RETREAT
Oceanic
Remembrance
Somatic freediving
Water dance
The mobula ray migration
Dates
May 29 – June 4, 2027
Location
La Ventana, Baja California Sur, Mexico
The invitation
Remembering our body’s ancient fluency with water, and the oceanic origins we carry within.
Through freediving, water dance, and somatic movement, we return to a softer, more fluid body-mind, settling the nervous system and rewilding our ways of being. Alongside the migrating lives of the sea, we enter their unique sensory worlds — following their orientation, rhythms, and ways of becoming, while remembering the resilience held within our own bodies.
*All levels welcome
The invitation
Remembering our body’s ancient fluency with water, and the oceanic origins we carry within.
Through freediving, water dance, and somatic movement, we return to a softer, more fluid body-mind, settling the nervous system and rewilding our ways of being. Alongside the migrating lives of the sea, we enter their unique sensory worlds — following their orientation, rhythms, and ways of becoming, while remembering the resilience held within our own bodies.
*All levels welcome
Why Baja, why these dates
Where desert meets sea.
We meet at a special threshold, in a special time of year. Every spring, Mobula rays gather in La Ventana, moving through the bay in great winged formations as they journey between worlds.
They are joined by sea lions, whales, dolphins, and on the lucky days, orcas. For a few weeks, the bay becomes a meeting place for residents and nomads.
On land, the desert holds its own rhythm: cardón cacti, dry riverbeds, and long empty beaches.
We arrive with gratitude, entering an ecosystem alive with wisdom and generosity, allowing the place itself to slow us down, soften us, and open our senses.
Why Baja, why these dates
Where desert meets sea.
We meet at a special threshold, in a special time of year. Every spring, Mobula rays gather in La Ventana, moving through the bay in great winged formations as they journey between worlds.
READ MORE +
They are joined by sea lions, whales, dolphins, and on the lucky days, orcas. For a few weeks, the bay becomes a meeting place for residents and nomads.
On land, the desert holds its own rhythm: cardón cacti, dry riverbeds, and long empty beaches.
We arrive with gratitude, entering an ecosystem alive with wisdom and generosity, allowing the place itself to slow us down, soften us, and open our senses.
Interspecies learning
Learning alongside
What if an interspecies encounter doesn’t begin with chasing?
We are redefining what it means to meet ocean wildlife. To make space, rather than chase, is our devotion to the sea — working to steward a new type of ecotourism.
To make space is to invite the encounter within. We weave therapeutic water arts, somatics, marine science, and somatic freediving into time spent deeply in the water — practicing, exploring, and becoming attuned to the place rather than searching for the next sighting.
In this season of abundance, the bay is already full of life. We slow down enough to let encounters unfold, discovering what becomes possible when we stop chasing the moment.
Engine off
Our captain, a former fisherman, takes us away from the other boats and cuts the motor. Then we drift.
No chasing
We slip into the water quietly and keep our distance from the school.
Their call
The rays decide how close they come. Some days that's very close.
Interspecies learning
Learning alongside
What if an interspecies encounter doesn’t begin with chasing?
We are redefining what it means to meet ocean wildlife. To make space, rather than chase, is our devotion to the sea — working to steward a new type of ecotourism.
READ MORE +
To make space is to invite the encounter within. We weave therapeutic water arts, somatics, marine science, and somatic freediving into time spent deeply in the water — practicing, exploring, and becoming attuned to the place rather than searching for the next sighting.
In this season of abundance, the bay is already full of life. We slow down enough to let encounters unfold, discovering what becomes possible when we stop chasing the moment.
Engine off · No chasing · Their call
We cut the motor and drift, slip in quietly, and let the rays decide how close they come.
Four pillars of practice
A weaving field of practice.
01
Water Dance & Aquatic Bodywork
Meditation, intuitive movement and contact improvisation, in shallow and deep water. We follow the spirals found in nature and in our own bodies, waking the amphibious body and its fluid intelligence, and learning to rest within ourselves.
02
Somatic freediving training & ocean safari boat trips
For beginners and experienced divers alike. Breathwork, practical guidance and a somatic approach, with no focus on numbers. Each day we take the boat out to explore different waters and quiet corners of the bay, letting each progression arrive in its own time.
03
Embodied rituals
Ecosomatics in the cactus forest and dry arroyos. Time in silence, dancing on empty beaches, a bonfire at night. These are ways to integrate what the water gives, and to celebrate our creative harvest.
04
Companionship
Sharing and writing circles, slow meals, long talks under desert stars. A small circle meeting in honest conversation, the kind where friendship quietly begins and stays.
Four pillars of practice
A weaving field of practice.
01Water Dance & Aquatic Bodywork+
Meditation, intuitive movement and contact improvisation, in shallow and deep water. We follow the spirals found in nature and in our own bodies, waking the amphibious body and its fluid intelligence, and learning to rest within ourselves.
02Somatic freediving training & ocean safari boat trips+
For beginners and experienced divers alike. Breathwork, practical guidance and a somatic approach, with no focus on numbers. Each day we take the boat out to explore different waters and quiet corners of the bay, letting each progression arrive in its own time.
