The Return
Remember What Fills You Up.
Choose to Return To It.
The Grind pulls us away from ourselves.
This is your invitation to come back.
A modern-day pilgrimage - 3 nights to step away from routine,
activate transformation and reconnect with your spirit.
Once a year. Always when you need it most.
October 24–27, 2025
Lake Osceola Retreat Center
558 240th St, Osceola, WI
The Spirit
We all have a spirit - the part of us that makes us feel alive.
Over time, the grind pulls us away from it. The roles, the routines - they leave us disconnected from the very essence that gives life meaning.
And that’s when our spirits can be broken. They don’t break from hard things; they break when we move through life joylessly striving.
This is the cost of the grind - grinding through hard things in life: achieving goals, parenting, grieving losses, ending relationships, living with chronic pain, and more.
Sometimes grinding just wears us down.
Other times... grinding breaks us open - revealing what needs healing or what needs to change.
Who Is This For
The Return is for anyone who feels the weight of The Grind - the endless striving that leaves you disconnected from yourself.
Grinding can be a useful tool, but it was never meant to be your way of life.
This retreat is for you if:
You need a reset.
You’re seeking clarity.
You’re moving through a life transition.
You’ve lost touch with yourself.
You’re ready to break something open.
You’re ready to step out of constant striving.
Come on your own… or invite someone in your life who also needs this kind of space!
A friend moving through transition.
A partner worn down by the grind.
A family member longing for clarity.
There is a quiet power in moving side by side, each person in their own solitude, yet still held in the presence of others.
Why Pilgrimage Works
The Return is more than a retreat, it’s a rhythm.
An annual practice of leaving the noise behind so you can hear what’s true again.
What makes it transformational:
Movement unlocks reflection – A long, challenging hike loosens what’s stuck - inside and out.
Distance shifts perspective – Being far from your routine brings clarity you can’t find in the middle of it.
Struggle creates meaning – The challenge reveals your strength and what really matters.
Solitude creates space – Time away from roles and responsibilities brings you back to your core self.
Ritual marks transition – Ritual tells the brain: it’s time to shift. They mark an ending, create a beginning and open you to change.
Reflection anchors the change – You leave not just renewed, but reoriented.
The grind is always present, which is why creating intentional space each year matters just as much as the pilgrimage itself.
The Power of Annual Practice
One pilgrimage can be a turning point.
Coming back each year becomes a way of life.
Each year, you:
Step away from the noise
Reconnect with what matters
Return with more clarity, courage & direction
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act... but a habit.”
- Aristotle
What To Expect
Friday: Arrive & Be Present
The journey starts by slowing down and arriving here. Friday is designed to help you release the week, connect with fellow seekers, and settle into the rhythm of the weekend. As the body settles, the mind softens its grip on routine and the spirit opens to connection.
2:00–3:30 pm | Arrival & Time to Settle In
Shift gears and leave the week behind.4:00 pm | Opening Circle
Get grounded in the purpose of the retreat and connect with your fellow seekers.5:00 pm | Guided Tour of the Grounds
Gain a sense of place and ease as you explore the retreat space.6:00 pm | Nourishing Communal Dinner
Connect over a shared meal and feel part of the community.8:30 pm | Evening Yoga Nidra
Experience deep rest and renewal for body and mind.
Saturday: Walk the Pilgrimage
This is the heart of The Return. A day to walk in solitude, reflect in silence and discover what rises when the noise falls away. For six hours, the trail becomes your teacher: the body engaged in steady movement, the mind clearing in rhythm, and the spirit awakening to what is ready to be seen.
8:00 am | Breakfast
A nourishing start to fuel the journey ahead.9:00 am – 3:00 pm | The Long Hike
Our modern-day pilgrimage unfolds on a 5-mile forest loop trail. You’ll hike in solitude, yet always within the presence of your community of fellow seekers.
Hike for 6 hours
5-6 loops of the trail
Food + hydration aid station at the end of each loop
A rhythm that invites both challenge and reflection
Time to walk with your questions, your intentions or your silence
3:00 – 6:00 pm | Recovery
Refuel with a recovery snack, then rest: sauna, hot tub, or a restorative nap.6:00 pm | Dinner
After solitude, return to community over a shared meal.8:00 pm | Embers of Reflection Bonfire
Share your experience or simply listen as stories weave together into collective meaning.
Friendly Reminder: Attending with a loved one? Plan to hike solo. Save conversation for after The Long Hike!
Sunday: Rest, Recovery & Joy
After the pilgrimage, today is about giving your body, mind, and spirit the chance to restore. This is a day without hurry - move slowly, savor stillness and let joy find you through laughter and creativity. Rest restores the body, ease softens the mind, and joy reconnects the spirit.
