Writing from the Soul
Oaxaca City, Mexico
Sunday March 1-7, 2026
What is it….
Writing from the Soul is a 6 day/6 night retreat centered around transforming the feelings, emotions, and experiences inside of you into creative expression. Through writing workshops, live music, yoga, nature outings, and cultural experiences, you’ll inspire your inner artist, awaken your voice, and find the courage to tell the story only you can tell.
Who is Invited?
This retreat is open for new and seasoned writers of all genders, ages, and nationalities. We gladly welcome anyone looking to deepen their creative expression, regardless of your level of experience. Come solo or with a friend or partner. The retreat will be conducted in English.
Connect with fellow writers, discover new perspectives, and delve into the depths of your creativity. Don't miss this opportunity to nurture your writing passion and take your craft to new heights.
Embrace the journey of self-discovery and artistic growth with us!
Who we are!
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Songwriter | Songleader | Vocal CoachOver the years, I've used my musical gifts in two unique ways: performing my own compositions as a singer/songwriter and using music as a therapeutic tool. As a certified SLPA and Registered Behavior Technician, I've merged my diverse backgrounds in music, speech pathology, and behavior science to create a truly unique approach to vocal therapy and coaching.
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Mix Medium Writer
Emily is a writer and soul searcher. She has lived in Mexico for the past 4 and a half years and is thrilled to share her love for this country with you. You can find her memoir style writing at the Free Bird Hotel.
7- 9 AM: Morning Pages. Wake up and enjoy freshly brewed Oaxacan coffee and tropical fruit in our outdoor courtyard area while streaming from your subconscious. You can journal, write down your dreams, or use this time to work on your memoir, your poetry, songs, or your novel. We’ll also offer writing prompts related to the theme of the day to get your creative juices flowing.
9 AM to 10 AM: Yoga with Live Music and Poetry. A 1-hour gentle vinyasa flow with live guitar and a sprinkle of mystical poetry from Rumi, Hafiz, Mary Oliver, and Octavio Paz.
10: AM to 11 AM: Breakfast. We’ll have a private chef at the village to prepare us Mexican breakfast classics, like Chilaquiles, Enfrijoladas, Enchilladas, tamales, and Huevos Rancheros. Think lots of corn tortillas and delicious sauces but we’ll also have a fruit and oatmeal bar if you want something lighter.
11:00 AM to 1 PM: Creative workshop. Everyday we’ll offer a different workshop on writing, vocal expression, and creative expression.
1 to 5 PM: Intuitive Exploration Time. Use this time to wander around, explore the markets, read or write in a café, shop for ceramics or textiles, photograph the cacti at the botanic gardens, listen to local live folk music, or go on a street art tour. Fill yourself up with culture, art, and music. Let the city be your inspiration. Feel free to also use this time to read or nap and relax by the pool at the villa.
5 to 6:30 PM: Mini Workshop & Creative Group Therapy. We’ll re-gather as a group to share what came up for us throughout the day. We will facilitate a safe and supportive space so we can all reflect and discuss the writing/creative projects we’re working on and what creative breakthroughs and blocks we’re facing.
7 PM: Dinner. Oaxaca is a global culinary capital known for mole, tlayudas, tamales, memelas, huitlacoche (corn that grows on a mushroom), purslane, squash blossoms and quintoniles (herbs). We’ll suggest a spot for a group dinner every night, which will include the iconic squash blossom quesadillas from Tacos del Carmen and different restaurants around the city. The suggested outing will be optional, so feel free to make other plans if you prefer. Cost of dinner will not be included but there will be a range of options available for all budgets.
Optional Outings and Offerings:
We’ll offer two group outings during the week. We will coordinate trips to Monte Alban (the ruins of Zapotecs) and Hierve del Agua (the petrified waterfall and turquoise spring pools tucked away in the mountains.) These days, we’ll change the schedule a bit. We’ll go to Monte Alban in the morning (before it is too hot and crowded) and then do our workshops in the afternoon.
Hierve el Agua is a 2 hour drive from the city, so we will leave early in the morning and spend the whole day there. While all outings are optional, we hope everyone wants to come to the mountains because we will plan to conduct our daily workshops there.
We will also organize an optional Temazcal, a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony.
Sample Itinerary:
What you’ll get…
Accommodation for six days/six nights in a private villa. (Private rooms and shared options available.)
Mexican Welcome Dinner on Sunday.
Daily breakfast, coffee, and tea at the villa.
Daily writing workshops.
Yoga classes with live music.
Sound healing.
Welcome Gift.
Drinking Water.
Where are we staying?
