No words (ironically) can properly describe my incredible experience at the Silent Stay Retreat…read morewith Ruth and Bruce. Both are such LOVELY and easy going people. The grounds, ALL 35 acres, are just breathtaking, the food delicious and the people who: Meet and greet Cook Clean Maintain Inform are accommodating, friendly and helpful. My only suggestion would be to offer a week long retreat- My 4days/3 nights of silence with Ruth and Bruce left me wanting MORE! I look forward to returning- THANK YOU, THANK YOU

This place is hidden, beautiful, and perfect for a silent retreat for the peace of mind and to take…read morea break from the loud and hectic day-to-day, especially since I live in the Bay Area. I love the layout of this place - small hiking trails running along both sides of the retreat; a Jacuzzi paired with an intricately designed, salt pool for detox or relaxing; a warm and cozy fireplace next to the large and welcoming kitchen; and the front and back yards with adorable critters and plenty of seats to enjoy nature. I enjoyed this scenery and retreat for my extended weekend on Veteran's Day. I hike in silence, prayed in silence, cried in silence, and of course, meditate in silence. It was a thought-provoking task that made me question, whether I could remain silent for three whole days. However, it was easier done than one would think and so serene. The pressure of saying and doing the right thing wasn't there. You are there to be and reflect, which most people don't have the time to do, when they're in their normal habitat. You almost make up excuses for yourself on why you can't take a moment to just relax and do what you want. You keep yourself busy because you feel like you haven't accomplished enough and there are so many more thing to be done. However, here, there's nothing that must be done correctly or even to be done at all. It's amazing. Ruth and Bruce were very kind. However, I didn't connect to them as I wish to, but that's why we go to different retreats to get to know yourself and the ones guiding it. All the funds that you pay for goes to charity, which is amazing of Ruth and Bruce. However, there are many other practices that are completely free and you can decide what you like to donate. Either way, it's an amazing experience. **Sidenote: While this is a silent retreat, depending on who is staying there at the same time, it can get very noisy. Although, I enjoyed seeing the people that attended the retreat with me, I didn't enjoy their constant talking. I feel like it took away from my experience. My peers were very friendly but loud. Lol.

My sound bath with Grady was absolutely amazing! I was gifted a private sound bath for my 21st…read morebirthday and it was the best way to end the day. He came to my house and set up in my living room, and I felt so comfortable with him in my space. My friends and I were so relaxed! Such an amazing experience, and I highly recommend to anyone wanting to do a private sound bath at home, or have him for any kind of event!

I had the privilege of having Grady give a private sound bath for a friend and me in my home. It…read morewas my first sound bath, and it was grounding, relaxing, and cleansing. I can't say enough wonderful things about Grady. He radiates kindness and peace and is wonderful to work with. I definitely plan to do another sound bath and highly recommend him and his services.

In celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month (APIHM), I am sharing a recent…read morediscovery/experience. While I am pretty naïve when it comes to the Buddhist faith and practice, I happened upon this American Buddhist Meditation Temple (ABMT) through a Google Maps marker. I immediately hit the road out of curiosity. Directions: To find this temple, head south on Patterson Ave toward the ocean, passing over the Atascadero Creek and bike path. You'll go up a hill into the More Mesa neighborhood with ranches and orchid farms. Follow the signs to Cal-Orchid by turning right on Orchid Dr (there was no street sign when I visited). The street dead ends with three gravel parking spots on the left for the temple. Given that parking is limited, it is acceptable to park on the property of Cal-Orchid to the right. This was such a unique and hidden find that most locals are probably unaware of its existence. It is a quiet place to practice meditation, offer support to the monks, attend Buddhist ceremonies, and for interested participants to attend formal retreats. The monks here perform a ceremony daily at 4 pm involving chanting and meditation. The property is truly serene with a light breeze, blooming flowers, and greenery of bamboo in every corner of the eye. Buddha statues are also discovered throughout--even in unlikely places such as trees or on rocks. There are multiple areas for meditation, a covered shrine, and places for offerings. Truly a beautiful site for all to explore and learn about. If you visit here, please consider leaving a donation in the locked box for its preservation and services.

Horrified no one has reviewed the treasure of this sangha.... well organized , skillful, seasoned…read moreteachers full of wisdom and helpful Dharma teachings. Welcoming sangha and on zoom.... very grateful and blessed. Both guiding teachers have written wonderful books. Well worth exploring.

