A Winter Soulstice Retreat
Sacred Water, Sacred Time
Manitou Springs, Co
Dates: December 18-20 2026
Location: SunWater Spa & Rockledge Retreat Center & Smokebrush Farms in Manitou Springs, CO
Guides: Katrina Gustafson & Michael Shankara
Includes: 3-Days & 2-Nights Lodging, Historic Lodge and Retreat Center Stay, 2-Hour SunWater Spa Experience (Hot Spring Soak, Salt Water Pool, Infrared Sauna & Glass Teepee), Chef-Prepared Breakfasts (2) & Farm-to-Table Festive Dinner Feasts (2), Daily Restorative Yoga & Qigong, Two Tea Ceremonies, Tarot Guidance, Live Music & Chanting, Winter Solstice Fire Ceremony & Story Sharing, Stunning Views of Tava Mountain, Soaking & Hot Tub at the Retreat Center, Cold Plunge, Nature Meditations, Garden of the Gods Walk and Meditation, Winter Stargazing, Setting Sankalpas for the Return of the Light, Free Time to Explore Historic Manitou Springs & Old Colorado City, Community Gathering & New Friendships
Pricing & Registration
- Single: $1,206 ~ 1 person Private Suite
- Couple/Friends: $1,594 ~ 2 people ($797 per person)
- Triple: $2,250 ~ 3 people ($750 per person)
- Quad: $2,700 ~ 4 people ($675 per person)
** There is a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Venmo, Zelle, Cash and Check have no fees. If you would like to pay using one of those methods, please reach out at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184 **
Sharing a room?
The price listed is the total for the whole room. If you’d like to split the cost so each person pays their own share, please contact us before registering, and we’ll set that up for you. Otherwise, a single registration covers payment for everyone in the room.
Questions? Reach us at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184
About
A Winter Soulstice Retreat
Sacred Water, Sacred Time
About
As we in the north reach the longest night of the year, we’re invited to do what nature does: go inward, rest in the darkness, and welcome back the light. Before the holiday rush begins, join us for a weekend of renewal at a beloved retreat center at the base of Tava, the mountain the Ute people called the Sun Mountain.
Each day we’ll nurture body and spirit with a gentle restorative yoga class and a mindful Qi Gong yoga class. Two tea ceremonies offer time for quiet reflection, and we’ll draw guidance from the tarot. We’ll soak in the healing mineral waters of SunWater Spa, and walk among the red rock spires of the Garden of the Gods. We’ll gather for two wholesome breakfasts and two farm-to-table festive dinner feasts. As darkness falls, we’ll gather around the solstice fire to share stories, then gaze up at the brilliant winter stars. Together we’ll set sankalpas, heart-centered intentions to carry with us as the light returns. The weekend balances solitude and community, with space to turn inward and the chance to connect with like-minded souls and create new friendships. This is an invitation to return to the cave of your heart, fill your cup, and rekindle your inner light as the sun begins its return, so you can meet the season ahead rested, centered, and shining.
The Sacred Land
Manitou Springs is a quaint mountain town nestled at the base of Tava (aka Pikes Peak), one of Colorado’s most revered 14ers. The Ute people have long known the healing properties of the mineral waters that flow from beneath this mountain and have guarded them with earnest vigil. Though the town now offers modern comforts, you can still feel the Spirit that dwells among the trees, rocks, and waters of this canyon. During our weekend, we’ll stop at one of Manitou’s natural springs to fill our drinking vessels straight from the source, so bring extra bottles. The water is delicious!
Under the Winter Stars
Weather permitting, Michael will bring his high-powered telescope after the solstice fire so we can see the winter stars and planets up close.
The Retreat Center
Smokebrush Farms Retreat Center is a historic mansion on the cliffside facing Tava Mountain, set on an organic regenerative farm complete with chickens, goats, ducks, and rabbits. In your free time, warm up in the property’s large hot tub, fed with spring water from neighboring SunWater Spa, or enjoy the sauna and cold plunge. The Garden of the Gods walk is an easy hike for all levels, just a short drive away.
