Vermont may be most famous for its colorful fall foliage, but the Green Mountain State is equally glorious in summer, when its many pastures and meadows take on a lush, velvety green hue. Mothers and daughters looking to enjoy this pastoral setting while bonding over Ayurvedic wellness treatments can make the most of a series of retreats at The Fan House Bed & Breakfast in Barnard, Vermont. The property is located in the popular lake community, not far from Woodstock in central Vermont.
Barnard, Vermont. Photo: Sherman Cahal – Dreamstime.com
The Ayurvedic Retreats run May through August and focus on ancient practices that aim to promote health and balance of mind, body and spirit through attention to food, movement and mindfulness.
There are three retreats scheduled for spring and summer, kicking off with a Full Flower Moon Ayurvedic Retreat, May 17–19; followed by a Full Strawberry Moon Ayurvedic Retreat, June 14–16; and a Waxing Moon Ayurvedic Retreat, Aug. 9–11.
The May workshop theme is Honoring Feminine Tradition, and the retreat includes five organic, vegetarian or vegan, gluten-free meals, an Ayurvedic Himalayan salt scrub with essential oils and seven workshops that embrace Pranayama, Gentle Movement, Guided Meditation and Mantra for Healing and Female Empowerment. Moms and daughters will learn mindful movement, guided meditation, mantra chanting, hand mudra practices and aura therapy focusing on healing with acupressure.
Taking advantage of the beauty of the countryside, the workshop also gets participants outside to forage for ingredients to make their own wildflower essence, followed by a session of making their own Ayurvedic Himalayan salt scrub with essential oils.
Finally, everyone gets a chance to bond and share memories with a celebratory bonfire.
The June retreat offers similar components with the addition of a Chakra cleansing workshop and optional yoga and paddle boarding on nearby Silver Lake with a yoga and paddle-fit teacher, Mike MacDonald, from Manchester, Vermont. The add-on is priced at $44.
The August retreat, themed Manifesting Abundance, adds a workshop in crystal ball sound healing therapy with Jonathan Carl, a Manhattan-based sound healing therapist.
Cassie Reed, a graduate of Kripalu’s School of Ayurveda, a division of the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and a student of cookbook author Kate O’Donnell, an Ayurvedic practitioner and yoga teacher, will lead the retreats.
Reed also studied Mindfulness Meditation with Michael Denmeade, director of the Therapeutic Recreation Department at Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center in Windsor, Vermont, where she volunteered leading guided meditations with traumatic brain-injured patients, and taught safe cooking skills to patients and staff.
She holds a bachelor of science degree in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Ecology from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, and served for 10 years on staff as a Wilderness Technician/Ecologist with the USDA National Forest Service.
The Fan House Bed & Breakfast is an 1840’s Vermont-licensed inn and kitchen located on two acres and boasting an heirloom perennial flower, vegetable and herb gardens and an orchard of fruit trees.
The per person rates for the retreats are $272.50 for May and June and $292.50 for August.
Optional two-night lodging packages for Friday and Saturday nights at The Fan House are available at $327 per person, double, with a $50 single supplement. The house is a three-minute walk from Silver Lake and hiking trails.
To book a retreat, contact Reed at mtngirlgardening@gmail.com.
Read This Next
#WhereverFamily
Insta FeedParents
Apr 22, 20244 Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day fast approaches, and all mothers and mother figures deserve something extra special this year. Treat the mom in your life, whether she’s an outdoor enthusiast or host extraordinaire, to these four great gifts.
Sponsored Content
Interior Upgrades Begin Rolling Out Across United Fleet
United Airlines is in the midst of a major initiative to modernize its fleet over the next several years. After first announcing the plan in 2021, planes fitted with United’s signature interior are finally beginning to appear across the airline’s narrowbody fleet of Boeing and Airbus planes. United flyers are sure to notice these enhancements from the moment they step on board: Each new or updated plane sports remodeled seats, seatback entertainment screens for everyone, Bluetooth connectivity and more, all adding up to a better experience on every journey.
Multigenerational
Apr 19, 2024Family-Friendly Offerings from Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection
Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection includes the largest portfolio of luxury all-inclusive resorts in the world — many of them perfect for family travelers. And two current offers might entice your family even more.
Cruising
Apr 15, 2024Some of Europe’s Best Day Cruises
A week cruising along the Danube or the Rhine may be the stuff of dreams for many, but family travelers can enjoy views from the water in ways kinder to the family budget. Many riverside cities offer scenic cruises, and some Baltic or Mediterranean ports have daytrips to nearby islands or coastal attractions. In several cities you can cruise the canals, and in Switzerland you can spend a day cruising on Lake Geneva, with sightseeing stops in lakeside towns.
Sponsored Content
Make the Most of Hamad International Airport When Transferring
Making travel plans can be exciting; did you know planning on how to spend time at the airport the right way can enrich the overall trip experience? As a transfer hub, traveling through Doha's Hamad International Airport is a unique experience, as waiting never feels like waiting at one of the best airports in the world.
Multigenerational
Apr 15, 2024Enjoy Multigenerational Travel in New York with Motto by Hilton
Family Travel Agent recently found family travel will continue to grow this year, as 81 percent of families expressed their likelihood of traveling in 2024. Of that group, more than 50 percent plan to take part in multigenerational travel. If that multigen travel is taking place in New York City, two hotels, Motto Times Square and Motto Chelsea, prove ideal options.
ShareThis