A Glorious Retreat
My four-day retreat to One River with Casey and Julie was beyond all of my expectations. I arrived there full of fear and self-judgment, which they quickly dispelled with their comforting embrace physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Casey’s very first lesson to me was that fear is not real; it is just a potential outcome. He taught me that by using awareness, I am able to navigate around negative potentials, while not missing out on potential positive experiences.
Both Casey and Julie created a safe, sacred place for me to learn. We spent four glorious days with no set schedule or plan. They worked with my needs as they arose, and as we delved deeper into my essence. Each small lesson they taught, expanded upon the last. By the end of the retreat, the empty holes in my heart, soul, and spirit were overflowing. With their guidance, I was able to begin to write a new story for my life, while still honoring the person that I was before. I learned that I do not need to carry all my stories on my back like a heavy load weighing me down. I was too full of old stories to begin to write a new one. The more weight I held, the less I was able to focus on creating a new positive story for myself.
I learned countless lessons from them including QiGong, how to make organic tea and slow down to enjoy the process of making and drinking it, how to sit with myself and others comfortably, to be present and aware, how to pause several times each day with gratitude in my heart.
Julie was always there with insight and shared it with her soft, gentle voice. Julie talked me through one of my dreams and gave me an entirely new vision of what a dream can mean, the energy that is trying to reach and inspire me. Julie also taught me about anger, where it is stored in the body, and how to release it positively.
A very powerful lesson they taught me was the power to pause. When I started to panic, Casey taught me to pause, touch my heart, breathe, and release my anxiety. The power of pause gives me time to shift gears and become more insightful. During other powerful pause moments I was able to go deep and embrace the moments that we shared. I am now able to access the memories of my peaceful time there and I know I will hold on to these moments eternally.
I enjoyed getting to know their beautiful daughter a bit and watch and feel the positive interactions their family had together. She is an amazing young lady who welcomed me into their home.
I feel as if I was reborn in and around their home, listening to the river flowing and the birds chirping, watching, listening and feeling the power of the waterfall and the river, feeling the river and the sun on my skin, breathing in the clear air, appreciating the sound of the rain, looking at the beauty around me, including their hibiscus tree where I felt I gained strength.
Since coming home, I am a quieter, less anxious, more aware, content, peaceful, present and grateful person. When I feel my body, mind or spirit start to shift, I pause and remember the lessons I learned at One River. I am eternally grateful to Casey and Julie for this experience.
Retreats and Gifts
I received many gifts from my two-day Hawaiian retreat. After working together on the phone for a couple of years, Casey and Julie used the relaxed timing of the retreat to show how to pause and practice those teachings at a natural pace. Casey selected lessons for me and addressed questions as they arose, many about relationships. Julie led sessions in QiGong and shamanic visioning, sharing her insights on these tools. The special opportunity they arranged for me to gain closure with my mom’s passing showed how much thought Casey and Julie had for my particular needs. For my retreat, we took beautiful trips to the Moana Loa mountain and the Wailuku river. I learned how movement, story, connection and even daily challenges can work together, instead of being in competition for time and attention. Individual lessons from the phone calls were able to come together with the extra time. If, like me, you’ve worked with Casey or Julie for a while, a retreat can provide a warm and wonderful focus for moving ahead. Aloha!
Midlife Dreams and Transformation
I started working with Casey by phone when my life was in turmoil and I needed a major shift in my understanding of who I was and what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Talking with Casey helped me see the old stories I had been telling myself of who I was that were keeping me locked in a life that I no longer wanted. After about six months of conversations, I felt ready to work more directly with Casey and Julie and arranged a four-day retreat.
This personal retreat was very different from any other workshop or retreat I’ve attended. With the entire focus on me, I felt totally supported to go deeply into the work. Casey and Julie made it easy to accept support and assistance. They planned each day according to what I needed in the moment. It was clear from the beginning that we were not following a prescribed formula. At the end of each day, I felt I had gone deeply into my interior landscape and created new pathways to previously hidden destinations.
