Begin Again: New Year's at Haramara with Janet Stone

Begin Again is a seven-night New Year's yoga retreat at Haramara in La Yesca, Nayarit, Mexico, led by Janet Stone. It is a vinyasa flow retreat woven with pranayama, meditation, and chanting, offered to those who want to cross into the new year in a jungle setting, away from screens, with time for rest as well as practice.

The tone is simple and unhurried. Participants commit together to being off-grid, setting devices aside so that attention can return to breath, body, and one another. The gathering makes room for the intensity of the last couple of years and for settling into an intention for the year ahead.

What to Expect

Each day begins with an extended morning practice. Most days also include an afternoon practice before dinner. The practice is vinyasa flow, joined by pranayama, meditation, and chanting, so the days move between active asana and quieter, more inward sessions.

The hours in between are open. You can spend them at the beach or by the pool, rest, wander into town, or take part in optional excursions such as whale watching or a traditional temescal (sweat lodge). The week includes a New Year's Eve celebration with a beach bonfire and local fireworks.

The emphasis throughout is on simplicity, nature, and ease, with community as part of the practice.

About Janet Stone

Janet Stone's studentship began at 17 with the meditation teachings of Prem Rawat, whose reverence for simplicity and for finding joy in the rise and fall of life still shapes her teaching. In 1996 she traveled to India, the birthplace of her grandfather, and committed herself to the path of yoga. She blends her own practice with decades of studentship, and she aspires less to teach than to let the practice emanate from her, with awareness joining movement and breath. Janet is based in Bali and San Francisco and leads immersions, retreats, and workshops.

The Setting

The retreat takes place at Haramara, in the jungle of La Yesca, Nayarit, within reach of the beach. Accommodation ranges from a shared dorm to rooms for four, three, or two guests, and on to private casitas, including a smaller category of casitas named Jade, Lapis, and Turquoise.

Meals are part of the rhythm of the week: three healthy, locally sourced meals a day, prepared by Haramara's chef.

Before You Go

The sessions are taught in English. No required experience level is stated for the vinyasa flow practice, so if you are new to yoga or unsure whether the pace will suit you, it is worth asking the organizers beforehand.

Your room category, the daily morning practice, afternoon practice on most days, three meals a day, and the New Year's Eve bonfire and fireworks are all included. Optional excursions such as whale watching and the temescal are not included, nor is travel to and from the property or personal expenses. Because the week is designed to be off-grid, plan to leave your devices tucked away and arrive ready to be present.