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
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice ~  
9am ~ Breakfast 
10am – 12pm ~ Reflections on service experience ~ Tobie
12pm – 1pm  ~ Self Care Hour
1pm ~ lunch
2pm – 4pm ~ Guest Speaker  ~ (Breath / Life / Transitions)
5-6pm ~ Self Care Hour
6pm ~ Holding Space in Community / Story Circle ~ Wilka
7pm ~ Group Dinner 
Day 4 ~ Wednesday, June 4th
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 
9am ~ Breakfast 
9:45am ~ load the bus excursion (TBA) 
6:30 pm ~ Return to retreat space
7pm ~ Group Dinner
8 pm ~ Optional Fireside / Singing (weather permitting)
Day 5 ~ Thursday, June 5th 
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 
9am ~ Breakfast 
10am-12pm ~ birth, breath, & death ~ Amy
12pm ~ Craft Time ~ Tobie
1pm ~ Lunch
2pm ~ Craft Time ~ Tobie
3pm – 4:15pm ~ Ancestral Practices of Puerto Rico ~ Johanna
4:30pm-6pm ~ Ancestral Practices of Puerto Rico ~ Johanna
6-7pm ~ Self Care
7pm ~ Group Dinner 
Day 6 ~ Friday, June 6th
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice
9am ~ Breakfast 
9am – 12:45pm ~ Learning through Service ~Visit to Asociación Civil ~ Tobie
1pm ~ Lunch
2pm-5pm ~ Strengthening our personal/professional Holding Space Practices ~ Amy
5pm-6pm ~ Self Care
6pm ~ Optional Group Recap ~Wilka, Amy & Tobie
7pm ~ Dinner
8 pm ~ Optional Fire / Singing
Day 7 ~ Saturday, June 7th
8am ~ Wake Up With Song ~ Tobie 
9am ~ Breakfast
10am-11:30am ~ Community Programming ~ Wilka
11:45am-1pm ~ Community Programming ~ Tobie
1pm ~ lunch
2pm-3:30pm ~ Community Programming ~ Amy
4pm-6pm ~ Self Care
6pm ~ Group Connection & Debrief ~Wilka, Amy & Tobie
7pm ~ Dinner 
Day 8 ~ Sunday, June 8th
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 
9am ~ Breakfast 
9:45am ~ load the bus excursion (TBA)
6:30 pm ~ Return to retreat space
7pm ~ Group Dinner
Day 9 ~ Monday, June 9th
8am ~ Morning Mindfulness Practice 
9am ~ Silent Breakfast 
10am-11am Mindful Walk in Silence ~ Amy
11am -1 pm – Mindful Silence 
1pm ~ Silent lunch
2-4pm ~ Guided Journaling / Breaking the Silence ~ Wilka
5-7pm ~ Self Care / Time to Pack
7pm ~ Dinner 
8 pm ~ Optional Fire / Singing
Day 10 ~ Tuesday, June 7th (departing day)
8am ~ Breakfast
This will be our last morning together.
Please arrange travel to the San Juan Airport before 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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