From the owner: Providing 3 sitting groups each week for Mindfulness, Insight and Compassion Meditation - always…read moreFree and open to everyone. The mission of Mindful Heart Programs is to provide a safe refuge for meditation practice, and to provide educational programs in mindfulness, compassion and nature connection to enable us to care for ourselves, others and our world by transforming suffering, building resilience and deepening our capacity for serving and training others.

Power of your Om! Thank you for making me and my stiff one dimensional workout body fall in love…read morewith Yoga , your lovely team and the powerful Power of Your OM yoga studio in Santa Barbara. Dear Adrienne, you are one of the nicest, coolest, most accommodating,solid ( and very flexible- yoga humor ok my attempt at) business owners I have met. You have this beautiful natural way of connecting with all and making this bum who resisted yoga his whole life a raving fan. You welcomed us both so warmly. It is not a surprise that 37 diehard fans showed up for your 6 am class on Wednesday October 8th. You found a way to make us all fit( photo) and ensured every one got a great workout. You remembered both our names a few minutes after meeting us and addressed us in the class. I loved your heart,your honesty and your spunk about how you and your husband moved to Santa Barbara 14 years ago. I loved the real, human and personal communication from the stellar Lindsey, the excellent Emily and the very nice David who really took the time to come by and relate to me as he suggested slight and actually very helpful shifts in my Warrior and Bhujangasan poses( yup my vocabulary increased beautifully). No one treated me like a newbie- they all wanted me to learn the fundamentals the right way. Loved it! LOVED IT!!!! The vibe in the studio be it at 8:15 pm or 6:00 am the next day was LOVE. Power to the Om and yes huge props and 5 stars for " Power of Your Om." Any one and everyone in Santa Barbara, you have got to go to this absolutely tremendous Yoga studio. Can't wait to be back.

I have been going to Corepower for several years now because I am in Goleta and there are not many…read moreoptions near my home. I took a surge class at Power of Your Om and overall it was a very good class. Flow was about low to mid level, a little bit slower and more fluid than most C2 classes at Corepower. The main difference between Power of Your Om and Corepower is the heat. Corepower is hotter because of the increase in humidity and temperature while Power of Your Om uses dry heat. The space is on the small side and there is no dressing room or shower, but it makes up by being less pricey than Corepower.

Alix was born to heal and do this work. My session with her resulted in bone deep relaxation, a…read morehealing visual/appearance of a loved one, creative pathways in my brain being sparked, and just a sense of overall comfort during a transitional time. I highly recommend Alix for coaching or healing work.

This was my first Reiki session! I loved it from beginning to end. Alix is so sweet and welcoming…read more I have been having weird lower back pain. I felt great after the session and had a relaxing day. When I woke up the next day, my lower back felt like it was part of my body again. There has been some disconnect within myself and my body for a while, and I just felt put together again. The office is also super cute and the tea is delicious! Everything is so cozy and I really enjoyed this first session. I'm excited to come back for more!

Danielle is such a talented, dedicated, and attuned practitioner. she is honest, humble, and…read moredoubtlessly able to create a safe and impactful space for working with clients. working with Danielle is transformative every time.

The power of sound is real and Danielle is an amazing healer! Her energy and intention behind each…read moresession is customized to the season, a specific event, or what is happening in the world around us. She creates an incredibly safe space where you can truly relax deep into the theta state. I've experienced numerous sound baths with Danielle (group sessions and private) and each one has been a magically unique experience. She has a variety of instruments she uses including her own beautiful voice! I recommend her completely and can't wait for my next sound healing experience with her!!

Taoist Light Wellness and Chiyan Wang are such amazing resources for myself and Santa Barbara. I…read moremet Chiyan when I was 19 and did the Level 1 Training. I am so happy to be back in town and can now attend group practice. I've done more qigong trainings with her and her team. As well as an amazing Feng Shui workshop and various community events. I always feel welcome there and leave feeling so much better! Taoist Light Qigong is an effective and relieving form of Qigong. I recommend anyone explore Taoist Light. Anyone of any age of any physical form can benefit in my opinion.

I was lucky enough to find Taoist Light Wellness after struggling with physical and mental…read morerepercussions of early childhood traumas for many years. I did 3 healing sessions with Chiyan and ever since, my life has been changed radically. I didn't even think it was possible to feel good again, but it is. If I could only recommend one business on all of Yelp, it would be this, by a landslide. Merci from France!