The Radiant Retreat

The Radiant Retreat is a seven-night yoga retreat led by Jennifer Schelter at Xinalani, an oceanfront retreat center in Quimixto, Jalisco, Mexico, just south of Puerto Vallarta. It combines mixed-style yoga with rest and restoration and a thread of growth and healing. It is open to all levels, so you can arrive as a regular practitioner or someone newer to yoga and still find your place in the week.

What to Expect

The week is built around yoga with Jennifer Schelter, balanced with time to slow down. Days at Xinalani retreats tend to unfold between practice, shared meals, ocean time and quiet, though each retreat sets its own rhythm.

A typical Xinalani day begins with all-levels yoga by the ocean at 8 AM, followed by breakfast at 10 with tropical fruit, homemade pastries and Mexican favorites. The middle of the day is yours: swim, rest by the pool, visit the wellness area or book a massage. Lunch is served at 2 PM on the oceanfront terrace. Around 5 PM there is a softer session, which might be restorative yoga, meditation, cacao or another mindful practice. The day closes with sunset over Banderas Bay and dinner of fresh local cuisine and homemade desserts.

Your Teacher

Jennifer Schelter leads The Radiant Retreat. Her approach here is mixed-style yoga, joined to the rest and restore and growth and healing themes of the week.

The Setting

Xinalani sits between the jungle and the Pacific Ocean, and the setting shapes the retreat: you wake to ocean views and fall asleep to the sounds of nature. The center looks after the stay, the meals and the details, so you have less to organize and more room to be present.

There are several places to stay:

- Beach Casita: the most spacious and private option, steps from the beach, with a king bed, a private terrace and plunge pool, and air conditioning.
- Eco Chic Treehouse: an open-air stay above the jungle with ocean views, a private terrace and a hammock, available with air conditioning or open-air.
- Deluxe Room: a king bed or two twin beds, a private terrace with a small hammock, and ocean and jungle views, with air conditioning or open-air options. It suits couples and solo travelers.
- Small and Big Palapa: open-air shared palapas with four or eight individual beds and a private terrace, the most accessible way to stay.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome, and no prior experience is needed. Because the center handles lodging and meals, the main thing to bring is a willingness to step out of your usual pace. Think of the week as time to practice, rest, explore the coast and share the experience with others who came for similar reasons.