Today we’d like to introduce you to Annette Murillo.
Hi Annette, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey started in 2008 when I started working corporate and was looking for a fun, calming activity post-work. I was invited to a Hot Yoga class by one of my work friends and immediately fell in love with the practice. I loved the intensity and how good I felt after each class. I took my practice seriously, and through the years, it evolved to get to know different styles of yoga, studios, and teachers. By 2013, I was in my late 20s going through my Saturn Return and was re-evaluating where and how I wanted my life to look and feel like in the next 5-10 years. It was during that time that I decided to quit my “dream” corporate job and do whatever it was that lit me up. I felt that I was both old enough to feel good about my decision and young enough to be ok with whatever the outcome may be. It was in 2014 that I decided to apply to become a Registered Yoga Teacher. It was my “One Day” dream. I figured, “Why not?!” After my training was complete, I knew I wanted to teach and, luckily, was hired at a few different places. I was ecstatic! Teaching made me feel ALIVE. I loved it so much. Later that summer I decided to create a yoga event for women that had beautiful scenery, delicious food and fun activities. The idea was to have a day dedicated to honoring the woman. The event was a success and has been an annual event. 2024, we made a weekend out of it and called it Women’s Wellness Weekend. It was an overnight retreat at our family campground in Cumby, TX, called Camp Discovery TX. We had so much fun sharing food, making s’mores, and diving deep into soulful conversations. On the day of the retreat, we connected with nature and, through movement, intuitively painted and had a powerful sound healing session.
For me, yoga is what started my wellness journey. With yoga, I learned to become in tune with my body, my community, and my intuition. In 2017, I decided to bring my wellness events to the global stage and began to offer international wellness retreats. These retreats were designed for those who were looking to deepen their love of travel and culture, explore different healing modalities, and meet other like-minded people. From our first in Manzanillo, Mexico, to our upcoming retreats in Bacalar, Mexico, and Greece, ARY Retreats continues to curate retreats and experiences that are unique, impactful, and memorable.
We pride ourselves in making every detail count. Our goal is to have our guests feel welcomed, loved, and nurtured.
Everything we do at ARY Retreats is carefully curated to create a beautiful experience.
In 2022, I decided to further my offering and became a certified Sound Healer. In 2019, I had the privilege of attending my first-ever community sound healing session in Joshua Tree. It was a powerful experience that I will never forget. I then attended multiple ceremonies that deepened by love and appreciation for the gift of sound.
Becoming a certified sound healer has been the most beautiful and empowering gift. I have met and hosted such amazing and inspiring people that have changed my life. Sound Healing can be a powerful tool to connect, with your inner self by providing a space of peace, comfort and relaxation. Through the sound meditation, many clients have had profound realizations and insights that have impacted their lives forever. I am so grateful to bring this gift to my community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an entrepreneur has its challenges. My husband, daughter, and I decided to move to Dallas in December 2020 from California. It was a quick decision that made a lot of sense to us and felt really good. We got settled pretty quickly, but it was quite difficult for me assimilate to my new environment as a mom and business owner. Although it wasn’t formally diagnosed, I had postpartum anxiety. I didn’t have the proper info to understand what I was going through and felt that no one would understand. Little did I know that PPA is very common, and thankfully, now, it’s getting talked about more and slowly being destigmatized. It took me almost three years to feel comfortable enough to leave my daughter and focus on growing ARY Retreats. In the last year, I have met incredible people that have changed my life. I am so grateful.
As you know, we’re big fans of ARY Retreats. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
ARY Retreats is a boutique-style retreats and experience company specializing in curating beautiful, unique events to inspire, expand, and illicit deeper connections to self and like-minded people. We offer local and international wellness retreats that include experiences such as yoga, sound healing, meditation, and akashic record readings. We are Latina-owned and proud to serve the DFW area. We are pride ourselves in introducing our clients to various healing modalities that can enhance their life in a safe and peaceful way.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
We host private and corporate events for those who seek an alternative experience with their friends, family, and/or co-workers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aryretreats.com
- Instagram: annetteofaryretreats
Image Credits
Cin Photos
