Focus on your wellness and spend the day immersed in nature on the peaceful grounds of The Morton Arboretum. Attend to your mind and body with a full day of sessions focused on gentle movement, meditation, and reflection.
Research shows that time spent among the trees has clear benefits for our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Set aside the rigors of your daily routine and take time for yourself with meditation, yoga and mindfulness workshops.
Light morning refreshments and lunch are included.
Registration closes Monday, November 2, 2026. Register early to reserve your spot.
Retreat Sessions
Kundalini Yoga
Kundalini yoga is a practice that combines physical postures, breathwork, mantra chanting, and meditation. It is designed to help you connect with your inner energy and raise awareness of your body and mind. By working with the breath, movement, and sound, this practice can support your overall well-being and encourage deeper self-awareness and relaxation. It’s a holistic approach to mindfulness that can be both calming and energizing.
A Traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony Demonstration
According to Confucianism, the art of tea is as much transformative on an introspective level as it is on a ceremonial level. The practice of drinking tea originated in China, using the leaves of the Camellia shrub. Cultural educator Yvonne Wolf will share about the origin of tea, its role in East Asian social interactions, and its many health benefits. With a demonstration of two varieties of Chinese tea, including a decaffeinated option, participants will engage in the ritual of tea handling, tea ware, and tea making, and enjoy a tasting session.
Mindful Mobility Stretch and Flow
Reconnect with your body and the natural world in this 60-minute practice designed to restore balance, flexibility, and ease. The session begins with a calming meditation to anchor your awareness in the present moment, helping you move with the grace and resilience of nature. Using a combination of standing and chair-supported exercises, we’ll explore stretches, mobility flows, and use gentle strengthening to release tension and awaken your natural range of motion. Each class is guided by a nature-inspired intention—such as stillness, growth, or renewal—encouraging harmony between your inner landscape and the world around you.
Forest Therapy
Experience the healing and wellness-promoting effects of shinrin-yoku, the practice of bathing the senses in the atmosphere of the forest.
Awaken your senses and reconnect with nature while you visit different locations at The Morton Arboretum. On the walk, experience a series of guided, gentle invitations to open the senses, cultivate presence, and invite healing interactions between people and the natural world. To finish, enjoy a closing ceremony with tea made from plants foraged from the forest.
This program meets in person at the Arboretum.
Instructors: Kristy Belton, certified forest therapy guide; Mandy Caverzasi, dance instructor; Jeni Gabrenya, certified forest therapy guide; Retta Hennessy, certified forest therapy guide; Laura Jaramillo, certified yoga instructor; Yvonne Wolf, owner, Chinese Intercultural, LLC
Age: 16 and older
Course number: WELL300