03Embodied rituals+
Ecosomatics in the cactus forest and dry arroyos. Time in silence, dancing on empty beaches, a bonfire at night. These are ways to integrate what the water gives, and to celebrate our creative harvest.
04Companionship+
Sharing and writing circles, slow meals, long talks under desert stars. A small circle meeting in honest conversation, the kind where friendship quietly begins and stays.
A question to carry
What are your dorsal practices?
What evolutionary repetitions have you cultivated to move through oceans?
What are the ones you need to cultivate for the waves moving you now?
Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Undrowned
A day in the retreat
Days follow the sea.
7:00
Morning somatics & breathwork
7:30
Breakfast
8:00
Water session · freediving, water dance, or a boat day in the rays' waters
12:30
Lunch at a secret spot along the boat route
13:00
Return & rest
16:30
Collective creative decompress · water dance, ecosomatics
19:00
Dinner
About six to seven hours of group practice a day, with plenty of time to rest in between.
Moments from past seasons
Footage & stills
Moments from past seasons
Who this is for
You feel drawn to the ocean.
Not just to visit, but to listen with your whole body and heart. Freediving as a way to remember your place within the living earth and its waters.
You dream of swimming alongside marine life.
Meeting rays, sea lions and dolphins with respect and wonder, not as spectacle but as shared presence.
You want to learn without rushing.
New to freediving or already certified, with experienced guidance and strong safety support, growing at your own pace.
You’re curious about somatics, breath and movement.
As companions to ocean practice, supporting nervous system balance, awareness and embodied confidence.
You value connection and inner space.
Shared meals, boat days, honest conversations, and the quiet courage to meet fear gently when it arises.
Who this is for
You feel drawn to the ocean.+
Not just to visit, but to listen with your whole body and heart. Freediving as a way to remember your place within the living earth and its waters.
You dream of swimming alongside marine life.+
Meeting rays, sea lions and dolphins with respect and wonder, not as spectacle but as shared presence.
You want to learn without rushing.+
New to freediving or already certified, with experienced guidance and strong safety support, growing at your own pace.
You’re curious about somatics, breath and movement.+
As companions to ocean practice, supporting nervous system balance, awareness and embodied confidence.
You value connection and inner space.+
Shared meals, boat days, honest conversations, and the quiet courage to meet fear gently when it arises.
The team
Three facilitators, between Baja and Bali.
Julia
Founder, Soul & Sea Somatics
A Baja-based deep water dancer, freediving instructor and breathwork facilitator with Colombian roots.
Read Julia's story +
Julia is a Baja-based Deep Water Dancer, certified freediving instructor, and breathwork facilitator with Colombian roots.
She guides people into the water with calm clarity and a touch of playfulness, inviting softness, trust in the breath, and ease in movement.
Beyond her ocean projects, she also co-leads expeditions to Mongolia to help bring clean drinking water to rural communities. Her life's work is a form of activism, supporting equal rights for humans, the Earth, and the more-than-human world.
Bethany
Dancer & aquatic bodyworker
A Bali-based dancer and freediver, with roots in artistic swimming and a decade of dance and contemporary art in Indonesia.
Read Bethany's story +
Bethany is a trained dancer, freediver, and aquatic bodyworker based in Bali, Indonesia. With roots in artistic swimming and a decade studying dance and contemporary art in Indonesia, she works at the intersection of collective practice and expressive arts.
She supports residency and retreat projects, and guides individuals in unwinding and reconnecting through womb-like water immersion, somatic movement, and improvisation, cultivating rituals of collective care and co-creative, generative futures.
Jess Hepin
Freediving instructor & artist
A Molchanovs freediving instructor and water, dance and sound artist from Taiwan, based in Bali.
Read Jess's story +
Jess is an experienced freediving instructor and water, dance and sound artist from Taiwan. Her work is rooted in the embodiment of Eastern philosophy and deep ecology.
She co-created several programs within the Subtle Waters project, supporting the emergence of creative expression through shared practice, and ripples of change from personal healing toward a world we hope to inhabit.
She continues to meet depth with tenderness, gently restoring intimacy between the human body, psyche, and the living sea.
The team
Three facilitators, between Baja and Bali.
Julia
Founder, Soul & Sea Somatics
A Baja-based deep water dancer, freediving instructor and breathwork facilitator with Colombian roots.
Read Julia's story +
Julia is a Baja-based Deep Water Dancer, certified freediving instructor, and breathwork facilitator with Colombian roots.
She guides people into the water with calm clarity and a touch of playfulness, inviting softness, trust in the breath, and ease in movement.
Beyond her ocean projects, she also co-leads expeditions to Mongolia to help bring clean drinking water to rural communities. Her life's work is a form of activism, supporting equal rights for humans, the Earth, and the more-than-human world.
Bethany
Dancer & aquatic bodyworker
A Bali-based dancer and freediver, with roots in artistic swimming and a decade of dance and contemporary art in Indonesia.
Read Bethany's story +
Bethany is a trained dancer, freediver, and aquatic bodyworker based in Bali, Indonesia. With roots in artistic swimming and a decade studying dance and contemporary art in Indonesia, she works at the intersection of collective practice and expressive arts.
