"I signed up for the Gong Camp presented by Sage Academy of Sound as an opportunity to learn how to play the gong, since I'm an absolute beginner.
I arrived and a new schedule no longer had practice time listed,
On the first full day of the session we had only had 40-60 minutes of gong interaction that had to be shared because there were not enough gongs. Also, the placement of the gongs made it very difficult to hear what you were doing.
Near the dinner break of the second full day (the class was a half day, 2 full days and a half day), I expressed to the owner of Sage Academy, Leah, that I was not happy with the class because I came to learn the gong and didn't fell that the time spent was enough to be called a Gong Camp. The actual class was geared towards items that would be useful for your sound meditation practice, which I don't have.
I asked Leah for a partial refund because I was not happy. She refused to give me a refund.
"
Highly Rated Retreats in Ramapo New York
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Types of Retreat in Ramapo New York
Short Retreats in Ramapo New York
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Upcoming Retreats in Ramapo New York
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Experiences on Retreat
"The property is on a beautiful, peaceful location.
Nature is all around and sometimes a little too close but you are literally surrounded by woods.
The food was really good and I liked the buffet style and fruit basket.
The gift shop although small had a nice selection of items and I purchased a few fun items.
Since the dining area was on the opposite side of the site from the convention center, a lot of students drove back and forth on the property. I chose the walking paths to get around.
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"As I checked into the reception for my 3 day yoga retreat, I felt a deep spiritual vibe. I felt it everywhere over the 3 days of my Bhakti yoga retreat at the Sivanand Yoga Ranch.
Be it the twice daily Hatha Yoga classes, the satsangs, the communal meals or the seva opportunites, everything gives you a feeling of being in a spiritual home.
Our teachers Satyadev and Satyabhama made the retreat extra special with mantra chanting in their beautiful voices and their spiritual insights.
This ashram gave me a preview into an alternate spiritual life diametrically opposite to the material one we are all used to.
Definitely will come back for sure, hopefully for a longer stay.
"
"It’s as though the sound of Om is just humming all around the ranch. Peace and tranquility permeate the air. The yoga practice gets better as the time goes on and you feel a real uplifting I’m the spirit and body. The karma yogis do an amazing job at shepherding the experience and the food is so delicious. I even came home and cooked in the spirit of their recipes. Go and enjoy the ranch and the practice of this beautiful yoga and meditation "
"Words are hard to describe this journey. I went in with certain expectations of what this experience would be, feeling apprehensive and scared of doing a journey of self discovery into my own mind. I can tell you that I felt totally safe in Floresta’s hands and I’m grateful for the experience and results."
"I did it! Thank you for making it so beautiful to let out the ugliness. I’ve never experienced such closeness with complete strangers. It all came together perfectly; the group, the owner’s of the Red Poppy, and the RedPoppy itself! Tom!! Chelsea!! Thank you!! Caleb thanks for contacting me or it wouldn’t have happened. Thank you Shannon you’re the backbone and a strong woman. I have such love for you all! God Bless you! Tena "
"From the moment I arrived I was impressed with how peaceful and immaculate the entire facility is. The rooms had exactly what I needed with a comfortable bed and pillows, meditation table and cushions, and a desk. Towels were provided as well. Vegetarian meals were delicious. I was able to immerse myself in the silent meditation retreat and focus on deepening my practice. This is a perfect place for me and I’m already planning my next retreat. "
"The retreat founder has created a beautiful container that allows you to open your awareness and consciousness. The thoughtfully crafted agenda includes yoga and breathwork, group integration, a nature walk, and free time to connect with yourself or others. A loving community and deep bond quickly developed among the group, enhancing all of the activities and treatments we took part in. We were treated with great care before, during, and after the retreat. What a powerful, life changing experience!!"
