Balancing Strength & Ease:
A SmartFLOW Yoga Retreat
Dates: September 12-18, 2026
HELENA, MONTANA
With Annie Carpenter and Britni Serou
The SmartFLOW Yoga methodology honors traditional yoga wisdom while inviting innovative inquiry. SmartFlow aims to build and sustain strength and increasing awareness in our bodies, steady attention in our minds, and patience and kindness in our hearts.
In each practice, Annie chooses something specific to dive into: typically a physical challenge which mirrors a philosophical or spiritual inquiry. Based on healthy alignment principles, and sprinkled with yogic energetic philosophy, the practice moves ever deeper in intensity whilst always asking the practitioner to make intelligent choices for their current body and mind-state. The practice always consciously winds down to a very quiet and contented place.
The Location
Annie Carpenter brings her SmartFLOW methodology to the renowned Feathered Pipe Ranch in Helena Montana.
Located just outside of Helena, Montana and surrounded by millions of acres of forest and mountains, Feathered Pipe Ranch yoga retreats and yoga travel experiences are guided by some of the world’s foremost teachers and wisdom holders.
Born out of the life-sustaining traditions of India and Native America, the Feathered Pipe Foundation continues to welcome and support today’s generation of spiritual seekers and teachers here at North America’s oldest non-guru-based retreat center.
Breathe, wander, laugh and lounge. Savor the gift of releasing everything you don’t need. Arrive in the uncommon space of grace that is the Feathered Pipe.
The Arrival
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The closest airport is Helena MT. Feathered Pipe staff meet flights at the Helena Regional Airport as part of our complementary shuttle service. The driver will meet you at the only baggage claim wearing a fetching Feathered Pipe shirt. They group some pick-ups, so you may have a 30-minute wait. If you prefer to arrive early and stay in Helena, we will contact you at your hotel to arrange your pick-up. Please plan to arrive at the Ranch by 5pm so you have time to settle in before our 6:30pm dinner. We will gather for orientation in the evening after dinner. We request that our guests depart their lodging by 9am on departure day to give our staff sufficient time to prepare for incoming guests.
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The atmosphere is extremely casual so dress for your comfort. Clothes you’ll potentially need include: shorts, t-shirts, a rain jacket, slacks or jeans for chilly evenings, light daytime attire, a bathing suit, and a warm sweater or fleece jacket for our cool summer evenings. Comfortable walking or running shoes for wandering here and there and slippers or socks for wearing in the Main Lodge are a good idea. You may also want to bring a travel alarm clock, sunscreen, lip balm, a big floppy sun hat, a flashlight, and a water bottle as well as any cash or checks for bodywork or end-of-retreat staff tips. The closest ATM is a 20-minute drive away in Helena.
If you check Helena weather online, remember that it is NOT the Ranch weather. The temperature at the Ranch, which sits at 5,000-feet elevation, is generally five to 10 degrees cooler than the temperature in lower elevation Helena. Once the sun sets, be aware that the mountain temperature can drop considerably, so arrive prepared for that. We feed you three large meals a day, so unless you need something very specific for your diet, it’s not necessary to bring food.
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Your price for the retreat includes 6 nights in your room of choice, all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and transportation to and from the airport. The meals are reputed to be delicious with ample vegetarian options as well as some chicken and fish.
Not included are add on excursions/experiences, alcoholic beverages and spa bookings.
We have plenty of mats, blankets, blocks, supports and belts as well as well-equipped yoga walls, but feel free to bring your own mat, clearly marked with your name.
The Room Selection
Please select your preferred room option below.
The Lake Cabin
This is the premier accommodation - a beautiful two-bedroom, two bath, fully appointed mountain cabin, this is for those seeking all the comforts of home (kitchen for coffee/tea and ready-made food only).
The Lake Cabin is designed as two adjoining suites with their own bedrooms (each bedroom accommodating single or double occupancy), bathrooms, and living areas. Both sides share the same kitchen.
The East side of the cabin has a large living room bathed in morning light with a relaxing view of the Peace Garden, our sprawling lawn, and Main Lodge.
The West side of the cabin has a second seating area off the master bedroom with a long row of windows for lake- and sunset-viewing.
Single person $3940
Double $3280 each
The Honeymoon Cabin
The Honeymoon Cabin offers a rustic ambiance with a front porch and room for two with a private bathroom and heating. Its proximity to the bathhouse allows you to take full advantages of sauna, hot tub and restful, healing massage before snuggling in for the night.
The Honeymoon Cabin can be accommodated with a king-size bed for one or for a couple. It can as well be accommodated with two twin-size beds for two friends or family members wishing to room together and enjoy privacy.
Single: $3640
Double: $3130 each
The Ranch Chalet
The chalet offers spectacular views of the Ranch overlooking the lake and the mountains stretching beyond. Rooms have been hand crafted with wood flooring, abundant soft lighting, wood-chinked, outer walls and baseboard heating for the rare occasions when the wondrous, Montana summer nights become too chilly for your comfort.
Private and shared bathrooms are available. Rooms 1 – 3 are upstairs with rooms 2 and 3 sharing a veranda overlooking the main lawn. Rooms 4 – 6 are downstairs with rooms 4 and 5 sharing a deck which stretches out onto the main lawn.
Single - Room 1,4,5,6 - $3570
Double - Room 1,4,5,6 - $3070 each
Single - Room 2,3 - $3400
Double - Room 2,3 - $3010
The Main Lodge
The Main Lodge has the character of western luxury of the last century with a huge, wood-beamed main hall and library with four spacious bedrooms.
