THE WILD RETURN -
New York
A Mystical Summer Camp for Yoga Farmers!!
Foothills of the ADK Summer 2027
July 26 - August 1, 2027
at Vanderkamp Retreat Center
For Graduates. For Initiates.
For Those Who Remember.
You’ve done the trainings.
You’ve held the circles.
You’ve guided the breath.
You’ve walked through fire.
Now we come back to the forest.
The Wild Return is a summer gathering for Yoga Farm alumni, students and community members. This is a reunion-meets-ritual-meets-summer-camp experience designed to reconnect you to your practice, your peers, and your wild self.
This is not an intensive.
This is a return.
Reconnect with WILDerness and the wisdom of the earth. We will explore the symbology of the season and how to utilize them to add intention and depth in our rituals.
WHY WE GATHER
Over the years, hundreds of practitioners have passed through the field and sat around the fire with Yoga Farm.
You’ve changed.
We’ve changed.
The world has changed.
And yet something remains.
This gathering is an opportunity to:
Reunite across cohorts and programs
Reconnect to land-based practice
Play inside your leadership
Rest from holding space
Deepen friendships
Remember why you began
In unstable times, community is medicine.
THE SETTING
We gather in the foothills of the ADK surrounded by pine forests, open sky, glacial lakes, and mountain air.
This is camp energy, elevated.
• Lakeside practices
• Canoes and cold plunges
• Bonfires under starlight
• Mossy forest trails
• Hammocks and herbal tea
• Cabins filled with laughter
The land will hold us.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This is for you if:
• You miss the field.
• You miss being in circle without being responsible for it.
• You want community without performance.
• You want ritual without pressure.
• You want to play with your power, not prove it.
This is for those who have walked the path and want to return to the well and gather more nourishment.
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
This gathering is exclusively for:
• 200hr & 300hr YTT & QiGong Graduates
• Cauldron Keepers
• Archetype Coaching Alumni
• Yoga Farm Facilitators & Teachers & Collaborators
There are moments in life when you realize:
You need to power down and disconnect from hustle.
You need reconnection with source.
The Wild Return is that moment.
Come back to the lake.
Come back to the fire.
Come back to each other.
ARE YOU COMING BACK TO THE FOREST?
WHAT WE’LL EXPERIENCE
Each day we weave structure and spontaneity.
Morning Practice, Kundalini, QiGong, somatics, breathwork, and meditation as the mist rises off the land and water.
Choose-Your-Own Mystical Track
Daily rotating workshops such as:
• Crafting
• Archetype embodiment labs
• Tarot + intuitive play circles
• Forest-based curiosity + sensory rituals
Afternoon Free Flow
Swim. Canoe. Nap. Journal. Wander.
No overscheduling. No productivity metrics.
Evening Bonfire Rituals:
• Storytelling
• Alumni reflection panels
• Fire initiation ceremony
This is depth without heaviness.
Structure without rigidity.
The Summer camp of our childhood dreams.
SHADOW & PLAY
Because we know you can hold it.
We’ll explore:
• The archetype you’ve outgrown
• The spiritual identity you’re ready to release
• The projection patterns we carry in community
• The tension between old stories and belonging
All held with humor.
All held with consent.
All held with nervous-system awareness.
CAMP MAGIC
Expect:
• Secret forest altars
• Oracle stations
• Crown crafting
• Friendship ritual cords
• Woods Wandering
Letters home to your future self
You may laugh more than you expect.
You may cry once or twice.
You will remember something important.
DATES:
6 nights
July 26 - August 1, 2027
6 nights of unique accommodations in the ADK
3 delicious meals per day
Morning and afternoon workshops and play time
Hot tub, sauna, cold plunge, and salt room on-site
Evening rituals in tune with the season
Transportation from SYR airport
Early Bird pricing:
All rooms are currently 10% off until July 31st
King Rooms -
from $3600 (shareable for up to 2 people)
Queen Rooms -
from $3000
(all En-Suite, Private Singles)
Shared Rooms -
from $1200
(wide range of options)
Please note - retreat payments are non-refundable.
confirm before purchase that you are able to attend.
Grace manor -
Grace Manor is a haven of tranquility that invites you to slow down and escape the pace of everyday life.
With a wraparound front porch overlooking Lake Vanderkamp, a large back deck with the retreat hot tub, a fire pit offers the perfect setting for gathering, connection and community building.
