SUMMER SOLSTICE RETREAT
June 20-22, 2023
Wonder Valley, CA
A solar-infused ceremonial retreat in desert spring waters
Spaces very limited!
Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, a day when the Sun reigns and shines its brightest light. It is a powerful solar gateway, a sacred time of stepping through the portal of the past season and into the new one. It is one of the four holy portals of change that occur on every Solstice and Equinox that activate the beginning of a brand new cycle.
You are warmly (pun intended ;) ) invited to join with other women for this intimate time of reverent retreat to bask in the golden light of the Sun when the Sun is at its height of power, in a place where the Sun holds the strongest energy: the desert.
Summer Solstice is a powerful time to cleanse, to release, and to purify through rejuvenating foods, spiritual practices, ceremony, restorative waters and the healing light of the Sun.
“My life drastically transformed when I began living in accordance to the natural rhythms of nature: The daily rhythms of the Sun, the monthly rhythms of the Moon, and the seasonal rhythms of the Solstices and Equinoxes.”
The intention of this intimately-sized retreat is to become one with the Sun and thus create a portal of stillness in our lives on this sacred day to be fully present and receptive to the power of this gateway. We recognize the golden light of the Sun as a reminder of our own truth, and by honoring the Sun we honor the light we carry within.
In this portal, we come into harmonious relationship and alignment with nature and the cosmos. We open ourselves to the lifeforce and warmth of the benevolent Sun and receive the gifts this Solstice has for us by working with this portal intentionally and ceremonially in a powerful women’s circle.
We honor the Sun in this retreat through solar-infused rituals, practices, and foods, and by connecting with the most powerful points of the Sun’s daily journey through the sky with intention.
We welcome and embrace the bright light and the heat of the Sun in the Mojave Desert, in the expanse of Wonder Valley where the sunrises and sunsets are unobscured. Here the horizon and sky are in full view for a blessed time of meaningful connection with the Sun at its height of power.
To balance the expanse of the Sun’s energy, we will soak in natural spring waters that run from hot to cool sourced from the very earth we gather upon. We also have a gorgeous retreat house with ample shade structures around the property to rest from the power of the Sun whenever needed, and we will have the support of cooling herbal allies like rose, mint, and hibiscus available in a variety of ways throughout the retreat.
This is for you if:
You are seeking to find stillness in your busy day-to-day reality
You want to enter the Summer Season with sacred support and clarity
You want to heal, release, and cleanse with healing foods and waters
You want to activate new practices and rituals to support you through the new season
You want to honor the sacred cycles in ceremony
You want to establish rituals in your life working in harmony with nature
You want to ceremonially shed the past season and enter the new season clear and light
You want to connect with other women in a meaningful, heartfelt way
You want to slow down and remember the truth of love within you
In this Summer Solstice Retreat, you will:
Be in sacred connection with the Sun from sunrise to sunset on the longest day of the year.
Experience a powerful Solstice ceremony working with Sacred Cacao to open your heart to the fullness of the solar energy of the Solstice for clearing and releasing the past season and setting intentions with clarity for the new season ahead.
Receive transformative golden light transmissions on Solstice.
Be nourished with incredible plant-based meals with an emphasis on hydrating, cooling foods, cold-pressed juices, solar-infused teas, and divine desserts.
Be guided in sacred rituals aligned with the solar rhythms of the day including Agnihotra, an ancient Vedic fire ceremony, mantra meditation, visualizations, and gentle yoga.
Soak in natural spring waters on site both on your own and as a group.
Receive a group healing sound bath to attune your cells to the Solstice.
Make a Solstice spring water infusion to take back home with you.
Connect with others in a meaningful, heart-open way in a sacred container.
Receive practices to work with moving forward to support your Summer season.
Receive integration guidance for how to best incorporate the gifts of the retreat into your life moving forward.
Some sparkling peeks into our Solstice solar-inspired menu:
Food cooked/blessed by the Solstice Sun!
Solstice Sun herbal infusions
Sunshine Curry
Homegrown sunflower sprouts
Desert garden offerings of delicious figs, apricots and cilantro flowers
Cold-pressed juices like orange, turmeric, and rosewater
Everything will be plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, organic where possible, 100% delicious, and made with love!