Each room sleeps three and has its own bathroom. Staying in the main lodge has the advantages of immediate, 24-hour access to the Main Hall for personal early morning practice and close proximity to the Feathered Pipe Kitchen and Dining Hall where our staff work their culinary magic.
Double - $3070
Triple - $2620
Sai Condo
Sai Condo is nestled still farther back in the tall pines with a large floor to ceiling wall of windows and room for three. Sai Condo lodgers will need to toddle off on a short walk to the beautiful bathhouse for restroom and shower facilities.
Sai Condo is accommodated with two twin-size beds and a full-size (almost queen-size) bed in the loft above. There is no electricity in the Sai Condo, but it does have heat, comfortably straddling the two worlds between nature living and the creature comforts of home.
*This accommodation has no electricity or water.
Single $3280
Double - $2620
Yurt
Experience Montana’s great outdoors in comfort! The most requested lodging at the Feathered Pipe Ranch without question is our yurt accommodation, and for good reason. With large, glass domes located at the center of the lattice-supported, canvas ceiling, brilliant, warm sunlight pours in during the day and offers a breathtaking view of the starry, starry sky at night. Nothing compares!
Yurts can sleep two and feature raised wood flooring and an interior sealed from the external elements. The yurts do not have water, electricity or heat, and for bathroom facilities guests do need to walk a short distance to the bathhouse.
Single- $3280
Double - $2620
Tipi
Our tipi dwellers love falling to sleep on elevated cots inside toasty sleeping bags while gazing at the myriad sparkling stars spread across the crystal-clear night sky and waking to a cathedral of bird songs welcoming in the new day. True, intimate connection with nature can be experienced in tipi living. Our tipis offer you an open “eye to the sky” with canvas walls that shift color, light and shadow during daylight.
Tipis have two foam mats on raised platforms and can sleep one or two comfortably. The tipis do not have electricity or heat, and for bathroom facilities guests do need to walk a short distance to the bathhouse.
*This accommodation has no electricity or water.
Double - $2620
Single - $2620
Deluxe Wall Tent
Glamping at its finest – our wall tents will make you feel like royalty while lounging in the great outdoors of Montana’s Rocky Mountains. Our lovingly-appointed wall tents are more than just a great shelter for getting a good night’s sleep – they’re unique, roomy outdoor living spaces that offer a relaxing oasis for savoring fresh air and solitude.
Deluxe wall tents have queen-size beds and can sleep two if they are a couple or more commonly one. The deluxe wall tents do not have electricity or heat, and for bathroom facilities guests do need to walk a short distance to the bathhouse.
*This accommodation has no electricity or water.
Double - $2620 each
Single - $3160
Tent
Tent accommodations as well are hidden amidst the trees for those who truly want solitude to “rough it,” the comfortable Feathered Pipe way in the Montana great outdoors. “Roughing it” includes full access to the nearby bathhouse with its fragrant cedar wood, the warmth of the sauna, and soothing bliss inside our sparkling hot tub.
Tents have twin-size mattresses and can sleep one. The tents do not have electricity or heat, and for bathroom facilities guests do need to walk a short distance to the bathhouse.
*This accommodation has no electricity or water.
Single - $2660
Invest in Your Practice
The Experience
Sthira: steady, strong, focused.
Sukha: ease, spacious, joy
In yoga, sthira is the steadiness that anchors us; sukha is the spacious ease that allows us to unfold. Together, they form the heart of practice — the dance between strength and softness, effort and surrender, resilience and tranquility.
BALANCING Strength & Ease
WHat TO EXPECT
Morning 2 hour practices will awaken your inner strength through the mindful precision of SmartFLOW Yoga — building integrity, clarity, and vitality.
Afternoon sessions will invite deep release with SmartFLOW Restorative practices. With guided relaxation, themed sequences and expert propping, you’ll unwind deeply.
Between sessions, enjoy nourishing vegetarian meals crafted from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, time to wander the land, and the company of a like-hearted community.
This 6-night, 7-day retreat offers space to reconnect — with your body, your breath, your teaching, and the quiet wisdom that arises when strength and ease meet. Combine the twice daily Yoga with beautiful hikes in a stunning natural setting and tasty and healthy food, and you will leave feeling grounded and steady, deeply relaxed and happy.
This retreat is for anyone who loves Yoga and wants to practice intelligently for many years to come. Students, as well as teachers who want to guide their students into strong satisfying classes, will learn practices with an eye to both longevity and inner awareness.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
For those who want to further their Advanced SmartFLOW 300 Training, there will be afternoon sessions to guide you in Teaching Restorative Yoga, resetting the nervous system and modifications for propping. The retreat and training will give you 35 credit hours.
Restorative Training Certification
The Daily Retreat Schedule
DAILY SCHEDULE:
6:00 am on - Ease into the day -- coffee and tea are available
7:00am -- Breakfast (8:00 on first day)
9:30am-11:30am -- Asana Practice
12:00 pm – 2:00 PM -- Lunch / Free Time
2:30 – 4:00 – Afternoon Lecture and Labs (for Trainees)
4:00 -- 5:30 -- Restorative Practice
5:30 – 6:30 -- Free Time
6:30 Dinner
7:45pm -- Evening Hikes, Bonfires, Time to enjoy community and just BE
Book Massages and Spa Treatments during the lunch break 12-2