Helpful Info
Helpful Info for Registered Attendees
3HO’s Winter Solstice is a 6-day spiritual gathering on the shore of the magnificent Tiger Lake, in Lake Wales, Florida. It is a rare opportunity to cleanse the mind, go beyond ego and feel your spirit soar.
The Winter Solstice festival includes Kundalini Yoga workshops, plenty of meditation, Morning Sadhana, Gurdwara, kirtan and music concerts, time to connect and serve each other and the uplifting energy of conscious community.
Much of the information available on this page is also available on other pages on the Winter Solstice website. However, we have assembled many pieces of helpful information here, in an attempt to make the planning for your Solstice journey as easy as possible. You can also refer to the FAQ section on the Main Solstice webpage.
Solstice Booklet
Download your Solstice booklet here.
Solstice Map
Download your Solstice map here.
What to Bring
Weather in December in Florida can be temperamental and vary from a pleasant 80 degrees during the day to chilly at night (50-60 F). Please bring layers, especially a warm jacket/hat, gloves and scarf to wear to Sadhana!
Packing List:
- Government issued Photo ID (passport, driver’s license, etc), is needed to check in at the event
- Your Confirmation Email (presenting this on your phone is best)
- Close Toed Shoes (Not Sandals, for daily use)
- Layered clothing appropriate for yoga practice, karma yoga, and playing is necessary for the December Florida weather with some chilly mornings
- Hooded windbreaker
- Gloves
- Rain gear
- Warm Sleeping bag. If you rent a cabin you will need to bring a twin sheet set, a pillow, warm blanket or sleeping bag
- Scarf or Headcover to wear as needed during practice or for attending Gurdwara and White Tantric Yoga®
- Flip flops or shower shoes
- Sheepskin or yoga mat
- Earplugs. Sometimes Solstice events can be “loud” if you are sensory processing or have sensitivity to sound, please bring your own earplugs!
- Warm blanket or shawl, and/or coat for morning sadhana
- Toiletries (including sunscreen, lip balm, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.) and towels, these items are not for sale on-site
- Daypack to hold the things you will want to have with you over the course of each day. Please remember to keep valuables with you at all times, 3HO is not responsible for lost or stolen items
- Flashlight with spare batteries
- White cotton clothing and white cotton head covering for White Tantric Yoga®, if attending
- Cup or travel mug (for hot and cold beverages), and cloth napkins. *This year we are using compostable cups/bowls for food serving
- Water bottle
- First Aid supplies (band-aids, tweezers, aspirin/ibuprofen/acetaminophen, etc.)
- Feminine product supplies
- For those tenting, please bring a waterproof tent with a rain flap. Due to ongoing extreme weather conditions around the globe, rain is anticipated and could be torrential, please be prepared
Please label your luggage with the following information: name, phone number, email and home address.
What Not to Bring
To help maintain the health and long life of the Earth, we are conscious of preserving the ecological balance on-site. Please keep this in mind as you select items to bring with you.
- Please do not bring any aerosol sprays
- Use items that have only a minimum of disposable packaging
- Any flammable materials including candles, incense, lighters, and matches.
Transportation
Please view the Travel/Stay page of the Solstice website for information on how to get to Camp La Llanada.
Accommodations
Please view the Travel/Stay page of the Solstice website for information regarding various Solstice accommodations, including tenting, tent rentals, cabins, and RV spaces.
Arrival to Solstice
Please plan to arrive prior to 7 pm in order to better facilitate your Check-in Process and Registration, as well as set-up your tent.
- In general, if you are camping, please plan to arrive on site before 5 pm in order to better facilitate efficient Registration/Check-In and tent set-up.
- If you are staying in a cabin you must arrive prior to 7:30 pm so that you can check in at Registration which closes at 8:00 pm; if you need to arrive later you will be directed to spend the night in the Main Teaching Shelter. We suggest you have your sleeping bag, mat and/or sheepskin, and toiletry items accessible to bring to the Shelter with you. Registration/Check-In will open at 9 am.
- If you plan to arrive after 8:00 pm, you might need to spend the night in a motel and you can make arrangements to have the shuttle pick you up in the morning. Registration and the front gate will be closed.
- If you need to arrive before the scheduled arrival day or leave after the last day at noon, you will need to make reservations in a hotel or other arrangements off-site.
What to Expect to When You Arrive
Driving In For Pre-Registrants: Please print out your Event Ticket that you received in your email after you registered. You will be waved through the front gate to find a parking spot. Every full registrant is required to check-in at the registration tent prior to setting up camp or unpacking.
Luggage Shuttle: Once on site, please leave your baggage in the Luggage Shuttle holding area. If you already know your camping destination or if you have a cabin space, please place items in the appropriate areas (camping area or cabin number). If you do not know where you are camping please decide where you want to camp prior to returning to the luggage area so you can place your luggage in the appropriate area. Once you have completed Check-In/Registration please return to the shuttle if you didn’t know where your luggage was going. *Cars are no longer allowed to drive on the premises.
