OAXACA YOGA & CULTURAL RETREAT -
with Leigh Evans
February 1-7, 2026
I am thrilled to invite you to a retreat in the magical city of Oaxaca. The city is pulsing with art and celebration. Oaxaca city is known as the culinary capital of Mexico, the complex and delicious flavors reflecting the mixture of indigenous and Mexican people. For six months of the last three years, Oaxaca city has been my home. On this retreat, I am excited to share my life here with you so that you can experience the joy, creativity, and kindness of this extraordinary place.
Incredible murals line the streets where brass bands play for dancers, in headdresses resplendent with flowers, swirling their colorful dresses.
It is teeming with textiles, ceramics and a multitude of artisan craft works from neighboring villages.
Creativity and beauty abound. The city breathes art!!
YOGA SHALA
Welcome to the oasis where I’ve been living in Oaxaca! I am blessed with this space and garden and delighted to share it with you. We will meet here daily for yoga classes and to gather for our excursions. You will enjoy relaxing in the garden after yoga class basking in the abundance of the mango, banana, pomegranate, and fig trees while listening to the birds sing!!!
Our sweet yoga shala is on the second floor with the glorious view of the garden. It is a very peaceful space. We will practice twice a day except for days when we have excursions when we will practice once a day.
EXCURSIONS
During our week long retreat, we’ll enjoy 3 excursions which include a full day artisan tour, a full day archeological tour, and a late afternoon temazcal.
ARTISAN TOUR
Oaxaca is well known for it’s vibrant artisan villages. Many different kinds of folk art and handicrafts are created in the villages surrounding Oaxaca city. The artisans in each village specialize in crafts unique to that village. Families have been practicing their craft for generations.
Linda Hanna, an expert in Mexican Folk Art, will be the guide for our artisan tour. Over her 30 years as a guide, she has developed deep friendships with many of the artisans to whom she will introduce us. We will have the opportunity to meet some of the local artisans in their homes and learn about their work. It is fascinating to get a close-up look at the process. Everything is “hecho a mano” hand-made on every level!
For Example, one of the artisan villages we will visit is Teotitlan de Valle. It is well known for it’s beautiful rugs and textiles AND everything is made by hand including the dyes! The pigments for the yarn (hand carded!) for the rugs are from flowers, bark, nuts, and even a parasite that lives on cactus.
Learning how intricate the process of creating the various colors is amazing! We will also learn about the weaving, looms and, of course, enjoy the gorgeous rugs!
Among some of the other villages we will visit on the artisan tour are wood carving village, San Martín Tilcajete known for it’s alebrijes (above), black pottery village, San Bartolo Coyotepc, and embroidery village, San Antonino.
A special highlight of the tour will be a visit to the town of Ocotlan to see the Cultural Center and the work of Mexican painter, Rudolfo Morales.
Lunch will be in the Ocotlan market at “La Cocina de Frida “. It’s amazing how much she looks like Frida Khalo and the food is delicious!
ARCHEOLOGICAL TOUR
MITLA
One of the most important religious centers in the Valley of Oaxaca in the postclassic period (900-1521AD), Mitla is an impressive ancient sacred site whose history is shrouded in mystery. Mitla was founded by the Zapotecs who named it Lyobaa, meaning “place of rest,” later the Mixtecs referred to it as NuuNdiya, which means “place of the dead.” Local folklore says that it is through Mitla there was an entrance to the underworld. Milta was the residence of the vuijatao, or the “Great Seer” who in our culture would be likened to the Catholic pope. It is said that the the vuijatao “functioned as a prophet, magistrate, and intermediary for the deceased.”
The buildings are covered with an extraordinary mosaic of geometrical designs called greca friezes. The creation of thousands of uncut polished stones joined without the use of mortar is an architectural feat. Mitla is an incredibly beautiful and extraordinary site to visit and explore.
