This October, a small group will spend three days at a retreat center in Parrish working through the kind of questions most of us are too busy to sit with.
"What if the life you're living isn't actually the one you're choosing?" asks creator Nicole Skaggs, founder of Bradenton-based Enlightened Tribe.
"Most of us spend years reacting instead of responding," she explains. "Repeating old patterns, carrying old stories, and making decisions from conditioning we didn't even know was there."
The Awakened Warrior retreat is designed to interrupt that cycle.
Softening into freedom
The work itself is rooted in the teachings of Yoga, Vedanta, and Ayurveda, supported by modern neuroscience, and delivered through guided self-inquiry, movement, meditation, meaningful conversation, and experiential challenges. This combination aims to help attendees cultivate "a steady mind, an open heart, and a life lived with purpose instead of reaction."
Over the three days, you'll work on:
Breaking unconscious patterns before they become your future
Regulating your nervous system during stress
Strengthening discernment and trusting your own inner knowing
Setting healthy boundaries without losing compassion
Taking radical responsibility for your life
Leading yourself with clarity, courage, and integrity
"This isn't about becoming tougher,” Nicole says. “It's about becoming freer. Free from people-pleasing. Free from self-doubt. Free from living on autopilot. Free to make clear decisions under pressure. Free to become the author of your own life."
Quiet time, challenges, and room for laughter
This immersive experience gives participants a chance to step away from the noise of everyday life and take an honest look at what may be keeping you stuck. It includes two nights of accommodations, delicious and nutritious meals, daily yoga classes, daily meditation, excursions, and outdoor activities.
There will also be quieter moments. Time to journal, spend time under the live oaks, and sit with questions without immediately needing an answer. You may be surprised by what comes up when some of the usual noise falls away.
The group is intentionally small, giving participants a chance to really connect. You’ll share meals, practice together, and have wonderfully deep conversations. There’s also room for laughter and play, because personal growth doesn’t have to be relentlessly serious.
No expectations or requirements
The Awakened Warrior Retreat provides yoga teachers with 22 Yoga Alliance continuing education hours. But you don’t need to be a teacher or even have a regular practice to attend.
You also don’t have to be particularly spiritual, especially flexible, fearless, or even clear on what you’re looking for. What’s important is that you’re willing to participate, get serious, and take an honest look at yourself.
That’s one of the things that makes Awakened Warrior so special. “Nobody here is interested in telling you who you should become,” Nicole explains. “We’re here to help you get quiet enough, curious enough, and brave enough to find out who you really are.”
What to know before you go
The Awakened Warrior Retreat runs October 26–28, 2026 at DaySpring Conference Center, 8411 25th St E, Parrish, FL 34219, on the north bank of the Manatee River. Doors open at 11 a.m. Monday the 26th, and the retreat wraps at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday the 28th.
Registration is required, and space is limited. Shared accommodation is $997 and is all-inclusive. Private accommodation is available for $1,197. You can hold your spot today with a $300 deposit. Sign up on the Enlightened Tribe website or reach out to nicoleskaggsofficial@gmail.com for more information.
When you speak to Nicole, be sure to tell her you saw it on Discover Bradenton!
