The Eightfold Path Retreat | SAMĀDHI FAQs

March 8-15, 2026 | Menla - Phoenicia, NY

This page is a living resource that will continue to be updated with new and pertinent information.

NEW UPDATES ADDED BELOW on 3/5/2026 : Updates have been made to Contact Info, Added Property Map, The Retreat Schedule is now fully detailed, New Items in What to Bring are in italics at the top of the list.

Emergency Numbers you can give your family while you are in class:

Menla Front Desk - 845.688.6897 / frontdesk@menla.org - the front desk will have our class schedule and your lodging location if your family need to reach you.

Nico Grae - My Cell - 505.463.7685 / nico@thisisinsight.com - please give your family my cell and email in case of emergency. I will be connected to wifi and will be able to receive texts from them so that I can notify you.

Please save my cell for your travel day. Text or email me if you have any changes in your plans that affect your arrival.

Arrival Day | Sunday, March 8, 2026

**Daylight Saving Time goes into effect at 2 am on Sunday, March 8th. Please double-check your clocks, watches, etc., especially for those of you flying that morning!

  • 3 pm | Check-in opens at Menla Retreat Center in Phoenicia, New York (early check-in to rooms is not available due to a previous event)

    • If you are driving, there is parking available on site.

    • If you are taking the Trailways Bus from NYC and need the shuttle from Phoenicia, please email Nico@thisisinsight.com with your bus arrival time and bring $5 cash or card to pay directly to Menla each way.

    • Please be aware that once arriving in the town of Phoenicia, there is no cell phone service in the surrounding areas or at Menla

  • 4:30 pm | Optional Decompression + Arrival Practice led by Kevin

  • 6-7 pm | Dinner (If you will be arriving late and would like a dinner to be boxed for you, please let Nico know)

Departure Day | Sunday, March 15, 2026

  • Breakfast will be served at 8 am

  • There are no practices currently planned for this morning. You may pack up your room and check out by 11 am.

Yoga Mats

We are happy to offer you yoga mats once again! So you do not need to pack a mat this year. The mats will stay at the studio over the week for class set-up, and we will share them as a community during the retreat. But you are gifted one to take when you go home. They are the lovely and high-quality B, halfmoon everyday 4mm mats (not travel mats).

Preparing for the SAMĀDHI Retreat

  • SUNDAY

    3:00 - 4:30 pm | Check-in

    4:30 - 5:30 pm | Decompression Session - Kevin

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    MONDAY

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 -12:00 pm | Embodied Magic Opening Circle - Kate

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    3:30 - 5:00 pm | Qi Gong + Yoga Nidra - Kevin

    5:00 - 5:30 pm | SAMĀDHI Orientation - All Teachers

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    TUESDAY

    6:30 - 7:30 am | The Awaken Meditation - Kevin

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 - 12:00 pm | Chandra Sadhāna - Kevin

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    3:00 - 4:30 pm | INSIGHT on Presence Kevin

    4:30 - 5:30 pm | Ceremonial Breathwork - Alison

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    7:30 - 8:00 pm | Evening Meditation - Kevin

    WEDNESDAY

    6:30 - 7:30 am | The Root Meditation - Kevin

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 - 12:00 pm | Asāna Sadhāna - Kevin

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    4:00 - 5:30 pm | The 360 Emergence - Erin

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    7:30 - 9:00 pm | Moth Storytelling - Karley

    THURSDAY

    6:30 - 7:30 am | The Ascend Meditation - Kevin

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 - 12:00 pm | Anāhata Sadhāna - Kevin

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    3:00 - 4:15 pm | INSIGHT on The Unknown - Kevin

    4:15 - 5:30 pm | Ceremonial Breathwork - Alison

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    7:30 - 8:00 pm | Evening Meditation - Kevin

    FRIDAY

    6:30 - 7:30 am | The Dissolve Meditation - Kevin

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 - 12:00 pm | Samādhi Sadhāna- Kevin

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    4:00 - 5:30 pm | Restorative Yoga - Erin

    6:00 - 7:00 pm | Dinner

    SATURDAY

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:30 - 12:00 pm | Kaivalya Sadhāna - Kevin

    12:30 - 1:30 pm | Lunch

    3:30 - 6:00 pm | Embodied Magic | Closing Ceremony - Kate

    6:30 - 7:30 pm | Dinner

    7:30 pm | Bonfire

    SUNDAY

    8:00 - 9:00 am | Breakfast

    9:00 - 11:00 am | Check-out + Safe Travels Home!

    If you are looking for exact break times to book a spa appointment, please see the question below about booking a Spa Appointment.

    • Option to bring an outfit that you can move in but also feels celebratory or ceremonial for our Embodied Magic | Closing Ceremony - this is only an invitation, not a request :)

    • Refillable sealed water bottle + reusable hot beverage cup if desired. Disposable cups are available.

    • Umbrella

    • Comfortable, warm practice clothing, think layers (indoor and outdoor). Phoenicia temperatures this week has highs between 39-64 degrees!! and lows from 22-46. There is likely to be snow and rain; please be prepared! In our experience, the weather changes quickly. We often start in snow and end the week jumping in the lake under the sun!

    • A small sacred item that you can place on our altar for the week to soak up the energy and blessings of the space. Please refrain from choosing something highly valuable. You will take these items back home with you at the end of the retreat.