Oaxaca, Mexico is a sacred land nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range. Native to the Zapotecs and the Mixtecos, this region is rich in history and home to a number of significant archaeological and spiritual sites. We’ll be staying in Oaxaca City, an artist’s paradise filled with galleries, museums, markets, an iconic botanical garden, and some of the best food in the world. Mole, tamales, tlayudas, and quesadillas with squash blossom flowers are some of the regional specialties. We’ll spend six days and six nights experiencing some of the best nature, art, culture, cuisine, and healing practices that this region has to offer.
We will be staying in a beautiful villa in the heart of Oaxaca!
Daily Themes
Every day will be dedicated to a different theme or element to guide us in our writing,
exploration, and creative expression.
Monday: Awakening the Artist Within. On Monday, we will wake up fresh and ready to ignite the inner creator. Our workshop will focus on awakening the muse, listening to your intuition, and opening yourself up to divine inspiration. We’ll practice poetry-infused yoga in the morning, set our creative intentions for the week, and spend the afternoon soaking in the magic of the city around us.
Tuesday: the Past.
On Tuesday, we’ll visit Monte Alban and reflect on the history of the Mexican land where we are staying. We’ll dedicate our writing workshops to reflecting and writing about our personal history. Emily will lead the workshop on the Art of Memoir and we’ll dive into the process of turning our personal experience into story. We’ll end the evening with a Full Moon Ceremony with live music and reflection.
Wednesday: the Purge.
As we reflect on our past, we may realize that some of our stories and limiting self-beliefs are better left behind. We’ll use the lingering energy of the Full Moon to work through emotional blocks that may affect our expression. Liat will lead us in a vocal activation workshop, designed to access our inner creative power through music and sound. We’ll also offer an optional Temazcal (a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony) for anyone seeking deeper purification and spiritual connection.
Thursday: the Present.
On Thursday, we’ll travel to the mountains and spend the day immersed in nature. We will let the Earth be our guide as we soak in the Hierve el Agua Spring, walk through the trees, and journal while overlooking sweeping views of the mountains and petrified waterfalls. Liat and Emily will co-lead the workshop on collaborative creativity and how we draw upon the natural world for inspiration, symbolism, and metaphor.
Friday: The Future.
We will enjoy one last day in Oaxaca together with plenty of time in the afternoon to explore the city. Today’s workshop will be focused on our central theme—writing from the soul. In the evening, we will celebrate the end of our retreat with an integration ceremony so we can set intentions about how we can channel our creativity and stay committed to our projects when we go back home.
Saturday:
We’ll share one final breakfast together at the villa and then depart.
Investment
What is not included?
Flights to Oaxaca City.
Taxi to Villa (We will be happy to arrange your pick-up from the airport with a secure taxi service for an additional cost. We will try to coordinate group pick-ups to make this more economical)
Outings and excursions. (These activities are optional and will have an additional cost as outlined below)
Hierve el Agua ($25 entrance fee)
Monte Alban ($5 entrance fee)
Temazcal (TBD based on our group size but between $25 to $40)
Dinner (We will offer a daily breakfast/brunch but lunch and dinner will be on your own. We’ll suggest group dinner outings but these are optional and everyone is free to make their own places. You can easily get by on $25 per day or less.)
Travel Insurance.
We are currently offering an early bird special of $1600.
The first six people to sign up will get a private room with a full-size bed at the villa. A discount is available for couples who want to share a room/bed.
For the next wave of sign-ups, we will offer rooms at a nearby boutique hotel, five minutes walking distance from the villa. You will have an option of shared or private accommodation.
Shared accommodation will be $1800.
Private accommodation will be $2000.
What are you waiting for?
What is it….
Writing from the Soul is a 6 day/6 night retreat centered around transforming the feelings, emotions, and experiences inside of you into creative expression. Through writing workshops, live music, yoga, nature outings, and cultural experiences, you’ll inspire your inner artist, awaken your voice, and find the courage to tell the story only you can tell.
Who is Invited?
This retreat is open for new and seasoned writers of all genders, ages, and nationalities. We gladly welcome anyone looking to deepen their creative expression, regardless of your level of experience. Come solo or with a friend or partner. The retreat will be conducted in English.
Connect with fellow writers, discover new perspectives, and delve into the depths of your creativity. Don't miss this opportunity to nurture your writing passion and take your craft to new heights.
What you’ll get…
Accommodation for six days/six nights in a private villa. (Private rooms and shared options available.)
Mexican Welcome Dinner on Sunday.
Daily breakfast, coffee, and tea at the villa.