"Shannon has a lot of knowledge and skills, which helped me have a super positive experience
Thank you Shannon "
"The Floresta team is amazing 🤩, I have so much appreciation for everything I’ve experienced on this retreat. I knocked down walls of the past and opened up new doors for my future. It helped me get out of my comfort zone and open up, which was painful but brought instant relief. I look forward do doing more retreats in the future "
"I had the amazing opportunity to attend a pop up in Miami and I was blown away with the care that Floresta took in taking care of their patients. It absolutely changed the whole direction of my life for the better and I have since been to another retreat! "
"This was a wonderful experience. I was a little skeptic at first because I never had ketamine before and thought that it should be done individually but I am glad Eugene convinced me to register. I learned that the indians healed in groups and I was able to experience it. There are no words to describe the happiness and magic I felt in this retreat. Shannon is an excellent healer. You still have to do work on your own afterwards but Shannon and Eugene gave us some really good tools and coping skills to use later. Thank you Shannon and Eugene for all the love you give! I didn’t give it five stars because the venue where it was held was very expensive and the stay didn’t include any massages, reiki or spa."
"Ketamine saved my life. I have attended 2 Floresta retreats and they have offered me radical transformation. I cannot express my gratitude for the Floresta team; they are intelligent, compassionate, and awakened.
There are no words to adequately express the deep healing I have experienced, both from the medicine of ketamine and the multiple, holistic healing modalities of the retreat . I can actually feel the physiological transformation inside of my brain...it is beyond explanation. I live with much more ease and steadiness, I can experience joy more readily and am able to be more fully present, with more of my being. I am lighter. And more receptive to Love. These retreats and this medicine have been miraculous for me. "
"I will always be grateful to Shannon for honoring the call to offer the healing medicine of ketamine through these nourishing, holistic retreats. Shannon's compassion is boundless and she beautifully and intelligently guided and accompanied us through the weekend; the format of the retreat is gentle, thoughtful, joyful, and infused with love...just like Shannon. She is an amazing human and facilitator-I am grateful to know her and the power of her work because it has transformed my life. "
"Eugene is a fantastic human and an incredible facilitator (one of the best I've experienced and I have attended a lot of retreats). His compassionate heart and immense generosity of spirit, communicate the depth of which he cares about the well being of each retreatant. I felt very safe with Eugene during our entire retreat and trusted his capabilities, skill sets, gifts, knowledge, and wisdom. Eugene's presence and energy profoundly affected the weekend and the deep healing I experienced; this retreat radically changed my life and I am so grateful. I am very much looking forward to attending another Floresta retreat with Eugene. "
"She is so incredibly kind and smart! Her breath work exercises are out of this world. Her expertise within alternative medicine should be experienced at least once in life."
"After feeling hopeless about taking care of my mental health, I decided to try a retreat with Floresta! Not only we’re Shannon and Eugene super helpful, but they’re also professionals. They make the environment very comfortable and filled with love. I highly recommend these retreats."
"Still processing my experiences at Floresta. It was exactly what I needed to begin my healing journey. Set and setting were perfect. Shannon and Eugene are intuitive and knowledgeable facilitators and what they are creating in the healing space is powerful. I cannot recommend Floresta retreat enough. You are so very worthy of this experience.
Janice"
"I went into this retreat feeling so lost and broken. I had never experienced anything with any psychedelics and was scared but excited to try this new journey. Over the weekend what I experience is beyond words each journey I took showed me more and more of things I needed to face- anger -sadness -confusion. But each journey brought me so much peace and joy.
Having the other people there also was so helpful in healing. I can’t imagine just doing this alone. Having a group of strangers actually to me was almost as healing as the journeys itself . Eugene and Shannon were so amazing to learn from. I can not wait to save my money and do this again it was the most amazing healing experience and I am so grateful to them for bringing Floresta to us. "
"I just had the most incredible and live changing experience of my life with Floresta. I suffer from chronic pain, depression, anxiety and PTSD. After this weekend immersed in healing therapies I am already feeling improvement in my pain and my mood. I cannot thank Shannon and Eugene enough for all their hard work and support. I also can't thank the rest of their team, Mary and Asha enough either and all the amazing participants who came together to hold space and support each other. It wasn't always an easy journey this weekend but I am so grateful for every moment of it! If you have been thinking about getting Ketamine for mental health this is an amazing way to start your healing journey!"
