Travel has been one of the greatest teachers in my life. After exploring more than 60 countries, I have learned that the most meaningful journeys are not just about the places we visit—they are about the moments that challenge us, inspire us, and change the way we see ourselves and the world around us.

Throughout my years of designing travel experiences, I have witnessed the incredible impact that stepping into the unknown can have. A new destination has a way of awakening our curiosity, reminding us of our strength, and opening the door to possibilities we may never have imagined. Some of my most treasured memories have come from outdoor adventures, remote landscapes, and the connections formed with people along the way.

We created Sacred Wanderer Retreats because we believe in taking opportunities to pause, explore, and reconnect while experiencing the beauty of the world. Traveling with other women creates a unique space for encouragement, laughter, discovery, and personal growth. It is a chance to leave behind the familiar, embrace new experiences, and return home feeling inspired and renewed.

The Power of Traveling with Women

Travel has always been a pathway to discovery. It opens our eyes to new cultures, landscapes, and perspectives—but some of the most meaningful journeys are the ones that transform us from within. When women travel together, something powerful happens. We step outside our routines, embrace new experiences, and create a space where connection, courage, and personal growth can flourish.

At Sacred Wanderer Retreats, we believe that travel is more than a destination. It is an opportunity to reconnect with ourselves, rediscover our sense of adventure, and be inspired by the women walking alongside us.

Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

There is something empowering about exploring the unfamiliar. Whether it is hiking through a breathtaking landscape, learning a new cultural tradition, trying a new cuisine, or simply navigating a new place, travel reminds us of our own strength and adaptability.

When we experience these moments alongside other women, we are encouraged to be brave, curious, and open. We celebrate each other’s accomplishments, support each other’s challenges, and often discover confidence we didn’t realize we had.

Creating Meaningful Connections

One of the greatest gifts of travel is the community that forms along the way. Away from the responsibilities and expectations of everyday life, we have the opportunity to connect on a deeper level.

Shared experiences create lasting bonds—the laughter during a group adventure, the conversations over a memorable meal, the quiet moments taking in a beautiful sunset. These are the moments that become treasured memories and often lead to lifelong friendships.

Rediscovering Yourself Through New Experiences

Travel gives us permission to slow down, be present, and experience the world with fresh eyes. It challenges us to try new things, embrace different perspectives, and reconnect with what brings us joy.

A journey to a new destination often becomes a journey inward. We return home with more than photographs—we return with renewed energy, inspiration, and a deeper understanding of ourselves.

The Magic of Women Supporting Women

There is a unique energy created when women gather with a shared intention: to explore, grow, and experience life fully. On a women’s retreat, there is room to be adventurous and reflective, playful and peaceful, independent and connected.

Every woman brings her own story, wisdom, and perspective. Together, we create a community where everyone is encouraged to step into new experiences and embrace the possibilities ahead.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

At Sacred Wanderer Retreats, we create intentional journeys designed to inspire exploration, connection, and transformation. Our retreats blend unique destinations, meaningful cultural experiences, adventure, wellness, and time for reflection.

Because the greatest journeys are not just about where you go—they are about who you become along the way.

Are you ready to wander?

We welcome you to join us at our upcoming retreats.

Exhale Tulum

October 15-18, 2026

Join us for four nights of movement, relaxation, delicious meals, and optional excursions.

Discover Bali

September 11-18, 2027

Join us for an unforgettable week of unique travel experiences, movement, culture, and deep connection in one of the most beautiful locations on earth.

www.sacredwandererretreats.com

There comes a point when the calendar feels full.

Not necessarily with bad things.

Just…full.

Work.

Family.

Commitments.

Appointments.

Responsibilities.

Life has a way of filling every available space until one day you realize you can’t remember the last time you truly rested.

As we began planning our Bali retreat, we heard the same thing again and again.

“I would love to go…”

“I just can’t make it work.”

It wasn’t a lack of desire.

It was a lack of time.

Not everyone can step away for a week or travel halfway around the world, no matter how much they need it.

That realization stayed with us.

Instead of asking people to find more time, we began asking ourselves a different question.

What if four days were enough?

Not enough to see everything, but enough to breathe again.

Enough to sleep without an alarm.

Enough to practice yoga without watching the clock.

Enough to remember what it feels like to wake up with nowhere you have to be.

That’s how Exhale Tulum began.

Amy and I brainstormed on what so many people had been telling us.

They weren’t looking for another long, adventure vacation.

They were looking for a pause.

Together, we began searching for a place that felt effortless.

Close enough for a long weekend.

Beautiful enough to feel like an escape.

Private enough to truly relax.

When Amy found our villa in Tulum, connected to the elegant Irie Resort yet tucked away in its own peaceful corner, we knew we had found something special.

This is where we would exhale.

Mornings begin with yoga.

Breakfast is ready without anyone lifting a finger.

Afternoons unfold however you choose.

Perhaps that’s a massage, or lounging by the pool.

Perhaps it’s a morning at the Mayan Bathhouse moving through ancient-inspired water and clay rituals.

Perhaps it’s exploring a cenote, wandering through Tulum, or simply stretching out with a good book beneath the palms.

Nothing is mandatory.

Everything is available.

We intentionally planned the retreat this way because no two people arrive needing the same thing.

Some guests come ready to explore.

Others come ready to rest.

Most discover they need a little of both.

The most beautiful part of Exhale isn’t the villa.

Or the yoga.

Or even the incredible meals shared around the table.

It’s permission.

Permission to step away from your routine.

Permission to leave your to-do list behind.

Permission to spend four days choosing what feels good instead of what feels urgent.

Sometimes that’s all we need.

Not weeks away.

Not a passport filled with stamps.

Just a long weekend devoted to ourselves.

Because sometimes four days really are enough.

Until we wander again,

Iris

Ready to Exhale?

If a long weekend of yoga, relaxation, meaningful connection, and just the right amount of adventure sounds like exactly what you need, we’d love to welcome you to Tulum.

Exhale Tulum
October 15–18, 2026

Join us for four days of movement, rest, nourishing meals, optional excursions, and the simple joy of having nowhere you need to be.

Learn more about Exhale Tulum

At least, that wasn’t the plan.

Our intention was simple: gather a wonderful group of travelers, move together, share beautiful meals, explore a remarkable city, and discover what it truly meant to host a retreat that invited people to slow down.

Somewhere during that unforgettable week, something unexpected happened.

One afternoon, after spending the day at Vía Orgánica learning to make traditional tamales, exploring regenerative farming, and connecting more deeply with the traditions of Mexico, we climbed into the van for the ride back to Casa Armonía.

Someone asked a simple question.

“So…where are we going next?”

It wasn’t really a question.

It was a dream beginning to take shape.

The van immediately came alive.

Italy.

Greece.

Japan.

Morocco.

Then someone quietly said,

“I’ve always wanted to go to Bali.”

Everything seemed to pause for a moment.

You could almost feel everyone’s imagination arriving there at the same time.

Not the crowded beaches or bustling tourist districts.

The Bali we’d all been quietly carrying around in our minds.

Morning mist drifting through the jungle.

Ancient temples wrapped in offerings and incense.

Rice terraces carved into emerald hillsides.

Open-air yoga surrounded by birdsong.

Long dinners that stretch late into the evening.

A place that invites presence instead of productivity.

The conversation continued all the way back to Casa Armonía as ideas bounced around the van. By the time we arrived home, Bali no longer felt like a distant dream.

It felt like a possibility.

When I returned home to Dallas, I couldn’t stop thinking about that conversation.

I called my dear friend Amy.

If anyone could help turn that dream into reality, it was her.

Amy has a remarkable gift. She doesn’t simply plan travel. She finds places that become part of the story.

As we talked about what Bali could become, she quietly began searching. Not for a resort. Not for a hotel.

For a home.

Because that’s always where our planning begins.

We don’t choose destinations first.

We choose how we want people to feel.

Then we look for a place capable of holding that experience.

Not long after she sent me a link.

“I think I found it.”

She had.

The Manipura Estate wasn’t simply beautiful.

It felt right.

