The Ancient Yoga Center
Texas Hill Country just outside Austin

A yellow map pin icon.

October 9-11, 2026

A golden brown calendar icon with a grid of squares and two rings at the top.

Registration now open

A yellow clock with the letter 'L' on its face

Creative Soul
Hill Country Retreat

Reconnect with yourself, your creativity, and a circle of inspiring women

Led by Carolyn Scarborough
With guest teacher Julie Wylie

It's easy to lose touch with ourselves.

Sometimes it's because life becomes full of responsibilities and distractions. Other times, we've simply fallen into familiar routines and forgotten what brings us alive. The days are full, we're getting things done, but somewhere along the way we've stopped paying attention to the things that spark wonder, inspiration, and joy.

This retreat is an invitation to pause.

For one nourishing weekend in the Texas Hill Country, you'll step away from the demands of everyday life and into a welcoming circle of creative women. Through writing, reflection, gentle movement, time in nature, and meaningful conversation, you'll have space to listen inward, reconnect with yourself, and remember what matters most.

And from that place, something begins to open.

Slowly, almost without effort, the inner spark begins to return. Words come more easily. Beauty becomes easier to notice. Possibilities that once felt distant begin to feel within reach.

Whether you're a writer longing for uninterrupted time and fresh inspiration, a creative spirit seeking renewal, or simply a woman who wants to feel more present and alive, this retreat offers the space to slow down, pay attention, and rediscover the parts of yourself that may have quietly slipped into the background.

Sometimes all we need is a little room to breathe, a little silence, and a community of kindred women to help us remember.

Graphic of navy leafy plant

Who is this retreat for?

This retreat is for women who are longing for a pause from the noise and a return to themselves.

You may be a writer seeking uninterrupted time and fresh inspiration. You may be a creative spirit who feels disconnected from what once brought you alive. Or perhaps you're craving more presence, beauty, wonder, and meaningful connection in your life.

Whatever brings you here, you'll find a welcoming community of thoughtful women, a spacious rhythm, and room to listen for what wants to emerge.

An indoor yoga or meditation class with participants lying on yoga mats and one instructor sitting and leading the session, with a tapestry of a mountain landscape and night sky hanging on the wall.

What is included?

Creative & Reflective Experiences

  • Guided writing

  • Creative exploration and exercises

  • Mindfulness practices

  • Mindful photography

  • Spacious free time

Accommodations & Meals

  • 3 days, 2 nights at the Ancient Yoga Center

  • Single rooms with private bathrooms

  • All meals included

  • Delicious, nourishing vegetarian meals

  • Coffee, chai tea and snacks

Welcoming Community

• Meet and connect with women from the Austin-based Creative Soul Community

• Connect with kindred spirits who understand the creative and writing life

• Warm, supportive community

• Plenty of laughter and meaningful conversation

Movement & Embodiment

  • Tai chi

  • Guided breathing and grounding practices

  • Nature walks and creekside reflections

  • 230-acre property for exploring

Memories from past retreats.

Spacious outdoor swimming pool area at sunset, with a kidney-shaped pool, smaller circular pools, and white colonnaded structures, surrounded by landscape with trees and hills in the background.

A Sanctuary in the Texas Hill Country

Nestled in the rolling hills southwest of Austin, the Ancient Yoga Center sits on 230 acres of peaceful Hill Country landscape. Wander past dramatic temple architecture, follow winding paths beneath live oaks, sit beside the creek with your journal, watch peacocks roam the grounds, or simply find a quiet corner to take in the changing light across the hills.

The spacious grounds invite the very thing many of us are missing: time to slow down, pay attention, and breathe.

Here, beauty is not something you seek. It is all around you.

A blue notebook with a space-themed design and the phrase "I NEED MY SPACE" on a wooden deck near a body of water, with a white pen attached to it.

AGENDA

Our Daily Rhythm

You may arrive any time between 2–3 p.m. on Friday, October 9. The opening ceremony begins promptly at 4 p.m., and we will gather for dinner at 6 p.m. The retreat concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 11.

