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The Art of Devotion
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Return to the Waters
~ The Art of Devotion ~ Return to the Waters
7 Day Bhakti Yoga & Wellness Retreat
Wednesday May 12th, 2027– Wednesday May 19th, 2027
The Retreat
Give yourself the nourishing gift of revolutionary self-care in a water sanctuary. Waters of Ionie Waterfall Sanctuary is in the lush jungle on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. Every bedroom sits close to a flowing river with a large swimming pool and waterfall— you can see and hear the healing sounds of this flowing river where ever you may be.
The river is a central feature of this retreat, with a beach, cave and rocks to jump off and many pools to float and swim and more. Naturally, this retreat is about communing with the water element: releasing what no longer serves you and calling in your deepest dreams, authentic expression and prayers for yourself, your life, loved ones and more. Over seven days, the food, the land, the yoga and the one-on-one healing sessions are all designed to take you deep. The healing happens individually, as a group and through a close connection with the water all week.
This retreat also includes an optional ceremony weekend experience, guided by Malka for those who wish to go deeper after the whole body, mind and spirit preparation week the 7 day yoga & wellness retreat provides. The group will be intimate and limited to seven people and participants will surely have a deeper relationship with the flowing waters by the end of the retreat. The sacred ceremony is a powerful opportunity to let go with the aid of the waters. The dates for the ceremony retreat are Friday May 21st to Monday May 24, 2027, which gives a transition day between the Yoga Retreat and this portion for those who wish to stay/join.
Upon registering, you will receive an intake form to prepare for a personal phone call with Dr Jessica Renfer to discuss your health needs as she can recommend supplements and practices pre retreat. All aspects of the retreat from food to environment to yoga practices to one on one healing practices are all designed to go deep into healing and transformative work that will be experienced individually, collectively as well as through an intimate connection with the Water element all week.
Spots are limited to 7 people so be sure to snag your spot ASAP.
What’s Included
Daily Bhakti Yoga Guided Practice A seven-day deep dive into Bhakti yoga, pranayama and meditation practice.
Daily Body/Energy Work Group and Individual sessions with Dr. Jessica Renfer and Malka. Fusion of Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, Reiki and Massage. Each person gets at least 2 private sessions throughout the week with both of us, ie 4 private bodywork sessions total.
Daily Group Therapy This includes 1) Group Sound Healing Acupuncture Session 2) Botanical River Spa with Scrubs/Masks/Self Care magic and 3) Floating Sound Bath.
Self Care Therapeutic Tools Castor Oil Packs, Therasage Infrared Sauna, Red Light Device and other self care tools available for use.
Cleansing Farm-to-table Nutrition Designed with Ayurvedic principles with a Hawaiian twist, cleansing and nourishing, with fresh elixirs, fresh pressed juice, cleansing/healing dishes, teas and more.
Daily Contemplation Time free time to rest, swim and explore.
Naturopathic Medicine/Cleansing Herbs & Supplements Homeopathic Drainage protocol and cleansing supplements/botanical formulations to enhance health optimization therapeutic goals. Some of the tinctures are made from herbs grown on the property, with the goal that you receive medicine from the place in many ways.
Nature Arts/Intentional Crafts/Projects to enrich open time.
A Guided Excursion to Waipiʻo Valley or to the Volcano National Park depending on weather and group preference.
A pre-retreat consultation with Dr. Renfer, with recommendations on how to prepare best to get the most out of the experience.
Optional Add On: Ceremony Weekend Friday May 21 through Sunday evening/Monday Morning.
Your Guides: Malka Lew
Priestess of Ifá (Yoruba tradition) · Ceremonialist · Yoga Teacher · Massage Therapist · Reiki Master · Sound Healer
Malka has taught yoga for 20 years. She trained in the Bhakti tradition and keeps a daily practice of chanting, meditation, asana and pranayama. As a priestess and psychic medium, she uses the tools of her tradition to channel ancestors and pass on messages from people’s guides. As a Reiki Master, she holds space to heal trauma, rebalance the chakras and support spiritual cleansing.
Malka holds a master’s degree in somatic psychology. She explores how wounds show up as patterns in the body, and she sees the body as a tool for liberation: once the body heals, the spirit can dance. She believes in revolutionary rest and in restoring matriarchal ways of living through softness, vulnerability, community and co-creation. She has a long devotional relationship with the river and is excited to show you how to be in sacred relationship with water.