"There really are no words to accurately describe what is possible at a Floresta Retreat. As an 8 time suicide survivor who has been repeatedly failed by western medicine, I was ready to give up. In the past, hospitalizations kept me alive, but that was about it. I was always sent home with just a "crisis plan" and a list of numbers to call if (when) I fell too deep into the darkness again. I struggle to describe that as helpful.
I knew I needed something radically different, but didn't really know what that would look like or where I would find it. After researching, I wondered what a psychedelic retreat might be like. I had hoped the retreat would be relaxing and would be a nice break from the daily stresses of life and managing my incurable, progressive disease. It turned out to be so much more than that. I had come to accept disability and death and *was* allowing that to completely define me and my (lack of) worth. Not anymore! I am now so full! Full of hope, energy, and a renewed passion for life - to not only live, but to create the life I never gifted myself before but see how much I need and deserve now. It truly is never too late to start again and live life with zest regardless of the very real challenges we all face.
If you are looking for something that will be life changing, something that gives you power to create your life rather than react to it, this is it. You will feel the power found by tuning into nature, learning self love and being more connected to your body, and leave with tools that you can continue to use long afterwards to truly transform yourself. You owe it to yourself and all those who love you and want you to live your best life to do a Floresta Retreat. Invest in yourself and reap rewards I still fail to put into words! I am forever grateful and want this feeling for everyone!
If you are at all hesitant or unfamiliar with the mental health psychedelic movement that's cutting edge right now for not only mental health and things like PTSD but also addiction recovery, I encourage you to reach out to the very capable and caring facilitators with any questions or concerns. I was amazed at their ability to make me and everyone else feel safe, supported, and accepted. It was the environment they created that allowed me (and several others) to take much needed risks that resulted in coming home a different person and ready to keep going with positive changes. I truly want this for everyone!"
"I came into retreat feeling scared and hopeless, now I have more energy and more control over my life. Shannon and Eugene's gentle approach made me feel safe, leading to amazing breakthroughs that completely changed my perspective on life. Floresta has healed my mind, body and spirit and I am so grateful.🙏❤️"
"My experience was beyond words- truly, I cannot find the words that would accurately describe how amazing this retreat was. Shannon and Eugene are attentive, caring, and passionate about their work. I felt entirely comfortable in their hands as well as listened to. I will definitely be joining them on another retreat soon!"
"My experience during the retreat was magical. I was feeling stuck, overwhelmed, a bit “lost” and unsure of how to get up and keep going. On the plane back home I met a stranger and he said to me “you seem full and whole”. This retreat has done just that. So grateful! "
"Eugene and Shannon have a beautiful thing going here. They create a safe, interconnected, and well rounded container so that you not only experience the healing power of the ketamine journey but also provide the integration and community to properly support you through it. An amazing experience with wonderful people."
"Dharmakaya Center is a beautiful & peaceful spot. Highly recommend! The center is immaculate and well maintained. Great staff and facilities. "
"Eugene made me feel both safe and challenged, which was a great combination for me. His warmth, humor, and deep sincerity helped set the tone for the retreat, and his knowledge of and experience with indigenous medicines was impressive and comforting. He worked really hard to do his absolute best as a leader in every moment of the retreat and is clearly passionate about this work. He inspired me."
"The retreat leaders put a LOT of thought & work into making this an optimal experience for attenders. I love that they paired us up with a "buddy," gave us journals and prompts to help deepen our understandings, and designed a schedule that included time for taking walks or spending time alone. A loving community quickly developed among us, and this optimized all the activities and treatments we took part in. With both a doctor (anesthesiologist) and nurse on staff, I felt the treatments were done safely and all the leaders treated us with great care before, during, and after. I will never forget this experience and hope to carry it with me always."
"The Floresta team made my ketamine therapy experience fee safe, in a loving environment that focuses on integrating the experience in a group setting. The resort was beautiful, and the team took care of me every step of the way.
Highly recommend. "
"Floresta is doing it right. With the amazing retreat setting, you will feel surrounded by genuine warm and caring staff and other participants. The container created is something special. The medicine can give you that reset you need from burnout, depression, PTSD and other trauma. I have had more break thrus here than in years of therapy. "