THE WESTERN SPIRIT RETREAT
Montana, USA

Yoga, Meditation, Grace, Grit and Horse Wisdom in the Heart of Montana
June 2026 | Madison County, MT | Led by Sue Bonanno with Cowboy Craig Turner

 “Somewhere between the soul of a monk and
the grit of a cowboy lies the Western Spirit.”

In a world hyperstimulated and undernourished, where screens replace skies and we’ve mistaken urgency for importance — this retreat calls you back. Back to breath. Back to body. Back to what’s real.

Held on a private ranch in Madison County, Montana — where horses run freer than most people’s thoughts — this is a rare portal: a convergence of ancient wisdom, equine intelligence, and frontier soul.

With daily yoga and meditation, fireside nights, chef-prepared meals, and the silent knowing of the horse as your guide — you'll step out of linear time and into a field where presence becomes power.

This is not a spa weekend.
It’s an invitation to live the embodied spirit of the American West

What You’ll Experience

  • Mindfulness With Horses

    Each day begins with grounding presence — meditating alongside our private herd, tapping into their limbic resonance and mirror-like clarity. These animals don’t lie, don’t flatter. They feel you, and in doing so, they show you yourself.

    Horses teach what no seminar can: trust, boundaries, presence, and power — without a word.

    - Ground-based connection: grooming, leading, herd observation, sensory observation

    - Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL): develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, authentic communication

    - Nervous system mastery through co-regulation with horses' calm, attuned presence

  • Yoga for Riding

    Morning sessions are built for functional strength and freedom of movement — opening hips, spine, and shoulders so you can ride like the wind and walk like a sage.

    Evening Restorative/Yin/Yoga Nidra sessions to drop into the parasympathetic and soothe your muscles. Chakra alignment from root to crown for whole-system balance.

  • Evening Fireside Sessions

    As the sun dips behind Montana’s wide shoulders and the scent of juniper drifts on the air, we gather. Around the hearth & campfire, together, as it has been for humans since the beginning

    - Guided meditations, restorative yoga, deep rest

    - Journaling, selected readings, deep reflection to embed insight

    - Stillness as soul nourishment

    - Sangha, community and a spirit of friendship shared that warms your heart

  • Private Trail Rides

    Slow down and saddle up with private, cowboy-led rides almost every day! Set against the wide-open beauty of Montana's legendary big sky you'll learn basic horsemanship, safety and groundwork. From there your confidence will build as we ride in small groups according to your level. The trails take us through peaceful brush and gentle rises to unspeakable views that will leave an imprint on your heart and mind.

Immersion in the West

This isn’t about playing cowboy dress-up (although we like to look the part!). It’s about entering into the code of the West — a lineage of freedom, resilience, and radical self-reliance. It’s about connecting on a deeper level through the wisdom of horses and experiencing the awe-inspiring feeling of Montana.

Daily group facilitation, yoga, mindfulness with horses is led Sue Bonanno, retreat leader, yogic guide and meditation mentor.

Custom trail rides led by Craig Turner, trusted guide, skilled horseman, and creator of memorable experiences on the trails of the West.

The retreat includes the following:

  • Small group accommodations for 5 nights in a private cabin home and 20 acres of ranch land

  • Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness w/Horses daily program w/small privately owned horse herd

  • All meals - chef prepared meals & some casual restaurant dining

  • Cowboy-led personalized trail rides for all levels (no experience necessary)

  • Afternoon in Bozeman: the cultural heart of the modern West. Dinner + Shopping excursion to get anything Western from head to toe or go for a custom cowboy hat design and fitting

  • Private natural hot spring soak under open skies

  • Custom day trip to Yellowstone National Park — raw, untamed, awe-inspiring, led by a private guide and former Park Ranger

  • Evening in Ennis - walk, shop, enjoy a rooftop cocktail in the inviting town of Ennis

Core Teachings & Takeaways

  • The Western Spirit: a fusion of fierce tenderness, solitude, and liberation

  • Somatic Sovereignty: train your nervous system through breath, body, and horse wisdom

  • Emotional Literacy: become fluent in the non-verbal language of horses & connection

  • Resilience: find strength in stillness, joy in movement and grace in open skies

  • Perspective Shift: the land, the horse, the fire, the sky — all conspire to expand your inner horizon

Who Is This For?

  • All riding levels welcome — no horse experience necessary

  • Seekers of deeper presence, grounded joy, and a touch of adventure

  • Burned out professionals, disillusioned achievers, wanderers, and wild ones

  • Those ready to shift, evolve, and remember

The Promise

Leave not just restored, but rewired.
Not just relaxed, but resourced.
With:

  • A deeper sense of self-trust and calm

  • The spaciousness to hear your own inner voice again

  • An expanded sense of what’s possible

  • A felt connection to the earth and the elements, your breath, and your being

This is sacred land.
This is liminal space.
This is the Western Spirit.

Space is intentionally limited.

Only 6 participants per retreat session means personal attention, space to unwind and custom, exclusive experiences. Because real connection doesn’t happen in crowds — it happens in containers. Sacred ones. Like this. Join us in Spring 2026. We are currently enrolling two sessions of the Western Spirit Retreat Montana.

Put your deposit down to apply & secure your spot ASAP! This will sell out.