Bring Yourself Into Balance

This summer, the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, NC, is debuting its new Yoga Immersion retreat. Participants will spend 24 hours communing amongst the trees as they unwind and challenge themselves with yoga flows, breathwork sessions, workshops, and more.

The retreat provides an opportunity for participants to slow down and look inside of themselves. Instructor Kirsten Gum knows firsthand the importance of this practice after hitting rock bottom in her own life.

She spent her early adulthood living a dream lifestyle. Kirsten moved to Charlotte in her 20s to be a Fox News anchor; then she covered NASCAR for two seasons; then covered events like Tour de France and world cup ski races; then had her own show on the Travel Channel; then owned a raw vegan cafe; then became a yoga instructor; then started competing in adventure races. She was always looking for the next adrenaline rush, she said, and her sense of worth was tied to her productivity.

She felt like she had it all – until she hit early menopause at 42.

It shattered Kirsten to her core. At first, she tried to double down and exercise more – her entire life, that seemed to be what worked. But this time it didn’t. She realized she had nothing left in the tank.

“I tell clients all the time that there are gifts in this world that don’t come in pretty packages, and I truly believe early menopause was my gift,” she said. “I believe it set me on the path to slowing down, focusing on what’s real, and having gratitude for all the things I’ve been able to experience in this life.”

The great thing about a yoga retreat like Whitewater’s Yoga Immersion is that participants get a chance to “fill their own cup.”

“Ask yourself, when was the last time you invested in your health?” Kirsten said. “When was the last time you took time to really get to know yourself?”

The event kicks off Saturday evening on June 8 with an Energetic Yoga flow. Guests will also participate in a welcome circle, communal dinner, breathwork session, journaling workshop, and optional silent night hike, before finally settling in for the night and sleeping under the stars.

The immersion continues throughout Sunday, June 9 with more flows, meditations, workshops and communal meals. Sessions will encourage participants to cultivate more balance in their lives, get clear on what they want, and develop action steps to become their best versions.

Kirsten has taught yoga all over the world – including Mexico, Peru and Ecuador – and she said Whitewater is one of her favorite places to teach.

“I usually start my classes by asking people to look around and say thank you to the trees,” she said. “We are connected to nature, and I love that you can just look up and get that connection when you’re at The Whitewater Center.”

Visit the Yoga Immersion page to learn more and to register.