What actually happens inside a neotantric retreat—and why do people travel across the world to attend them?

Neotantric retreats sit at the intersection of intimacy, nervous-system regulation, embodiment, and personal growth—yet they’re often misunderstood or oversimplified.

In this episode, Dan Berger sits down with Dawn Cartwright, founder of the Chandra Bindu Tantra Institute, to unpack what neotantric retreats truly involve, how they’re designed, and why safety, structure, and presence matter just as much as vulnerability.

The conversation explores tantra versus neo-tantra, how sexuality relates to flow states and leadership, and what retreat leaders must consider when facilitating deeply personal work in a group setting—without crossing boundaries or losing trust.

Episode Themes

• Tantra vs. neo-tantra: ancient roots and modern application
• Sexuality as a pathway to flow, creativity, and leadership
• Shame, control, and the challenge of receiving
• Creating psychological safety in intimate group retreats
• Designing neotantric retreats with structure and consent
• Somatic practices that build sensitivity and presence
• Why ritual matters in lasting transformation
• Retreat environments that support intimacy and trust

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome and introduction
01:40 – Why sexuality still feels taboo
03:23 – Shame, success, and delayed pleasure
05:41 – Sex, flow states, and peak performance
06:59 – Tantra vs. neo-tantra explained
10:13 – Belonging, control, and mutual presence
12:26 – Creating safety in intimate group settings
14:40 – What a neotantric retreat actually looks like
17:34 – Integration, aftereffects, and long-term change
19:23 – Inclusivity, pricing, and group size
21:59 – Designing spaces for intimacy and privacy
25:43 – What tantric sex really means

About the Guest – Dawn Cartwright
Dawn Cartwright is a tantric visionary, sacred writer, and teacher with more than three decades of study across classical and modern tantric traditions. She integrates ancient tantra, bioenergetics, psychology, and somatic practices to support embodied intimacy and human potential.

As founder of the Chandra Bindu Tantra Institute, Dawn leads retreats and trainings around the world focused on presence, connection, and relational mastery. Her work emphasizes safety, consent, and practical integration—bringing esoteric teachings into modern relationships and daily life.

Website: Chandra Bindu Tantra Institute
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram | LinkedIn

About the Assemble Podcast
Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.

We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.

This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.

Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.

Learn more: assemblehospitality.com

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.

When COVID shut down her brick-and-mortar yoga studio, Bethany Forest was forced to rethink everything. What began as a crisis became the catalyst for a retreat business rooted in healing, nature, and deep human connection.

In this episode, Dan Berger talks with Bethany—founder of Heal Yoga—about the leap from studio classes to immersive retreats, the hard lessons learned from her first retreat, and how thoughtful design, systems, and pricing make long-term sustainability possible.

Bethany shares how yoga retreats go far beyond poses on a mat, why discomfort can be a powerful teacher, and how intentional outdoor experiences help people regulate their nervous systems, reconnect with their bodies, and form lasting bonds.

Episode Themes

• Pivoting from a brick-and-mortar studio to retreats after COVID
• Why retreats create deeper transformation than weekly classes
• Designing yoga retreats that balance movement, reflection, and adventure
• Learning pricing, margins, and systems the hard way
• Creating psychological safety for first-time retreat guests
• Using nature and outdoor challenge to foster growth
• Building connection and belonging among strangers
• What makes people return to retreats again and again

Chapters
00:00 – Welcome and introduction
01:33 – COVID, studio closure, and the pivot to retreats
03:36 – Why retreats felt more aligned than a yoga studio
04:40 – Lessons learned from the first retreat
06:42 – Building systems and pricing retreats sustainably
08:46 – What a yoga retreat really looks like
10:40 – Healing, the nervous system, and connection
12:46 – Structuring retreat days and setting expectations
16:02 – Adventure days and the role of discomfort
17:51 – Retreat size, frequency, and growth
18:27 – Marketing retreats and filling spots
20:31 – Final reflections on facilitation and belonging

About the Guest – Bethany Forest

Bethany Forest is the founder of Heal Yoga and a retreat facilitator who designs immersive experiences focused on healing, resilience, and connection. A multi-business entrepreneur, she brings a grounded, real-world perspective to wellness shaped by her background in product development, real estate photography, and business ownership.

After a personal health journey and the challenges of the pandemic, Bethany shifted her work from studio classes to retreats that combine yoga, nature, outdoor challenge, and deep self-inquiry. Her retreats help participants reconnect with their bodies, build meaningful relationships, and explore growth at the edge of discomfort.

Learn more: www.healyogastudio.com

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

About the Assemble Podcast
Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.

We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.

This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.

Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.

Learn more: assemblehospitality.com

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.

In this episode of the Assemble Podcast, Dan Berger sits down with Anna VanAgtmael, founder of Wandering Roots, to talk about what actually goes into designing retreats that are meaningful, sustainable, and worth running.

The conversation explores Anna’s path from hosting her own retreats to planning retreats for entrepreneurs and leaders around the world. Along the way, they unpack common mistakes retreat hosts make, how to think more clearly about pricing and group size, and why leaving space for downtime and integration often matters more than a packed itinerary. The episode also looks at current retreat trends and how thoughtful planning can extend the impact of a retreat well beyond the final day.

Episode Themes

• Designing retreats that balance intention, logistics, and guest experience
• Why overpacked itineraries often undermine retreat outcomes
• The role of downtime in creating meaningful connection and clarity
• How retreat pricing impacts sustainability and perceived value
• Ideal group size and host-to-guest ratios for deeper engagement
• The shift toward more content-driven, less excursion-heavy retreats
• Helping guests integrate retreat insights back into everyday life

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to the Assemble Podcast
01:00 – Anna’s path from biotech to retreat hosting
03:30 – Creating approachable, accessible wellness retreats
04:30 – How she first found retreat clients
06:00 – Moving into retreat planning for others
07:30 – Where most retreat hosts get stuck
10:40 – Over-scheduling, travel fatigue, and downtime
12:30 – Current retreat trends
13:30 – Integration and re-entry after retreats
15:00 – When to say no to a client
15:40 – Pricing advice for retreat hosts
17:00 – Realistic retreat pricing benchmarks
18:00 – Ideal retreat size and group dynamics
18:50 – How Anna prices her planning services
19:30 – Final advice for retreat planners

About the Guest – Anna VanAgtmael

Anna VanAgtmael is the founder of Wandering Roots, where she helps retreat leaders and entrepreneurs design thoughtful, well-run retreats rooted in connection, clarity, and sustainability. Her work blends travel planning, logistics, and intentional experience design to support hosts and guests alike.

Website: www.yourwanderingroots.com

Social Media: Facebook | LinkedIn

About the Assemble Podcast

Welcome to the Assemble Podcast. I’m Dan Berger, founder of Assemble Hospitality Group.

We build purpose-designed spaces for small team offsites and retreats, because the biggest things happen in the smallest rooms.

This show explores retreats in all forms—corporate, lifestyle, wellness, and endurance training—and the culture shifts that happen when people step away from the everyday. You’ll hear lessons from operators, facilitators, and leaders who design experiences that move the needle.

Our goal: give you the playbook for building clarity, trust, and belonging on your team—or in your community.

Learn more: assemblehospitality.com

Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube

Credits: Hosted by Dan Berger, Founder & CEO of Assemble Hospitality. Recorded at Assemble’s Boise Retreat House. Produced by KazCM, part of the QuietLoud Studios podcast network. Distributed on SportsEpreneur.