Program Tuition & Basic Accommodations: $2695
*Invite a friend(s) new to the Feathered Pipe and you both save $100!
Rhythms move through us and echo into the world beyond us. They reverberate and dance within and around us ~ in our breath and heartbeat, the tides and seasons, and the cycles of nature, body and mind. We can awaken to these rhythms in real time, their cadence flowing through the deepest presence of our being. This ninth cycle of the Mindful Unplug—coinciding with the summerlong celebration of Feathered Pipe’s 50th anniversary—is all about deepening our exploration of these life-affirming rhythms.
At the renowned Feathered Pipe Ranch, nestled in the untamed beauty of National Forest lands, we’ll blend time-honored practices to create an experience far beyond just a temporary relief from stress. Mindful movement, all-levels yoga, meditation, drum circles, dance, song, poetry, and artmaking—these community practices foster lasting healthy habits and offer new ways of showing up for life and for one another. They remind us that peace and contentment are not only our birthright but within reach, no matter the chaos that may swirl around us. Above all, these rhythms and practices prime our hearts for compassionate action in our families, communities, and a world yearning for more kindness.
Nature is not just a pretty backdrop at The Mindful Unplug—it is essential to a deeper knowing of who we truly are and braided intentionally into the retreat activities. A small mountain lake offers stillness and reflection (and swimming and paddling opportunities!), while trails in the surrounding forest wind through wildflower-filled hills and aspen groves edged with pine. Mountains cradle every horizon, spring-fed drainages show us their watercourse way, and forest inhabitants—deer, raven, and coyote—remind us of our connection to this wild, living world.
This come-as-you-are retreat welcomes all! No previous experience is necessary. Over a relaxing week together, we’ll balance solitude with connection, joy, inspiration, laughter, and camaraderie, as past participants will attest. And, of course, happy surprises are always in store.
Music, Rhythm, and Joy
For 2025, we are elated to welcome back Matthew Marsolek, leader of Montana’s Drum Brothers, again for the entire week! Known for his warm, engaging style, Matthew offers heart-opening sessions rich with sound, rhythm, and vocal practices. His simple exercises to free the voice, song circles featuring world music chants, and body rhythm practices create a vibrant, transformative atmosphere. Matthew’s longstanding kinship with this landscape makes him a natural guide for small group early morning forest immersions, a coveted feature of The Mindful Unplug.
Matthew believes that musical expression lives deep within all of us, woven into the fabric of our being through generations of human experience. He welcomes everyone into the circles of sound he creates regardless of their background or ability.
Mindful Movement, Meditation, Freedom Yoga, and Nature
Mindful Unplug den mother and emcee, Anne Jablonski, will lead daily all-levels yoga, mindful movement, dharma inquiry, lightly guided meditation, and early morning small group forest immersions. Acknowledging that you are the architect of your own well-being, she invites you to explore your inner landscape with curiosity and creativity. With warmth and humor, Anne’s teachings help cultivate a personal mindfulness and movement practice that will stay with you long after the retreat.
Anne’s philosophy is that the golden treasure beyond mechanical practice is the freedom unleashed from intuitive, intelligent, and continuous deep inner listening that informs each moment, and every decision about what to do next, on the mat. It doesn’t stop there; the sticky mat becomes training ground for experimenting with self-trust in other parts of life.
SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK
Our time together will include:
— Daily morning mindful movement/all-levels yoga* with Anne
— Regular morning song circles with Matthew
— Guided meditation
— Options for early morning small group contemplative forest immersions
— Sound, group rhythm, and drum circles with Matthew
— Dharma conversation and small group life inquiry
— Opportunities for freeform yoga (“bring your own practice”)
— The fourth annual Mindful Unplug Poetry Salon
— An enchanting night sky meditation
— The best possible food, lovingly prepared by our talented kitchen team (special diet requests are welcome)
*25 Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Program credit hours are available for this retreat.
Learn more about Feathered Pipe Ranch’s COVID-19 safety protocol.
WHAT PAST MINDFUL UNPLUG EXPERIENCE ATTENDEES SAY:
“Every activity is a “come as you are” experience. You need not be an artist to benefit from the art projects, a musician to feel the rhythm, or an advanced yogi to enjoy the yoga and meditation at this retreat!”
“The mixture of schedule and free time was orchestrated beautifully. Anne and the Marsoleks together made this retreat sheer perfection.”
“Anne and Matthew led in a way that both enhanced my personal experience and built community within the group. The combination of interior (mindfulness) and exterior (group music) practices was very rewarding.”
“The singing, dancing, and drumming from the Marsolek family was absolutely fantastic! Matthew makes music accessible to even the most inexperienced and intimidated by music.”