Casey offered a combination of real-world techniques for difficult situations as well as insight into motivations that drive behavior. Julie offered a new way of working with dreams that reminded me to bring together my waking and sleeping worlds, my inner and outer worlds, to create my own life. She also introduced me to journey work which opened my consciousness to new ways of working with my higher self in the inner world of archetypes, symbols, inner guides, and sacred places.
It’s now six months after the retreat and I can still tangibly feel the solid base it gave me from which to launch deeper explorations into who I am. What I had thought of as a mid-life crisis has turned into an opportunity to shift from an old worn-out state of consciousness to a light-filled new awareness of the preciousness of this lifetime. I’m now ready to start defining for myself the meaning and purpose for my life.
Two Kind Teachers – Always There for You
Casey and Julie are without question the kindest people I know. And, as if that weren’t enough, they’re also excellent teachers.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Casey remotely for five-plus years, and finally, in December 2015 I had the chance to come to the Big Island and work directly with both him and Julie. I did an extended retreat at their beautiful Hilo center during a time of transition in my life; and without their steady presence and support, I wouldn’t have been able to manage it with grace.
Casey helped me to clarify my essence so that I could know what steps I needed to take to support myself going forward. And Julie made sure I followed up on those steps with gentle reminders. I learned how to do some basic visioning work with Julie, and got daily conversational lessons from Casey on topics that have been ongoing in our work since the start – release, non-judgment, strength, flowing in and out of relationships, and kindness, which is not a simple concept! He was always available for questions, and always patient with me as I tried to incorporate his answers. We also took breaks to swim in the amazing river nearby, and shared many healthy and delicious meals together.
Because what they offer is a PERSONAL Tao, the way Casey and Julie work with you might be completely different than my experience. But if you are fortunate enough to work with either or both of them, rest assured that you will get what you need. Both of them bring humor, wisdom, and a keen perception, balanced with patience and grace to help move you through the storm.
I miss them and the Island already. If you’re ready to make some changes, Casey, Julie, and Pele (the powerful spirit of the Island) will oblige.
Using Midlife Crisis to Make My Life Better
It’s quite hard to describe in words how Casey has impacted my life. One of the things he’s taught me is the futility of trying to verbalize deeper concepts. So I’ll just focus on the outcomes. I was utterly lost when I first started working with Casey. Personally and professionally. In working with him, I’ve been able to take what has been a real crisis and turn it into a fundamental transformation. Casey teaches concepts by illuminating them within your own life experience. The lesson is crystal clear when you can learn against your own situations. He teaches us to view things within the core concepts of kindness, grace, non-judgment, and modesty. The amount I’ve learned in just a year is astounding.
When I first started working with Casey, I was ready to find my teacher. And there he was. For that, I’m grateful and excited for what lies ahead.
If any of you have the opportunity to do a retreat with Casey and Julie, DO IT! They are gracious hosts, fantastic teachers, and good friends. It was very special to be able to ease into the next phase of my life in Hilo. And the scenery is pretty good too.
Amazing 5 Day Retreat
Julie is an amazing teacher, delivering expert knowledge with kindness, creativity and deep listening for her student’s lives and dreams. Julie provides a judgment-free space generating trust and empathy. I can highly recommend her as a spiritual teacher and guide.
I recently attended a Personal Tao retreat, a week-long exploration of many of the concepts that we have worked on over the past few years. The retreat was very powerful in clearly bringing together what I had learned as well as introducing new ideas towards living to your own essence. They are fully engaged in the 5 days of the retreat program which flows the way it needs to flow for each individual, questions are answered in-depth and Taoist principles explained and made practically relevant for the world of today and one’s specific place in it. The setting at their home is warm and friendly, you are welcomed as a family member. There is amazing energy on the Big Island and many of the retreat lessons are held by the river behind the retreat which is a beautiful expression of the Island’s personality with waterfalls and rapids shaping the volcanic rock and deep plunge pools for swimming and relaxing and which become part of the process. I can highly recommend spending this intensive yet relaxed time at their retreat – and leaving with the tools you need to live your own life with grace.