Rooms
Space is limited, with a variety of room layouts, and each room has its own bathroom. We can welcome up to 16 guests, with options for singles, pairs, or a roommate. This retreat will fill quickly, so don’t hesitate to claim your spot. See pricing options below.
Meals
Chef Brian will prepare two breakfasts and two farm-to-table festive dinner feasts, fresh, seasonal, and drawn from Smokebrush Farms’ regenerative harvest. Lunch is on your own, a perfect chance to explore the cozy, eclectic cafés of Manitou Springs. We provide coffee, tea, and fresh water throughout the day.
Rockledge Retreat Center & Smokebrush Farm
You’ll stay in stay in beautiful Rockledge Retreat Center situated on six acres of terraced bio-dynamic gardens, complete with walking & meditation trails and stunning views of the surrounding mountains. The private retreat center has stunning views of Tava Mountain, cozy gathering spaces, fireplaces, artisan crafted rooms, dinning space, art installations, and a large soaking hot tub on the terraced gardens. Here you’ll enjoy 4 wholesome and nutritious meals prepared by Chef Brian Kleiner. Each meal is organic, vegetarian, gluten-free and Farm-to-Table.
Rockledge is part of an expansive retreat and agricultural center named Smokebrush Farm that include 3 Historic Lodges and is partnered with SunWater Spa just down the road. These properties are a hub for wellness retreats, concerts, farm-to-table dinners, educational workshops, lodging, and art initiatives. The surrounding acres of terraced mountain fields, greenhouses, and fruit orchards provide a picturesque backdrop for intimate gatherings and guided agricultural tours, while proving the community with organic produce, and sustainable farming education.
The Rockledge Retreat Center is a historic mansion perched on the cliffside with stunning views of Tava Mountain. It’s nestled within Smokebrush Farm, a vibrant organic regenerative farm and arts foundation dedicated to creativity, sustainability, and community. Complete with chickens, goats, ducks, rabbits, and a pot-bellied pig, you can take a tour of the farm and learn about the variety of plants and growing techniques cultivated on the property. Much of the food for our retreat meals comes directly from these gardens—harvested at peak freshness just steps from where you’ll dine.
Sun Water Spa
This retreat includes a 2-hour soak at the award-winning Sun Water Spa, a sanctuary for wellness at the base of Tava Mountain. Their personal cedar tubs are fed with mineral-rich water from the historic Seven Minute Spring—the same healing waters that have drawn visitors to Manitou Springs for centuries. Each tub offers stunning views of Tava Mountain, inviting you to relax deeply and restore. Your visit also includes access to the indoor warm salt water pool, infrared sauna, and our private 3rd floor glass teepee reception room where we’ll gather as a group.
Sun Water Spa also offers a full menu of treatments you can book on your own during free time—massages (including hot stone, deep tissue, and Thai Yoga Therapy), facials, body treatments, aromatherapy, cupping, and more. They proudly partner with Éminence Organic Skincare to ensure the highest quality service. Whether you add a treatment or simply soak in the healing waters, it’s an experience all its own.
Farm-to-Table Meals by Chef Brian Kleiner
Our four chef-prepared meals, two hearty breakfasts and two festive farm-to-table dinner feasts, are crafted by Chef Brian Kleiner, a beloved returning chef who has nourished our retreat guests before. Expect warming, seasonal winter fare made from fresh, local, organic ingredients, many harvested directly from Smokebrush Farm’s regenerative gardens. These are shared community meals designed for connection, nourishment, and celebration: beautiful plates that honor the land, warm the body on cold winter nights, and feed the soul as we gather to welcome back the light.
Retreat Schedule
Weekend at a Glance
A sample flow of our time together. The detailed schedule is coming soon.
