Winter Retreat with Mark Stephens

This yoga retreat with Mark Stephens takes place over seven nights at Haramara Retreat, a jungle-and-ocean sanctuary near Sayulita on the Pacific coast of Nayarit, Mexico. Timed around the Winter Solstice and the turn of the year, it is a week to slow down, reflect, and recommit to wellbeing. It suits practitioners from beginners to advanced, as well as anyone who wants rest, physical challenge, or a break from routine in a warm group setting.

What to Expect

Each day follows a steady rhythm, and every part of it is optional, so you can take all of it or only what you need.

- Sunrise pranayama and meditation: breath awareness and stillness as the sun comes up over the jungle and sea.
- Morning vinyasa flow: an all-levels, hatha-based class that blends strength, alignment, breath, and mindfulness, and closes with restorative postures and meditation.
- Mid-day workshops and tune-ups: short, interactive sessions on select afternoons covering sun salutations, alignment principles, breath techniques, and modifications for individual needs.
- Sunset yin and restorative practice: slow, floor-based classes with blankets and bolsters, supporting deep release and introspection.
- Evening conversations and satsangs: after dinner, open dialogue on yoga, consciousness, life purpose, relationships, and how practice meets everyday living.

Between sessions there is room for joy and play. People swim, surf, rest in a hammock, book spa treatments, wander into the town of Sayulita, or simply watch the Pacific sunset. The community is part of the experience too: participants come from different backgrounds and levels of experience and share the practice and conversation.

About Mark Stephens

Mark Stephens is a yoga teacher, educator, and author who has practiced yoga since 1991 and taught since 1996. His work weaves classical yogic teachings with careful scholarship and grounded, practical application. He wrote several widely used yoga texts, including Teaching Yoga, Yoga Sequencing, Yoga Adjustments, Yoga Therapy, and Yoga for Better Sleep, with Breathing: The Art and Science of Pranayama forthcoming in October 2026.

Mark teaches internationally, leads teacher trainings and intensives across North America and Europe, and mentors yoga teachers. His approach values inquiry, discernment, and respect for both the power and the limits of our explanatory models, whether spiritual, philosophical, or scientific. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and completed seven years of doctoral studies at UCLA. He lives in Santa Cruz, California.

The Setting

Haramara's open-air casitas sit among the jungle with views of the ocean, blending rustic charm with comfort. Each has private bathing facilities and open-air showers. Casitas are offered as a women's group casita, triple occupancy, double occupancy, or single occupancy, so you can choose the level of privacy you prefer.

Meals are all organic and made with local produce and fresh seafood. The dining space is perched above the jungle with wide ocean views and becomes a natural gathering place for food and conversation. Vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary needs are accommodated.

Transportation from Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) is coordinated for guests.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome. The morning class suits beginners through advanced students, workshops offer modifications, and the evening sessions are gentle and floor-based.

The retreat fee varies by accommodation and includes seven nights of lodging in a Haramara casita, all meals, daily yoga classes and workshops, and the 19% Mexico tax. Spa services, private excursions, and personal transportation are available but not included.