Breema Bodywork and Self-Care Weekend in Santa Cruz

The weekend starts on Friday evening with an open house from 6:30pm, where you can try mini Breema bodywork sessions, followed by a class from 7:00 to 8:30pm. Saturday and Sunday each have two workshops: 9:30am to 12:30pm and 2:00 to 5:00pm. Each class presents new material, so you can attend all four or pick the ones that fit your schedule. Pre-registration is recommended.

Breema bodywork is done fully clothed on a padded floor mat. You learn a sequence of movements that use your body weight and breath to create a gentle, rhythmic stretch. The emphasis is on mutual support and no judgment, so you work with different partners throughout the weekend. Alongside the bodywork, you practise Self-Breema exercises, which are solo movements you can do at home, and study the Nine Principles of Harmony — concepts like body-mind connection and no extra. The aim is to give you tools to handle stress and feel more grounded.

The retreat is at Hummingbird Valley Retreat Center, a property in the Santa Cruz mountains about 30 miles from San Jose Mineta International Airport. The venue has a pool, hot tub, bathhouse with sauna, and a shared kitchen in the Guest House. Camping and vintage trailer spots are a short hike from the main buildings, or staff can ferry you. The area is quiet and wooded, with hiking nearby.

What sets this weekend apart is the teaching team. Alexandra Johnson is a medical doctor who integrates Breema into her clinical practice in Oakland and Santa Cruz, focusing on perimenopause, gut health, chronic fatigue and burnout. Jon Schreiber has been teaching Breema since 1980 and has written books on its principles. Between them they bring both clinical and long-standing teaching experience. The small group size — the workshops are capped by the accommodation — means you get personal attention.

Meals are not included, so you need to plan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The shared kitchen is available if you are staying in the Guest House or Clinic, but if you are camping or in a trailer you will need to hike to it or bring your own food. Santa Cruz has plenty of restaurants and grocery stores a short drive away. The retreat centre provides free snacks, water, tea and refreshments during the day.

What's included

- 3-day Breema bodywork retreat (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) - Four workshops (Saturday and Sunday, two per day) - Friday evening open house with mini Breema sessions - Daily Breema bodywork classes - Daily meditations - Free snacks, water, tea and refreshments - Access to pool, hot tub, bathhouse and sauna - Access to shared kitchen in the Guest House - Accommodation as per package (private room, shared trailer, or camping)

What's not included

- Meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) - Travel to and from the retreat - Airport transfers - Personal expenses - Optional upgrades and extras