Your Host & Guide: Dr. Jessica Renfer
Dr. Jessica Renfer is the resident naturopathic doctor at Waters of Ionie Waterfall Sanctuary. She began practicing yoga and meditation at 18, which started a lifelong exploration of mindfulness, the nervous system and the meeting of science and spirit. For more than a decade she has supported people privately and in groups. Her approach weaves naturopathic medicine with craniosacral therapy, acupuncture, handcrafted botanical tinctures, medical intuition and sound healing.
She has hosted transformational retreats in Hawaiʻi, Asheville and the Caribbean, and she served as Medical Director of the Terrain Modification Retreat on Hawaiʻi Island. She lives along a jungle river on the Hāmākua Coast, where she offers healing retreats, river spa experiences and bodywork. She considers the land and water her greatest teacher.
During the retreat, Jessica leads the spa and body sessions and cooks the food-as-medicine meals. Her hope is simple: that you leave feeling held, restored and reconnected to your own inner wisdom.
Your Host & Guide: Antoine Debarge
Antoine is a builder and artist with a background in music/film, sailing and diving, adventure and survival skills. He is the owner of Waters of Ionie Sanctuary, and designed and built all the cabins and structures on the property. During the retreat he will be preparing the farm-to-table meals alongside Jessica, provides safety/land support, leads the nature art program and guides the excursion to Waipiʻo Valley or the Volcano National Park. He also will perform during the sound healing/musical aspects of the retreat.
His relationship with the river and land was the start of a beautiful journey of healing and inspiration shared amongst his family, local community and visiting retreat guests.
Rooms & Pricing
Pricing includes lodging, meals, transport to and from airport and excursion, and all retreat programming. You will see single and shared rates, as well as rates for the Yoga Retreat on its own and the Yoga Retreat and Ceremony Package.
River Cabin (Full bed, Short walk to Covered Outdoor Bathroom/Shower)
Single: Room to yourself: $3,000, with Ceremony Weekend: $4,800
Shared: Two people in one bed: $4,000 ($2,000 each) with Ceremony Weekend: $6,900 ($3,450 each)
Main House Bedroom (Queen bed, adjacent to Full Bathroom with Outdoor Shower)
Single: Room to yourself: $3,000, with Ceremony Weekend: $4,800
Shared: Two people in one bed: $4,000 ($2,000 each) ·with Ceremony Weekend: $6,900 ($3,450 each)
Middle Cabin (full bed + twin bed, short walk to the bathroom, great for friends traveling together)
Single, Room to yourself: $3,000, with Ceremony Weekend: $4,800
Shared, Two people with separate beds: $4,000 ($2,000 each) · with Ceremony Weekend: $6,900 ($3,450 each)
Twin Bed (main house, our most affordable option)
Single: $1,750, with Ceremony Weekend: $3,100
Ceremony Weekend Add-On
Retreat guests receive first priority.
Extend your stay through Monday morning. Wednesday afternoon/evening and Thursday are open days to rest, integrate and explore, with leftovers available Thursday if you'd like to stay in. Meals begin again Friday afternoon. Ceremony Night One is Friday May 21st, followed by a day of integration and nourishment. Saturday the 22nd is Ceremony Night Two, and a flower bath and river blessing on Sunday, May 23rd. Check-out is Monday morning, May 24th
How Booking Works
Fill out the Retreat Interest Form Below
A $500 deposit/room holds your spot and room choice.
The balance is due by arrival on Wednesday, May 12. Payment plans are available.
Pay by Venmo, Zelle, Cash (upon arrival) with no fee, or by card with a 3% processing fee via Square.
Hawaiʻi general excise tax (4.5%) is included in the price, the rate you see has no additional fees.
Getting Here
Ideally you will fly into Hilo (ITO), which is 30 minutes from the airport to the retreat. Flights can sometimes be better into Kona (KOA), which is 1.5 hours away, so we can likely arrange airport pick up for an extra fee, especially if guests are arriving on similar flights. The retreat ends with check-out at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, May 19th, however we can arrange an additional night stay if early Thursday morning departure works best. Guests joining the Ceremony Weekend stay on through Monday morning. We recommend guests share a rental car and we can help arrange sharing one for those who may be interested.
Retreat Interest Sign Up Form
Please fill out the form below and we will proceed with the sign up process. We will send over a request for the deposit depending on payment method preference. We will also get you scheduled for the Pre-Retreat Consultation with Dr. Renfer for some time in the 2-3 months prior to the retreat! There is an option below this form to also book a complimentary 15 minute retreat interest call if you would like to chat before booking.