margarucia
The mountains are calling.
MARGE CAMP is returning to Virginia for a cozy weekend, nestled in the autumnal foliage of beautiful Crozet. Meet me at Mountain Light retreat center to take an inward turn for a weekend of respite, community, nourishment, movement, and ultimate rest.
"Movement | Artistry | Restoration: Group Experience / Celebrating A Meaningful Practice". This acronym forever serves as both the heart and promise of every edition of MARGE CAMP.
I am deeply honored to return as lead to the beloved, rustic Mountain Light sanctuary to host your intimate retreat experience in the rolling hills of Virginia, where ancient mountains kiss up to open skies.
Having personally experienced Mountain Light as both a guest and a co-host, I can say with full confidence that one feels at home immediately upon arrival. Prepare to enjoy your morning coffee with the early mountain mist, stroll the lush grounds, wander through the meditative labyrinth, discover greater depths of your practice in our private chapel-studio, enjoy home-cooked nourishment, gather around the bonfire, and commune with fellow retreaters.
Leaning into the magic and gentle fragility of fall's inward shift, you are invited to turn inward once more while being cradled by our very own Virginia landscape.
Mountain Light humbly boasts a rustic and intimate mountain sanctuary nestled among the rolling hills of Crozet, Virginia. Located just an hour and a half's drive from Richmond, this tucked-away retreat center offers the perfect opportunity to step away without having to travel far. As you wind your way into the Blue Ridge foothills, prepare to trade the familiar pace of everyday life for winding roads, autumn foliage, crisp mountain air, and the quiet invitation of the landscape.
Private accommodations in the form of cozy shared rooms and limited single occupancy options, shared dorm-style bathrooms, linens and necessities, plentiful outdoor seating for quiet reflection, peaceful porches overlooking the property, a fire pit for evening gatherings, and direct access to nearby walking and hiking trails are yours to call home — tucked beneath a canopy of Virginia fall foliage where mornings arrive with mountain mist, afternoons invite wandering, and evenings reveal a sky overflowing with stars untouched by the glow of city lights.
Above all, I am excited to hold this weekend as a respite from the busy-ness and constant demands of daily life... a space to soften effort, set aside urgency, and enter a quieter rhythm where you can meet yourself more fully. Together, we will create a carefully held container of practice, presence, and rest, offering the conditions for something within you to settle, reorganize, and open.
Each day will include a thoughtfully sequenced mix of movement and mindfulness practices drawn from my core teachings. We will explore strength and expressive embodiment alongside softness, stillness, and introspection. Our opening evening will feature a deeply nourishing yoga nidra supported by crystal bowl soundscapes, designed to guide the nervous system into deep rest and integration. The rest of your weekend will include creative vinyasa, myo-meridiyin release, slower somatic work, restorative yoga, breathwork, meditation, journaling, sound immersion, and collaborative exploration.
Participation is always invitational. You are welcome to engage fully or move in a way that honors your own energy each day. Everything is offered; nothing is required.
For yoga teachers, this retreat offers 10 hours of Yoga Alliance continuing education credit for full participation.
Above all, expect spaciousness. Expect choice. Expect a slowing down that may feel unfamiliar at first, and then increasingly like something your body remembers.
Our dining experience at Mountain Light is rooted in warmth, simplicity, and care. Friend and chef Carolyn and her beloved sous prepare all meals onsite, offering thoughtfully prepared, home-cooked food throughout the weekend.
Meals are shared family-style in the dining room just below your accommodations — a cozy gathering space where we come together to nourish ourselves and each other with ease and presence. Weather permitting, we may also dine outdoors at picnic tables or around the fire pit, continuing the tradition of open-air meals under the Virginia sky.
The menu is abundant, nourishing, and flexible. While meals are primarily prepared with a balance of plant-forward and seasonal ingredients, there will also be fish and meat options available. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary needs can be accommodated and are collected in advance through the registration process.
Each morning begins with informal breakfast offerings — coffee, tea, and a simple grazing spread of fruit, yogurt, granola, and other light options to support easeful, unhurried mornings before our morning practices.
Across the weekend, you can expect two brunches and two dinners, each shared in community, with space to linger, connect, or quietly enjoy your meal as you wish.