This house was intentionally crafted for relaxation and rejuvenation, free from modern distractions, allowing you to truly unwind. A large living room with ample seating and an inviting 100-year-old stone fireplace allows you and your fellow participants to gather for empowering conversations. Pop into the cozy 3 season room for a quiet morning read, soak in the large hot tub, listen to the birds from the back deck, or retreat to your private bedroom for a moment of solitude with views of the surrounding wilderness. Each room in Grace Manor offers lots of comforts and conveniences with a private ensuite bathroom and a unique perspective of the grounds, allowing you to connect with the natural world in your own way.
Let the essence of this space become your sanctuary, where time seems to stand still, and the memories created linger long after you leave.
The Grace Lodge has all en-suite rooms with gorgeous communal living space.
The Grace Lodge has all en-suite rooms with gorgeous communal living space.
The Grace Lodge has all en-suite rooms with gorgeous communal living space. This building has a hot tub on the porch.
Frank Soule Lodge
Frank Soule Lodge (FSL) is a place intentionally designed to make you feel at home. Nestled deep within the towering trees and a short walk from the lake shore, this space is cozy and communal.
FSL will be your place to unwind and hang out. There is a place to cozy up around every corner. Sit down with one of your favorite books in the reading chairs near the main entrance, lounge around the stone fireplace with your housemates for sweet conversations, or soak up the sunlight coming into the lake-view sitting room. A spacious kitchen will allow you to bring some of your favorite snacks if you’re inclined and have access to coffee as soon as you wake up in the morning, no need to wait for breakfast. Every detail in the FSL has been carefully curated to allow you to simply show up and be at ease. Just a short walk away is Grace Manor where the shared hot tub is on the porch.
Every room is unique, and this house has a mixture of en-suite and shared bathroom options. Please note - the King with the screened porch, the triple and the single w/ a double bed all share a bathroom. The Queens and the King with the bathtub are all en-suite.
The Frank Soule Lodge has a mix of en-suite and shared bath rooms with gorgeous communal living space. The Kings in this lodge have special additions.
The Frank Soule Lodge has a mix of en-suite and shared bath rooms with gorgeous communal living space. The Kings in this lodge have special additions.
The Frank Soule Lodge has a mix of en-suite and shared bath rooms with gorgeous communal living space. The Kings in this lodge have special additions.
THE BOATHOUSE
Modern, clean, and surprisingly spacious, The Boathouse is the perfect place to reconnect with nature and yourself. Sitting perfectly on the water's edge, every aspect of this experience pulls your consciousness into the natural world around you.
The lower floor of the boathouse houses two beautiful bedrooms with sliding door access to the lake and a shared bathroom. with a shower. To your right as you enter, a staircase to the upper floor finds you immersed in a bright and open living space accented by high-contrast vaulted ceilings as well as the original indoor fireplace and clerestory windows. Off the main living area, two sets of French doors bring you into the sitting room, a place where unmatched panoramic views of the lake will delight you at all hours of the day. Relax out there in the wooden arc hammock or in one of our rocking chairs while you watch the sunset over the water and forest beyond.
This accommodation is available with two bedrooms with a shared bath, making it ideal for 2-3 friends to share.
The Boathouse is a two-bedroom private lodging on the lake with a shared bathroom and a gorgeous communal living space, including a second-story enclosed porch.
The Boathouse is a two-bedroom private lodging on the lake with a shared bathroom and a gorgeous communal living space, including a second-story enclosed porch.
The Boathouse is a two-bedroom private lodging on the lake with a shared bathroom and a gorgeous communal living space, including a second-story enclosed porch.
ABOUT vanderkamp
850 acres of picturesque wilderness
Vanderkamp was founded on the belief that immersing ourselves within the natural world can transform personal growth.
Years ago, the land was home to summer camps and retreats for local youth groups and organizations. In May 2021, Dan Cramer and Troy Evans partnered to purchase the property. Together with Joe Sisko, they have made it their mission to bring life back into the buildings.
Every lodge and gathering place is intentionally designed to help immerse you within the different elements of land. Taking cues from the natural world and the history of the land, they’ve crafted spaces that encourage contemplation, conversation, and curiosity.
Vanderkamp has created this experience to help you celebrate and explore your connections within the natural world. Seclude yourself on a quiet morning with a coffee by the lake, meet new friends in one of our many common space areas, or explore the unique wonders of the VK forest on a hike through our 850 acres of active ecosystems. They are dedicated to cultivating unique, immersive, and supremely hospitable experiences that inspire people to discover the joy of connecting to the natural world.
