Offering wisdom and tools centered in the Buddhist tradition, and drawing upon sound healing and creative arts therapies.
Wake up to crisp autumn air, the scent of fallen leaves, and a landscape ablaze with reds, oranges, and golds. In fall, Québec’s rolling hills burst with colour, offering a breathtaking and peaceful setting for deep connection—both inward and outward. Just as the trees let go with ease, this retreat invites you to release, reset, and realign with yourself.
A unique collaboration between Simone Nitzan and Jeff Cupchik, this retreat blends the wisdom of Yoga and Buddhism to support those seeking greater peace and contentment. The falling leaves remind us of impermanence—a fleeting beauty that mirrors our ever-changing nature. Here, we’ll explore how to meet life’s challenges with ease, cultivate self-empathy, and embody compassion in our daily lives.
Through movement, we process and transform. Often, change appears in our bodies before our minds can fully understand it. Together, we’ll explore how shifting physical states can help us move through emotional, mental, and social challenges with greater clarity and presence.
This retreat is about awakening the teacher within—learning to trust our experience, decipher the stories we tell ourselves, and discern reality from perception. By connecting to the compassionate wellspring within, we’ll uncover new ways to soften resistance to change and embrace healing as a natural process.
Drawing on decades of study under Buddhist lineage masters, Jeff will share teachings that begin with the truth of suffering—how it arises in both mind and body, and how our expectations of each moment shape our experience. Together, we’ll explore how awareness, movement, and sound can serve as pathways to greater ease, resilience, and freedom.
Join us for this transformative retreat, where the wisdom of the season guides us toward deeper presence, acceptance, and renewal.
We’ll be staying at the stunning Centre de Vie, a peaceful retreat centre nestled in over 210 acres of forest and trails—just an hour and a half from Ottawa. With breathtaking nature right at our doorstep, we’ll have plenty of opportunities to explore, including one scenic hike where we’ll take in vibrant fall colours, multiple waterfalls, and sweeping views. And since no trip to Québec is complete without indulging in its famous cheese, we’ll also visit a local fromagerie to savour some of the region’s best.
🌿 Reflective & Soulful
What to expect on retreat and what you’ll take home:
Grounding meditations rooted in the Buddhist tradition to help you meet each moment with presence
Energizing movement practices to wake you up from the inside out—building strength, resilience, and readiness for anything
Deep, restorative savasanas that nourish your body and soothe your nervous system
Forest meditations that connect you to nature’s quiet wisdom
Sound walks to attune your awareness to the subtleties of the world around you
Practices in deep listening—to the land, to others, and to your own inner voice
A renewed sense of compassion—for yourself, for others, and for all beings
Clarity and insight about what truly matters to you
In-the-moment nervous system tools to help you stay grounded and steady when life feels overwhelming
Breath, sound, and movement techniques to support and shift your inner state
A deeper capacity for presence—and the ability to recognize when you’ve left it, and gently return
Schedule
Friday October 3rd,
2 - 4 pm Arrival
4 pm Welcome circle and gentle movement
6:30 pm Dinner
Saturday October 4th,
7:30 am Breakfast
9 - 11:30 am Morning Practice
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 3:30 pm Free Time to Explore
4 - 6 pm Afternoon Class
6:30 pm Dinner
Sunday October 5th, 2025
7:30 am Breakfast
9 - 11:30 am Morning Practice
12 pm Leave for Hike (packed lunch)
12:30 - 4:30 pm Hike with a local guide in Parc des Montagnes
5 - 6 pm Yin Yoga Class
6:30 pm Dinner
Monday October 6th
7:30 am Breakfast
9 - 11:30 am Morning Practice
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 2:30 pm Free Time to Explore
3 - 4 pm Wine and Cheese Tasting at a local Fromagerie
4:30 - 6 pm Afternoon practice
6:30 pm Dinner
Tuesday October 7th
7:30 am Breakfast
9 - 11:30 am Morning Practice
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 3:30 pm Free Time to Explore
4 - 6 pm Afternoon practice
6:30 pm Dinner
Wednesday October 8th
7:30 am Breakfast
9 - 11:30 am Morning Practice
12:30 pm Lunch (can be a packed lunch for those that prefer to get going - requires advanced notice)
2 pm Closing Circle Fire Pit
3 pm Goodbyes
*Schedule subject to change
**Sauna will be available throughout the retreat in the evenings
Room Options
There are a variety of different rooms available. No two rooms are the same. We recommend looking at the Centre de Vie website for more pictures of the rooms and contact simone@simonenitzan.com to discuss room options before booking.
There are only 2 rooms with a private bath, one in the main house, and one in the barn.
There are 7 additional rooms in the main house with 3 shared bathrooms.
There are 3 rooms in the barn with 1 shared bathroom.
Early Bird Pricing Until June 30th, 2025
Single Room Private Bath $2800 + HST per person
Single Room Shared Bath $2500 + HST per person
Double Room Private Bath $2350 + HST per person
Double Room Shared Bath $2150 + HST per person
Regular Registration After June 30th, 2025
Single Room Private Bath $3000 + HST per person
Single Room Shared Bath $2700 + HST per person
Double Room Private Bath $2550 + HST per person
Double Room Shared Bath $2350 + HST per person
*All prices are in CAD and are per person, and payment plans are available upon request
**An $800 + HST deposit is required to hold your spot, and the balance is due no later than August 30th, 2025
***All travel arrangement, and registrations will be organized by Amy Basseches who is affiliated with Travel Edge Network (TICO Registration #50013138) at 2 Queen St. E., 20th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5C 3G7
For reservations and more information you can contact Amy at amy@farandwidebyamy.com
What’s Not Included
Body work (massage, reflexology etc.) provided by Centre de Vie
Flights to Ottawa (if not driving)
Transportation to the retreat centre (Simone and Amy can help to coordinate transfers from the airport at an additional cost, car-pooling can also be arranged if desired)
What’s Included
5 nights accommodation
5 dinners, 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches
All yoga, meditation and other practices
1 hike with a local guide
Visit to a local Fromagerie with a wine and cheese tasting
Forest meditations and sound walks
Holistic Care Clinic at Centre de Vie
Centre de Vie also has a holistic care clinic offering the following services. To ensure availability, we recommend booking in advance on their website: Holistic Health Clinic. If booking an appointment ensure it is during our scheduled free time and indicate the name of our group when booking.
Services offered:
● Massage therapy
● Naturopathy and iridology consultation
● Energy treatments (cellular memory decoding)
● Cupping massage
● Reflexology
● Access Bars and consciousness
● Consultation with Mélanie Hotte, medium
Jeff Cupchik
Dr. Jeffrey W. Cupchik is a medical ethnomusicologist, composer, musician, educator, and author of the new book with SUNY Press, The Sound of Vultures' Wings: The Tibetan Buddhist Chöd Ritual Practice of the Female Buddha Machik Labdrön.
Having studied closely with Tibetan Buddhist masters for over 25 years, he contributes a unique perspective to cultivating wellbeing through music and meditation in daily life.
Drawing from his new online course curriculum, "Music for Health and Wellness," this workshop invites you to learn and practice empirically tested tools utilizing music and sound that can lead to human flourishing.