Bliss Body
BREATH, BANDHA & BEING
June 4 - 7, 2026
Crestone Mountain Zen Center, CO
Bliss Body is a four-day immersion into the subtle architecture of breath, bandha, and being. Rooted in classical yoga and held within the vast monastic quiet of Crestone Mountain Zen Center, this retreat offers a return to the inner body—its luminosity, its currents of prana, and the quiet intelligence beneath thought.
The Practice Field will hold us through morning noble silence, Zen meditation styles, Yin and Yang Yoga, Pranayam, somatic inquiry, and energetic anatomy methodologies. Breath is the bridge; Bandha becomes inner alignment; Being becomes our unconditioned ground. Practices are designed to regulate the nervous system, unwind deeply held patterns, and open the inner pathways where ease and clarity naturally arise.
Bandha work in yoga is intelligent load-sharing: how Prana is received, dispersed, and enlivened through the pelvic floor, psoas streams, diaphragm, deep abdominal wall, and the throat. These internal seals are gateways to deeper yoga practice, using precise alignment and meditative focus to lift organs, balance the spine, and create powerful upward movement, contrasting with the downward pull of gravity. From this grounded architecture, spaciousness emerges naturally.
This retreat is not about pursuing bliss; it is about creating the conditions for bliss to reveal itself.
This is a space for practitioners craving refinement, evolution, and a felt sense of the sacred inside ordinary life.
“so immeasurable was the depth of this experience... it’s hard to find words.”
What We Explore
• Energetic anatomy of the bandhas & related regions: diaphragm, psoas, pelvic floor, abdominal wall & throat chakra
• Pranayama for steadiness, vitality, and subtle-body perception
• Yin postures to unwind the fascia and spacious awareness
• Meditation instruction from Buddhist and yogic lineages
• Somatic inquiry, inner listening, and yogic psychology
• Gentle flow to warm and circulate Prana
• Evening rituals for integration and rest
• Silent time for contemplation on the Zen grounds
This Retreat is for…
• Practitioners craving a deeper, more subtle inner practice
• Yoga teachers seeking refinement in breath, bandha, and energetic anatomy
• Students who want to feel their practice rather than perform it
• Anyone navigating transition, seeking steadiness or renewal
• Those longing for retreat time rooted in stillness and somatic wisdom
Crestone Mountain Zen Center is located on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado. Nestled against rugged 14,000-foot peaks and surrounded by 240 acres piñon pine and juniper forest, the beauty and seclusion of our Center is a unique environment for contemplation and inquiry.
Residing in guest houses, cabins, or huts, we will be practicing in the traditional zen mediation halls, private tea houses, and world renowned interfaith Practice Dome.
Location & Accommodations
You will need to plan your own transportation to and from CMZC.
By car… Crestone is approximately a 4 hour drive from the Boulder/Denver area. We can support you in organizing a carpool with other participants if you are interested!
By plane… San Luis Valley Regional (ALS) is the nearest airport. Taxi service is available from ALS. Denver International Airport (DEN) is a 4-hour drive, or an 8-hour bus ride to Moffat, CO. CMZC can generally provide shuttle service to/from Moffat.
Getting to Crestone Mountain Zen Center
Dining
The kitchen is the heart of Crestone Mountain Zen Center. Three delicious vegetarian meals are provided per day — prepared fresh and served family style —from fresh ingredients, home made by the Zen monks known for their fresh garden and creative cooking, expressing their commitment to care and nourishment.
The mealtime rhythm at CMZC is based in the Zen tradition known as “oryoki,” which refers to the ritual like a Japanese tea ceremony, a gestural enactment of a set of principles that include simplicity, attention to detail, interdependence, generosity, and utmost respect for each person, ingredient, and utensils.
Schedule
*Please note the schedule may be slightly refined upon arrival.
June 4
3:00-4:30pm — Check In
5:00pm — ARRIVAL CIRCLE: The 3 Wisdom Realms
6:00pm — Dinner
8:15 Zazen
June 5
Mornings in Noble Silence
8:30am — Breakfast
9:30am -12:00pm — SESSION I: Arriving & Centering, Shamatha Meditation, Bandha Biomechanics & Yang Yoga Practice
12:00pm — Lunch
3:00pm-5:00pm — SESSION II: Mula Bandha & Earth Chi Pumps in Yin Practice
6pm — Dinner
June 6
Mornings in Noble Silence
8:30am — Breakfast
9:30am -12:00pm — SESSION III: Arriving & Centering, Hara & Lines of Energy, Yang Yoga Flow
12:00pm — Lunch
3:00pm-5:00pm — SESSION IV: Shunyata, an afternoon exploring the spacious heartmind
6pm — Dinner
June 6
Mornings in Noble Silence
8:30am — Breakfast
9:30am -11:00pm — CLOSING SESSION: Inner Smile, Sukha/Dukkha
12:00pm — Farewell
Optional:
Monastery Practice
Morning rhythm
4:30 Wake-up Bell
4:45 Han
5:00 Zazen
Evening rhythm
8:00 Han
8:15 Zazen
Han: In Zen monasteries, a wooden board that is struck with a mallet to summon monastics to the zendo or other practice hall, as well as serving as a time-keeping signal during the monastic day.
Zazen: Seated still meditation. Unlike meditation done in some other spiritual traditions, zazen usually does not involve concentrating one’s mind on a subject, nor is the aim to blank out one’s mind completely. Rather, being aware of one’s breath is recommended. Most zen teachers maintain that zazen is essential to practicing zen.
Tuition & Registration
Private Cabin — $2,749 ONE CABIN LEFT
Private Cabin (Shared Bathroom) - $2,450 SOLD OUT
Private Room (Private Bathroom) - $2,450 SOLD OUT
Private Room (Shared Bathroom) — $2450 $1,995
Shared Room (Shared Bathroom) — $1749 $1,495
Shared Yurt — $1399 $1,195
Camping — $1080 $895
PRICE IS PER PERSON: INCLUDES TUITION, 3 MEALS PER DAY & ACCOMMODATIONS
You may reserve your spot below by submitting your tuition in full or with a $500 deposit. Please review our enrollment policies here.