They are preserving and protecting this land so that it can serve as a sanctuary for human connection.
It is a place to escape and immerse yourself within the ethos of the forest, to reconnect with what is most important, and take a step back from modern life.
Meals
Mealtime will be another chance to connect with your fellow travelers and the land we are on.
Breakfasts will be self-catered in the houses. We will stock the fridges with a delicious assortment of breakfast products, from eggs and toast to oatmeal and berries. Lunch will be simple meals, like soup and sandwiches, or rice bowls. Snacks will be available in the afternoons. Dinners will be served family-style, crafted so that the food we enjoy will enhance the entire retreat experience. Meals will be a mix of poultry, fish, and vegetarian options. Food allergies and sensitivities will be accommodated as well as possible.
Yoga Farm will provide ground transportation from SYR on the first day, and a return to the SYR airport on the final day.
TRANSPORTATION
MEET Your RETREAT HOSTS
JEANNIE O'NEILL
M.ED, E-RYT500, YACEP:
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT Yoga Farm Ithaca (YFI)
Jeannie has a masters degree in education specializing in contemplative pedagogy and transformative curriculum design.
She is a 500E-RYT Vinyasa and Kundalini Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Meditation instructor, a Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider and an Ayurvedic health practitioner.
Jeannie has led thousands of students through Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) programs at the foundational and the Advanced level. She has created countless educational programs and CEUs for educators, as well as creating the ‘Radiant Warrior Yoga Teacher Training’, ‘Kundalini Warrior’ and ‘Spiritual Warrior 300YTT’. She also developed and guided a Kundalini Prenatal YTT and Rebirthing Certification Program.
Jeannie’s take on yoga is that there is a depth and breadth of information that can be experimented in order to find the perfect inner balance and alignment. Her teaching philosophy is based in experiential learning and teaching the path that you have walked.
JESSICA ENGLISH
RETREAT COORDINATOR, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AT YOGA FARM ITHACA
Jessica has spent her life crafting experiences and leading people on adventures.
She is thrilled that in her role at Yoga Farm she gets to continue to explore this passion, working alongside Jeannie to bring Yoga Farm out into the world via retreats.
Jessica’s passion for travel has been well honed over the years, and she has an eye for amazing spaces and unique opportunities, as well as a skill at making a retreat feel seamless and the participants feel welcomed and at home. She takes care of all the details so you can let yourself simply relax and enjoy the ride.
Jessica believes in the transformative power of coming together in community, in a space that is out of your element. She knows that the curriculum created for the retreats YFI holds will leave the participants feeling more centered, whole and aligned.
SabrinA Trapani
STUDENT SERVICES COORDINATOR, EDUCATOR, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Sabrina leads everything she does from the belief that everything you need is within you. Through our practices, we learn and unlearn, we embrace our uniqueness and truly embody the essence of who it is that we are, and how to use our energy to live our dharma | path. Understanding the love and courage that it takes to find one’s way, she is devoted to holding space for others. We feel and fuel our dreams through our presence in practice, learning to trust our intuition, tap into our truth, and lead a fulfilling life of authenticity.
Sabrina has studied with Yoga Farm Ithaca since 2020 through our Radiant Warrior, Kundalini Warrior, Spiritual Warrior, Kundalini Rebirthing, and more! She will assist in morning practices and workshops.
Past camp photo
Student Reviews
The Yoga Farm retreat I went on was a life changing experience. I felt loved, accepted, cared for, and inspired the entire time. For me, it was the culmination of years of practice in self-healing, awareness and growth. It was a time and place which gave me the space to explore that growth in a loving, supportive, safe and BEAUTIFUL environment. It cultivated and inspired the motivation I needed in order to make significant life changes. The lessons I learned there helped to guide me on my path towards chasing my joy and trusting my deepest intuitions. Yoga Farm is a family and community unlike any other. I cannot wait for the next retreat!
Heather G
On my retreat with YFI, everything that I needed to support my journey of healing and growth was available: delicious, nourishing meals, wise and generous teachers and compassionate community. I gained clarity of purpose and am now able to embrace ALL of who I am and the incredible opportunities that await.
Deborah D
What I learned on retreat with Yoga Farm
Chanting is now an act of time travel.
A space I re-enter any time I'm in need.
Where I feel each of you in my bones, in my cells, in my soul.
You inspire laughter and tears and remind me of the full spectrum of this existence.
And I remember all the pieces that make me whole.
The pieces that were reflected back to me, gifted to me.
And I return home.
Symphony H