    • Protein snacks if you are unaccustomed to a vegetarian diet

    • A travel alarm clock (we will be tech-free, so please don’t plan on using your phone as an alarm, a watch is also nice for seeing the time without having to use your device during the day)

    • Cozy slippers for indoor wear (no street shoes allowed indoors)

    • Hiking shoes or boots

    • A warm winter jacket

    • A small flashlight or headlamp is helpful for early mornings and evenings.

    • A full supply of necessary medications + supplements

    • All necessary toiletries needed

    • Cash for: tips to Menla staff at the end of your stay

    • Credit card for incidentals: Menla asks all guests to provide a credit card at check-in for any purchases made on the property. Cards are not charged unless guests purchase gift shop items, spa services, snacks, or anything else beyond room and board provided

    • And, if you prefer, cash for any Healing Treatments

  • In general, most people fly into New York City. From there, Menla is a 2-hour drive from any of the NYC airports.

    Menla is also conveniently 2 hours from Albany International and 90 minutes from Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY.

  • Menla is conveniently located:

    • 2 hours north of the GW Bridge in New York City by car

    • 3 hours by bus from New York City on Adirondack Trailways to Phoenicia, NY

    • 3.5 hours from Boston by car

    • 2 hours from Albany International Airport by car

    • 90 minutes from Stewart Airport in Newburgh, NY, by car

    You will need to arrange your own ground transportation to and from Menla. New York City flights tend to be less expensive and involve fewer connections

    By bus from NYC, Albany:

    Transportation is readily available from New York City at Port Authority, 625 8th Avenue, where you would board Trailways Bus to Phoenicia.

    The approximate cost of the Trailways bus is $40 and takes 3 hours. Before boarding the bus, you must book this travel with Trailways; (you can do that here).

    Trailways bus will drop you off in the small quaint town of Phoenicia. A shuttle from town to the retreat center can be arranged with the Menla Front Desk (Please email Nico at nico@thisisinsight to book a shuttle from town to the retreat center.)

    You can also take the Trailways Bus from Albany to Phoenicia, then arrange a shuttle from town to the retreat center with Nico for $5 cash each way to be paid directly to Menla onsite.  

    (Note:  this option is approximately 2 hours longer than NYC, with a layover and bus change on Trailways. Menla recommends traveling through NYC airports.)

    By car from Stewart Airport

    Ground transportation from Stewart Airport is accessible through either private car service or a rental car (there are no public transportation options available).

  • Arrival Day is Sunday, March 8, 2026.

    • Check-in opens at 3 pm at Menla Retreat Center in Phoenicia, New York

    • Optional decompression and arrival practice at 4:30 pm, led by Kevin Courtney

    • Dinner will be served from 6 - 7 pm

    Departure Day is Sunday, March 15, 2026.

    • Breakfast at 8:30 am

    • Check-out by 11 am

    • Guests must vacate rooms and property by 11 am

Our Approach

Each element of practice is offered to help you experience SAMĀDHI in a way that feels authentic and empowering. We will incorporate Tantric Hatha Yoga, Meditation, Yoga Nidra, Ceremonial Breathwork, INSIGHT contemplative sessions, Sound Healing, Embodied Magic, The 360 Emergence, crystal consciousness, astrology, storytelling, and both time in community and time in solitude.

Simply show up as you are. The experience is designed to serve you, and every component is yours to make your own.

As the retreat approaches, we’ll share additional guidance on preparing your body and mind for the experience. For now, please take a moment to absorb these sentiments and allow any insights or questions to arise.

We are here to support you.

Sacred Space

  • SAMĀDHI  is a completely technology-free retreat - no cellphones, laptops, tablets, etc.

  • Please be aware that once arriving in the town of Phoenicia, there is no cell phone service in the surrounding areas or at Menla

  • A designated space will be provided to accommodate necessary phone calls (i.e., parents connecting with children and other needs)

  • Closer to the retreat, we’ll share a phone number at Menla where you may be reached in case of emergency

About Menla

Affectionately known as “Tibet in the Catskills,” Menla is set in a secluded valley beside an enchanting stream in the heart of the Catskill mountains. Just 2-hours from New York City, the magic of 325 private acres of pristine mountain forests provides the perfect backdrop for us to delve into the teachings, quiet the mind, concentrate the breath, and expand.  Discover more about Menla on their website.

  • Dewa Spa

    Menla has a beautiful spa on the property, the Dewa Spa. They offer everything from acupuncture to therapeutic bodywork to energy healing.

    Below is a list of our class breaks and meal times in the day that you may book at the Spa without missing anything!

    • Breakfast Daily: 8:00 am - 9:00 am

    • Lunch Daily: 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

    • Dinner Daily: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

    Afternoon Class Breaks(please note that the end of these breaks are actually the time class begins in the afternoon)

    • Monday: 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

    • Tuesday: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

    • Wednesday: 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

    • Thursday: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

    • Friday: 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm

    • Saturday: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

  • You will be provided with a yoga mat during class, but if you like practicing with a mat towel on the surface, please bring one.

    Additional Props Provided:

    Extra mats, yoga blocks, straps, blankets, bolsters, meditation cushions and zabutons, as well at backjacks and chairs, are all available in the practice center.

  • You may request and pick up additional towels at the front desk.

  • It is HIGHLY recommended that you bring any amenities or toiletries you prefer or anticipate needing during the retreat. 

    Bathrooms are equipped with all-natural soap and towels.

Questions

Please send any questions or requests about the retreat to Nico Grae: nico@thisisinsight.com

We can’t wait to welcome you to this incredible last chapter of the Eightfold Path!