Where Fire Meets Ice: Remembering Our First Kinship Retreat

Have you ever dreamed a dream so big it felt scary? When Angie first told me she thought we should host our first Kinship Yoga Retreat in Iceland, I got chills. Iceland was a place I had always longed to go — its striking landscapes and natural beauty are magnetic — but what would it be like to host a retreat there?

From the beginning, we knew we wanted to create an experience that connected people to the land and centered on culture, community, and a shared love of Yoga. No big tour companies or cookie cutter retreat itineraries — we wanted to create an authentic and truly unique experience that mirrored this one in a lifetime adventure. Iceland’s dualistic nature felt like the perfect setting to explore new inner and outer realms. And after all, if we were going to be bold enough to ask others to say yes to the adventure, we had to take the leap too.

There are places in the world that mirror the wild within us. Iceland is one of them.

Land of fire and ice; of contrast and convergence; of thundering waterfalls and whispering glaciers. Where the sun never sets and the moon slumbers all summer, in this mythic place our first Kinship Yoga Retreat came alive.

Getting to Iceland is an adventure in and of itself. We spent a lot of time making sure our retreat participants felt confident packing for our journey and knew exactly where to meet us. After picking up our group from the airport, we gave everyone space to settle in at our home base — a charming retreat center in Selfoss. Our hosts, Magnea and Greg, had lovingly renovated an old schoolhouse and transformed it into a magical oasis surrounded by farmland.

When the Land is Alive it Wakes Something Within You

We aimed to provide a balance of adventure and ease, movement and stillness, excitement and relaxation each day. Our morning ‘Fire’ practices were Brahmana-style Yoga sessions — energizing breathwork, active asanas, and intention setting to ignite the inner flame and prepare for the day ahead. These practices stoked not just warmth in the body, but a sense of inspiration, joy, and possibility.

On our first full day, we drove to Reykjavik and took a guided food tour through the capital city. Gui, our guide, shared the best local eats and even gave us a crash course in Icelandic dating! Throughout the week, we hiked through Thingvellir National Park, visited so many waterfalls we lost count, soaked in a geothermal-heated river, watched puffins and ponies roam, and stood in awe as geysers shot from the earth into the sky.

One of our Icelandic guides, Stefan, showed us the iconic town of Vik and its black sand beaches — and, along the way, wove in ancient Icelandic sagas that connected us even deeper to the history and culture of Iceland.

There is something about the wild untamed nature of Iceland that gave our group permission to be radically present and free.

We danced on hiking trails, sung at the top of our lungs on our roadtrips, cried underneath waterfalls, ran across glaciers, and laughed so hard we turned red. Iceland is so alive that it makes you feel alive too. Each individual on the trip contributed a special energy to the group dynamic and by the end of the trip we felt so connected. We witnessed each other put down the baggage of everyday life to experience a once in a lifetime journey. Together we became more present, appreciative, and content.

A pivotal moment for me was on our excursion to visit Skogafoss. This waterfall was so powerful, raw, and magnetic it cracked something open in me. Standing at the base of the waterfall, a wave of emotion rose up in my chest, tears streamed down my cheeks and mixed with the mist from the falls. I felt the barrier of fear around my heart wash away and in an instant I felt renewed — like a weight I forgot I was carrying was lifted. It was here I learned, sometimes letting go is as simple as surrendering to a waterfall.

How do you know when to go to sleep when the sun never sets?

To balance our days of adventure, our ‘Ice’ practices in the evening helped us relax and ground after our day out. It can be challenging to wind down when the sun never sets, so our Yin and Yoga Nidra practices provided a much needed routine of rest.

When You Say “Yes” Life Does Too

On the last day of the retreat we treated ourselves to a soak at Sky Lagoon. All the uncertainties, fears, and anxieties of saying yes to the adventure were gone. All that was left were big smiles, full hearts, and so many new memories. We were transformed. What remained after the water, the hikes, the vulnerability, was this: Full hearts. Big smiles. A deeper connection to self, to each other, and to the world.

I will never forget the feeling of being held by the land and trusted by my people. As a guide, I was changed by the experience. Looking back, I’m so proud of Angie and I for creating something truly unique — rooted in nature, community, practice, and presence.

This retreat affirmed what Kinship Yoga Retreats is really here to do:

To help people suck the juice out of life — and let it drip down their chin.