We are emphasizing hydrating, cooling foods to balance the heat of the desert Solstice Sun. Expect rose, mint, coconut, and hibiscus to be featured in a variety of ways. :)
And sooo much more! Between kitchen priestesses Elka and myself, there will be an abundance of mouthwatering delights to feast upon throughout the retreat to nourish your belly and heart with love. The Solstice inspiration is flowing with a force! :)
Retreat Schedule
Our days are designed to work in harmony with the rhythm of the Sun, with ample time to move slow, be still, soak, and rest in between scheduled activities. :)
Arrival: Tuesday, June 20th, 2023 at 5pm
You will get settled into your room and receive a delicious grounding dinner. We will have a gentle opening circle to meet and connect with one another. We will connect with the setting Sun ritually. You have the option of soaking in spring water on your own for this first night.
Summer Solstice: Wednesday, June 21st, 2023, sunrise to sunset
Morning: We begin our day of ceremony by greeting the sunrise ritually. We will enjoy Sun Salutations and a morning soak, followed by nourishing breakfast.
Afternoon: At the peak of the Sun’s energy, we will experience a powerful Cacao Ceremony to get clear on what is being released and setting intentions for the new season ahead.
Evening: We will have an early dinner followed by a group healing sound bath. We will say farewell to the setting Sun ritually. You will have the option to soak at night before heading to a restful sleep.
Departure: Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 at 10am
At sunrise we will gather to again ritually greet the rising sun. We will have a sweet closing circle as we enjoy a final morning soak before packing up to depart. You will have juice and breakfast to nourish you as you transition from the retreat portal to the outside world.
What’s Included:
2 nights accommodation at Wonder Valley Hot Springs in a shared room with double beds with 1 roommate or a private room with king size bed and private soaking tub (if you prefer to upgrade to a private cabin, please contact us)
All meals, juices, snacks (100% plant-based, whole foods and gluten-free/ any dietary restrictions or preferences will be accommodated)
Soaking in the natural spring pools and tubs
All ceremonies, rituals, practices and sound bath
Everything needed for making your Solstice spring water infusion to take home with you
Each participant receives a gift of 1 bag of Beloved Cacao and 1 Priestesses of the Mojave Creosote Salve
A follow-up group integration call on Zoom
20% discount on one private one-on-one healing session with Angela post retreat
What’s Not Included:
Travel costs and fees
Transportation (but we are happy to assist with coordinating carpools and travel logistics)
INVESTMENT
$100 EARLYBIRD DISCOUNT! Sign up by June 1st to receive $100 off the registration fee.
Summer Solstice Retreat:
$1100 per guest for shared room with one roommate with your own double bed
$1400 for private room for one guest with king bed and private soaking tub SOLD OUT!
$1800 for private room for two guests with king bed and private soaking tub
$300 non-refundable deposit required to reserve your spot/room. The remaining balance is due no later than June 18th, 2023. (Payment plans are possible, please inquire about this option.)
Spaces are very limited for this intimate retreat!
HOW TO REGISTER:
To begin your registration process, please fill out the form below to confirm you understand the terms and agree to them, and then make your downpayment right away to secure your spot. A liability waiver is required to sign along with your $300 deposit to secure your limited spot. Thank you!
Cancellation Policy:
All deposits are 100% non-refundable. You may cancel your retreat up to June 13th, 2023 and receive a full refund of the amount paid, less the deposit. Due to the very limited size of this retreat, there will be no refunds thereafter for any reason. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for your personal security. In the unlikely event that the retreat has to cancel due to a force majeure, the retreat will be rescheduled and your payments will be applied toward the new retreat date.
Please feel free to contact us if you need any help determining if this retreat is aligned for you at this time!
Payment agreement: By filling out the form below and making your deposit payment, you are agreeing to the payment terms stated above. Thank you!
REGISTRATION AGREEMENT:
HOW TO MAKE YOUR PAYMENT:
Send your payments through Venmo: @angeladelaagua
Or through PayPal (avoiding the fees, please, by choosing ‘friends and family’ option) Send payments to: angeladelaagua@gmail.com
After securing your spot, you will receive a welcome email with everything you need to know for how to prepare, a liability waiver for you to sign, travel info, and what to bring (namely swimsuit, sunscreen, and a yoga mat. :) )
YOUR SUN PRIESTESSES
Angela de la Agua is the Golden Oracle, a Priestess of the Sun and full time resident of the Mojave Desert of more than 12 years. She has never escaped a desert summer and has learned the ways of the Sun’s medicine through intense initiations of the summer heat that have truly opened up the secrets of the Sun through the practice of surrender. Her daily rituals are anchored with the Sun’s rhythms, and she has extensively practiced sungazing, fasting, pranic living, and yogic practice over the span of many years. Aligning her days with the rhythms of the Sun came upon her arrival to the desert in 2011. Her life was drastically transformed when she began living in accordance to the natural rhythms of nature: The daily rhythms of the Sun, the monthly rhythms of the Moon, and the seasonal rhythms of the Solstices and Equinoxes. Through this process of recalibration, she discovered the ceremony of daily living and the joy that comes from sharing these experiences with others.