PREHISTORIC CAVES AND PAINTINGS
A few miles from Mitla is a a rare opportunity to experience a UNESCO site of prehistoric caves and paintings that offers a glimpse into the lives of people living 8,000-10,000 years ago. These caves and rock shelters contain rare archeological evidence of humans at the crucial transformation from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural communities. One of the caves has evidence of the first grain storage and earliest maize cultivation in the Americas. The domestication of maize, in particular, was an important key in the diet of the people which gave rise to the great and Mesoamerican civilizations. One of the caves is filled with extraordinary paintings. It is truly awe inspiring to be sitting in the caves and looking out as the ancestors did thousands of years ago during this crucial evolution in our species.
Pepe, our amazing guide, worked with the archeological team to excavate the sites starting in 2013. He is very generous in sharing his knowledge about the caves and their artifacts.
TEMAZCAL
One afternoon we’ll do a temezcal, a traditional Mexican ceremony of purification and well-being that has been practices for centuries originating in Mesoamerica in the Aztec and mayan traditions. I love temazcals and can’t wait for you to experience this deeply cleansing and healing ceremony.
Temazcalli means “house of steam” in the indigenous Náhuatl language. It is similar to a Native American Sweat lodge.
LEIGH EVANS
Passionate yogini and explorer, Leigh Evans is an international yoga teacher. For travelers seeking getaways that engage all the senses, encourage growth… and that are simply beautiful, relaxing and unique, Leigh has it covered. For over a decade, Leigh has led hundreds of people on experiences of a lifetime: from sweat lodges in Mexico to asana among the monkeys in Costa Rica, giraffes on safari in Africa to jungle vinyasa in Thailand!
Whatever your age, skill level, past, present or future, Leigh Evans provides personal instruction and expert anatomical alignment. Through decades of teaching thousands of students, Leigh’s seasoned approach to the practice can transform any student who craves insight on the body and the human experience. Your practice is what you make it, and Leigh can help you make it your personal best. Leigh is a go-to resource for Ayurvedic Yoga, seasonal yoga practices, sleep yoga, and women’s yoga practices. From the study of Yoga and Ayurveda in India to Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Leigh’s breadth of knowledge gives her the tools to teach practical applications that can change students’ everyday lives. Through an integration of vinyasa yang and restorative yin practice, Leigh’s classes enhance the flow of prana in the body by nourishing specific energy channels and organs offering healing and transformation. Leigh teaches festivals, teacher trainings, retreats, and workshops nationally and internationally.
Registration Details:
This retreat is limited to 10 participants. This retreat will sell out quickly so reserve your space early with a deposit!
Retreat includes
Yoga Classes – 2 classes/day on non excursion days, 1 class/day on excursion days
Artisan Tour & Lunch
Archeological Tour & Lunch
Temazcal
Opening and closing night dinners at fabulous restaurants!!
Retreat does not include
Flights, transportation to and from the airport, and accommodations are not included in this retreat. Oaxaca city is a very popular place to visit , please book your flights and accommodation far in advance. The yoga studio is in the neighborhood of La Noria, a 15 minute walk south of the zocalo and city center AND taxis are everywhere and inexpensive! I will send a list of hotel suggestions to you.
Meals are not included in the price of the retreat, except for those mentioned above. You will have the fabulous opportunity to explore the great culinary offerings of Oaxaca city!
To register
Reserve your space with a $500 non-refundable deposit.
Contact Leigh at leitzu@earthlink.net
Payment for the remaining balance of the retreat is due in full as indicated below.
Early Bird $1,295 – due in full by Sept 15, 2025
Regular Price – $1,395 – due in full Nov 15, 2025
Registration closes November 15, 2025. All remaining payment is due in full by this time.
Payment
Payment accepted with
Venmo
LeighEvansYoga
leitzu@earthlink.net
Zelle
leitzu@earthlink.net
YOGA SUKHAVATI CANCELLATION POLICY
Refunds, (less your non-refundable deposit), are available up to two months prior to start date of the teacher training, retreat, immersion or workshop. After two months prior to start of the teacher training, module, retreat, immersion or workshop your payment can be issued as credit towards a future teacher training, retreat, immersion or workshop where space is available. For cancellations less than one month prior to start date, all fees are non-refundable and not transferable.