Check-In & Registration: All camp participants must proceed to the registration area after parking their vehicles. Please bring the following information with you to the Registration trailer:
- All Registrants: An I.D. such as a driver’s license to verify your information.
- International Travelers: Round trip airline ticket confirmation
Cabin and RV Spaces: If you have reserved a bunk or cot in a cabin you will have with your badge a tag that you will put on in your bunk or cot. There will also be a list posted at the cabins. Please do not put your belongings on a bed if you have not put your tag there. Your tag will say whether you have a top or bottom bunk space or in some cabins there are some bottom bunks not set aside, check the cabin list to make sure that if there is a senior with a bottom bunk that there is a space left.
For RV’s you will also receive a tag to put in the window of your RV and your name will be posted on the marker at the site.
Karma Yoga: When you register please find the name and picture of your manager, find out where your daily team meeting is and make sure it is a team that you can commit to. This camp is about serving each other. If you do not wish to make the commitment to be part of Karma Yoga, purchase the “Pay it Forward” ticket price. Check out the Karma Yoga Service Support to find where your Karma Yoga team meeting is.
Return to Luggage Area: Please place your bags in the areas marked for camping or specific cabin numbers. You should have received your cabin tag with the number on it, so place luggage in appropriate areas. You will receive a program that has a camp map during registration. Your luggage will be transported to your living area and you will walk there to pick it up.
Set Up Camp: Now you are free to unpack and settle in. Please walk to the Luggage Shuttle drop point closest to where you’ll be camping. Collect your things and proceed to your chosen campsite. Wheelbarrows are provided for campers to reach their campsite.
Late Arrivals: Please be sure to bring your Event Ticket and arrive at camp before 7:00pm in order to better facilitate your safety and security. Registration will have limited hours! If you don’t arrive in time to go through the on-site check-in process before they close, and you do not have your Event Ticket, you will need to pre-register with Security to enter the site. Registered late arrivals may have to sleep in the Main Shelter. You will need to visit the on-site Registration Check-in area immediately after breakfast the following morning. Please be aware that if you arrive after Registration Check-In closes and you have not pre-registered, you must register immediately the following morning or you may be asked to leave the site.
Departure from Solstice
The Solstice Festival includes White Tantric Yoga® and additional programming that complements these days of deep meditation on December 19th, 20th and 21st. Don’t miss out on this chance to go within. Either give White Tantric a try or we will offer a new course around relationships, healing and letting go of our past with Kundalini Yoga & meditation. During this transition period where people are coming to terms with the revelations of abuse in this community’s history, some people will be uncomfortable with videos or a TV screen with Yogi Bhajan on it. As an accommodation and out of respect for survivors/thrivers, 3HO offers the White Tantric Yoga® course alongside continued Solstice programming if you are unable to attend White Tantric Yoga®.
- Winter Solstice officially ends with an all camp class on December 22nd. Camp will officially close at 1:30 PM.
- Please schedule your departure from the site prior to 1 PM.
- Be certain to leave enough time to gather and pack all of your belongings prior to your departure time.
- Please do not leave behind your tent, sleeping bag, or other such items. You can drop them off at a thrift store – do not leave them with Solstice Lost and Found. It creates a lot of extra work and they will be thrown out in the trash. Please make sure you leave your area in the condition you found it, recycle what can be recycled, and throw the rest in the trash. This is the final stage of your yogic practice of seva at solstice.
The Solstice Diet
The Solstice Diet is a unique opportunity to simplify food and live in connection with the earth, deepening into the ability to meditate. While it may appear to be very simple, the body and soul crave the opportunity to cleanse and renew. This menu is crafted to give you the best opportunity to engage fully in the meditative experience and the Yogic Practices.
We love offering the traditional, simple Solstice diet based on feedback of those who LOVE the simple breakfast soup and evening mung beans. Every year we try to make improvements, so look for toppings or condiments that we have added to the diet to supplement the traditional cleansing regimen. We want you to feel cleansed, renewed, nourished, and cared for.
There will be three meals a day: Breakfast at 7:30-8:30am, Lunch at 12:30-1:30pm, and Dinner at 5:45-6:45pm.
Due to COVID-19, we are shifting to compostable plates/utensils. But please do bring a reusable water bottle and mug for Yogi Tea & Golden Milk.
The Menu
Breakfast: A potato, celery, and onion soup is served with bananas and oranges on the side. Oatmeal is served for those who need a heartier and less “cleansing” type of breakfast.
Lunch: Quinoa tabouli, hummus, stuffed grape leaves, tortillas. A gluten free tortilla is available.
Dinner: Mung beans and rice with lettuce, steamed beets and carrots, and hot sauce served on the side. A special meal is served for dinner on the night before camp ends.
Yogi Tea: Yogi Tea, with one vegan option, will be served twice daily. There are also hot water and alternative Yogi Tea options provided all day long.
Water: Unlimited drinking water is provided onsite, so no need to bring your own!
The Experience of Seva / Karma Yoga
Karma yoga is a practice of devotion and important to any yoga tradition. It stems from the Bhakti Yoga tradition. