7 Day Personalized Kundalini Yoga & Bodywork Retreat on the Mississippi

The retreat is set in the Thornton House, an 1873 Italianate home that ran as a bed and breakfast for seventeen years and, before that, housed two generations of doctors' practices. It has over 5,000 square feet of living space, a second-floor veranda with Mississippi River views, and sits four blocks from the water. Michelle Gauer, a licensed massage therapist, Master Level Reiki practitioner, certified sound healer, and 200-hour Kundalini yoga teacher, runs it with her partner Curtis Killorn, a professional chef and visionary artist.

A typical day starts with coffee at 7 am, a morning hike to Mount Hosmer Park (weather permitting), an 8 am Kundalini yoga class, and breakfast around 9:30. Lunch is light—often homemade soup with fresh-baked bread and salad—and dinner is at 6 pm. Afternoons are free time or optional classes like Soul Art, meditation, or pranayama. Evenings might bring a sound immersion, ecstatic dance, or the sacred cacao ceremony. A sample schedule on the site runs from arrival day through Tuesday in detail, noting that 'classes and topics will deepen as the heart opens'.

The real structure is built around your intention. Before you arrive, you decide what you want to work on—a phrase or mantra aimed at the self, like 'I want more peace and happiness' or 'I want to heal from my past relationship.' That intention shapes the yoga classes, the nightly programs, and the bodywork. You also pick three 90-minute bodywork sessions from options like a 90-minute massage, a 60-minute massage with facial, a 90-minute chakra balance, or a 90-minute Thai massage. Facials, cupping, and hot stones can be added, and psychic medium readings are available as well.

Location matters here. Lansing, Iowa, sits in the Driftless Area—bluff country that was never flattened by glaciers—right on the Mississippi. The town has under 1,000 people, a variety store, boutiques, and places to eat within walking distance. Effigy Mounds National Monument is half an hour away. The landscape is the backdrop for daily hikes, and the river is visible from the veranda. Check-in is Sunday after 3 pm, check-out Saturday before noon, with optional airport pickup from La Crosse, Wisconsin (LSE) for a fee.

The retreat reviewer recommended it strongly for solo travelers and people in emotional transition. One guest wrote that she came during a divorce and 'released my ex husband'; another said she 'found myself there.' The tone is gentle, spiritual, and accepting. All ages and skill levels are welcome, and participation in every activity is optional.

What's included

- 6 nights accommodation in a private room with private bathroom - 3 daily meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), all homemade - Water, tea, and coffee served throughout the day - 5 daily Kundalini yoga classes, personalized to your intention - Daily meditation classes - Daily pranayama (breathwork) classes - Three 90-minute bodywork sessions (choose from massage, Thai, chakra balance, etc.) - Daily nature hikes at Mount Hosmer Park with stunning river views - Sacred cacao ceremony - Two or more sound immersions - Ecstatic dance class - Complimentary biomat session - Luggage storage - Free Wi-Fi

What's not included

- Flights to La Crosse (LSE) airport - Airport transfers (available for a fee) - Travel insurance - Additional spa services booked on arrival (facials, cupping, hot stones) - Readings with Michelle - Sales tax of $35 on lodging and yoga classes (charged on arrival) - Meals eaten out at local restaurants - Extra nights before or after the retreat (available at 65/night)