Learn time-tested practices that actually work when your body holds tension, or your mind won’t quiet.
Emerge with practical strategies for maintaining greater peace in daily life.
Immerse yourself in the serene campus of Omega Institute, the nation’s leading center for holistic studies.
Led by Lea Bender, an experienced trauma-informed yoga teacher.
Lea offers simple yet powerful tools from yoga to reclaim your sense of safety, calm, and inner strength.
Yoga with Lea has changed my world. Every single class is a joyful experience. Lea is not only a highly knowledgeable and experienced instructor, she also has a warm and kind personality that shines through and lights up the room. –Svetlana S.
Is this for me?
- If you are seeking support navigating stress, trauma, and life’s challenges with more resilience and peace, Beyond Survival Mode is designed for you.
- This workshop also offers tools for caregivers and those working with traumatized individuals.
- All backgrounds, bodies and experience levels are welcome, including those completely new to yoga.
- The weekend will be deeply restorative, supportive and nourishing, both mentally and physically.
Why Yoga?
Because trauma doesn’t just live in our memories—it settles into our muscles, disrupts our breathing, and keeps our nervous system on high alert.
The Yoga tradition offers
- Pranayama: breathwork techniques that can calm anxiety within minutes
- Asana: simple movement patterns that release stored tension and restore energy
- Yoga Nidra: profound restorative rest through guided relaxation
- The Yoga Sutras of Sri Patanjali: teachings for mental clarity and peaceful relationships
This Retreat Includes
- 10 workshop hours
- Delicious farm-to-table meals provided by Omega
- Daily open classes and evening programming on campus including Qigong on the beach, intermediate and beginner Yoga classes, guided meditation and evening performances.
- Access to Omega’s 250-acre campus including nature trails, boating on the lake, extensive gardens, the Ram Dass library, the Omega cafe and shop, the meditation sanctuary, The Center for Sustainable Living, and other serene spots on campus.
More About Lea
Lea Bender, E-RYT-500, combines over three decades of yoga practice with intensive study of philosophy, anatomy and therapeutic techniques to offer students a fully integrated experience. Lea received her 200-hour RYT certification from Jaya Yoga Center and her 300-hour Advanced RYT certification from Abhaya Yoga, both in Brooklyn, NY. In 2018, Lea transitioned to teaching yoga full-time. Lea believes that yoga offers a path to physical and mental wellbeing for every age, body and ability and can be taught to anyone, anywhere. Her classes are experienced as moving meditations, where the student is able to both embody and witness their physical experience as it happens. Outside of yoga studios, Lea has taught in many diverse settings, from Rikers Island to Omega Institute. Lea works with MovingPotential.org to bring yoga into jails and drug rehabilitation centers.
More About This Workshop
More About Omega
As a nonprofit organization, Omega Institute offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 250 acres in New York’s beautiful Hudson Valley, and listed as one of 1,000 Places to See in the USA & Canada Before You Die, Omega is considered a premiere travel destination for workshops, conferences, retreats and professional training. Omega’s renowned faculty and presenters have included Gloria Steinem, Eckhart Tolle, Pema Chödrön, Jane Fonda, Bobby McFerrin, Maya Angelou, and many other creative, talented teachers and thought leaders.
WHO COMES TO OMEGA? Omega has seen more than one million people come through its doors to grow, learn, and find a greater sense of purpose. Annually, more than 23,000 people attend Omega’s 350+ programs in-person, and the organization reaches approximately 2 million people online.
WHAT DO PEOPLE DO AT OMEGA? Most people come to take workshops and professional training in an array of subjects, with some of the nation’s leading teachers. Others opt to take part in a Rest & Rejuvenation Retreat, allowing maximum flexibility to enjoy all the campus has to offer, including a wide range of services that benefit well-being at Omega’s Wellness Center. Omega’s campus grounds include a lake, woodland trails, tennis courts, basketball courts, and gardens. Farm-to-table meals, use of amenities, and optional classes in yoga, tai chi, meditation, and movement are offered daily and included in the stay
Accommodation Options
Omega offers private, and shared accommodations surrounded by the Hudson Valley’s natural beauty. Click here for an overview of lodging options.
Optional Holistic Add-Ons
The Omega Wellness Center is a peaceful haven offering a variety of holistic spa treatments on site. The best time to reserve your treatments will be on Friday before we begin, or after the retreat ends on Sunday. We recommend you book your treatments in advance. Click here for a list of treatments and more information