While a detailed agenda will be provided at the retreat, a typical day might look something like this:

Breakfast

8:00 – 9:00 am


Tai Chi

9:30 – 9:50 am


Morning Session

10:00 – 12:00 pm


Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 pm


Free Time

1:30 – 3:30 pm


Afternoon Session

3:30 – 5:30 pm


Dinner

6:00 – 7:00 pm


Guided Wind-Down Breathing

7:30 – 8 pm

Fresh, wholesome food

Gather in the cozy dining room or at outdoor tables for fresh, wholesome vegetarian meals prepared with care. Meals include mildly spiced Indian dishes, Tex-Mex, Italian favorites, and other flavorful cuisine featuring vegetables, grains, and legumes.

And yes, there will be dessert.

Chai tea and snacks are available throughout the day, and gluten-free and vegan options are happily accommodated.

A variety of fresh vegetables and salad toppings arranged in bowls on a buffet table, including shredded cheese, shredded purple cabbage, sliced cucumbers, sliced red and yellow peppers, lettuce, shredded beets, shredded carrots, and various dressings.
A tray of chocolate cupcakes in colorful paper liners with creamy chocolate frosting.
Close-up of a colorful vegetable salad with cherry tomatoes, chickpeas, cucumbers, green peppers, and black beans.
Slice of chocolate cake with a dollop of cream, topped with a peach slice, on a decorative floral plate.
Assorted chopped vegetables on a wooden cutting board, including broccoli, carrots, asparagus, bell peppers, and yellow zucchini.
A decorative blue and white platter with ten Vietnamese spring rolls arranged around a small blue bowl of dipping sauce in the center.
A colorful floral bowl filled with cooked rice mixed with chopped carrots and peas placed on a patterned tablecloth.
Multiple glasses of creamy dessert, possibly tiramisu or pudding, topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cocoa powder.

BOOK

Ready to join us?

For one restorative weekend, you'll step away from daily responsibilities and into a beautiful Hill Country setting designed for reflection, creativity, connection, and renewal.

Everything is taken care of for you—from your private room and delicious meals to thoughtful retreat programming and plenty of space to rest, wander, write, and reconnect with yourself.

All you need to do is arrive.

Early Bird Registration: $995 through August 27, 2026


Pay $1,095 after August 27, 2026

Hill Country Retreat 2026
$995.00

Reserve your space at the Hill Country Retreat. A $295 deposit secures your spot and will be applied toward your total balance, with final payment due August 27, 2026.

A non-refundable deposit policy applies.

A non-refundable $295 deposit reserves your space. Final payment is due August 27, 2026.

Meet your retreat leaders.

Headshot of Carolyn, with silver wavy hair, a big smile, chunky beautiful necklace, a flowy blue maxi dress, sitting by her orange ceramic coffee cup.

About Carolyn

Retreat Leader, Creative Exploration & Reflective Writing

Carolyn Scarborough is a creativity guide, writer, and founder of the Creative Soul Community, where women gather to reconnect with their creativity and create lives of greater purpose, vitality, and expression.

An award-winning author, creativity and writing coach, and retreat facilitator, Carolyn is known for creating grounded, welcoming spaces where women can slow down, soften what feels tight, and rediscover a more authentic and playful relationship with themselves and their creative lives.

She leads retreats, writing circles, and workshops both in person and online, and offers private coaching. Carolyn is the author of Backyard Pearls: Cultivating Wisdom and Joy in Everyday Life and has written more than 500 articles for national and international publications. She has studied a wide range of creative and spiritual practices for over 30 years and has presented at venues including Esalen Institute, the International Coach Federation, and the Story Circle Women’s Writing Conference.

At the heart of her work is a deep belief that creativity is not something we strive for, but something we return to.

Smiling older woman with glasses and gray hair, wearing a patterned sleeveless blouse, outdoors in front of a building with a fence and trees.
Smiling older woman with glasses and gray hair, wearing a patterned sleeveless blouse, outdoors in front of a building with a fence and trees.

About Julie

Movement Experience

Guest teacher Julie Wylie, a spirited, down to earth facilitator by nature, has over 35 years of movement experience. She has a passion for somatic story telling & fostering communities of ‘women lifting women higher,’ including volunteering with Truth Be Told (a creative program supporting women behind and beyond bars). She has also taught at Isadora Duncan International Symposiums, Gene Keys StarDreaming Retreats in New Mexico, Unity Church and Seton Cove in Austin, Texas. Although she has a Nia black belt, Julie loves gently guiding non-movers to move in simple ways that increase joy and body pleasure.

Questions?

If you have any questions, or would like to sign up for our waitlist, I’d be happy to connect with you. Just fill out this form and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.