Hidden in the lush hills just north of Ubud, it offered everything we had imagined during that ride home from Vía Orgánica without sacrificing authenticity for luxury.

An open-air yoga shala overlooking the jungle.

Beautiful private accommodations.

Gathering spaces that naturally invite conversation.

Peaceful infinity pools.

Gardens, quiet corners, and the feeling that the outside world could wait until tomorrow.

But perhaps what captured us most wasn’t the property itself.

It was its spirit.

From there, everything else began to unfold almost effortlessly.

Morning yoga as the jungle awakened around us.

A traditional Balinese water purification ceremony.

Walking among the emerald rice terraces of Jatiluwih.

Quiet moments inside centuries-old temples.

Watching the sunrise from Mount Batur.

Learning from local artisans.

Sharing beautiful meals prepared with incredible care.

And, of course, leaving enough unscheduled time for the very thing we value most.

Simply being there.

Looking back now, it’s funny to realize that our Bali retreat didn’t really begin in Bali.

It began in the back of a van on a winding road outside San Miguel de Allende.

Somewhere between conversations about tamales, laughter with new friends, and one simple question:

“Where should we go next?”

Sacred Wanderer Retreats quietly began to take shape.

Sometimes the best journeys don’t begin with a plane ticket.

They begin with a conversation.

Until we wander again,

Iris

Wander With Us

If this story stirred something in you, perhaps it’s because Bali is calling your name too.

Join us for Discover Bali | September 11–18, 2027, a week of meaningful travel, daily yoga, rich cultural experiences, and genuine connection in the heart of the Balinese jungle.

Explore the retreat

Why Some Places Stay With You Long After You Leave

There are some places you visit once and immediately begin planning your return.

For me, San Miguel de Allende is one of those places.

It isn’t because the city is filled with famous landmarks or endless attractions, although it certainly has its share of both.

It’s because San Miguel has a rhythm all its own.

But before we ever wandered the streets of the city, we found ourselves slowing down at Casa Armonía.

Nestled in the countryside just beyond San Miguel, the estate feels worlds away from everyday life. Rows of lavender sway gently in the breeze, their fragrance carried across the property. Vineyard vines stretch toward the horizon while an ancient olive grove quietly reminds you that the land itself is part of the experience.

Luxury here isn’t loud.

It’s found in peaceful mornings overlooking the vineyards, beautifully prepared meals shared around the table, exceptional hospitality, and the feeling that, for a few days, there’s nowhere you need to be except exactly where you are.

Each morning began with movement and meditation as the countryside slowly awakened around us. Afterwards, we’d gather for breakfast overlooking the vineyards, lingering over fresh fruit, warm coffee, and conversations that often lasted longer than the meal itself.

There was never any rush to move on to the next thing.

And perhaps that’s exactly what made it so special.

Eventually, we’d make our way into the city of San Miguel itself.

You notice the city’s rhythm almost immediately.

People walk instead of rush.

Conversations linger.

Meals unfold slowly, one course at a time.

Music drifts through plazas as church bells mark the passing hours.

Nobody seems to be in quite as much of a hurry.

It’s contagious.

Without realizing it, you begin to match the city’s pace.

Some afternoons were wonderfully simple. We wandered through bustling markets, sampled incredible street food, and accepted whatever looked or smelled too good to pass by. Fresh traditional snacks enjoyed standing right on the street somehow tasted every bit as memorable as the finest meals we enjoyed that week. An ice-cold mango michelada found its way into my hands, becoming the perfect companion as we explored the colorful streets.

Other experiences invited a different kind of pause.

At the Santuario de Atotonilco, often called the Sistine Chapel of Mexico, we stepped inside and instinctively lowered our voices. Every inch of the sanctuary is covered with remarkable frescoes and centuries of devotion. Whether you’re religious or not, it’s impossible not to feel the weight of history and the quiet reverence that fills the space.

One afternoon we sat together in a beautiful vineyard, listening as a local wine expert introduced us to the wines of the region. Of course we enjoyed every sip, but what stayed with us was hearing the stories behind the bottles, learning about the land, and gaining a h appreciation for the people whose passion shaped every vintage.

