James H. Bae, DACM, L.Ac is a doctor of Chinese medicine, author and independent researcher. Dr. Bae’s therapeutic background includes the study of traditional Chinese, Japanese, Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine. He is authorized to teach Tibetan yoga in various traditional Buddhist lineages.
James leads retreats in the U.S and internationally, with a focus on the inner yogas, such as Tummo and Tsalung Trulkhor. He also specializes in the adaptation of these subtle body practices in somatic, movement-based disciplines and Mindbody, trauma-informed therapies.
In this specialized healing, rejuvenation and inner yoga retreat, we will explore keys to health and vitality according to Tibetan Yoga and traditional medical practices. Breath, meditation and movement modalities will be introduced along with a foundational, daily practice that will be sustainable, accessible and essential.
This is the first in a series of stand-alone training retreats that will provide new students with foundational Tibetan Yoga principles and practices. We will address injuries and ways to approach long term or dedicated practice for seasoned practitioners.
The main topics of this retreat are the five root winds – the subtle energies that provide a framework for cultivating functional health in movement and physiological balance, according to traditional medicine. We will also explore theories and specialized tsalung channel movement practices that support the strength of the body as we age, and also recover from injury. We will cover common imbalances from the perspective of the body’s subtle channels and winds. Participants will have an opportunity to explore chronic illness and personal injuries that may benefit from Tibetan Yoga practice from this lens.
Dr. James Bae, DACM, C-IAYT is a specialist of Tibetan Yoga practices and their relationship to traditional medicine. He brings together training in over thirty systems of Tibetan Yoga and several Asian medical traditions. With twenty years of clinical experience and teaching, as well as being a Certified Yoga therapist, James brings a wealth of practical knowledge around healing, movement and manual therapy.
James’s approach emphasizes the relationship between mind and body, and the psychological dimension of illness and disease. Through meditation, breath practices and movement and manual therapies we come an integrative and subtle methodology of healing and rejuvenation.
7 - 8 am Early Morning Program
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 pm Morning Program
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4 pm Free Time for Relaxation and Spa
4 - 6 pm Afternoon Program
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 - 9 pm Evening Program
Sunday, November 22
7 - 11 am Check-out of Rooms
7 - 8 am Early Morning Program
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 pm Morning Program
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure
*Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time.
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Single - Shared Bath
Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom
Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant
Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath
Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom
Up to 10 guests share two large bathrooms. Each bathroom has two shower stalls and two toilets.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Single - Shared Bath
Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom
Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor.
High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others
Commuter
Commuters
Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs!
Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn.
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.
Customer Reviews
4.81 out of 5.0 average rating
5.0
Verified
Let’s Talk about appropriation
My stay at Menla was beautiful as the center itself, staff and guest are just lovely. The scenery and energy is amazing. Craig (fire keeper) and Jill (water pourer ) supported by Ericka ( song keeper) sweat lodge is legitimate and wonderful.
However , I attended the Wisdom Warrior retreat more than once , where the leader Kareema should get one star or less. She uses names like Iylana Vanzant and others big named people to demonstrate her so called authority in knowing what she is doing. Turns out Iylana and her had a falling out.
She pretends to be oh so spiritual when all she does is appropriate. When you go to her retreats she’s expects you to work like setting up etc. She poorly plans the retreat and actually it really is not much of a retreat because her co-partner also had a falling out with Kareema and she did most of the retreat prior where it was fine much better.
Kareema picking up the coordinating , designing and more of the retreat herself demonstrated just how much she does not know what she’s doing. Total incompetence.
Furthermore she throws tantrums when she do not go her way and she is perceived by me to be manipulative and verbally and emotionally abusive. Especially when her poorly planned retreat gets someone sick. She has no saftey measures in place and no one available to support her in necessary situations . Her retreats from my experience is Not a safe space at all.
She’s about to make a professional documentary using yet another persons skills for her credit, on the wisdom warriors where it will be used to mislead people on how experienced she is and what a “Queen” she thinks she is personally.
During the retreat she actually told a head staff what she wanted and that she was going to get other staff to do it because this lead staff told her no.
I felt Menla deserves 5 stars itself but wisdom warrior retreat is a façade meaning, I felt I should state the facts as I see them so people do not blindly believe the documentary or any publicity she used to collect peoples money. That’s what she’s really about cash to cash business so she doesn’t have to claim it probably ?
2.0
Verified
Not very embodied
Although the description of this retreat emphasized an experiential focus, the first evening and subsequent morning sessions were nearly all theory, with lots of verbalization of concepts, with very little actual body & sensation focus. There were a guided meditation & a body scan, and a brief intro to qigong, but no exercises to facilitate somatic awareness & discernment. And the didactic material was scattered, lots of seemingly random spiritual axioms and theories put forth, some anecdotes, and an incomplete (without any actual experience occurring) description of how to recognize and deal with “incompleted” feelings or emotions, the basis for this theory of (somehow) completing them, and living a sane, happy & fulfilled life.. Instead, it sounds to me like a lot of tumbling around with and coming to some compromise for control with our ego…and again, the sessions were nearly all theoretical, intellectual. Where’s the body? I wondered, and withdrew from the workshop after the first session of the second day, finding the material & presentation not worthwhile.
5.0
Verified
Beautiful & Restful
Menla is quiet, beautiful and restful. The staff are warm and on their task - calm, focused and helpful, in the background, making it all happen in their caring, focused way. It’s a gorgeous valley location with walking paths between buildings. Facilities are elegantly simple and well designed. Food is tasty, plentiful and simple. Highly recommend.
5.0
Verified
Extraordinary
I have been hosting retreats at Menla for five years, and I am already planning next year’s.
As a retreat leader, I feel completely cared for here. My needs are met, and so are the needs of every woman I bring. That care allows me to give my whole attention to what I am here to do: holding the space, the ritual, and the women who come.
Menla has become a true home for this work. I am deeply grateful, and I look forward to returning year after year.
5.0
Verified
Seeking a REAL retreat - this is for you!
I attended Menla in early October for a Holotropic Breathwork workshop. It is nestled in the Catskill Mountains in NY, so serene, quiet, safe, and the food was INCREDIBLE, and so healthy & delicious. It never felt like anyone was around (unlike other retreats I have been to). If you are looking to unwind, just be with yourself and eat healthy, delicious food - Menla is the place to be! Highly, highly recommended!
Select your options
Available Dates
November 20 - 22, 2026
Select a Room
Deluxe Queen
$1,040.00
Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers.
Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Single - Shared Bath
$910.00
Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom
Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant
Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)
$836.00
Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom
Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available
Air Conditioning
This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations.
Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.
Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath
$842.00
Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom
Up to 10 guests share two large bathrooms. Each bathroom has two shower stalls and two toilets.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Single - Shared Bath
$768.00
Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom
Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor.
A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note rates include meals and accommodations.
Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)
$748.00
Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom
The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor.
High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room.
Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge.
This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant.
* Please note that rates include meals and accommodations
* Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed)
* This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others
Commuter
$478.00
Commuters
Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs!
Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn.
Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.