“It’s not about learning notes and notation – it’s about feeling the rhythm! Nothing can compare to the sound of 30 people playing hand drums in the grand main lodge – utterly transformative! I can’t help but feel that all that rhythm and ritual cultivated a deep inner healing for me and many others.”
“Anne’s “Freedom Yoga” is inviting for participants with all levels of experience. Her gentle nature and kindness exude from her pores.”
“Anne, Matthew . . . and the staff created an amazing safe mind space for us full of learning, music, introspection, friendship, yoga, laughter and simply wonderful times together.”
MINDFUL UNPLUG RETREAT TIP! Extend your time in peace and beauty while savoring Western hospitality by spending some time exploring the great West’s National Park treasures either before or after your Mindful Unplug week at Feathered Pipe Ranch. Glacier National Park is a glorious and scenic 3.5 hour drive north and west of the Ranch, while Yellowstone is just a 4.5 hours drive south and east of the Ranch through some of the prettiest Western territory you’ll ever see.
ABOUT YOUR MINDFUL UNPLUG 2025 GUIDES:
The guides for The Mindful Unplug are deeply rooted in the essence of the Feathered Pipe Ranch, where they have long honored the land and its many secret treasures.
Matthew Marsolek
“If you have a heartbeat, you have a rhythm. If you can breathe, you can sing.”
A true ‘Son of the Ranch,’ Matthew Marsolek has been deeply connected with its landscape and community since childhood. Along with a background in Jazz and Classical music, he has immersed himself for decades in the music of West Africa and East India, becoming a masterful guitarist, vocalist, and composer. Leading the Drum Brothers world fusion ensemble, his music is informed by Montana’s wild places and a continued passion for collective transformative experiences. Whether sharing rhythm with bereaved youth, cancer survivors, or corporate teams, Matthew’s gift lies in uniting people through the universal language of sound.
Learn more about Matthew: drumbrothers.com
Anne Jablonski
For more than two decades, Anne Jablonski has danced in the rhythms of the Feathered Pipe Ranch, where she serves as President of the Feathered Pipe Foundation. To Anne, this sacred ground is a refuge, where the whispers of nature beckon us to awaken from the clamor of modern screens. With this belief, she co-created The Mindful Unplug retreat, a space to breathe freely and reconnect. Rooted in the spirit of “freedom yoga,” as taught by her mentor Erich Schiffmann, Anne’s teachings are a journey inward, where yoga’s true gift lies not in form but in the art of listening to the pulse of life in each moment. A rat race survivor-in-training and a registered Yoga Alliance teacher, Anne offers her wisdom at Sun and Moon Yoga Studio in Northern Virginia, guiding her students to trust the quiet wisdom of their hearts, on the mat and beyond.
Anne is also a fully trained teacher in a movement modality called “Movingness,” a groundbreaking new somatic method for body and mind integration (embodiment).
Learn more about Anne: yogasetfree.com
PRICING & REGISTRATION
Program Tuition & Basic Accommodations: $2695
*Invite a friend(s) new to the Feathered Pipe and you each save $100!
Registration deposit required: A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to secure online registration. Full payment is due eight weeks before the start of the program.
Tuition fee includes: Triple Occupancy Main Lodge, Shared Yurt/Deluxe Wall Tent/Sai Condo, or Single Tipi/Tent, plus meals and use of all amenities – our bathhouse, sauna, hot tub, as well as all the Feathered Pipe Ranch facilities and grounds. Upgraded accommodation are available.
Additional lodging upgrade pricing: Click here
Full description of accommodations options: Click here
The retreat will include:
— 7-nights indoor or outdoor accommodations (upgraded accommodations require an additional fee)
— All daily classes and group sessions, suitable for all
— Delicious and lovingly prepared international cuisine
— Shuttle service from/to Helena Regional Airport on arrival/departure day
— Full access to the extensive Feathered Pipe grounds (including the hot tub and sauna)
Not included:
— Airfare
— Any/all excursions off-campus
— Bodywork & Massage
— Montana Accommodation Tax $25
— Staff gratuities
— Laundry
Shuttle service: Shuttle service from/to Helena Regional Airport on arrival/departure day is complimentary (free) for all registered guests. Please note that if you are needing pick-up or drop-off on any other day, that there will be a $50 one-way charge.
Arrival and departure: Please plan to arrive at the Feathered Pipe Ranch no later than 3pm on arrival day (Saturday, 26 July) of your retreat so you can join us for a 5:30pm tour of the grounds before dinner at 6:30pm and our post-dinner evening orientation. Please arrange to leave the Ranch in the morning or early afternoon of departure day (Saturday, 2 August). Lodging checkout is at 9am; guests are welcome to stay at the Ranch until their flight leaves that day.
Interested, but still need more information? Visit our FAQ page, drop us a message including your contact details here, or give us a ring at (406) 442-8196.
Thanks and look forward to seeing you!