On another day, we rolled up our sleeves at Vía Orgánica to learn the art of making traditional tamales. It became so much more than a cooking class. We discovered the importance of preserving Mexico’s heirloom corn varieties, learned about regenerative farming, and gained a greater understanding of the traditions that continue to nourish families and communities today.

Those experiences reminded us that one of the greatest gifts of travel is learning from the people who call a place home.

San Miguel is filled with artists, musicians, chefs, gardeners, and makers who are eager to share their craft. Wander through the galleries of La Aurora, explore the colorful markets, or simply stop to admire an artist at work, and you’ll quickly realize this city celebrates creativity in everyday life.

As evening approaches, something magical begins to happen.

The rooftops come alive.

Friends gather over dinner.

The sunset paints the city in warm shades of gold and pink.

The iconic Parroquia rises above it all, reminding everyone exactly where they are.

One afternoon, we watched the city glow from the rooftop of the Rosewood. Beautiful cocktails, thoughtful small plates, and an unhurried sunset reminded us that sometimes the best part of travel is giving yourself permission to simply linger.

Later that same evening brought a gentle summer rain. By the time we reached the rooftop at Quince, the storm had passed, leaving the cobblestone streets glistening below. The pink spires of La Parroquia seemed even more beautiful against the darkening sky as music from the rooftop DJ floated through the evening air. Dinner unfolded slowly, conversation flowed effortlessly, and for a few hours there was nowhere else any of us would rather have been.

Our days naturally found a rhythm of activity and rest. After mornings exploring the city or afternoons discovering its history and culture, we made time to simply unwind. Massages at Casa Armonía offered a chance to completely exhale before gathering again for dinner, while our visit to the Mayanza Bathhouse became a playful journey through thermal pools. We laughed, we lingered, and for a little while, time seemed to lose its urgency. Like so much of San Miguel, it reminded us that slowing down isn’t about doing less. It’s about being fully present for whatever you’re doing.

It’s difficult to leave San Miguel without feeling grateful.

Grateful for the meals.

Grateful for the people.

Grateful for the conversations.

Grateful for another day beautifully spent.

When Amy and I began dreaming about hosting retreats, we knew we wanted more than beautiful destinations.

We wanted places that encouraged people to slow down.

Places where conversations could unfold naturally.

Places where strangers might become lifelong friends.

Places that invited curiosity, connection, and joy.

San Miguel was the first place that felt like home.

That’s why we chose it for our very first Sacred Wanderer Retreat.

Not because it’s a city to check off a list.

But because it’s a city that quietly changes the way you move through the world.

Maybe that’s the true gift of travel.

Not collecting places.

Collecting moments that remind us how we want to live once we return home.

Until we wander again,

Iris

Give me a beautiful destination, wonderful food, a charming hotel, and someone I love to share it with, and I’m a happy traveler. Some of my favorite memories have come from time away with family and friends.

So when people ask me how a retreat is different from a vacation, I always begin with this:

It’s not about one being better than the other.

They’re simply designed for different purposes.

A vacation gives us permission to step away from our everyday lives. A retreat gives us the opportunity to step back into ourselves.

At first glance, they can look remarkably similar.

Both might take you somewhere beautiful. Both include comfortable accommodations, incredible meals, unforgettable experiences, and time away from work and responsibilities.

But that’s where the similarities begin to fade.

A vacation is often built around the question:

“What do I want to do?”

A retreat begins with a different question:

“How do I want to feel?”

That single difference changes everything.

On vacation, there are countless decisions to make. Which restaurant should we try tonight? What time should we leave? Which excursion should we book? Should we rent a car? Did anyone make reservations?

Planning can be part of the fun, but it also requires energy.

A retreat removes much of that mental load.

A retreat experience has already been thoughtfully designed. Your wellness activities, meals, excursions, transportation, and moments of rest have all been carefully planned. Instead of constantly making decisions, you’re free to simply be present.

That, in itself, can feel like a deep exhale.

Another beautiful difference is the people.

On vacation, we’re surrounded by other travelers.

On retreat, we’re surrounded by fellow participants who intentionally chose the same experience.

There’s something special about that.

New acquaintances become familiar faces over morning coffee. Conversations linger after dinner. Someone you’ve only known for two days suddenly feels like an old friend as you watch the sunset together.

Those connections often become one of the most meaningful parts of the journey.

And then, of course, there’s the rhythm.

Retreats create space.

Space to move your body.

Space to rest.

Space to laugh.

Space to reflect.

Space to notice the beauty around you instead of rushing to the next item on the itinerary.

Ironically, we often experience more by intentionally doing less.

Of course, the experiences themselves become unforgettable.

The morning movement that leaves you feeling energized.

The meal shared around a beautifully set table.

The afternoon spent exploring a place you’ve never been before.

The conversation that begins over coffee and somehow continues through dinner.

The quiet walk back beneath a sky full of stars.

Individually, they may seem like simple moments.

Together, they become the rhythm of a retreat—and often the memories we carry home.

Perhaps that’s the greatest gift a retreat offers.

Not an escape from life.

But a chance to reconnect with what matters most.

We return home carrying more than photographs and souvenirs.

We bring home new friendships.

Fresh perspective.

A calmer mind.

A fuller heart.

And often, a quiet reminder that maybe the life we’ve been looking for isn’t somewhere else after all.

Maybe it begins by making space to experience the one we’re already living more fully.

Until we wander again,

Iris

Perhaps it’s time for Your next adventure.

If this way of traveling speaks to you, we invite you to explore our upcoming retreats and discover where Iris and Amy will be wandering next at SacredWandererRetreats.com

Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to share countless adventures with friends and family. Some were grand adventures that took us far from home. Others were nothing more than a long weekend, a tank of gas, and a shared sense of curiosity.

Friends have gathered around tables after long days of trout fishing on the White River in Arkansas. We’ve trailered boats to lakes across North Texas in search of fish that may or may not have been interested in being found. We’ve slipped away to Mexico when our calendars aligned and explored cities like Austin, Crested Butte, and Santa Fe simply because they offered beautiful scenery, wonderful food, and the chance to spend time together.

More recently, I’ve had the privilege of leading yoga retreats with groups of incredible people. One of my favorite memories is standing at DFW Airport before our flight to San Miguel de Allende, snapping a quick selfie before we boarded. At the time it was just another travel photo. Looking back now, I see so much more.

Within a few days we would share meals around a beautiful table at Casa Armonía. We’d wander colorful streets, practice yoga together, laugh until our cheeks hurt, and have conversations that simply wouldn’t have happened in the middle of our busy lives back home.

When I think about that trip now, I don’t first remember the itinerary.

I remember the people.

I remember dinners that lingered long after the plates had been cleared.

I remember a rooftop dj playing music that had us all moving and having fun. We stood in the rain taking pictures afterwards.

I remember a night with no electricity and buckets. IYKYK 😂

I remember the stories we shared, the laughter that echoed across the table, and the friendships that grew stronger with every passing day.

I also remember the people we met along the way.

The locals who welcomed us into their city. The guides who shared its history. The chef’s who dazzled us with the fresh flavors of their culture. The drivers, house staff, and countless others whose kindness quietly became part of our experience.

Travel has a beautiful way of reminding us how connected we really are.

It invites us to slow down.

To become curious.

To ask questions.

To listen.

To discover not only a new place, but the people who call it home.

And perhaps, in the process, we discover something about ourselves as well.

That is why Amy and I created Sacred Wanderer Retreats.

Yes, we want to visit beautiful places.

But even more than that, we want to create the kind of experiences where strangers become friends, conversations become memories, and a shared meal becomes one of the moments you carry with you long after you’ve unpacked your suitcase.

The destination is important.

But it’s never the whole story.

The real journey happens in the connections we make along the way.

Thank you for joining us here at The Wanderer’s Journal.

We hope these stories inspire you to explore a little farther, linger a little longer, and perhaps discover that the best part of any journey isn’t where you went…

It’s who you shared it with.

See you down the road, Iris