Breitenbush Hot Springs - Where Nature Nurtures the Human Spirit

If you’ve never experienced Breitenbush Hot Springs and Conference Center@Breitenbush, you are missing out on experiencing one of the Valley’s most pristine natural environments. Just a mere 2 hour drive SE of Portland in the Willamette National Forest@WNF Breitenbush is nestled below Oregon’s 2nd largest volcano, Mt Jefferson@Mt.Jefferson and within the boundaries of a 150+ acre wildlife sanctuary. According to President and Business Director, Peter Moore@PMReflections, the breathtakingly beautiful retreat provides more than just a soak in the hot springs located in the second most active geo-thermal zone in the US.

“It’s a harbor in the storm, a safe zone in nature amidst cougars, bears, beavers, river otters, hawks,” he extolled.

The rustic property now boasts 100 buildings including the lodge, a large dining and conference building, kitchen and dining space, a massage/healing arts building, staff dwellings, guest cabins, the Sanctuary, Forest Shelter, Buddha’s Playhouse and the River Yurt. Prepare to unplug for the experience. There’s no phone/Internet access or cellular signals at Breitenbush: it’s just you and the best Mother Nature has to offer.

Generating its own electricity from the river, the Center uses it's geothermal wells to meet heating needs and the hot springs and wells provide the mineral water for the retreat's hot tubs and steam sauna. Overnight accommodations at Breitenbush include summer camping options, all season 2 and 3 bedroom, geothermal-heated rustic cabins; some with bathrooms, cabins with bunk beds and rooms available in the historic lodge. Overnight visitors receive 3 vegetarian buffet meals daily and can opt to attend holistic yoga, EDGU and meditation programs. Breitenbush also offers a limited number of scholarships for lodging based on financial need.

After being spared the devastation wreaked by the surrounding Whitewater Fire, Little Devil Fire and the Scorpion Fire @surroundings last August, Breitenbush emerged with a renewed commitment to safeguarding the healing land and to living up to their mission of “providing a safe and potent environment where people can renew and evolve in ways they never imagined.” Operating as a healing retreat and conference center, this forest-based Co-op promotes holistic health, spiritual growth and “facilitates the gathering of people in celebration of the experience of life”.

They currently host 150 premier workshops a year, in addition to 3 free programs offered daily by staff members and sometimes guests.  These programs, workshops and free classes alike are based in Buddhist and Hindu traditions@hinduwebsite.com and include dance, yoga, meditation, qigong, Tibetan throat singing, Mbira class and more. The retreat also offers workshops that involve Native American ceremonies and rituals such as sweat lodges@sweatlodge and water pouring@waterpouring.

“Our workshops are about mental health and sanity. How you eat, drink, grieve, educate children, dance, love your lover all these things impact our well-being. We all want to create a world that makes sense and brings us joy. The principles we live by and share at Breitenbush are a part of a culture that is spreading in communities all over the world, first world to third world, communist to capitalist, we are all working to address the same questions, what makes people healthy in their minds?” States Moore.

Breitenbush, which has released statements of their commitment to equity and diversity, recently held an anti-oppression workshop to facilitate sensitive discussions around issues surrounding race, gender and sexuality.  They have also expressed their intention to invite perspectives from the African-American community in Oregon who, historically, have not taken advantage of their multitude of soul-nourishing offerings within this unique haven nestled within some of the region's last old growth forests.  

To encourage a more multicultural presence, Breitenbush plans to expand its outreach to engage populations that are notably absent from their roster of guests and presenters through development of media relationships and culturally relevant programming. The late Sobonfu Some@sobonfusome, who offered West African grief and prosperity rituals at the retreat before her death, was one such example of presenters they will be booking in addition to providing diversity training to their staff and incorporating equality-focused principles and practices into their policies and procedures. “We are developing anti-oppression programming and then inculcating those values into the community as a whole,” Moore told Flossin Media.

For more information or to make a reservation log onto https://breitenbush.com or call 503.854.3320