Genuine and Heartfelt Hawaiian Retreat
I came across Casey and his Personal Tao website at a time in my life where I felt propelled into unknown territory, where everything that I had worked so hard to become no longer seemed fulfilling. Over the last several months, Casey has become my personal coach, my counselor, my spiritual teacher, and my wisest friend all in one. I have found his advice to be practical and grounded as well as incredibly insightful, deep, and personal. Casey is intuitive, sensitive, and exceptionally accurate at assessing where you are in your life path. He tailors his teachings and advice to your needs as an individual providing you with tools and resources to help you in your path of discovery.
Recently I had the opportunity to spend time with Casey in Hilo on a personal retreat. Casey’s unique approach based on kindness and grace is genuine and heartfelt. Casey and his family treated me as a special family member. They were generous and kind hosts always sensitive to my needs.
If you are wondering if Casey might be the right teacher/counselor for you at this time then I would recommend that you visit his website. It is an accurate reflection of who Casey is. Once you have spoken to him you will know. There is really no risk to you, only opportunity. In summary, Casey is simply amazing!
Midlife Crisis Answers – Saving Our Marriage
The healing power of kindness – Casey helped my husband understand his midlife crisis, which threatened our marriage and our family unit.
As I learned about my husband’s conversations with Casey, I sought his help as well and he encouraged me to be patient, kind, and be graceful as we went through a difficult period of awareness and growth. We are blessed to have found Casey – almost as if we were guided to this path. Keep the faith, hope, be gracious, and be kind – and love will always win.
Deep Care Retreat Walking Me Through Marriage Changes
It is a privilege to write this review for Casey Kochmer. I attended a retreat with Casey at a time in my life when I was looking for answers to questions that not just anybody could answer. Spending time with Casey I found the answers to many of my questions about how to live a life with ease and grace.
Casey was patient and thorough and gave me lessons that were relevant and personalized to my life. He treated me with kindness and care. I had planned to spend only four days on my retreat with Casey but after spending time with him and experiencing how intuitive and helpful Casey is, I doubled the time I would be spending with him. Everything that Casey offers on his website is delivered to the utmost honesty and care in person.
A Kind Retreat Healing me After My Marriage Ended
I have been working with Casey for a long time and have attended his retreat in Hawaii. As a counselor, Casey has helped me navigate through several difficult life transitions. As a spiritual guide, Casey has been a marvelous teacher. I have seen him work in a group setting and I admire his ability to tailor his advice to each individual. I highly recommend Casey’s coaching and retreats to all my friends. He is a gem!
After a difficult year, I spent a week at A Personal Tao Retreat, it was the perfect spot for my mini vacation. I am grateful to Casey and his family for giving me a place where I could take a breath and hit the reset button in my brain. It felt like I was able to spend some time alone, yet be with friends. I was free, yet I felt guided. I stayed in a quiet suite on one side of the house. It has its own entrance, a comfortable king-size bed, a kitchen area with a sink, cabinets, and refrigerator, plus a full, separate bathroom. Every morning I awoke to the beautiful songs of the local birds. I then took a barefoot walk through the soft grass, enjoying my beautiful surroundings, until I would find myself looking down at the three-story waterfall at the end of the property! Not only was I able to learn some Taoist wisdom and practice meditation with Casey–who is an incredible teacher–this retreat was the perfect home base from which to explore the Big Island. I enjoyed sightseeing, snorkeling, and shopping in Hilo and went wine tasting at a nearby winery. I sampled the nightlife in Kona and took an awesome ecstatic dance class taught by Casey’s wife Julie! I would call this a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, except that I plan on going back… next time I will bring my 6-year-old daughter. :)
Casey,
I want to thank you for all the guidance you are giving me during this difficult time. You listen to me and understand what I am going through. You have helped me sort through the changes happening in myself, my marriage, and my family. You have pointed out to me that I am beating myself up. You are showing me concrete examples of how I can apply Taoism to my life even though it is a bit messy right now.
It is a huge relief to have someone on my side–considering I’m not even on my side at the moment!
You are the exact person I need at this moment of my life and I am very grateful.
Sincerely,
Chantal
Personal Tao Retreat Options.
Come join us for a Retreat
You try it out with an online retreat first
Or book a full retreat in Hawaii
Join us and learn more about life!