Sale!

International Birth, Breath & Death Study Trip
Puerto Rico
June 1 – June 9, 2025

$2,900.00

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9 Day / 8 Night International Birth, Breath, and Death Study Trip

Calling all who hold space for birth, breath, and/or death ~ you are warmly invited to participate in the 4th annual International Birth, Breath, and Death Study Trip! 

Join Amy Wright Glenn, founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath, and Death, Wilka Roig, founder and president of Espacio ESFIM www.espaciofim.com and Tobie Spears, founder and director of Be Humanitarian for transformative personal and professional learning and renewing experience on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. We gather to nourish deep personal insight, group study/reflection centered upon birth, breath, and death, service, and remarkable cultural exploration!

Participants will engage in a cross cultural study experience coming to more deeply understand how birth, breath, and death are understood in diverse settings around the world. We engage in daily group study, service work, self-care practice, and meaningful interactions with local birth and death workers. This year, participants will have the opportunity to honor their powerful dedication to deepening awareness of birth and death practices within the context of contemporary Puerto Rican life as well as the practice of personal discovery through a variety of wellness practices. All classes are taught by Amy, Wilka, Tobie, and local birth, breath, and death midwives and teachers.

Mornings will begin with meditation, song and/or body centered wellness practice. Days are dedicated to the independent and group study and significance of birth and death practices while day excursions let us explore cultural sites, local markets, and natural wonders. Participants will engage with social justice work supporting a local non-profit.

Sign up before prices go up!

Holiday Pricing: December 2024 – January 2025 ($2900)

Full Price: February – March ($3100)

Last Minute Louie Pricing: April – May 1 ($3300)

All Participants Must be Paid in Full by May 1, 2025

*Price is all inclusive minus airfare, travelers insurance and alcohol.

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You will fly into SJU Airport

Day 1 ~ Sunday, June 1st ~ Arriving Day

2-3pm ~ Feel free to arrive and get settled in

4pm ~ Introductions – Getting to know you ~ Tobie & Amy

6pm ~ We are the Altar ~ Wilka, Amy, Tobie

7pm ~ Welcome Dinner

Day 2 ~ Monday, June 2nd ~ Intention & Connection Day

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice ~ 

9am ~ Breakfast 

10am – 11:30am ~ Centering practice / opening ritual ~ Amy

11:45am – 1pm ~ Growing with intentions / journal writing ~ Wilka

1pm ~ lunch

2pm – 4pm – Guest speaker ~ (Birth Practices of Puerto Rico)

4pm – 7pm ~ Self Care

7pm ~ Group Dinner 

Day 3 ~ Tuesday, June 3rd – Excursion to the City of San Juan

8am ~ Breakfast 

8:45am ~ load the bus

10am Snorkeling with the turtles excursion 

Explore San Juan all day long 🙂

6:00 pm ~ Return to retreat space

7pm ~ Group Dinner

8 pm ~ Optional Fireside / Singing (weather permitting) ~ Amy

Day 4 ~ Wednesday, June 4th

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice

9am ~ Silent Breakfast 

10am-1pm Mindful Walk in Silence ~ Amy (At the Beach)

1pm ~ Silent lunch

2-4pm ~ Guided Journaling / Breaking the Silence ~ Wilka

5-7pm ~ Self Care 

7pm ~ Dinner 

8pm ~ The Last Ecstatic Days – Movie Screening

Day 5 ~ Thursday, June 5th 

8am ~ Wake Up With Song ~ Tobie 

9am ~ Breakfast 

9am – 12:45pm ~ Learning through Service ~Visit to Asociación Civil ~ Tobie

1pm ~ Lunch

2pm-3pm ~ Self Care

3pm-6pm ~ Strengthening our personal/professional Holding Space Practices ~ Amy

6pm ~ Group Recap ~Wilka, Amy & Tobie

7pm ~ Dinner

8 pm ~ Optional Fire / Singing

Day 6 ~ Friday, June 6th – Excursion

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 

9am ~ Breakfast 

9:45am ~ load the bus excursion (TBA)

6:30 pm ~ Return to retreat space

7pm ~ Group Dinner

Day 7 ~ Saturday, June 7th

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 

9am ~ Breakfast 

10am-12pm ~ birth, breath, & death ~ Amy

12pm ~ Craft Time ~ Tobie / Self Care

1pm ~ Lunch

2pm ~ Craft Time ~ Tobie / Self Care

3pm – 4:15pm ~ Guest Speaker ~ Ancestral Practices of Puerto Rico

6pm ~ Holding Space in Community / Story Circle ~ Wilka

7pm ~ Group Dinner

Day 8 ~ Sunday, June 8th

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice ~  

9am ~ Breakfast 

10am – 11am ~ Self Care Hour

11am – 1pm  ~ Reflections on service experience ~ Tobie

1pm ~ lunch

2pm – 4pm ~ Self Care / Time to Pack

4pm ~ Closing Ceremony 

7pm ~ Group Dinner 

8pm ~ Optional Fire / Singing

Day 9 ~ Monday, June 9th (departing day)

8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 

9am ~ Breakfast

Please arrange travel to the San Juan Airport by 11:00 am. 

*Itinerary is subject to change without notice *Price subject to change until paid in full

Recommendation from Jeni:

It is my honor to share my review of our remarkable trip to Mexico last summer (2024):

My time on this birth, breath, and death study trip was profoundly transformative.  It fostered significant emotional and spiritual growth. Cultural immersion in Latin America was invaluable, and the community work provided a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of birth, breath, and death.

Your exceptional training style was a highlight for me.  After a rigid and often discouraging experience with the Catholic school system, your engaging and inspiring approach rekindled a genuine love of learning.

With warm regards,
Jeni Fong

Recommendation from Penny:

My trip to Guatemala with Amy, Tobie and Wilka from the International Birth, Breath, and Death Study Trip hit the sweet spot of combining a fabulously curated vacation whilst broadening my knowledge and understanding of both the birthing and dying processes. What an honor to meet elder indigenous midwives in their 80’s, to sit at their feet and hear their myriad stories of birth in their culture! What a gift to be standing in a cemetery listening to an indigenous priest talk to us about the rituals surrounding death and dying combining Mayan and Christian traditions! What an eye opener to be able to visit a busy health clinic in the city and discover the challenges they face!  And at the same time, all this intense growth and learning took place within a cocoon of comfort, safety, wonderful food and constantly feeling cared for. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect work vacation!

Penny Bussell Stansfield, BA(Hons), AdvCD(DONA), BDT(DONA), BCLMT, CLC, LCCE, Doula Trainer
she/her/hers
Author of “Labors of Love: A Doula’s Birth Stories”
www.pennydoula.com

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