Upcoming Events + Workshops


A Bridge to the Essence of You: A Yoga and Enneagram Experience
Nov
16

A Bridge to the Essence of You: A Yoga and Enneagram Experience

Note: We are now offering this event totally FREE to folks impacted by Hurricane Helene. To claim your free spot, please email me at alimcghee@gmail.com.

What is the alchemy of you?

What are the ingredients of your essence?

And what would it feel like to arrive within a sacred circle of humans only here to celebrate what that is?


The Experience

 With its roots in ancient mystery schools, the Enneagram is a powerful tool with modern-day applications for self-growth, empowerment, and enlightenment.

The millennia-old tradition of yoga calls us back to our bodies, yoking breath and movement to engage our senses and raise our consciousness. Together, these two wisdom systems can realign us with our truest and highest selves, while giving us deep insights into the nature of all beings.

In this full-day immersion, we will explore the Enneagram’s nine types through the Embodiment Tradition, a somatic experiencing of the system that invites us to feel into each type, from fixation into boundless Essence. We will also connect with each type through the practice of yoga, including asana and meditation.

The Enneagram teaches us that all beings are connected, and through the Embodiment Tradition we can experience this connection for ourselves.

Yoga grounds us in ourselves while also expanding our awareness beyond the container of the self, bridging us to the universal.

Enneagram expert Ali McGhee will share her wisdom and knowledge around the sacred and life-changing teaching that is the Enneagram.  She will offer tools of empathy and understanding (for self and others) that can be integrated into our everyday lives.

Tara Eschenroeder will infuse the experience with poetry, nature connection and yoga (asana, visualization, meditation); providing an invitation out of the thinking mind back into the soil of our bodies. 

“I recommend this retreat if you are curious about the Enneagram and want to take time out to learn more about it from expert Ali. It was a deep dive into Enneagram with yoga movements from Tara that embodied the teaching. The lessons were well thought out and they did a good job keeping conversations on track, while also giving opportunities to learn about the other retreat guests. I walked away feeling like I understood the Enneagram in a broad sense and how to apply it to the world around me, my life and my type. The setting at Highland Lake was dreamy and I enjoyed a sense of calm these two sweet souls and teachers brought. They really know their stuff. Thank you!” – Jenny Fares

About Highland Lake Cove

Created to be a sustainable, multi-generational community and retreat space, Highland Lake Cove offers private gathering spaces, nature trails with an abundance of native flora and fauna, gardens, and a stunning lake.   

Our gathering space has a full kitchen; please bring what you need to feel nourished.

We will gather in the Sanctuary in the Pines Retreat Space. Our day will also include yoga practice on the deck (weather permitting), poetry, and forest bathing on the grounds.

INVESTMENT IN YOURSELF
Fully inclusive day rate of $222

This Includes
-Gathering in circle with community
-All-levels yoga practice
-Guided meditations
-All-levels introduction to the Enneagram (the symbol, Centers of Intelligence, the 9 Types from fixation to Essence) through the Embodiment Tradition
-Compassionate exploration of your own Enneatype, or typing support as
you encounter the Types
-Poetry and time for creative workshopping
-Forest bathing walk
-Coffee, tea, and water 
-Snacks
-Additional materials for continued study and empowerment

This Does not Include
-Airfare/Transportation
-Gratuities for facilitators
-Any additional nourishment

“I had the honor of attending the Enneagram/Yoga retreat with Ali and Tara, and had a full day of remembering who I am and what my core self is saying. The information provided by Ali on my Enneagram was inspiring and gave me a deeper understanding of both my strengths and areas that need extra attention during tough times. Combined with the unbelievably grounding flow sessions with Tara, I left the day-long retreat with a deep appreciation and curiosity for myself and others who resonated with vastly different typings. A truly beautiful experience I hope to have again!” – Emily Strother


Meet Your Guides

Ali McGhee

Ali McGhee, Ph.D, is a writer, storyteller, researcher, and teacher. She completed her doctorate in English Literature from the University of Rochester in 2015. She is Co-Director of the Enneagram School of Awakening (ESOA) and an International Enneagram Association (IEA) Accredited Professional, as well as the People Operations Manager for 6AM City, co-founder of Appalachian Psychedelic Society, and member of the Chacruna Chronicles editorial team. She teaches courses on the Enneagram and creative writing for the Great Smokies Writing Program and co-leads training programs in the Enneagram Embodiment Tradition through the ESOA. 

Her work has been published in Dark Mountain, Slippery Elm Literary Journal, Holler, Scallywag, Lucid News, the MAPS Bulletin, WNC magazine, and others. She is a member of Asheville-based storytelling venue Story Parlor’s “Story Board.” She is currently finishing her novel, a speculative fiction/horror tale about people turning into trees.

Tara “Becky” Eschenroeder

A smiling woman sits in a flower-filled forest, draped in a handcrafted textile

Tara (Becky) Eschenroeder(she/her)— a 500 hour E-RYT, 200 hour E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP, certified coach and mentor, and self-published author —is an accomplished yogi who was voted as one of the top three yoga instructors by Richmond Magazine.

