Introducing Our First Salty Skins Retreat: Why We’re Starting in El Salvador

Over the past several months, I’ve felt a shift in our community at Hot Yoga 4 You. The energy has been growing. More connection, more commitment, and more curiosity about how we can take our practice beyond the studio. As this momentum built, I started thinking about how amazing it would be to offer something more: a chance to disconnect from our routines, immerse in nature, and share something truly special together.

Truthfully, I have to give credit to Marci for planting the seed. Not only is she one of my closest friends, but she’s also a gifted teacher with years of retreat experience. She was the one who encouraged me to consider co-leading a retreat with her, and I truly wouldn’t be doing this without her. Her vision, her calm presence, and her experience make this the perfect partnership, and I’m so grateful we’re doing this together.

And there was never a doubt in my mind about where to start: El Salvador.

Both of my parents are from El Salvador, and it’s where I spent many of my winter breaks growing up. The country is warm, vibrant, and deeply rooted in who I am. It’s also where my father chose to spend the last chapter of his life, and February our retreat month is his birthday month. So, when we say this location is special, it’s not just beautiful, it’s personal.

Earlier this year, on what would become the exact date of our retreat, February 7th, Marci and I traveled to El Salvador together. We stayed at my family’s home in La Unión, a quiet coastal town in the east. I wanted her to feel the pace of life there, the sun, the stillness, and the energy. I remember saying, “Time slows down here.” And she felt it too.

That feeling of slowing down, of returning to ourselves is exactly what we want this retreat to offer. Practicing yoga outside in the warmth, breathing deeply without a schedule pulling at you, and connecting as a community in a completely new way. That’s what this is about.

We’re so excited to welcome you to our very first Salty Skins Retreat, happening February 7–12, 2026, in beautiful El Salvador. This is just the beginning! We have plans for more, but starting here feels perfectly aligned.

We hope you’ll join us.

Sincerely,

Karina Blackstone