Friday ~ Arrival & Opening
- Arrive, check in, and settle into the retreat center
- Gentle movement and Qi Gong
- Opening tea ceremony
- Farm-to-table festive dinner feast
- Evening gathering and stargazing under the winter sky
Saturday ~ Sacred Water
- Morning yoga
- Chef-prepared breakfast
- Garden of the Gods walking meditation
- Lunch on your own in Manitou Springs
- SunWater Spa soaking experience
- Tarot guidance
- Farm-to-table festive dinner feast
- Winter Solstice fire ceremony with live music, chanting, and story sharing
Sunday ~ Return of the Light
- Morning restorative yoga
- Chef-prepared breakfast
- Closing tea ceremony and sankalpa setting
- Fill your bottles at a natural spring before heading home
Free time throughout the weekend to enjoy the hot tub, personal venturing, and farm grounds.
Retreat Includes…
- 3 Days & 2 Nights Lodging
- Historic Lodge and Retreat Center Stay
- 2-Hour SunWater Spa Experience (Hot Spring Soak, Salt Water Pool, Infrared Sauna, Cold Plunge & Glass Teepee)
- Four Chef-Prepared Meals (2 Breakfasts & 2 Farm-to-Table Festive Dinner Feasts)
- Daily Yoga, Qigong & Gentle Movement
- Two Tea Ceremonies
- Tarot Guidance
- Live Music, Chanting & Meditation
- Winter Solstice Fire Ceremony & Story Sharing
- Setting Sankalpas for the Return of the Light
- Winter Stargazing
- Stunning Views of Tava Mountain
- Soaking & Hot Tub at the Retreat Center
- Nature Meditations
- Garden of the Gods Walk and Meditation
- Free Time to Explore Historic Manitou Springs & Old Colorado City
- Community Gathering & New Friendships
Accommodations
Single Bedroom Suites (Singles)
Each Single Bedroom Suite has 1-King Bed and a private ensuite bathroom at the Historic Rockledge Estates. Featuring beautifully designed rooms, elegant common areas, fully-appointed kitchens, with amenities and vintage details around every corner. Each guest can easily step out into nature and access the six acres of terraced gardens, complete with walking & meditation trails and stunning views of the surrounding mountains, with an onsite Hot Tub and mineral soaking pools just a short walk down the road. Also just a short walk or drive to the charming and artistic mountain town of Manitou Springs with 11 Nature Mineral Springs.
Pricing
- 1 Person ~ $1,206 (Single)
** There is a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Venmo, Zelle, Cash and Check have no fees. If you would like to pay using one of those methods, please reach out at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184 **
Double Bedroom Suites (Couples or Friends)
Each Double Bedroom Suite has 1-King Bed or 2-Twin Beds and a private ensuite bathroom at the Historic Rockledge Estates. Featuring beautifully designed rooms, elegant common areas, fully-appointed kitchens, with amenities and vintage details around every corner. Each guest can easily step out into nature and access the six acres of terraced gardens, complete with walking & meditation trails and stunning views of the surrounding mountains, with an onsite Hot Tub and mineral soaking pools just a short walk down the road. Also just a short walk or drive to the charming and artistic mountain town of Manitou Springs with 11 Nature Mineral Springs.
Pricing
2 People ~ $1,594 ($797/person)
This pricing option is if you already have a Friend or Partner.
Sharing a room? The price listed is the total for the whole room. If you’d like to split the cost so each person pays their own share, please contact us before registering, and we’ll set that up for you. Otherwise, a single registration covers payment for everyone in the room.
Questions? Reach us at love@karmayogacenter.com or 303-284-8617.