With some teachers, the lessons are planned. They are practiced. They are rehearsed. And they are perfected to a tee. But Tara Eschenroeder offers a different experience. Teaching was Tara’s Dharma long before she realized it. She grew up with a bow and arrow in her hands, learning to pull back with just enough aim and control to send her arrow into the abyss, knowing and trusting it would hit its intended mark. And so she enters each class, each workshop, each lesson.. Having prepared her body and mind to become that bow - that vessel - that lesson…letting that arrow fly... Weaving its way into the provided space and landing wherever it is intended.

Tara felt that call in 2007 when she first felt the spark of a tiny flame. And instead of approaching that flame fearing the heat, she chose to approach it with love, stoking the fire that was burning within for her passion of yoga. By the end of 2009, she received her 200 hour RYT under Arlene Bjork and Grace Yoga Training Systems. She continued to follow what she knew and trusted her path to be, and she obtained her 500 hour RYT through Om On Yoga under the guidance and wisdom of Jennifer Elliott.

When practicing with Tara, no two classes or workshops are ever the same. Students are not told what to do, they are empowered to listen to their own bodies. And while there are general cues throughout of “warrior” and “downward dog” (almost always accompanied by their Sanskrit name), one is also just as likely to hear cues of “listen to the animal within,” “move through honey, “ride the wave of your breath,” or, simply, just an encouragement to “dance.” Her mentoring and life coaching sessions follow a similar pattern. Mentees are not told what to do but instead empowered to listen within with offered guidance- never forced, and always an open-minded invitation to explore. Tara’s Psychology degree from James Madison University, Elementary Education License from Mary Baldwin College, and coaching certification from Yoga2Life give her a studied foundation for helping others, but it’s her natural instincts and open heart that help students see the best in themselves.

Asheville, NC is Tara’s hOMe, and she spends much of her time around the country and outside of holding workshops, retreats, classes, and presenting at festivals. She has also received additional teaching credentials with Project Yoga Richmond and YoKid Stretch Your Limits, as well as serving as a proud Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica. Yet, so much of her teaching is done off of the yoga mat. Tara openly and outwardly lives the teachings has been inspired to share. Just as she would encourage a student falling out of a pose to take themselves lightly, she does the same as she navigates through challenges. And just as she would encourage a student to trust themselves as they spread their wings into something new on the mat, she is a living example of trusting what she knew was her calling as she spread her own wings. She approaches life with that same love that she used to approach that initial flame, and she encourages each person with whom is comes in contact to do the same. And by doing so, she is living out her truth and her Dharma of being a vessel of blessing.

Directions to Highland Lake Cove:
215 Rhett Dr., Flat Rock, NC 28731

From Asheville (approximately 40 minutes):
Take I-26E to exit 53 (Upward Rd.)
Turn right onto Upward Rd. (1.3 mi).
Continue through the stoplight onto N Highland Lake Rd. (you will pass Ingles on your left) (.5 mi)
Turn left onto Highland Lake Dr. (.5 mi)
Turn right onto Rhett Dr. (signs for Sanctuary in the Pines) (.2 mi)

Parking is available at the Sanctuary in the Pines.

View Event →
Wisdom and Lore: Plant Identification and Yoga Hike
Nov
2

Wisdom and Lore: Plant Identification and Yoga Hike

Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, and fire my spirit. Join Ali McGhee and Tara Eschenroeder for this special adventure.

We are surrounded by so much beauty that we so often overlook as we are distracted by so many things to do and tasks to accomplish. We forget that we are human beings (not human doings) grounded in place and inherent, effortless purpose. This hike will excite our senses and our minds as we gather deep wisdom about area plants and discover their powerful potential. On our journey up the mountain, we’ll meet several of our local and native plant species and learn their medicinal and magical uses, from healers that help us reconnect with the land – and ourselves – to a few storied (and poisonous) allies. At the top of the majestic Bearwallow bald, we will share a meditation on the land and flow together in asana, then celebrate with fresh wildcrafted tea and a snack. Not only will we interact and commune with nature, but we will also come together as a beautiful community celebrating new friends and old.

~~~

This adventure is limited to 20 participants.

~~~

This experience will happen rain or shine.

View Event →
Apr
22

Earth Day Plant Identification & Yoga Hike

This hike will excite our senses and our minds as we gather deep wisdom about area plants and discover their powerful potential. On our journey up the mountain, we’ll meet several of our local and native plant species and learn their medicinal and magical uses, from healers that help us reconnect with the land – and ourselves – to a few storied (and poisonous) allies.

At the top of the majestic Bearwallow bald, we will share a meditation on the land and flow together in asana, then celebrate with fresh herbal tea brewed from plants we’ve met. Not only will we interact and commune with nature, but we will also come together as a beautiful community celebrating new friends and old.

With Ali McGhee and Tara Eschenroeder (Great Abiding Yoga).

~~~

This adventure is limited to 20 participants.

~~~

We can’t wait to share this experience with you!