8:00 am | Breakfast
12:00 pm | Lunch
3:00 pm | Group Sound Healing
Gentle vibration and resonance to deepen recovery.6:00 pm | Dinner
Self-Led Rest & Play
Sauna and/or hot tub
Kayak or canoe on the lake
Reading on the covered porch
Work on a puzzle together
Nap!
Optional Sign-Ups
Massage therapy
Mosaic art workshop
Creative healthy cooking class
Monday: Remember & Return
The Return closes by helping you carry the weekend’s clarity into your everyday life. This is the threshold moment - remembering what fills you up... and choosing to return to it as you step back into the world. The morning grounds the body with a meal, clears the mind with reflection and honors the spirit in community.
8:00 am | Breakfast & Journaling Introduction
Receive your guided journaling packet and begin reflection.8:30 am – 12:00 pm | Journaling in Solitude
Spacious time to write, reflect, and anchor your breakthroughs.12:00 pm | Lunch
A final meal together.12:30 pm | Closing Circle
Gather one last time to honor the journey, share reflections, and name the practices you’ll carry forward.1:00 pm | Check-Out
Depart at your own pace, taking with you clarity, joy, and renewed intention.
Next Steps
Choose Your Room - Pricing is per person and depends on the room type you select. When you bring a partner, friend, or family member to share your bed (queen or king size only), you’ll each save on cost.
Reserve Your Spot - Secure your place with a $200 deposit.
Save The Date For The Pilgrimage Prep Call - Once registered, you’ll receive a welcome email with retreat details and a calendar invite for The Pilgrimage Prep Call.
Prepare for Your Journey - The Pilgrimage includes a 6-hour hike. To fully experience the clarity and breakthroughs it offers, your body, mind and spirit all need to be prepared. The Pilgrimage Prep Call will help you set your intention and guide you through the essentials of readiness:
Body – Training practices (3 weeks) for strength and stamina.
Mind – Prepare for presence, reflection, and inner clarity.
Nourishment – Nutritional guidance for energy during your training and faster recovery after each training hike.
Without this preparation, your focus will stay on your body & mind saying things like, “Dude. Why are we doing this?” -instead of opening space for the clarity and renewal you came for.
Your Room Options
All packages include lodging, nourishing meals, the full retreat program and access to retreat center amenities (hot tub, sauna, yoga, and sound healing).
Invite someone in your life who could also use this reset. While each person walks their own path, budget-friendly double occupancy rates make it easier to come together!
Orange Lotus Room
Single: $1324
Double: $875 each
Private Room
Ensuite Bathroom
Queen Bed
Green Lotus Room
Single: $1179
Double: $796 each
Private Room
Shared Bathroom
King Bed
Purple Lotus Room
Single: $1179
Double: $796 each
Private Room
Shared Bathroom
Queen Bed
Red Lotus Room
Single: $1179
Double: $796 each
Private Room
Shared Bathroom
Queen Bed
Yellow Lotus Room
Single: $1084 each
Shared Room
Shared Bathroom
2 Twin Beds
Blue Lotus Room
Single: $1084 each
Shared Room
Shared Bathroom
Queen Bed, Full Bed
The following optional add-ons are not included: Mosaic Art Workshop, Massage Therapy, Creative Healthy Cooking Class.
Meet The Founder
I'm so glad you're here!
Hi - I'm Oie Dobier. A fellow human being, walking beside you in this journey of life.
The Return was born out of my own realization that while grinding has its place, living in The Grind breaks the spirit. After years of striving in corporate tech and later as an entrepreneur, I discovered that what we truly need is space - to pause, reset and reconnect with what fills us up.
Today, I live full-time in a camper van with my husband, Darren. Life on the road reminds me daily of what matters most: simple moments, meaningful connections, and staying close to our two adult kids, Nya and Dom, as they step into their own adventures.
This pilgrimage is my way of sharing what I’ve learned... that clarity and renewal don’t come from pushing harder, but from creating space to return to yourself.
I’d be honored to host you in this space of reflection and growth.
Meet Your Wellness Team
The Return is held by a team devoted to your health and wellness!
At The Return, your retreat center hosts and guest experience guide welcome you into the space and create the environment for rest, reflection and renewal.
Elham & Hossein Jalali
Founders of Lake Osceola Retreat
Elham: Yoga Instructor
Hossein: Mosaic Artist
Lake Osceola Retreat Center
Nya Dobier
Guest Experience Guide
Beyond the retreat, our trusted practitioners are here to walk with you as you carry your clarity into everyday life. While you gain much from a weekend away, living it out at home is the next step in your journey... and you don’t have to do it alone.