While the weekend promises a full spread of movement, rest, and shared meals, there is also spacious, unscheduled time to simply be.
You are welcome to explore the land at your own pace — wandering nearby trails, resting in quiet corners of the property, spending time in the meditative labyrinth, or swinging beneath the trees as the mountain air moves through.
There is no additional programming to seek out, and no pressure to fill your time. The invitation is simply to let the weekend unfold around you, moving between practice, rest, nature, and stillness in a way that feels natural and unforced.
Some of the most meaningful moments of retreat often happen in these in-between spaces: a slow morning coffee, an unhurried walk after practice, a quiet pause on a porch, or an unplanned conversation that somehow turns into a lifelong friendship over dinner or beside the fire as the evening settles over the Blue Ridge.
OURS TO CALL HOME:
Mountain Light is a private, tucked-away retreat center surrounded by the rolling hills and wooded landscapes of Crozet, Virginia. During our stay, the property is fully dedicated to our group, offering a sense of intimacy, ease, and uninterrupted space to settle in together.
The land itself is expansive enough to wander and explore, yet contained enough that you always feel held within the same shared experience. You may find yourself moving between the accommodations of Emerson House, the chapel, and quiet outdoor spaces without ever needing to leave the property, passing from practice to meals to rest in a natural, unhurried rhythm.
Throughout the weekend, there are abundant places to pause: porches overlooking the trees, wooded paths, the meditative labyrinth, open-air seating, and the fire pit, where evenings often gather naturally as the sky darkens over the Blue Ridge.
Mountain Light is simple, grounded, and intentionally unpolished in the way many retreat spaces are when they are truly close to the land. It is not a resort; it is a lived-in, nature-immersed environment designed to support presence over perfection. Everything you need for the weekend is here.
HEAR FROM A HAPPY CAMPER:
MEET YOUR HOST:
If I could sum up MARGE CAMP in one word, it would be JOY. If I had a million words, there would still not be enough to describe the utter privilege and power that the camp has on its campers, including me. While there, I felt cared for, challenged, silly, playful, beautiful, powerful, capable, strong, encouraged, loved, seen, held, and utterly immersed in the special, sacred world of Marge. After leaving, the experience continues to impact me. I feel lighter, more attuned to the world and people around me, more open and receptive to everything there is to learn in yoga practice and in life, and inspired beyond words. Marge creates these experiences with her WHOLE heart, and it shows. The music, the classes and sequencing, the materials, the location, the prompts, the prep and follow-up -- it's all so clearly created with so much love, creativity, and devotion to artistry, movement, and the growth that's possible through these practices. I learned so much as a student and I will take so much away as a yoga teacher, as well. The entire unique experience, for me, felt like JOY embodied. This was my first MARGE CAMP, but it will for certain not be my last.
- Rachael, MARGE CAMP 2025
Hi, I'm Marge!
I am a movement artist, teacher, and lifelong student of embodied expression, with a deep affinity for both movement and languages. I have spent much of my life exploring the body as an artistic medium while also studying Spanish, Italian, and French. I hold a BFA in dance performance and choreography, a professional certificate in contemporary circus arts, and an E-RYT 500 / YACEP credential through Yoga Alliance. My work has taken me across the globe in a variety of teaching, performance, and creative contexts, and I am now newly re-rooted home in Virginia, where I continue to develop movement-based offerings, classes, and retreat experiences. Practitioners in my space can expect a blend of strength and softness, precision and play, humor and depth, and a forever invitation to reconnect with their own innate creativity and expressive capacity.
TUITION INCLUDES:
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A full weekend retreat experience at Mountain Light, including daily movement, mindfulness, and embodied practice sessions
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Welcome gift bag of goodies
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3 days and 2 nights of onsite accommodations at Mountain Light Retreat Center in Crozet, Virginia
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Fresh sheets, linens, shower & bath towels
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All meals prepared onsite by Chef Carolyn and her beloved sous, including 2 brunches and 2 dinners, plus light morning offerings
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Access to all retreat spaces including the chapel (movement studio), Emerson House (featuring most guest bedrooms), the cottage, dining room, gathering areas, outdoor seating areas, fire pit, and surrounding walking paths and land
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Yoga props and materials needed for practice — bring your own mat!