View Event →
Feb
20

Character Study: Writing Compelling Characters with the Enneagram

This offering is through the Great Smokies Writing Program at UNC Asheville.

Meets online via Zoom.
Monday evenings starting 2/20, 6:00-8:30.

NC resident tuition: $395

Out-of-state tuition: $1,841

Our favorite characters feel like people we know. Their conflicts and desires leap off the page, and they linger with us long after a story ends. But writers commonly struggle to create characters whose vibrancy matches people in their favorite books, or in the real world. Even when a character emerges initially with a strong voice and backstory, we often lose that intensity and struggle to rediscover it as a project continues.

In this workshop, we’ll use the Enneagram, which has long been employed as a profound transformational tool for personal growth, to transform our creative writing practice. We’ll dive into the Enneagram’s triads (the gut, the heart, and the head) through teaching, discussion, and the revolutionary Embodiment  Tradition – an experiential, felt sense of the types that creates deep understanding of type.

Then, we’ll use readings and prompts to create characters of each type. We’ll craft backstories, dialogue, motivations, and dreams for  characters, giving them distinct, compelling voices that will carry them through any plot. We will spend half of our time together learning, and half workshopping and sharing characters we’re creating for our own projects. 

Note: No previous training in the Enneagram is required. Feel free to come in with characters (fictional or non-fictional) you’ve already created and would like to workshop.

View Event →
Nov
5

Deep Dive into Type 7

A young girl stands with her back to the viewer, looking at a night sky full of stars

Location: Zoom (link sent after enrollment)

Cost: $150

Join core faculty members Ali McGhee, PhD, and Valerie Wanamaker, LCSW in this exploration of Type 7 – known as the Enthusiast, the Epicure, the Entertainer, and the Adventurer. We’ll explore the 7 from fixation to essence, beginning and ending with the 7’s effortless connection to serene bliss. 

Our day together will include:

  • A Q&A panel of people identifying as Enneagram Type 7

  • A teaching on Type 7, including key features and narratives of Type 7s, a demonstration of the 7 energy, and embodiment of the type 

  • Teaching on instinctual stacking for Type 7

  • Discussion and breakdown of the panel together as a group

  • Discussion of 7s in our lives

  • Exploration of common mistypes

  • Meditation and movement practices for Type 7


Participants will receive a recording of the workshop.

This workshop gives participants 5 hours toward accreditation with the International Enneagram Association.

View Event →
Oct
21

Plant Identification and Yoga Hike

A collage of three pictures: On the left, a large tree looms over a cloudy forest. On the top right, a woman with long blond hair flows through a yoga pose on a mountaintop. At the bottom right, a woman with brown hair kneels down to point at a plant

Join Ali McGhee and Tara Eschenroeder (Great Abiding Yoga) for this special adventure!

Location: Bearwallow Mountain Trail
4854 Bearwallow Mountain Road, Hendersonville, NC, 28792

Cost: $52

Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath, and fire my spirit! We are surrounded by so much beauty that we so often overlook as we are distracted by so many things to do and tasks to accomplish. We forget that we are human beings (not human doings) grounded in place and inherent, effortless purpose.

This hike will excite our senses and our minds as we gather deep wisdom about area plants and discover their powerful potential. On our journey up the mountain, we’ll meet several of our local and native plant species and learn their medicinal and magical uses, from healers that help us reconnect with the land – and ourselves – to a few storied (and poisonous) allies. At the top of the majestic Bearwallow bald, we will share a meditation on the land and flow together in asana, then celebrate with fresh herbal tea brewed from plants we’ve met. Not only will we interact and commune with nature, but we will also come together as a beautiful community celebrating new friends and old.

~~~

This adventure is limited to 20 participants.

~~~

We can’t wait to share this experience with you!


View Event →
Sep
17

Deep Dive Into Type 3

Location: Zoom (link sent after enrollment)

Cost: $150

Join Enneagram School of Awakening core faculty members Ali McGhee, PhD, and Valerie Wanamaker, LCSW in this exploration of Type 3 – known as the Achiever, the Performer, the Motivator, and the Status Seeker. We’ll explore the 3 from fixation to essence, beginning and ending with the 3’s effortless connection to divine appreciation. 

Our day together will include:

  • A Q&A panel of people identifying as Enneagram Type 3

  • A teaching on Type 3, including key features and narratives of Type 3s, a demonstration of the 3 energy, and embodiment of the type 

  • Teaching on instinctual stacking for Type 3

  • Discussion and breakdown of the panel together as a group

  • Discussion of 3s in our lives

  • Exploration of common mistypes

  • Meditation and movement practices for Type 3


Participants will receive a recording of the workshop.

This workshop gives participants 5 hours toward accreditation with the International Enneagram Association.

View Event →
Deep Dive Into Type 4
Aug
6

Deep Dive Into Type 4

Join Enneagram School of Awakening core faculty members Ali McGhee, PhD, and Valerie Wanamaker, LCSW, in this exploration of Type 4 – known as the Individualist, the Artist, the Mystic, and the Elitist.

View Event →

Curious about collaborating on an event for your community or organization?