Retreats

This retreat is now SOLD OUT.


July 28 -30, 2023
at
Pendle Hill Retreat Center, Wallingford, PA

Do you need a deeeeeep rest?

Has cancer treatment put you through the wringer?

Do you need a significant pause to relax, restore and rejuvenate?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then sign up for Pause. It’s the Wellness Retreat you’ve been waiting for!

During this retreat we’ll cultivate the exquisite art of just being. Here are the types of things we will pause to do:

  • Eat well and enjoy the healing powers of nature. Perhaps you’ll walk the labyrinth!
  • A little writing and meditation (optional)
  • Some gentle yoga, qi gong and the delicious practice of yoga nidra (optional)
  • Talk about deep rest and developing skills for better sleep
  • Discuss how to cultivate more Joy and Peace and the science behind these states
  • Learn about the internal chemical boost you get when you lean on friends

If you’re on a healing journey, this is the much-needed break you’ve been aching for! Take time to rest, breathe, and be with fellow travelers at Pause.


Friday, July 28, 5:00pm
to
Sunday, July 30, 1:00pm
Pendle Hill Retreat Center, Wallingford, PA



Cost

The retreat fee includes 2 nights accommodations and all meals from dinner Friday night to Sunday lunch.


$397 (shared room)
$437 (private room, limited availability)

Unite for Her
Unite for Her participants may use 4 squares on their passports to attend this retreat. (Please note: a credit card number will be required to hold the space.  The credit card will not be charged unless the participant cancels after June 16th and an appropriate replacement cannot be found. Michelle will connect with participants by phone to collect credit card info.)

Cancellation Policy: Space on this retreat is limited. We need to guarantee our minimum attendance to the retreat center by June 16th. Before June 16th, you can request a full refund, less a $50 administrative fee. After June 16th, if you need to cancel, payment made for the retreat is refundable only for exceptional circumstances and at our discretion, less a $50 administrative fee.

This retreat is facilitated by Michelle Stortz, MFA, C-IAYT, ERYT500
with assistance from Diane Kistler, MBA, C-IAYT, ERYT500

If you would like to be put on the waitlist for a room, fill out THIS FORM.

More information on Housing, Dietary Accommodations, Masking and the Schedule can be found below.

If you have questions, contact Michelle (M@MichelleStortz.com or 215-242-1366).


Dietary Accommodations – a note from Pendle Hill:

Our cooks, whose work is a ministry of love and concern, promote community well-being by serving nutritionally balanced meals with a sense of joy and good taste.

We are able to accommodate a variety of dietary needs.  All meals include gluten free, vegetarian and/or vegan options.  Please be aware that all foods are prepared in the same kitchen, including items made with flour and peanuts.  Pendle Hill does not have an exclusively gluten free or peanut free kitchen, nor is it a kosher kitchen. 
Attendees with severe food allergies, or following specialty diets, should consider bringing supplemental food. Refrigerators are available in each building.

Due to our kitchen’s capacity, we are unable to accommodate specialty diets.  We can offer the following protein options, if given notice before the start of the event: plain chicken or tofu, boiled eggs, tuna or hummus.

Masking Policy

The retreat leaders and Pendle Hill strongly encourage all guests to be up to date on available vaccinations, both COVID and the flu.

We ask all guests to test themselves no more than 24 hours prior to their arrival to not come if they test positive or are otherwise sick. We will not require proof of a negative test result, trusting in the honesty and integrity of our guests. We also ask all guests to self-monitor for symptoms while they are on campus, and should they develop a concerning symptom, to take the appropriate measures, including informing the retreat leaders as well as Pendle Hill staff, and retesting to ensure they are able to continue their stay.

At this time, we will continue the practice of wearing masks in shared indoor public spaces, such as the Main House dining room until we are seated at our tables.

Room Accommodations

The bedrooms are simply furnished with bed, desk, chair, and lamp. There is drawer space and closet space in each room. All rooms have windows that open and access to controls for heat and air conditioning. Most bedrooms share a bath with one or two other rooms. Some rooms include a wash basin. Pendle Hill will supply sheets, pillow, pillowcase, bedspread, blankets, towel, and washcloth.

Each building where guests are housed includes a kitchen area with facilities for making tea and a small refrigerator. Some have a microwave oven. There are no facilities for guests to cook their own meals. 

Retreat Schedule
Friday
3:00 – 5:00Arrive in this window
5:00 – 5:45Welcome and Introductions
6:00 – 7:00Dinner
7:30 – 9:00Evening Session: Understanding Rest
Saturday
7:30 – 8:30Breakfast
9:00 – 11:30 Morning Session: Cultivating Joy
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 Afternoon Session: The Science Behind the Social Connection
3:00 – 5:00 Free time with optional assignment
5:00 – 5:45 Brief Gathering: Harvesting Insights
6:00 – 7:00 Dinner
7:30 – 9:00Evening Session: Understanding Peace
Sunday
7:30 – 8:30Breakfast
9:00 – 11:30Morning Session: How to Carry it Back Home
12:00-1:00Lunch

Michelle Stortz is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT) specializing in yoga for cancer and chronic illness. Since 2010, she has worked with hundreds of cancer survivors in the Philadelphia area. Michelle enjoys designing custom yoga programs that anyone can do regardless of ability.

Michelle also teaches meditation, drawing on both the Buddhist tradition and the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction curriculum. In addition, she has designed two virtual courses for cancer survivors: Stronger After Cancer and Finding Your Ground: Thriving with Metastatic Cancer. She conducts classes, retreats, and private sessions. www.MichelleStortz.com


Diane Kistler brings with her a vast amount of wisdom accrued over 18 years of teaching yoga, training teachers, and working one on one with clients. This journey hasn’t always been full of joy, but it is with those moments of pain, suffering and unease, that has shaped who Diane is as a person and as a yoga therapist today. Her own diagnosis and treatment of both breast and colon cancer have led her to a deeper understanding of the students and clients she has worked with. Without a doubt, the practices of yoga have been a lifesaver for her as well.

Early on in her yoga teaching career, she guided students from the Cancer Support Community, Grand View Health Cancer programs and Good Shepard Rehab cancer programs. She now is a teacher/yoga therapist for Unite for Her and volunteers at Kin Wellness and Support for cancer. She graduated from Inner Peace Yoga Therapy as a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and continued on with further studies with Pain Care Yoga including a 300 hour Professional Mentorship. Her practice reflects that the two most essential tools for healing are treating the person as whole and building a therapeutic relationship with her students and clients. Diane resides in the Souderton area with her two daughters. www.DianeKistlerYogaTherapy.com

Promotional photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash