The Joyful Warrior Retreat

for those who like their wellness on the wild side

personal growth through mindfulness, nature, and badass adventures

What to Expect

The Joyful Warrior signature retreat includes but is certainly not limited to:

  • Bio-luminescent kayaking

  • Guided meditation

  • Primitive survival instruction in skills and philosophy

  • Yoga and mindful movement

  • Day trip to Nylon Pool (private boat and snorkel tour)

  • Guided bird watching and foraging in the National Forest Reserve 

  • Self-reflection time

  • Delicious locally sourced meals

  • Sunset Manta ray viewing and fresh catch bonfire dinner

  • Free massage at Victory Villa

  • Locally sourced, delicious meals

  • Excursions to pristine, world-class natural wonders

  • Airport pickup and drop-off

  • An intimate group of supportive community

Expect to feel deeply connected to your inner landscape and the natural world.  Through outdoor adventure and primitive skills, you will cultivate joyful resilience practices that anchor you into your power and sense of presence.  Through mindfulness, yoga, fireside chats, and personal time you will anchor into your authentic self.  Enjoy fresh meals, some of which you can catch, process, and fire-cook yourself as Sara teaches and cheers you on.  You’ll expand your horizons and sense of strength through outdoor adventure and go deeply inward to nurture your sense of self-love and self-reliance.

A note from Sara

This retreat idea came to me many years ago, became clear on my first Naked and Afraid challenge, and was made real the day I finished and went to stay at the Victory Villa. It’s a culmination of the practices I’ve developed in creating truly joyful resilience that connects you deeply to yourself, the natural world, and the flow of life.  It’s an adventure of mind, body, and spirit that I truly believe can change your life. Our week together June 13-20 blends nature connection and mindfulness practices that equip you not only to survive the challenges of the wilderness but those you face in modern life. 

This is the practice of wild wellness.  True wellness is not an escape from your life, it’s living a life you don't need to escape from.  But to do that, you must have the courage to know, love, and honor your inner voice with strength and joy.  You will learn, practice, and embody the physical and mental skills of mindfulness and primitive survival that our ancestors passed down as tools to be a whole human being. But most of all, you’re going to have a lot of fun! After all, this is the joyful warrior retreat. 

Set near my first Naked and Afraid challenge location, you’ll get hands-on experience in primitive survival basics like foraging, navigation, shelter builds, fire making, and catching and processing your own meal. But, you won’t have to rough it - each day starts and ends with a calming mindfulness practice at our secluded venue where stunning sunset views, meals, and self-care treatments await. The island of Tobago has a rhythm and energy that’s uniquely conducive to self-exploration and a profound connection to the natural world. It gently invites you to explore and discover the sacred within while cheering in joy as you adventure the outside world.

Over this week, I’m dedicated to creating an environment that celebrates open expression and heartfelt connection. You will feel like a badass, a silly goose, and an absolute goddess.  Together, we'll explore mindfulness practices, engage in enriching survival skill sessions, and partake in joyous communal activities, all designed to enlighten and uplift. You’ll be part of a small group of individuals who, like you, are on their path to personal growth and enlightenment through a sense of adventure. 

As I enthusiastically explore my wild inside and out, this specific location and combination of skills have proven to be an extraordinary fusion of personal power and a sense of peace for myself and those I’ve guided. Your adventure with me is an immersion in presence, love, laughter, and some badass outdoors skills. This will be an unparalleled encounter with life's beauty, designed to leave you open, spirit soaring, and grounded in your unique power.

Let’s go play!

Sara

What people are saying

  • Sara cultivates a fun, welcoming environment for anyone to strap on their outdoor-appropriate footwear and brave the outdoors. Her knowledge of the outdoors is vast, but so is her capacity for warmth and compassion, which shows throughout the retreat.

    Ben K

  • Sara was a fantastic leader in guiding us through survival skills! We foraged, we made fire, we connected with each other and nature. As a mental health therapist, I thoroughly enjoyed Sara’s mindfulness practice interweaving nature and skill building into holistic healing. I would absolutely attend again and I recommend anyone interested in nature, healing, and/or Naked and Afraid badasses to attend as well.

    Vanessa W, LMHC

  • Sara's most valuable gift is in helping you access your own innate power and wisdom that've been inside you all along. My conversations with Sara always leave me feeling inspired and purposeful with deeper trust in myself and the world around me. Thank you Sara!

    Dan B

The Victory Villa

Nestled between Tobago National Forest Reserve and Englishman’s Bay, the Victory Villa is the perfect balance of inviting comfort, and the natural world.  It’s the perfect hub for learning badass survival skills, exciting eco-adventures, and a chill day my the pool (did I mention it includes massage?).

You’ll be within walking distance is Englishman's Bay- consistently rated one of the top 3 beaches in the country yet largely unvisited.  

Imagine waking up to the sound of waves and birds as you step out of your private room. You enjoy a fresh local meal from the patio as you soak in the stillness and beauty before meditation and mindful movement.  After an excursion, you come home to dip in the pool visit the hummingbird pavilion, sit by the fire with friends, and walk up to the outdoor oven and view deck for a nourishing meal and stunning sunset view. Oh, did I mention you get on on-site massage here too?  

See the Victory Villa on Instagram here

Meet Your Host

Aloha! I’m Sara, a hard-working, fun-loving, recovering perfectionist from Kona, Hawaii.

My Joyful Warrior journey started at the circus. Literally. Just as I had overcome a broken back and started my dream career as a solo comedian and circus performer, I experienced the worst hardship of my life. (trigger warning) After being raped and falling into the depths of PTSD for several years, I had two options- give up, or find my way through.

The years that followed took me around the world in my quest to rediscover my warrior spirit, ability to experience joy, and more importantly to do it in a way that would last a lifetime. Studying yoga and meditation in the birthplace of Hatha Yoga (Rishikesh, India), diving deep into therapy workbooks, and obsessing over self-care habits and routines helped me heal- but there was still something missing.

It was only when I began engaging with nature again that I found myself able to connect the dots in my own life, and then connect with the world and people around me. Through nature literacy and basic survival skills, I felt empowered, and confident, and suddenly all the other work I had been doing just clicked. The tools that helped me survive trauma now help me thrive as a creative professional and delightful weirdo. I think they’re so important I even started a nonprofit to share those tools with other survivors.

When being interviewed to appear on the survival TV show Naked and Afraid, the casting director said “Sara, you’ve been through so much hardship, yet you’re one of the happiest people we’ve seen. You’re like this like a joyful warrior”. It was at that moment I knew my philosophy of life had found its name, and I’m honored to share its practices and tools with you.

I believe life is like a trampoline- the deeper we hit bottom the more capacity we have to soar. Whether it’s work stress or a much deeper pain, I’m here to help you on your journey of balancing grit and grace, strength and compassion, and a warrior spirit with a joyful spirit.

To learn more about me and my story, see my about page, youtube, or blog.

Better yet, get on the mailing list so you can join me live at a future event.

Your adventure includes

If not now, then when?

(Just a friendly reminder to do that thing you want to do for yourself & keep putting off)

Escape the Grind & Align Your Mind

What to expect on a Joyful Warrior Retreat

Yoga + Mindfulness

Our yoga and mindfulness sessions help soothe your body, untangle your mind, and strengthen your relationship with self.

Survival + Nature Literacy

Nothing makes you as confident as knowing you can take care of yourself on a primitive level.

Self-Care Routines

Take time to journal, hone your morning and evening routine, and engage with other participants about the self-care journey.

Adventure

Nothing ignites your inner fire like taking a courageous leap out of your comfort zone. See events for different location-specific adventures

Exclusive Community

Participation is limited and all participants undergo an application and screening process to ensure the best group dynamic and experience for you.

Inclusive Programming

All bodies and minds are different. All programming is accessible for all body types, fitness levels, and comfort outdoors unless otherwise noted.

I know getting away for a few days isn’t always doable. If you’re looking for a shorter experience check out the workshops page

Hollistic Wellness

To truly connect with the world around us, one another, and ourselves we will bookend each day with all-levels yoga and meditation led by myself (yoga and meditation training done in Rishikesh, India) and a well-loved local instructor.  Guided practices will help you listen to and nourish your body and mind-specific needs, then you can opt in to  guided journaling, creative expression, and self-care workshops.  To bring it all together, we will gather and connect as a group through the retreat to unite mind, body, and spirit..

Badass Adventures

There’s nothing like taking a supportive step out of your comfort zone to feel like a total badass, and we’ll have the photos of you in action to prove it!   We’re partnering with local companies to bring you some seriously out-of-this-world experiences like bio-luminescent kayak/SUPing, boat tours with the option to catch your own dinner (we will cook it for you unless you wanna toss it on fire yourself cave-person style), and expert-guided hikes into Tobagos oldest nature reserve.