** There is a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Venmo, Zelle, Cash and Check have no fees. If you would like to pay using one of those methods, please reach out at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184 **
Triple Bedroom Suites (3 People)
Each Triple Bedroom Suite has 2 rooms with 3-Twin Beds and a private ensuite bathroom at the Historic Rockledge Estates. This option is for 3-people who are already a group. Featuring beautifully designed rooms, elegant common areas, fully-appointed kitchens, with amenities and vintage details around every corner. Each guest can easily step out into nature and access the six acres of terraced gardens, complete with walking & meditation trails and stunning views of the surrounding mountains, with an onsite Hot Tub and mineral soaking pools just a short walk down the road. Also just a short walk or drive to the charming and artistic mountain town of Manitou Springs with 11 Nature Mineral Springs.
Pricing
3 Persons ~ $2,250 ($750/person)
This option is for 3-people who are already a group. You will book the Triple as one registration.
Sharing a room? The price listed is the total for the whole room. If you’d like to split the cost so each person pays their own share, please contact us before registering, and we’ll set that up for you. Otherwise, a single registration covers payment for everyone in the room.
Questions? Reach us at love@karmayogacenter.com or 303-284-8617.
** There is a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Venmo, Zelle, Cash and Check have no fees. If you would like to pay using one of those methods, please reach out at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184 **
Quad Bedroom Suites (4 People)
Each Quad Bedroom Suite has 2 rooms with 4-Twin Beds and a private ensuite bathroom at the Historic Rockledge Estates. This option is for 4-people who are already a group. Featuring beautifully designed rooms, elegant common areas, fully-appointed kitchens, with amenities and vintage details around every corner. Each guest can easily step out into nature and access the six acres of terraced gardens, complete with walking & meditation trails and stunning views of the surrounding mountains, with an onsite Hot Tub and mineral soaking pools just a short walk down the road. Also just a short walk or drive to the charming and artistic mountain town of Manitou Springs with 11 Nature Mineral Springs.
Pricing
4 Persons ~ $2,700 ($675/person)
This option is for 4-people who are already a group. You will book the Quad as one registration.
Sharing a room? The price listed is the total for the whole room. If you’d like to split the cost so each person pays their own share, please contact us before registering, and we’ll set that up for you. Otherwise, a single registration covers payment for everyone in the room.
Questions? Reach us at love@karmayogacenter.com or 303-284-8617.
** There is a 3% processing fee for credit card payments. Venmo, Zelle, Cash and Check have no fees. If you would like to pay using one of those methods, please reach out at love@karmayogacenter.com or call/text Michael to discuss: 720-745-0184 **
About Manitou Springs, Co
Manitou Springs, an enchanting mountain village nestled at the base of sacred Tava Mountain (Pikes Peak), has drawn spiritual seekers and healers for centuries. The town’s mystical foundation stems from its 11 mineral springs, whose waters bubble up from the sacred base of the mountain, each spring possessing unique healing properties. These sacred waters can be experienced through contemplative walking tours or through deep therapeutic soaking at the transformative SunWater Spa.
The town’s artistic soul manifests in its vibrant galleries showcasing local artisans, craft stores, metaphysical shops, and charming restaurants and cafes lining the town’s nourishing creek. This harmonious blend of natural healing, artistic expression, and spiritual heritage creates an ideal setting for deep inner work and creative exploration.
Just steps from the retreats at Rockledge Retreat Center and SunWater Spa, the historic downtown invites mindful wandering and discovery. The nearby Pikes Peak Highway leads to the summit of Tava Mountain – a powerful energy vortex where the revered Native American holy man Black Elk received his transformative visions. From this 14,115-foot peak, expansive 360-degree views of the majestic Rocky Mountains inspire awe and connection to the greater cosmic order.
About Garden of the Gods
Garden of the Gods stands as one of North America’s most potent spiritual sanctuaries, where towering red and white sandstone formations pierce the sky beneath the watchful presence of Tava (Pikes Peak). These ancient rock temples rise dramatically from the earth creating natural cathedral spaces that have drawn spiritual seekers for millennia.
