Face Yourself: Four Days of Practice near Tulum

The combination of a small group, daily practice and time for reflection gives this stay its focus. A clearly described four-day journey offers a way to explore familiar patterns without promising that a short retreat will change everything.

Step out of your usual routine and spend four days with the community at The Essence, on the jungle edge outside Tulum. This small retreat brings together meditation, movement and inquiry, with Chi Om guiding the work and time between sessions to rest and reflect. The four-day arc begins with noticing familiar habits, then explores meeting the present moment, seeing possible responses and choosing practical steps to take home. You will stay in a cabaña, eat vegan meals and share the rhythm of a community rather than follow a flexible holiday schedule.

Begin with morning meditation, teaching and movement. Later sessions explore self-awareness, with Qigong, a Chinese movement practice, and an evening gathering also in the daily rhythm. The schedule is approximate, but participation in the retreat sessions is part of the stay. One 30-minute individual session with Chi is included; longer sessions cost extra. No previous meditation or self-work experience is required, and the group is limited to six guests.

For arrival, come between 11:00 and noon and plan to be at the centre by 14:00. Departure is at 10:00 after breakfast, local time. Three nights, vegan and gluten-free meals, salads, juices and the listed practices are included. The 19-hour intermittent fast described by the organiser is optional. Full room prices in USD are 600 for one place in a triple shared cabaña with fans, 900 for a private air-conditioned cabaña for one, or 1,500 total for a private air-conditioned cabaña for two. The booking route shows a 14% deposit. Its deposit is refundable until one day before arrival and additional payments until 30 days before; confirm payment details in your booking. Transfers, flights, insurance, visas, extra individual sessions and transaction or currency fees are extra. Use the exact destination name, The Essence Community & Retreat Center, when arranging transport. The host may request screening and confirms the booking within 48 hours; wait for that confirmation before buying non-refundable travel. Have mobile data available for the journey.

• Chi Om

  Teacher

  Chi Om founded The Essence and lives with its community. He guides meditation, movement and inquiry; this retreat includes a 30-minute individual session with him.

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