Tucked away in the Rocky Mountains high above Boulder lies the oasis of Shoshoni Yoga Retreat, founded by Shri Sri Shambhavananda. We gather in the Yoga Cabin for pranayama in the morning light, which spills generously through the long bank of windows running the length of the building. At one end of the cabin, a fire burns in the stone fireplace; at the other, rests a shrine. The scent of incense and the sound of the crackling fire fill the room. Lying on my mat above a soft carpet the color of garden earth, I concentrate on my breath and the exposed beams of rough-hewn wood over head.

The view outside is of a gently sloping pine forest. Another cabin-like structure is barely visible behind the trees. Everything looks as though it sprung naturally from the ground. Manager Mira Gale, who's been associated with Shoshoni for nearly a decade, describes Shoshoni as having the spirit of an ashram. "One of our goals here is to take care of our guests in the spirit of seva, or selfless service," she tells me. "This is a concept that corresponds to karmic yoga, though here at Shoshoni, the spiritual aspect of yoga in neither pushed nor required."

Work study programs are available, as well as 200-hour Hatha yoga teacher certification courses. Yogic lifestyle classes and programs

including Sanskrit, Yoga of Devotion, Ayurvedic Cooking, yoga Recovery, and Family Weekends are also offered. There are no age restrictions, and yoga classes appropriate for all skill levels are offered. Quiet places abound on the 200-acre property, with a meditation spot aptly called Buddha Rock a twenty-minute walk along a well-defined path. The shrine is open throughout the day and there's a restful lounge area downstairs in the spa building with books, sofas, plants, and a wood-burning stove.

REVIVE
Shoshoni offers a selection of massage and body therapies, many based upon Ayurvedic principals. All therapies are administered in silence, while the therapist repeats a silent mantra of intention throughout, adding to the healing component of the experience. Besides traditional massage, choices include herbal facials, herbal wraps, Shirodhara (a treatment where oil is poured in a steady stream over your "third eye" or the space between your eyebrows), and Ela Kirhi (a treatment in which pouches filled with herbs and dipped in hot oil are brushed along the body).

REFUEL
Lunch is served at long tables in a common area. Everyone on staff is a volunteer, and just as with the spa treatments, all meals are prepared while mantras of gratefulness and intention are said. Today, the other guests and I help ourselves to black bean tacos with a sweet crispy salsa, a mix of fresh greens, rice, and sweet potato-corn soup. The entrees are all prepared with organic ingredients. Music from Mira's band, Shiva's Garden, plays softly in the background.