Elka Wilder is your main Priestess of Nourishment and Sound Bathing. She is a Mojave Desert local of 5 years and desert dweller that has spanned decades! She speaks the language of plants and sound waves, and has years of experience of creating mouth-watering kitchen alchemy that leaves your belly and heart nourished with love.
We so look forward to sharing this sacred time of solar-infused ceremony and retreat with you!
Any questions? Feel free to contact Angela by clicking here.
ABOUT THE HOT SPRINGS PROPERTY
Wonder Valley Hot Springs is a true desert oasis that offers guests the exquisite experience of soaking in geothermal hot springs mineral-rich water straight from the earth. No chemicals are added to this healing, pristine spring water.
The retreat house is a beautiful, expansive space surrounded with mature trees and includes inside a large 400 square foot community room, a large dining room, a beautiful shaded outdoor patio, two small private outdoor soaking granite tubs, 3 bedrooms with 2 double beds each, and 1 bedroom with a king bed and a private in-room soaking granite tub. There are 4 bathrooms total in the retreat house.
All linens and decor are organic, sustainably sourced and eco-friendly whenever possible and all decor is vegan and cruelty-free, no animal products are used on the property.
As a group, we will have access to a large main soaking pool and swim pool that is a 5 minute walk from the retreat house.
The entrance is located on a dirt road less than 1/2 mile from paved road. The property is private, peaceful, and remote.
It is located 30 minutes east of Joshua Tree.
PAST RETREAT TESTIMONIALS
“Angela’s retreat of self-love, self-care and transformational healing was all of that and more for me. I came to this retreat to get some clarity on my future path and to learn from Angela how to live a healthy lifestyle. What I received was so much more.
It was so rewarding to live in community with like-minded people, to be vulnerable and witnessed with love. My life has changed so much since this retreat, I wish I knew how to express how transformational this was for me. May all who attend Angela’s retreats be open to receive these gifts and live your own truth.”
“The retreat was a perfect moment to reconnect with myself. The sense of well-being was almost immediate. The invitation was graceful, but firm. [Angela’s energy] is a gentle wave.”
“I came to Angela’s retreat to experience life with someone who lives their life in ritual, being fully present. To learn to slow down and really nurture yourself. I would definitely come again.”
FAQ
Who is this retreat best for?
This retreat is perfect for any woman of any age seeking a meaningful, restorative experience to re-set, heal, and expand upon ways to care for yourself in an intimate sacred community container. You can be anywhere on the spiritual path and healing journey. All it takes is an open heart and readiness to receive.
I have dietary restrictions, will I be able to eat the provided food?
The gorgeous retreat menu will be plant-based and gluten free, mostly vegan with honey and ghee available. We are happy to accommodate any dietary restrictions or preferences, and will send each participant a dietary form to fill out to note any allergies or preferences.
This retreat is intended to assist you in clearing the past season, so the emphasis is on healing, nourishing foods that are in harmony with the vibrancy of the Sun. We invite you to approach this as a cleanse that focuses on clean, whole foods eating and including cold-pressed juices! You will be left feeling nourished with an abundance of food offerings and all of the love that goes into the preparation!
What about alcohol, etc?
Alcohol, drugs, and indoor smoking are not permitted at the retreat.
Is transportation included?
Transportation is not included in the retreat cost, however we can assist you in making your travel plans and can help to coordinate carpools with other retreat guests where possible.
What is the closest airport?
Palm Springs International Airport. From here, it is about a 1 hour 20 minute drive to the retreat house in Wonder Valley.
Is there WiFi at the house?
Yes. We encourage digital detox, but of course you are welcome to use it anytime you’re in need. We suggest creating a boundary for yourself around your screen time (like 1 hr max per day for example).
Any further questions? Feel free to contact Angela by clicking here.
We hope you will join us in this solar-infused Solstice activation! :)
All images: Elena Ray