Canyon Pilgrimage

A Retreat to Sacred Sites of the US Southwest

August 28 – September 9, 2027

Experience deep peace on CoreLight’s intimate pilgrimage to sacred landscapes of the US Southwest. This unique retreat, co-led by Brad Laughlin and Cláudia Piedade, helps you connect with ancient power places, quiet your mind and awaken to timeless mystery.

This intimate retreat is open to those who have participated in at least one CoreLight course

Connect with Ancient Earth Energies

A journey to the US Southwest is an initiation, a pilgrimage to an enchanting land imbued with rugged natural beauty and great spiritual power. It is an opportunity to reconnect with an ancient time and place when the land was honored and revered—when Mother Earth was held as sacred.

The extraordinary sites we will visit still hold that sacred vibration, and the spirit of the Anasazi Indians—the ancient ones—is a palpable presence there. As we make our meditative, mystical sojourn and contemplate our connection with these holy places, the soul stirs, and we awaken to our vast, timeless eternality.

To facilitate the profound inner shifts of this retreat, Cláudia Piedade will be guiding our energetic and spiritual work. As an experienced psychologist, healer, and international retreat leader, Cláudia specializes in the transmission of Shakti and Earth energies to catalyze deep spiritual awakening. Her role is to help you dissolve collective energetic patterns, access your innate creative power, and realign with your ultimate Source.

If you feel called to our sacred journey, we look forward to walking the path with you.

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Explore Mystical Landscapes

One important intention of our pilgrimage is to meditate and pray for inner and outer peace at these sacred sites. Learn a simple yet powerful meditative practice to assist with Earth healing.

Our pilgrimage includes inspiring outings to high-vibration sites, including:

Chaco Canyon, New Mexico

An ancient staircase set against a bright blue sky in Chaco Valley, New Mexico

Discover Chaco Canyon, the hub of the mysterious Anasazi culture—a mystical high-desert power place where ancient stone echoes the movements of the sun, moon and heavens. Join us to explore enigmatic petroglyphs, meditate amidst pristine beauty, and touch the unsolved mysteries of a thriving, advanced civilization that seemingly vanished into the stars. Where did they go?

Mesa Verde, Colorado

Explore mysterious Mesa Verde, where ancient people carved an entire civilization into towering sandstone cliffs. Perched on a high green plateau, this sanctuary of cliff dwellings hums with a meditative presence. Hike among pinon and juniper and breathe crisp mesa air. We’ll stay at Far View Lodge—perched atop the mesa with 100-mile balcony views, minutes from the sacred sites and far from modern noise.

Monument Valley, Utah

Panoramic view of the monolithic rock formations of Monument Valley at dusk

Behold the sacred monoliths of Monument Valley, where towering red portals rise from the desert floor like ancient guardians of the Earth. This legendary landscape is more than a timeless icon of the American West; it is a sanctuary of profound spiritual power and deep Navajo heritage. We will pause our journey in this vast, quiet cradle of sandstone to absorb a wondrous panorama that humbles the senses and nourishes the soul.

Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

A panoramic vista of the rock walls and flora of Canyon de Chelly in Arizona

Experience the unbroken sanctity of Canyon de Chelly, where towering red walls shelter an unceasing reverence for Mother Earth across all remembered time. The Navajo have never withdrawn their guardianship from this land — it has always been sacred, and remains so today, with generations still living, working and praying within its embrace. We'll retreat into its powerful vortex to feel what our souls already recognize: a palpable, primordial connection to Earth that is rare among all places on this planet.

Taos, New Mexico

We conclude our pilgrimage in Taos, New Mexico, cradled in the luxurious comfort of El Monte Sagrado Resort at the foot of sacred Taos Mountain. Here we've been invited into the sanctuary of Antara, a spiritual retreat center nestled beside the famed ashram of Ram Dass and Neem Karoli Baba. In this cocoon we'll rest and process the experiences across our journey — nourished by Antara's kind staff with delicious, high-vibe meals for body and soul. Our days may also include optional activities such as: hiking the Taos Gorge rim or La Vista Verde Trail, visiting the thousand-year-old adobe dwellings of UNESCO world heritage site, Taos Pueblo —the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America, where the living Red Willow people still guard their ancestral traditions — wandering the historic Plaza's galleries and boutiques, meditating at the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram and Hanuman Temple, and surrendering to the healing of El Monte Sagrado's spa with its soothing indoor hot tubs and saltwater pool in a lush, tropical greenhouse.

