RETREATS | ellenlivingston

Living Heart Retreats

FLORIDA Retreats

An experience at Living Heart Sanctuary is highly customizable, and can be a private or small-group guided retreat, or a totally independent healthy vacation stay. Reach out to Ellen and let's co-create what you need and desire!

All of my experiences and learnings through well over a decade of designing and offering raw vegan wellness retreats, in a variety of locations in North America and Costa Rica, has brought me to a very sweet spot in SW Florida, and the uniquely customizable retreat or vacation vision I present to you now. Please click on the yellow buttons below for details about the different available options, the accommodations, and the rates.

The Concept

To provide an intimate and customized experience of relaxation, rejuvenation, reconnection, education, and whole-person healing.
To inspire!
To encourage and facilitate a slower pace, and a deeper practice of physical and mental mindfulness and intention which can be sustainably applied in ‘real life.'
To offer a basic daily rate for private accommodations, with personalized extra support, if desired, to be arranged and confirmed with Ellen, such as: hands-on raw vegan meal-prep and or guided food-shopping excursion; movement and meditation sessions; mentoring/coaching sessions.
To ignite a whole-person cleansing and detoxifying experience.
To invite deeper self-awareness, and to build trust in the inner voice and empowered, inspired self-guidance.
To allow maximum flexibility to choose how much and what kinds of support you wish to arrange (if any).

The Container

Living Heart Sanctuary is right in my home, in the coastal town of Englewood in southwest Florida.

I have a beautiful and convenient location to share with you, on a peaceful 1/4-acre just a block from miles of nature trails along the coast of Lemon Bay, 1.5 miles from our quaint downtown, and just a few miles from our many gorgeous ocean beaches. The Sanctuary is a clean, fun and comfortable space, with private and shared spaces for your enjoyment.

Living Heart Sanctuary offers two guest bedrooms (single or double occupancy), shared bath, and a unique kitchenette and laundry in our remodeled garage. Common spaces in the sanctuary include living and dining spaces, a sunrise screened porch sitting area, and outdoor gardens with plenty of birds and butterflies (and soon to be a fruit-forest garden).

The main kitchen is equipped with the tools of a modern raw-vegan lifestyle, including Vitamix, Nama juicer, Excalibur dehydrator, veggie spiralizer, and more. All of these are also available for use in the independent kitchenette.

The light-filled Florida room is reserved for use by appointment in a movement session with Ellen, or with another local healing practitioner (such as massage, polarity therapy, Phoenix Rising yoga therapy).

Additionally, bicycles and lightweight kayaks are available for use for all guests.

The Community

Engaging, accessible community is a big plus in Englewood. We are located in the heart of town, a walkable district with eclectic neighborhoods and a lively downtown strip on West Dearborn Street, with a weekly farmer's market, cafes with frequent live outdoor music, fun shops, and a thriving yoga studio (daily morning beach yoga is also a wonderful public offering).

Down the street, neighbors welcome visitors to tour their inspiring food forest and native plants garden. A few blocks away, ‘The Open Studio’ welcomes you. This is a unique consortium of grass-roots business, community and residential spaces that include ‘The One Stop Co-op’ featuring local organic vegan food and crafts, artist studios, and a park-like community garden space filled with fruit trees and including an outdoor performance stage which hosts a popular weekly "open-mic" garden party event.

Several parks along the shores of beautiful Lemon Bay are within easy biking distance, and our gorgeous natural Gulf of Mexico beaches are a few miles away on the Manasota Key. There is plenty to enjoy within an easy 5-mile radius, and of course much more for any guest with a car and a spirit for wider adventures in the surrounding areas. If you are planning a healing retreat for yourself, you will enjoy keeping your days simple and local, allowing for a deliciously slower pace of life.

The Collaboration

The true bedrock of Living Heart Sanctuary is the customized co-creation with you, whether you just want to book a room and do your own thing, design-in some personalized guided support, or treat yourself to a full raw vegan healing retreat.

Bring your own group of 2 - 4 people if you like, decide the focus your group desires, and receive significant referral discounts!