Daily writing workshops.
Yoga classes with live music.
Sound healing.
Welcome Gift.
Drinking Water.
Daily Themes
Every day will be dedicated to a different theme or element to guide us in our writing,
exploration, and creative expression.
Monday: Awakening the Artist Within. On Monday, we will wake up fresh and ready to ignite the inner creator. Our workshop will focus on awakening the muse, listening to your intuition, and opening yourself up to divine inspiration. We’ll practice poetry-infused yoga in the morning, set our creative intentions for the week, and spend the afternoon soaking in the magic of the city around us.
Tuesday: the Past.
On Tuesday, we’ll visit Monte Alban and reflect on the history of the Mexican land where we are staying. We’ll dedicate our writing workshops to reflecting and writing about our personal history. Emily will lead the workshop on the Art of Memoir and we’ll dive into the process of turning our personal experience into story. We’ll end the evening with a Full Moon Ceremony with live music and reflection.
Wednesday: the Purge.
As we reflect on our past, we may realize that some of our stories and limiting self-beliefs are better left behind. We’ll use the lingering energy of the Full Moon to work through emotional blocks that may affect our expression. Liat will lead us in a vocal activation workshop, designed to access our inner creative power through music and sound. We’ll also offer an optional Temazcal (a traditional Mesoamerican sweat lodge ceremony) for anyone seeking deeper purification and spiritual connection.
Thursday: the Present.
On Thursday, we’ll travel to the mountains and spend the day immersed in nature. We will let the Earth be our guide as we soak in the Hierve el Agua Spring, walk through the trees, and journal while overlooking sweeping views of the mountains and petrified waterfalls. Liat and Emily will co-lead the workshop on collaborative creativity and how we draw upon the natural world for inspiration, symbolism, and metaphor.
Friday: The Future.
We will enjoy one last day in Oaxaca together with plenty of time in the afternoon to explore the city. Today’s workshop will be focused on our central theme—writing from the soul. In the evening, we will celebrate the end of our retreat with an integration ceremony so we can set intentions about how we can channel our creativity and stay committed to our projects when we go back home.
Saturday:
We’ll share one final breakfast together at the villa and then depart.
Early Bird Special is going on right now!
Each retreat participant will get:
Private room with a full-size bed
Pool
Shared bathroom
All retreat activities as described above
*A discount is available for couples who want to share a room/bed.
FAQs
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50% of the deposit is non-refundable. However, if you are unable to attend, you can transfer your deposit to someone else.
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Travel insurance is recommended. Check out the options available through IMG to choose the plan that best meets your needs.
There is always a risk of food or waterborne illness while traveling. If this happens, we will help support you getting the best treatment available. Emily will accompany you to the doctor
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We will not be going to the beach on this retreat but we will be visiting the petrified waterfalls and springs of Hierve del Agua. If you would like to see the sea, feel free to extend your trip and travel to the coast of Oaxaca by bus or plane. There is an overnight bus to Puerto Escondidio from ADO or you can book a flight from Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido through Viva Aerobus.
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A Temazcal is a traditional sweat lodge ceremony in Mesoamerican cultures. It's a sacred ritual practiced in a dome-shaped structure, often made of mud and stone. The ceremony involves heated volcanic rocks, herbal infusions, and a shaman or guide who leads the participants through chants and rituals.
Temezcal is optional and not recommended for people who have high blood pressure, have had a recent surgery/major operation, or are pregnant. -
All activities and outings are optional. Listen to your body and choose your own adventure. We do encourage you to participate in all of the writing workshops to make the most of your experience.
As a note, we will be conducting our Thursday workshops at Hierve el Agua. While this outing is optional, it is highly encouraged to attend so you don’t miss the daily conversations and curriculum.
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Book a flight to Oaxaca International Airport (OAX). Our villa is about a 20 minute drive from this airport. We will provide a secure taxi transport for an additional cost.
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We will provide a detailed packing list in advance of the trip. The weather in Oaxaca in March is pleasantly warm and breezy with average highs of 82°F (28°C) and lows of 51°F (11°C). However, it can get very hot during the day and a bit chilly at night. Plan to bring comfortable urban clothing for exploring the city, active wear for practicing yoga and walking in the mountains, a sweater or jacket for the evenings, comfortable walking shoes, a swimsuit, and of course, a passport if you are traveling internationally.
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The U.S. government ranks Oaxaca a Level 2 travel risk and has no restrictions on visiting Oaxaca City. In general, the city is very safe but we recommend you exercise caution walking around alone at night. Also, be aware of pickpocketing and other petty crimes.