How Inner Joy Found Me

Over the past ten years, I’ve been on a quiet but transformative journey. It began slowly—almost by accident—as a way to find calm in the middle of a hectic life. But over time, it became something much deeper: a way to come back to myself.

At first, I just wanted a moment of peace. But with each breath, each pause, I started to notice what I’d been carrying. Things I hadn’t named. Things I hadn’t even realized were weighing me down. And like so many women, I had become very good at “just getting on with it”—through parenting, work, volunteering, and everything else life hands you.

My path has been full. Parenting on its own is profound—but raising a son with Down Syndrome, epilepsy, and autism has shaped my entire world. It’s beautiful, intense, humbling, and deeply heart-opening. And alongside this, I’ve had the joy and responsibility of raising his spirited, sensitive, and delightful sister—navigating the unique balance that comes with parenting both a child with complex needs and a sibling who’s just as deserving of attention, understanding, and celebration.

Add to that the upheaval of an international move, the effort to rebuild, and the endless cycle of giving without replenishment—and I eventually found myself completely emptied out.

In 2018, a personal health crisis cracked me open. It was a turning point I didn’t ask for, and honestly, didn’t enjoy. But it led me somewhere I didn’t know I needed to go. I started exploring spiritual practices in earnest—meditation, retreats, courses, books, online rabbit holes—all in an effort to reconnect with myself and to heal. Slowly but surely, I began to feel the spark again.

As I healed, a dream started forming: Camp Joy. And just as that vision came to life, life threw me another curveball—a serious car accident in 2024. While my body healed, something else did too: my sense of purpose. I became a certified yoga instructor, building on decades of personal practice, and the threads of my journey started to weave together in a new, powerful way.

The most important thing I’ve learned through it all? The ability to slow down. To breathe. To listen to my heart. To soften toward myself.

For the last two years, I’ve lived by one guiding question:

**What would love do?**

That question has reshaped my life. It changed how I show up—for myself, for others, and for the world. And it's what led me to create the *Inner Joy* program for Camp Joy.

But here’s the thing—I didn’t map it all out in a single moment. Inner Joy wasn’t created at a whiteboard or in a brainstorm session. It emerged from stillness. From listening. From giving myself the time and space to discover what wanted to come through.

*Inner Joy* is about creating space to hear what your life is whispering to you. It’s not about performing or fixing or pushing harder. It’s about pausing long enough to remember who you are.

And I can’t wait to share it with you.

✨ What Is the Inner Joy Program?

Inner Joy is a four-part guided meditation, reflection and discussion experience woven throughout our retreats. Each session lasts 60 to 90 minutes and are designed to help you:

• Uncover the parts of yourself that are calling for healing or reconnection

• Tap into your natural well of love, compassion, and intuition

• Let go of what no longer serves you

• Envision and embrace the life you want to live

🌼 Lightly sprinkled throughout the week are occasional Inner Joy Surprises - light, soul-nourishing mini-experiences that invite play, reflection, and maybe even a little laughter. They are short, casual, and totally optional, designed to spark connection in unexpected ways.

🧘‍♀️ Need a quiet place to land or just some time to yourself? You’ll find it in the Inner Joy Corner, a quiet nook in the villa reserved for journaling, meditating, or simply breathing. It’s yours, whenever you need it.

🧘‍♀️ Throughout the week, I’ll also be offering daily yoga classes (a combination of vinyasa flow, deep stretch, and restorative yoga) and meditation practices. You don’t need experience—just openness.

💛 What I love most about the Inner Joy experience is that it isn’t just about the retreat—it’s about what you carry home. These tools and tiny shifts can become part of your everyday life, helping you feel more grounded, joyful, and connected long after we say goodbye.

Creating this program has been a joy in itself—one that emerged from my own lived experience, and one I can’t wait to share with you.

With love, Marea 💛