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Sacred Sites and Spiritual Energy

Our trip will include driving and hiking through breathtakingly beautiful countryside and desert, exploring ancient Anasazi ruins, meditating in profound power spots and gazing at magnificent vistas. Over the past decades Leslie and Brad have been guided to these sacred sites many times, and each time they make the pilgrimage, the powerful spiritual energy of the land facilitates enormous change and growth.

“Visiting Canyon de Chelly is much more than a retreat, it is a pilgrimage to a mystic land. This canyon has been a sacred power place for me since 1983, when I was called in a dream to visit there. The visit coincided with my first trip to Santa Fe. While at the canyon, I was blessed with a vision quest, which was life-changing and signaled an acceleration of my growth in Self-discovery.”

—Leslie Temple-Thurston

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Journeys Shared

Testimonials from those who have walked this path

"I was astonished by how profound the experience was — and by the long-lasting connection to that sacred land. Time seemed to stop, as if I had stepped into another dimension. The simplicity of life there and the strength it brings the heart have never left me. This is not just a trip through indigenous land; it is a mystical journey to touch your own soul. You will not find it anywhere else. The team was wonderfully organized — no stress at all. Brad holds the space with rare skill; only light and love around him at all times. Just go. Give yourself this gift."

—Silvana K, Brazil
"The beauty and serenity of the land touched something deep in me — as if I were remembering not just the land, but forgotten parts of myself. The ceremonies moved me most. Witnessing Native Americans honour their country with an American flag, despite all they'd endured, was profoundly humbling. Planting a crystal imbued with a prayer in a sacred spot reminded me of my intention to "plant seeds of light" wherever I go — a principle I still live by. Even processing the occasional bump (a flat tyre!) with the group became an opportunity for real growth, forging friendships across continents I still cherish today. This retreat is far more than sightseeing. It's a rare chance to connect deeply with the land, your ancestry, your fellow travellers, and the innermost parts of yourself."

—Ilse V, South Africa
"For me, the Southwest pilgrimage carried the spirit of the indigenous peoples who have held this land sacred for centuries. I felt honored to be granted access to their sites, and to enter with reverence and respect. I could feel the ancestors with us the entire trip, and especially during our meditation overlooking Spider Rock at Canyon de Chelly — home of Spider Woman, who weaves the web of the world. The journey left me palpably changed, attuned to the sacredness of the physical world I'm part of. Thank you, Brad and Leslie, for this gift that still lives within me to this day."

—Mark H, USA
"In a lifetime of travel, Leslie and Brad's pilgrimages stand out as sacred, heart-opening and soul-nourishing. So different from being a tourist! The beauty of the Southwest is breathtaking, and I remember a constant feeling of awe as we explored each site. For me, Chaco Canyon was the most magical — I experienced multiple lives while sitting in contemplation at the edge of the canyon. A journey well worth taking!"

—Diana D, Canada
"I enjoyed the retreat so much, I participated twice. The vastness, beauty, deep quiet and sacredness of the desert—its cliffs and canyons! The big sky with the Feathered Ones in flight, the sunrises and sunsets! The presence of the Divine Feminine in Her wild & wonderful creations!"

—Mary Elizabeth M, Canada

About Brad Laughlin

As a spiritual teacher for over two decades, Brad ’s dedication is to the transformation of consciousness and to helping people discover inner peace, love and joy amidst profound world change. His unique, potent, self-inquiry practices help free the mind, open the heart and foster connection with the natural world.

Brad believes that the greatest gift we can give the world is our own awakened consciousness and that global change can happen through individual willingness to change. He is the author of Living With Enlightenment—A Journey of Love, and with his life-partner, Leslie Temple-Thurston, is co-founder of the nonprofit CoreLight.org. Using ancient Truth teachings, yogic practices and spiritual psychology, he works with CoreLight students worldwide to dissolve old, limiting ego structures that keep us trapped in negativity, pain and fear.

About ‘Cláu’ Piedade

For over 20 years, Cláudia Piedade has dedicated herself to the awakening of Consciousness. As a psychologist, anthroposophical art therapist, healer, and spiritual teacher, her healing work includes the channeling of the "Sacred Reconnective Dance" and primordial energies of the Earth.

These energies have the potential to heal and elevate the Spirit, enabling the awakening of the Divine Creative Force within us and the reconnection with the Source, as well as the activation of ancient codes and cellular memories about our Essence. The transmission of Shakti (divine healing energy) that occurs during her work also has the capacity to transmute collective energy, enabling shifts in consciousness. Over the past 15 years, she has been facilitating national and international retreats, sharing her work in pursuit of this purpose.

Apply to join the retreat

Click through for retreat logistics and how to apply: