Pausing in the Great In-Between: An Autumn Equinox Retreat to Renew & Reconnect

This autumn equinox yoga retreat at the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, is a weekend for slowing down at a threshold in the year. Led by restorative yoga teacher Jillian Pransky, it brings together mindful slow flow, restorative yoga, meditation and reflection, all held in the changing season. It is open to everyone, from people new to yoga to long-time practitioners who want a quieter, more attentive pace.

The theme is the in-between: the equinox as a meeting point of light and dark, fullness and release. The weekend invites you to pause, recalibrate, and trust what is ending and what is ready to emerge. The aim is to go home rested, rooted and more connected to yourself, with greater resilience.

What to Expect

The retreat runs from Friday evening to Sunday midday. It opens on Friday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., after check-in earlier in the evening. Saturday has two sessions, 9:00 a.m. to noon and 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., with meals and community time between them. The final session runs on Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and check-out is at 1:00 p.m. The faculty may adjust the schedule.

Across the weekend you move between several kinds of practice:

- Mindful slow flow yoga and somatic movement, to feel grounded, open and present
- Restorative yoga, to release tension, regulate the nervous system and replenish
- Meditation, to center the mind and reconnect with the heart
- Reflection and journaling, to take in the wisdom of the seasonal shift
- Mindful walking meditations outdoors in nature

The group is small and the pace unhurried. One past participant described how Jillian weaves the yoga classes together with deeper lessons for life, all connected to nature, and how that helped her slow down and take things in more deeply.

About Jillian Pransky

Jillian Pransky is a mindfulness teacher, author and certified yoga therapist, and a restorative yoga teacher known for her focus on the pause. She wrote The Power of the Pause and is a global presenter. She is also the co-author, with Jessica Wolf, of Deep Listening: A Healing Practice to Calm Your Body, Clear Your Mind, and Open Your Heart. Her teaching here draws on a line from Viktor Frankl: between stimulus and response there is a space, and in that space lies our power to choose.

The Setting

The retreat takes place on the Omega Institute campus in Rhinebeck, in New York's Hudson Valley. Participants can stay on campus or commute. Lodging ranges from cabin rooms with private or shared baths, to a dorm single, to tent cabins and camping. Cabin rooms have heat, air-conditioning and linens, while tent cabins have no heat or air-conditioning. Camping is by pre-assigned site, with limited availability, and stoves, campfires and recreational vehicles are not allowed. Accessible rooms can be arranged through the registration team.

Meals are included for both on-campus guests and commuters. So are use of the campus facilities, recreation, walking trails, optional additional classes and parking.

Before You Go

All levels are welcome, and no yoga experience is needed. The emphasis on restorative practice, mindful pacing and somatic awareness keeps the weekend accessible to beginners while offering depth to experienced students. The retreat is taught in English.

Bring a journal. If you like, bring a small altar item for your mat area, such as a photo, stone, crystal or piece of art. Because the weekend includes walking meditations, come prepared for time outdoors. Dorm and tent cabin guests should bring their own sheets and towels, and tent cabin guests may bring a sleeping bag or rent bedding from Omega. Accommodation is booked separately from the workshop, and the preparatory book is not included.

Jillian recommends reading Deep Listening before the retreat.