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10 hours of Yoga Alliance continuing education credit for registered yoga teachers participating in full sessions
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A fully facilitated retreat container held from arrival to departure, including curated practices, space holding, and group experience
TUITION EXCLUDES:
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Transportation to and from Mountain Light Retreat Center
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Personal travel expenses
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Personal optional snacks (plentiful kitchen storage space on offer)
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Gratuities for retreat staff (optional and appreciated)
PRICING:
Shared Double
$699/pp
"Emerson House"
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Best suited for buddy bookings (two people traveling/registering together)
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only *ONE* room left!
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Two twin beds with quality linens
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Warm, homey, country decor
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Shared dorm-style bathrooms just down the hall
Traveling solo on a budget? There is *one* shared spot available with another she/her CAMP'er!
Double Room:
SOLO OCC
$899
"Emerson House"
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Reserve a double room for private use
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only ONE room left!
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Two twin beds with quality linens
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Warm, homey, country decor
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Shared dorm-style bathrooms just down the hall
The Bird's Nest
$999
SOLD OUT
Located above the Emerson House
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Private accommodation for one guest
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Twin bed with quality linens
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Private bathroom and small kitchenette
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Charming, tucked-away attic-style space with sweet “storybook” feel
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Quiet, elevated space ideal for solitude and rest
The Apartment
$999/pp
$1299/solo
SOLD OUT
Located beneath the chapel
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Spacious private or shared accommodation
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Main sleeping area with full futon bed
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Separate private bedroom with full bed
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Full kitchen and private bathroom
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Ideal for friends traveling together or guests seeking more spacious private lodging
Do I need to be an advanced yoga practitioner?
Not at all! All practices are invitational and adaptable. This retreat is about presence and integration, not performance.
Can I come alone?
Absolutely! Many people do. Shared spaces naturally create connection, but solitude is equally supported.
What is the vibe socially?
Warm, grounded, and unforced. There is community, but also plenty of space to be with yourself. Rest assured that I personally scan and approve all applicants to ensure a safe container for everyone.
What if I need rest instead of participation?
Love that for you. Rest is part of the practice here. You are always welcome to opt out and simply be.
Now, when you say "rustic"....?
...We're likely on the same page. Charming, country, and cozy in the most honest sense of the word. Simple, nature-immersed, and intentionally unpolished in ways that keep you close to the land.
A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING:
IF YOU'RE FEELING THE PULL...
If something in you is drawn toward this weekend... even quietly, even without full certainty... you are warmly invited to join us.
MARGE CAMP Mountain Light promises a small, intimate retreat, and space is intentionally limited to preserve the experience. If it feels like a yes, trust that instinct and take the next step.
To reserve your spot, complete your application and submit your deposit. Once received, your place in the retreat is officially held.
I'll meet you in the mountains.
THE FINE PRINT:
Arrivals are welcome as early as 3pm on Friday October 9th (opening circle ~5pm) and departures no later than 3pm on Sunday October 11th.
A $300 non-refundable deposit is due at booking, with remaining balance due by September 1, 2026. For shared double bookings, both participants must complete their questionnaire and submit deposits within 24 hours of one another in order to secure their shared room.
Payments can be made via:
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Venmo: @margarucia
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Zelle: margarucia@gmail.com
TO BOOK YOUR SPOT:
1) Review: the retreat terms & conditions*.
2) Fill out: THIS QUESTIONNAIRE.
3) Await confirmation from me...
4) Submit your $300 non-refundable deposit*
5) Exhale <3
*Deposits must be submitted within 24 hours of applying to officially hold your chosen accommodations. By submitting your deposit, you have reviewed and agree to the retreat terms & conditions and waiver as outlined on the terms page. A confirmation email will be sent upon receipt of your deposit, along with instructions for completing the required electronic waiver.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations made before September 1, 2026 are eligible for a refund of all payments minus the $300 deposit. Please note that no refunds are available for cancellations made after September 1, 2026. All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing to margarucia@gmail.com.
