Rising Phoenix, a Rebirth for the New Year in Marfa, TX

FAQs

• What makes this unique?

  • Borrowing a generous splash of magic from the dearly departed Marfa Myths, this gathering is a refuge for kindred spirits keen to usher in the New Year with genuine intention, rather than the usual compulsory revelry and lukewarm fizz.

  • Better still, you neatly sidestep the sheer misery of a twenty-hour long-haul slog, the ruinous cost of airfares to the Far East, and the fortnight of existential jet lag that invariably follows.

• How do we define luxury?

  • For us, it comes down to a few civilized essentials: uncompromised privacy, strictly limited numbers, pristine surroundings, and the endangered gift of cognitive quiet.

  • That means zero excruciating forced-bonding exercises, a merciful absence of people filming their every waking breath, and emphatically none of the dreadfully predictable "sunrise yoga, beach, sunset yoga" retreat nonsense. Just proper space to hear yourself think.

• What are the fees being charged by Humanitix?

  • Ticketing fees are almost universally an act of brazen highway robbery, but Humanitix is rather more civilized about it: 100% of the profits from their booking fees go directly to charitable causes.  

  • As for the rest of the surcharge? Alas, that’s simply the inevitable tribute to the taxman because even the most noble of gatherings cannot outmanoeuvre the IRS.

• Is there a payment plan available?

  • Quite so, we’re not total barbarians.

  • Once you’ve put down an initial deposit to secure your place, the remaining balance will be quietly debited in civilized installments, sparing your current account any sudden, breathless trauma.

• What is the refund policy?

  Much as it pains us to sound terribly unyielding, all bookings are strictly final. We are entirely unable to offer refunds or exchanges for any reason, so please do consult the full policy on this page before parting with your funds.

  If you prefer not to tempt fate entirely, you do have a couple of sensible escape hatches:

  • Sort out proper insurance: World Nomads offers a rather handy ‘Cancel For Any Reason’ policy. You’ll need to arrange this independently within 72 hours of putting down your deposit on Humanitix (it is emphatically not included in your ticket price).

  • The resale window: Depending on appetite, an official resale window for tickets without lodging may open between 1 and 15 November, should you need to pass the baton.

• Are there any general health requirements?

  A few sensible ground rules, naturally.

  • If you are currently nursing any pre-existing injuries, or suspect you might be pregnant, we do insist on a doctor’s note confirming you’re fit to take part before you join us.

  • Additionally, while our gathering is thoroughly restorative, it is emphatically not a clinical retreat. The workshop is simply not equipped to support anyone navigating severe psychological or psychiatric conditions. If you have a history of acute mental health challenges, please do consult a qualified medical specialist before signing up, your well-being comes first, and we are quite clear about the limits of our remit.

• Why is lodging optional?

  A quick word to the wise before we delve into the logistics: New Year’s in Marfa is fiercely contested territory, and numbers have been deliberately kept intimate. Do secure your pass promptly so you can lock in decent quarters before local hoteliers cotton on and inflate their seasonal rates. A cardinal rule, however: under no circumstances should you book a non-refundable rate for 28 December to 2 January. Keep your options open.

  As for why a bed isn't automatically tethered to your ticket, there is very deliberate method to our madness, namely inclusivity, architectural practicality, and a spot of clever corporate benefit maneuvering:

  • Different strokes for different folks: We’re keen on a diverse, interesting mix of attendees, and where one sleeps is a deeply personal affair. Whether you require minimalist boutique luxury, a solitary desert casita, or an Airstream trailer, leaving lodging unbundled gives you the freedom to feather your own nest as you see fit.

  • Hotels are notoriously short on proper shalas: While local establishments are exceptional for evening libations, virtually none possess a dedicated, contemplative movement space. Rather than shoehorning everyone into an uninspired hotel conference suite, we’ve secured an independent private venue exclusively for our sessions.

  • The corporate wellness loophole: Keeping tuition strictly separate from your pillow means the workshop may well qualify for a Lifestyle Spending Account (LSA), or even an HSA/FSA with an itemised receipt and a Letter of Medical Necessity. Do check with your plan administrator, getting your employer's wellness budget to quietly foot the bill is by far the most deeply satisfying route.

• Is this an alcohol free gathering?

  • Hardly, we aren’t running a 19th-century temperance colony.

  • To be quite clear on the logistics: alcoholic drinks during the New Year’s Eve dinner are not included in the ticket price, meaning any martinis will be strictly on your own tab.

  • That said, we hold no truck with moralising wellness dogmas. There will be emphatically zero pearl-clutching, pious side-eye, or sanctimonious tutting if you fancy a civilized tipple. Whether you choose to see in the midnight bells with a restorative botanical tea or a very generous gin and tonic is entirely between you and your conscience. Live and let live.

• What are my airline options?

  • First, a crucial bit of timetable discipline: all attendees must arrive on the 28th of December, given that our programming commences in earnest on the morning of the 29th.

  • Do bear in mind that getting to and from the desert, both in the air and across the West Texas tarmac, is entirely down to your own initiative and navigational prowess.

  • A few guiding principles for a civilized journey:

    • Steer well clear of "Basic" fares: We implore you, with all the urgency we can muster: do not succumb to the false economy of Basic Economy. When winter weather inevitably plays havoc with connections, these rigid, hand-luggage-starved tickets offer all the flexibility of a concrete slab. Spend the extra few for a main cabin fare that can actually be altered if things go pear-shaped.

    • The gateway aerodromes: Your two sensible destinations are El Paso and Midland, both of which leave you with an easy, rather cinematic three-hour drive through the big sky country into Marfa.

    • The damage: Flights during the peak holiday corridor have historically hovered around the $500 mark, serviced by the usual domestic carriers: American, Delta, Southwest, and United.

    • Book early, give yourself plenty of margin, and spare your nervous system any avoidable festive scramble.

• Is transportation from/to El Paso or Midland Airport included?

  Alas, no. Getting across the expanse of West Texas is an expedition of your own making; participants are responsible for sorting out their own wings and wheels.

  A few logistical truths for your voyage:

  • Timing is everything: Please plan to touch down on 28th December, as our programming gets properly underway on the morning of the 29th.

  • The desert passage: Marfa is a scenic, wide-open three-hour drive from El Paso airport. Along the way, you will inevitably pass through U.S. Customs and Border Patrol checkpoints. Marfa remains governed by the laws of Texas, so keep your wits about you and your contents entirely above board.

  • The potential shuttle: Should there be sufficient appetite, we are happy to arrange a private Sprinter van shuttle from El Paso (ELP) as an optional paid add-on. That said, it will require a spot of collective discipline, those taking part will need to sync their flight arrivals with reasonable precision, lest someone be left languishing at arrivals for four hours.

  Once your spot is booked, we will dispatch comprehensive transit dossiers. In the meantime, the broad battle plan is:

  • From Austin: The romantic route, hop on the Amtrak train to neighbouring Alpine and enjoy the scenery.

  • The rest of Texas: Fire up the motor and point your bonnet towards the sunset.

  • Everyone else: Hire a car from either El Paso or Midland and enjoy the majestic open road.

• Where can I sample a class before making a commitment?

  A thoroughly sensible instinct. Committing to a desert gathering sight unseen can feel rather like buying a pig in a poke.

  If you fancy taking the waters beforehand and experiencing our facilitators' craft in person, you can catch them plying their trade across Los Angeles. Simply book yourself into an individual session at Kinship, Open, Evoken, or Pilatesmith for a proper test drive.

  (A brisk nod to the legalities: this gathering is an entirely independent enterprise, with no formal affiliation to, or endorsement by, any of the aforementioned studios.)