Since we opened on June 12, with a tiny two person 200 hour teacher training, Sewall House Yoga Retreat has been able to easily follow protocols to ensure the safety of our guests. Because our location is remote we have the good fortune of a low population, which has been careful as per the State’s requirements. This has resulted in extremely few cases of COVID in the entire Aroostook County. Island Falls, out picturesque setting, offers the beauty of remarkably fresh air amidst forests, lakes and rivers easily accessible from our healing home retreat. The historical home has a history of healing that dates back to Theodore Roosevelt. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
This summer, with smaller than our usual already small retreats, we have had time to make improvements to the home and grounds for those who do venture out our way. So far most guests have driven in, from nearby New Hampshire, Maine locations and Massachusetts. We do have guests expected from New York and as far as Michigan so far, asking that people continue their home quarantine and bring negative covid results with them. When guests arrive they fill out the required CDC forms, sanitizer and plastic gloves are available. We ask that guest bring their own optional masks.
As usual, each of our guests has their own private bedroom, often booking a private bathroom. Because our booking numbers are intentionally being kept low each guest often has their own bathroom. We are also limiting the since of classes. Normally we can handle 12-14 people in our cross-ventilated studio, which almost feels like you are outdoors, This season we are keeping our class size to a minimum of 5 people. We also have an outdoor yoga platform, which only fits about 4 students maximum without social distancing, While ventilated are presumed safer we have not yet done a class there. However, guests are welcome to practice on their own in this outdoor area.
Our well sized sauna and one person jacuzzi also work well for the requirements of this new normal we are currently in. We continue to offer lake experiences like kayaking stand up paddleboard ad simply reading by and enjoying the lake, always a special part of your time with us. We are also making sure to serve meals in a manner that is safe, well distanced at our large dining table to with options for the newly upgraded porch, as well as a backyard picnic table.
If you do decide to fly into Maine, we have been told the direct flights to Bangor are currently curtailed, This makes for a longer journey if you have to make 1 or 2 stops en route,; perhaps checking out flights to Portland will be wiser. We have the wonderful Ajeet returning for the fourth season. This summer she will be with us only for the month of JULY. the yoga festival she offers in her home state will be in September instead of June, so we are grateful for her shorter time here and her wonderful yoga teaching gift of Svaroopa https://svaroopa.org/yoga/ and Kundalini Yoga.
This season we have a new staff person Lindsay Samuels, who came via Ajeet. She has already beatified our flower gardens, created an herb garden and is cooking up a beautiful vegetarian storm, in between offering guests private astrology readings and her strong calm hatha based yoga teaching. We are truly blessed to have Lindsay for the entire season.
We offer the therapeutic self care weekend JULY 18, coming fast! In August we offer the Stand Up Paddleboard from the 10-13 and our annual writing and yoga with Maria Massei Rosato August 28-30.
Our ongoing retreats to fit your schedule will be offered as usual until Columbus day. We still have our 2 wonderful cats on the premise, including the remarkable 12 year old born blind fluffy Lucy, often outdoors roaming and a new pup Mascot, Beau, who hails from Arkansas. If you have been to visit us before you will be happy to know we have a new sign! And if you have not then hopefully you will find us easily because we do have a new sign in our front yard.
Despite the uncertainties for us all during COVID, we continue to meditate daily, do our yoga daily and offer the same to you- suited to your needs. We also will offer our September 200 hour teacher training, details and applications that can be found on our training page. We are truly grateful to be able to offer yoga retreats despite many larger yoga retreats having to be closed. Our classes and numbers have always been small and personalized. Are pride ourselves on authenticity and caring for each and every person who finds Sewall House amidst all the retreats that have popped up since we started in 1997 with a wind, a prayer and a dream to serve others with the tools that help us heal and cope with life.
Our new reservation system makes it easy for you to choose dates, rooms and to book online, Should you have questions, concerns or needs feel free to contact us directly with questions and we will get back to you as soon as we can!
