Journal Entry – Mount Shasta Retreat
A Return To The Mountain
July, 30, 2025
Last week, I had the absolute honor of co-hosting a women’s retreat in one of my favorite places on Earth—Mount Shasta, California. It’s a place I’ve returned to many times over the years, and each visit leaves me feeling grounded, at peace, and deeply connected to something greater.
This year’s retreat took place in a secluded mountaintop cabin nestled between sweeping views of Mount Shasta and Black Butte on one
side, and Mount Eddy on the other. Each morning greeted us with breathtaking sunrises. Our days were filled with creativity and adventure. Evenings brought dramatic thunderstorms, rainbow skies, and big, beautiful raindrops. At night, we laid under a canopy of stars in awe.
Mount Shasta holds a unique magic. It’s home to some of the cleanest, most sacred water I’ve ever experienced. The headwaters of the Sacramento River begin here, bubbling up straight from the earth. You can actually fill your bottle right from the spring—thank you, Mama Earth! And did you know… it takes around 50 years for the snowmelt from the summit to filter through the mountain and emerge at the headwaters? Just imagine the journey of each drop. That’s something to honor and respect.
I brought my healing table and singing bowls along for the journey, and it felt so good to have them set up outside, surrounded by all that natural energy. When I wasn’t using them with retreat participants, I left them out to charge under the powerful presence of Mount Shasta. I came home feeling like they—and I—absorbed some extra magic.
Our week was filled to the brim with joy, creativity, and connection. Mornings of gentle movement and journaling. Days of art-making, forest walks, and waterfall drips. Evenings spent around the fire, under stars, in sound baths and drumming circles. There were wildflower meadows, crystal-clear lake water, laughter, tears, transformation, and so much art! Always more art.
But what truly made this retreat special was the transformation I witnessed. From the beginning, our
intention was clear: to come to the mountain with open hearts, to release what no longer serves, and to step into something new. And wow—did I see that happen. So much healing. So much growth. So much courage in the face of fear.
It was an honor to hold space for this journey and to introduce others to the sacredness of this land. Throughout our time there, we walked gently, spoke softly (or not at all), and moved with reverence—for the land, for its deep ancestral roots, and for those who have protected it for thousands of years. Mount Shasta reminds you: nature is so much bigger than us. And yet, somehow, it welcomes us in.
Life is good. I am grateful.
A’ho — Karen
