daughter went ahead to set up some ropes. She had one set above and scrambled up to set another one once we got there. We walked about 10 minutes through the Real Hidden Valley of Joshua Tree National Park to an area called Thin Wall. It is a rock formation that is narrow yet tall to climb and easier for the guides to scramble at the end to set anchors and ropes from above. At the bottom Carrie and Astrid showed us how to attach the rope to our climbing harness. Amylee provided us all with a harness, shoes, and helmet.

Clark* was the first to climb and he made it look so easy, climbing all the way to the top then repelling back down. Mark went second. He made it up the first tier then decided the sheer cliff second tier portion was more than he wanted to tackle at that time. 

Figure 5. Mark Rock Climbing! Photo by Carrie.

I went next and climbed a body length higher than Mark but not all the way. It was harder than I expected and scarier at first. Coming down is my favorite part when you sit in the harness and hop down while the belayer below slacks the rope. 

After a lunch break and watching the others climb, I tried the other rope that they said was easier. It was easier but I also trusted my equipment better that time. I climbed three quarters of the sheer cliff portion and probably could have went the whole way. I was happy with that. At one point as I rested in my harness, I looked behind me and yelled, “Wow! Look at that view!” They all laughed. I loved that. I went a little higher after that then rappelled back down, satisfied with my climb. Such a fun time. As RUSH’s Neil Peart said in his book Travelling Show that we listened to on this trip, “Fear plus survival equals fun.” He is so right!

Figure 6. Rhonda looking at view behind her while rock climbing.

Retreat Yoga, Food, and Fun

We did yoga most mornings and evenings during the retreat. Carrie (and Astrid one morning) led us in energizing morning sessions to start our day. Evening sessions were long yin holds that felt good to stretch out sore muscles from that day’s climbing or hiking.

Figure 7. Morning yoga at Joshua Tree Camp. Photo by Astrid.

People sometimes say that they go on Bigger Life Adventure retreats for Carrie’s yoga and return for Zach’s vegan food. To me they are equally excellent reasons to do their retreats. Zach’s food never disappoints and always surprises me. I couldn’t wait for Mark to try it, and he too was impressed. He especially liked the taco night. We had a supper of mushroom spaghetti one night and Tempe with cranberry sauce, beans, kale, and fruit another. Though hard to choose, my favorite this time was a breakfast of avocado toast and tofu scramble using black salt, a form of Himalayan pink salt with sulfur added that gave it an egg taste. Zach just published a new cookbook, Plants on Plates, and he brought me my preordered, signed copy. We can’t wait to try some of his recipes, though I’m not sure we will make them as well as him. 

Figure 8. Zach's new cookbook is available at Bigger Life Adventures. Photo by Astrid. 

Each night we had fun around a roaring campfire and laughed hard. Friday night Zach had his guitar, so I played and sang two Kris Kristofferson songs and Zach played fun songs. The girls were so fun and crazy. It was such a great group. The last night someone suggested we play a story game where we each said one word as we went around to build a story. It was fun and got weirdly crazy. We laughed and laughed, which felt good. 

Figure 9. Laughing around the campfire. Photo by Astrid. 

Bigger Life Adventures always include some free time. On our free day, Mark and I drove our van into Joshua Tree National Park from the west entrance by our campground all the way to the Cottonwood entrance. It’s a long drive. At the end, we hiked to the Cottonwood Spring and on the Mastodon Peak Trail. Both were perfect with just enough challenge on a warm day. The spring had an oasis of fan palms and cottonwood trees, which are such a contrast to the dry desert plants all around. Birds flew in and out of the palms and sang.

Figure 10. Cottonwood Spring Oasis at Joshua Tree National Park.

The Mastodon trail was a two-mile loop through big boulders, up and down small sandy hills, across desert scrub, and up to Mastodon Peak. At the peak area we had to scramble up boulders for an amazing, though windy, 360° view of the area. Far below we could see the Salton Sea. It was a bit scary to scramble near the top, but Mark persevered, and I followed. I'm so glad we did. It was a great view and a place to rest before coming back down and hiking back to the van. 

Figure 11. Windy selfie from Mastodon Peak at Joshua Tree National Park.

Along the way back, there was another oasis with fan palms, cottonwood, and some eucalyptus trees along a dry riverbed. At the van, we ate chickpea salad wraps that Zach made us for lunch. Back at the west entrance there was a long line to show our passes to exit. Mark somehow dropped our National Park Pass out the window and had to get out and climb under the van on the ground to find it. I laughed till I cried. As we sat in line, he was upset that they made him wait to leave, then he held everyone else up behind us. Another fun moment on this trip.

