The Silver Rose of Leadville hosted a weekend wellness event with Rest Stop Retreat. It was a fabulous weekend of yoga, forged friendships, new learnings, good food, and rest. Here is an interview I had with Devin Price, the founder of the Rest Stop Retreat.
What is Rest Stop Retreat?
Rest Stop Retreat (RSR) is a weekend collective where we delve into the art of “resting.”. The RSR mission is to help people understand that we must balance the ebb and flow of our life. Often, we think that resting only occurs when we are sleeping. However, there are countless other ways to regain our energy, and we explore many of them together at these retreats.
The seed of RSR was planted from a thought I had during Covid when the world was all couped up, and everyone was seeking an outlet... for many, these “outlets” were frequently discovered on YouTube. In my case, my outlet was yoga. I had already been a little yogini but never had I committed daily. I made a commitment to practice every day for one year. During the daily journey, I began fantasizing about holding a retreat out in nature where people could practice yoga & self-care together. On my 365th day of
practicing yoga, my thought of RSR came to fruition. Since then, RSR has evolved into what it is today.
Can you explain rest and how it is integrated into Rest Stop Retreat?
During the pandemic, many people spoke about the welcome rest they were finally able to experience. People were taking up new creative hobbies, trying new exercise practices, meditating, baking, etc. A psychologist by the name of Saundra Dalton-Smith theorizes that there are seven kinds of rest, if practiced holistically, that will help to improve your productivity; overcome burnout; increase your overall happiness, and live your best life. The Rest Stop Retreat incorporates all seven of them: physical, mental,
emotional, social, sensory, creative, and spiritual.
How are the chakras incorporated?
RSR has evolved so that each retreat is thematically curated around a specific chakra. Activities, yoga sets, and choices of cuisine are all targeted at raising the vibration of that particular chakra. The RSR at The Silver Rose of Leadville was named “Affinity” and was centered around the heart chakra, which is associated with love, compassion, balance... and also the color green. Activities included a heart-opening cacao ceremony, breathing workshops, gemstone teachings, and wind-chime craft-making. Meals were
very green (laughing): swiss chard vegetable soup, green smoothies for breakfast, and green salads.
What are examples of some of the other activities?
There are endless options! Macrame, storytelling, herbal bath sauna, floral crown making, granola making workshop, card making, nature walks, a sound bath, aromatherapy sessions, wind chime making, and much, much more.
What is unique about the Rest Stop Retreat?
These retreats are collaborative. I sometimes refer to it as a “collective,”... meaning that the attendees provide offerings as well. I will design the retreats around these offerings. Some people provide one of the meals. Some teach how to paint. Others guide in pilates. It just depends on who signs up! Every retreat is absolutely tailor-made. The groups are small and intimate; everyone becomes very connected with one another, and it is an opportunity for giving.
What is your personal kinship with yoga?
The first yoga class I took was in 1992 before yoga was as prevalent as it is today. I stumbled into the class at my local fitness gym. It was kundalini yoga which is a bit strange since this isn’t the type of class that you would normally find at a gym. I was only 22 at the time, and it was far out, but I loved it and became quite devout. In time, I explored other types of yoga and learned to love it even more. When I was in graduate school for clinical psychology, I chose to research the efficacy of yoga in the alleviation of anxiety and depression. The data was all there... it was just in India. That was in 2004. A lot has evolved since then.
What have you learned from the first RSR?
I have learned that people really want to give and share their knowledge of something that has meaning to them. The collaborative part is what makes these retreats so special, and I didn’t realize that people were so willing and excited to lead and contribute. This also makes each retreat one of a kind.
What was it like having a retreat at The Silver Rose of Leadville?
This was the first retreat that was in a different location from where they have been conducted thus far: Idyllwild, California. And then the idea came to take the show on the road. The Silver Rose could not have been any more perfect. It has a spacious wood deck that could accommodate yoga and pilates classes. The dining room table was big enough for eight of us to eat together and have room for some of our activities. The house is large enough that we could all spread out yet be together at the same time. And it is a stunningly beautiful home. The town of Leadville was a prime location.
What if someone wants to attend a future Rest Stop Retreat?
RSRs happen every quarter during the months when there is an equinox or a solstice so we can be in tune with what is going on with the seasons. After this successful pilot of having the Rest Stop Retreat in Leadville, CO, the plan is to branch out to different locations. For more information, you can always visit the website at https://reststopretreat.com/