Dancing with the Sacred Mountain
A Journey to Cambodia and the Temples of Angkor Wat
with Annie Brook and Laura Tyson
January 6-19, 2013
I am so delighted that you might join us on this journey! I have been already feeling the energies gathering to support our moving tribe of practitioners. I feel gratitude that you have gifted yourself this opportunity to commune in deepest nature and am honored to host and guide, as needed, portions of your exploration. I feel these journeys are a form of social activism; to become centered, renewed, and reminded of ones’ purpose, delight, and spacious listening abilities contributes to a better world!
- Annie Brook
Overview
This journey to Cambodia is meant to be a personal pilgrimage to sacred sites that have held wisdom, beauty, and heart for thousands of years. By being in the landscape and vibrations of these ancient places, we are influenced and awakened in ways that serve our deepest inquiry and personal/spiritual nourishment.
We will explore the ancient temples, the natural landscape, and the contemporary culture through the lens of movement, arts, and personal experience. The opportunity for transformation occurs when we leave behind our familiar reference points, join with others in pilgrimage, and open to the body-felt vibrations, expressions, and experiences that allow us to re-define ourselves, our purpose, and our patterns. By giving oneself this time-out-of time retreat, one can renew and refresh inner guidance, inspiration, and wisdom.
The focal point of the trip will be the ancient sacred temples of Angkor Wat, where we will dance and move in relationship with the temples, the carved figures, and the landscape. Angkor Wat is a United World Heritage area- a 400 square kilometer archeological park with over 1500 temples. It is the largest spiritual monument on earth, and is dominated by sculptures and images of sacred women, known as devata or aspara. The spiritual role that women played in ancient Khmer society is a mystery, and our journey will play with that question, and the emergence of our own divine feminine, as we engage in personal relationship with the temples most closely associated with the feminine energy. For more information about the feminine devata of Angkor Wat, visit .
The itinerary is scheduled to unfold at a relaxed pace, allowing plenty of time to deepen your experience through personal reflection, and discussion. We will support our journey and enrich our experiences through movement, yoga, and meditation practice, ceremony, and group sharing. Our shared intention will be to be present to our experience, to be open and available to the people we meet and the places we visit, and use all that we experience to soften our hearts and open our minds. You do not have to be a dancer, yogi, or meditation practitioner to participate in this retreat. If you have an openness and willingness to move, to participate within a group, and an interest in personal or spiritual exploration, you are welcome!
About Annie Brook, founder of BodyMind Somanautics
Annie will be leading the thematic content of the trip, bringing her wisdom and knowledge from 30 years of studying, practicing, and teaching meditation, dance, contact improvisation, group process, and somatic psychology.
Annie is an educator, author, and therapist in practice since the late ’70’s. She combines an academic background with an exquisite somatic movement and touch knowledge base. She is the former Director of the Masters Level Somatic Psychology program in the Body Psychotherapy track for Naropa University, and co-owns Colorado Therapies, (a therapy center in Bouder, Colorado), and leads 2-year wisdom trainings in early attachment, body awareness, and presence through BodyMind Somanautics.
Annie comes from a background of adventurous women. Her great grandmother built a cabin with her children in Canada. Her mother studied to be a pilot, became a social worker, and then raised 5 children, later becoming a well-loved politician. Her father was an adventurer and a military hero who risked his life to save the lives of others. Annie built a log house in Maine, was a stoneware potter in Scotland, has worked on commercial fishing boats off Cape Cod and Alaska, was a sea kayak guide in Mexico and Alaska, and led hiking treks in Mexico and Africa. Her journey into Somatics was a personal healing quest that flowered into a rich diversity of professional knowledge that she shares in accessible ways.
For more about Annie and her work, see
Laura Tyson and True Nature Journeys
Laura will take care of the planning and logistical aspects of the trip, and will guide us through the world of itineraries, transportation, and mealtimes. She has been leading wilderness courses, international trips, and personal retreats for over 25 years. She holds a Master’s degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy, has been practicing meditation for over 20 years, and has traveled in 35 countries in Asia, North Africa, South America, Central America, Europe, and the south Pacific. She is the founder of The Women’s Wilderness Institute, where she served as Executive Director for eleven years. Laura is currently the founder and director of True Nature Journeys, which combines her passions for helping people create vibrant lives, empowering women and men to move beyond their self-perceptions, andexploring the landscapes and cultures of our beautiful planet.
Hariharalaya Retreat Center
Our home base will be Hariharalaya Retreat Center, located in the small village of Roluos, 12 km south of the city of Siem Reap and the main temples of Angkor Wat. Hariharalaya is the ancient name of the Khmer capital that was established around 800 A.D., in what is now the village of Roluos. The retreat center is surrounded by neighboring rice paddies and is just a short walk from the farmers market, Bakong Temple, and local school. They pride themselves on their seasonal, local, vegan and mostly organic food. The grounds include an outdoor yoga and dancing space, ponds, a music room, and an art balcony. We will be renting the entire retreat center so our group has exclusive use of the facilities. Massages and healing treatments are available.
See photos of Hariharalaya.
Weather
January is the dry season, and also the relatively cool time of year. Daytime temperatures are around 75-80 degrees, with nighttime temperatures sometimes dipping into the sixties. The temperature at Phnom Kulen, later in our trip, will be slightly cooler due to the higher elevation.
Logistical Details
Cost
The cost of the trip is $2500, plus airfare. You will also need to purchase a $20 one-month tourist visa upon your arrival in Siem Reap, plus travelers medical insurance.
The trip price includes double room accommodations with shared bath. For a single-supplement fee of $300 you can have a private room, on an as-available basis.
A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due with registration, $1000 due September 15, and $1000 due November 1.Information about the cancellation policy is included on the registration form.
What’s Included
Everything that you’ll need during your stay in Cambodia is included in the trip price, from your arrival through breakfast on the last day, except for bottled drinking water. This includes three meals a day, lodging, all fees for the activities, and ground transportation within the country. You will want to bring some extra money to purchase bottled drinking water, and in case you want special snacks, alcoholic drinks, gifts and souvenirs, or if you think you may get a wild idea to do something extra that’s not in the plans.
Air Transportation
Most flights from the U.S. will arrive in the evening on January 7. We’ll meet you at the airport with transportation to bring you to the retreat center.
See itinerary for details regarding the final day. The retreat will end with breakfast on Saturday, June 19, although most flights for the U.S. do not leave until very late that night, and arrive the following day. You can either use that day for your own exploring or relaxing, or you can book your flight for late the night of June 18 if you want to arrive home a day earlier.
As of April 1, flights from Denver to Siem Reap are around $1200-1400.
What to Bring
Once you register we’ll send a suggested list of what to bring.
***Remember that you will need a current passport!***
Please contact Annie with questions about the thematic content of the trip, and Laura with logistical or itinerary questions.
Laura Tyson Annie Brook
720-226-3718 720-839-4332