Sunday was our Sound Bath Day. Before our session, Mark and I spent a few hours in town. We went to a few artsy stores, the World Famous Crochet Museum, and walked around. At the Sole Connection store, the owner Dawn asked us where we were from and her eyes lit up when I said Havana, Illinois. She is best friends with one of our best friends. That was so fun. The sound bath was in a special, unique place called the Integratron. It is an amazing place built for perfect acoustics in a comfortable setting. We laid on soft mats and a lady played quartz crystal singing bowls for almost an hour. They were loud and their vibrations filled us with waves of peace and relaxation. I'm sure I dozed off a few times. I didn't have any revelations during the session, though I sure was relaxed afterwards. 

Figure 12. Integratron. Photo by Astrid. 

From there we drove to a nearby giant rock said to be the largest freestanding rock in the world at four stories tall. It was a long three-mile, sandy dirt road to get there and I freaked out a bit, losing all my sound bath zen along the way. Still, it was neat to see. 

Figure 13. Mark "holding up" the Giant Rock.

Magical Moments During Yoga Retreat

During the retreat, Carrie led us in a mantra building exercise. My mantra was “Adventures in nature fuel my soul.” That came true many times. During one morning yoga session, Carrie led us in stretches and through an energetic flow. We ended with the Wim Hof Method breath technique that we repeated three times. The third time I remembered that when we did that same technique in Costa Rica, I saw myself dancing in a flower field with my inner mentor that I call White Clover. This time my inner child joined my inner mentor, and I saw lots of Rhonda’s of various ages dancing in the flowers. What fun! During the breath work I inhaled fun, exhaled fear, and ended up dancing in a field of flowers. 

The morning sunrise meditations were equally magical. I loved sitting high on the rocks and watching as the landscape around me woke up with the rising sun. It was so quiet, and I heard the wings of a bird fly past me. I felt renewed each morning as the sun rose, cleansed, and woke up the world. The plants soaked up the rays and released calming vibes and cleansing life oxygen. I loved sharing their world. The desert plants have such diversity and colors there. It is so very different from tropical settings or our own back yard, yet in some ways it was more peaceful. The desert plants were spread out and seemed to coexist, helping each other in the harsh environment. Yes, they had sharp spines, but those helped them conserve water as modified leaves and stems. Each plant’s texture, shape, and size stood out across the landscape in unique and special ways.

Figure 14. Rhonda's morning meditation at Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by Lisa. 

Our retreat closed with an evening Cacao Ceremony and a morning closing circle. After Sunday’s supper we moved to the fire and had our Cacao Ceremony. Zach served us a homemade chocolate drink made of Zimbabwe cacao and talked about its importance and symbolism. Astrid led us in some dancing around the fire that felt free and fun. We had a lot more laughs that night. 

After yoga the next morning, we had our closing circle where we revealed our secret missions, any takeaways, and everyone gave one word to describe each person. They described me as fun, wise, knowledgeable and such as that, which always makes me feel good. They said Mark was brave, interesting, and fun. On the first day, Carrie gave us each a secret mission to fulfill during the retreat. Mark gave Clark a copy of my book Botanical Journeys to fulfill his secret mission of giving someone a gift. I signed it, which completed my secret mission to give someone a note of encouragement. Mark said Clark was very moved by the gift and we hope it inspires him to do more adventures of his own. He later did a card trick with us and taught us how to do it, completing his secret mission to teach somebody something new. Afterwards, Zach made sweet potato pancakes for breakfast with some oatmeal and fruit. We all packed and said our goodbyes. I gave Astrid a yoga mat and bottle holder I crocheted. I also gave Carrie and Zach a copy of my book.  

As we left Joshua Tree, I was high on the positive vibes and love from all my adventures with friends in a magical place. I felt like I really relaxed and settled into the space, retreat, and people this time. On the last day, a song played during our pranayama that mentioned our past, present, and future selves reminding me of the Rhonda's dancing in the flowers. It also said that friends come and go, and new ones are waiting for us. That was comforting and so true. I've made great new friends on these retreats and that is a big reason why I do them. I say I do them for the yoga and self-reflection, but each time it is the people that fuel my soul and assure I have a Bigger Life Adventure.

Figure 15. Rhonda and Mark relaxing in Joshua Tree National Park as they watch friends climb Thin Wall. Photo by Astrid. 

Note: Check out Bigger Life Adventure upcoming retreats on their website and social media sites. Retreats fill quickly so reserve your space today. 

*Some names omitted or changed to protect privacy.