She supports residency and retreat projects, and guides individuals in unwinding and reconnecting through womb-like water immersion, somatic movement, and improvisation, cultivating rituals of collective care and co-creative, generative futures.
Jess Hepin
Freediving instructor & artist
A Molchanovs freediving instructor and water, dance and sound artist from Taiwan, based in Bali.
Read Jess's story +
Jess is an experienced freediving instructor and water, dance and sound artist from Taiwan. Her work is rooted in the embodiment of Eastern philosophy and deep ecology.
She co-created several programs within the Subtle Waters project, supporting the emergence of creative expression through shared practice, and ripples of change from personal healing toward a world we hope to inhabit.
She continues to meet depth with tenderness, gently restoring intimacy between the human body, psyche, and the living sea.
Pricing
Pricing and accommodation
A boutique seaside resort in La Ventana, held just for our group. Corners to gather, nooks to retreat, open space for yoga and dance, and slow tea by the fire under the stars.
Six nights · Up to 15 people
Private king
$3,500
Private bath, AC, ocean or garden view
Private queen
$3,300
Private bath, AC, ocean or garden view
Shared room
$3,000
Two queen beds, private bath, AC
Nourishment
Fresh, local, and made with love.
Meals are thoughtfully prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan options. Our local kitchen has always been a favourite among past participants, earning some of the retreat’s warmest compliments.
On a couple of evenings, we head out to a few favourite neighbourhood spots from Julia’s pocket list.
Included
- Six nights’ accommodation
- All meals, every day: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- All guided practices and workshops
- Boat rides
- A 1:3 instructor-to-diver ratio during training
- All transportation during the retreat
Not included
- Gear rental. We can help you rent everything, at extra cost
- Flights
- Taxi from the airport to La Ventana
limited spots available
Registration closes April 10th, 2027
Access & support
We keep two scholarship places for people this retreat would really help, who can't cover the full cost right now. If you can pay a bit more, the extra goes toward more places like these.
Write to Bethany at bethany.aaw@gmail.com
Pricing
Pricing and accommodation
A boutique seaside resort in La Ventana, held just for our group. Corners to gather, nooks to retreat, open space for yoga and dance, and slow tea by the fire under the stars.
Six nights · Up to 15 people
Private king
$3,500
Private bath, AC, ocean or garden view
Private queen
$3,300
Private bath, AC, ocean or garden view
Shared room
$3,000
Two queen beds, private bath, AC
Included+
- Six nights’ accommodation
- All meals, every day: breakfast, lunch and dinner
- All guided practices and workshops
- Boat rides
- A 1:3 instructor-to-diver ratio during training
- All transportation during the retreat
Not included+
- Gear rental. We can help you rent everything, at extra cost
- Flights
- Taxi from the airport to La Ventana
Nourishment+
Fresh, local, and made with love.
Meals are thoughtfully prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan options. Our local kitchen has always been a favourite among past participants, earning some of the retreat’s warmest compliments.
On a couple of evenings, we head out to a few favourite neighbourhood spots from Julia’s pocket list.
Access & support+
We keep two scholarship places for people this retreat would really help, who can't cover the full cost right now. If you can pay a bit more, the extra goes toward more places like these.
Write to Bethany at bethany.aaw@gmail.com
Limited spots · Registration closes April 10th, 2027
Questions
Do I need prior experience?
No experience is required. Being comfortable swimming is enough. You’ll learn theory, equalization, and breath-hold techniques step by step. Certified divers are welcome to refine their skills and explore new depths.
What if I feel anxious about the ocean?
That’s natural. We approach the water gradually, building trust through breathwork, clear guidance, and supportive group dynamics. Baja’s waters are typically warm and calm, making it an ideal place to learn.
What are the temperatures like?
Air temperatures are usually in the high 80s to low 90s °F. Water temperatures are warm — often in the 80s °F. Expect mostly sunny days, with occasional moderate wind.
Where do I fly into?
Fly into Los Cabos (SJD) — about a 2.5-hour drive — or La Paz (LAP) — about 45 minutes away.
Can you accommodate dietary needs?
Yes. We collect dietary information in advance and provide nourishing options for different eating styles and allergies.
Questions
Do I need prior experience?+
No experience is required. Being comfortable swimming is enough. You’ll learn theory, equalization, and breath-hold techniques step by step. Certified divers are welcome to refine their skills and explore new depths.
What if I feel anxious about the ocean?+
That’s natural. We approach the water gradually, building trust through breathwork, clear guidance, and supportive group dynamics. Baja’s waters are typically warm and calm, making it an ideal place to learn.
What are the temperatures like?+
Air temperatures are usually in the high 80s to low 90s °F. Water temperatures are warm — often in the 80s °F. Expect mostly sunny days, with occasional moderate wind.
Where do I fly into?+
Fly into Los Cabos (SJD) — about a 2.5-hour drive — or La Paz (LAP) — about 45 minutes away.
Can you accommodate dietary needs?+
Yes. We collect dietary information in advance and provide nourishing options for different eating styles and allergies.