For the Ute, Lakota, and other indigenous peoples, this sacred landscape served as a gathering place for ceremony and communion with the spirit world. The formidable rock formations act as natural amplifiers of Earth’s energy, creating powerful vortexes that facilitate deep meditation and spiritual connection. It was in this energetically charged setting, near Tava Mountain, where the revered Lakota holy man Black Elk received his prophetic visions about humanity’s spiritual evolution.
During our retreat, we’ll engage intimately with this powerful landscape through a guided nature walk, allowing the ancient wisdom held within these stone sentinels to inform our spiritual practice. Through meditation and ceremonial work, we’ll tune into these natural temples and tune into the cosmic energies of this world chakra point.
About Katrina & Michael
Katrina and Michael have been journey together on the spiritual path since 2013 and are the co-owner of Karma Yoga Center in Denver, Colorado.
The are also known as the Shaman & The Mermaid and offer 200Hr Teacher Trainings, 300Hr Teacher Training & Mexico Immersion, Local and International Retreats and Immersions, Weekly Sound Healings, Astrology Readings & Workshops, Spiritual Counseling, Studio Yoga Classes, Online Yoga Classes, Spiritual Gatherings & Events, and a warm loving community to all who enter.
As the owner and founder of Karma Yoga Center in Denver, she brings the bhakti from all wisdom traditions to her yoga classes- singing, chanting, dancing, and journeys into the heart. Katrina fills every yoga session with love. She weaves in the teachings of her yoga mentor Saul David Raye and the cosmic knowings from the lineage of Evolutionary Astrology.
She shares her life journey with her half-side husband Michael Shankara and her two boys Max & Bo .
About Michael
Michael is a yoga teacher, Mayan shaman/priest, astrologer, Qi Gong practitioner, and sacred geometer. He is the author of I Am the Snake ~ In Lak’Ech, a book about his time studying with the Mayan elders and his spiritual and scientific journey into the universal teachings (www.iamthesnake.com). He apprenticed with Dr. Don Miguel Angel Vergara, a revered Mayan Elder, Wisdom Keeper, Mayan Priest, and former cultural director of the sacred Chichén Itzá Pyramids. This lineage deeply enriches Michael’s work in understanding and sharing universal and perennial spiritual teachings from many ancient wisdom traditions.
Integrating his shamanic and yogic training, Michael offers transformative experiences through music, sound healing, crystal healing, energy healing, and astrology readings. With over a decade of study in Western, Mayan, Greek, Vedic, Native, and Chinese astrology, he brings deep wisdom to his teachings. Michael also shares the principles of sacred geometry through engaging drawing classes, seminars, and workshops. He blends Taoist and Vedic yoga to help students balance Mind, Body, and Spirit.
Together with his beloved partner Katrina, he co-owns Karma Yoga Center in Denver. As “The Shaman & The Mermaid,” they create a loving community, offering teacher trainings, retreats, spiritual immersions, classes, workshops, events, and insightful teachings, including free Full Moon astrological forecast videos. Their mission is to create community, share the spiritual teachings, and inspire others to embark on their own transformative journeys of self-discovery, empowerment, healing, self-realization, and spiritual growth.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Standard Cancellations
Your spot is secured by purchasing a Single, Couple/Friends, Triple, or Quad room at full price. $432 per room of that price is a non-refundable deposit. Our refund policy is as follows:
- Cancellations on or before November 19, 2026: Full refund minus the $432 non-refundable deposit
- Cancellations after November 19, 2026: Non-refundable
- Exception: If we are able to fill your room, you will receive a full refund minus the $432 deposit.
Transfer Options
- You may transfer your registration to another participant (subject to approval).
Special Circumstances
- If the organizers cancel the retreat, you will receive a full refund.
Important Notes
- The $432 per room deposit included in the full price is non-refundable in all cases.
- Credit card processing fees are non-refundable, except when the organizers cancel the retreat.
- All refunds are processed within 30 days of cancellation.
- We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your investment.
For questions about our cancellation policy or to discuss special circumstances, please contact us at love@karmayogacenter.com or 303-284-8617.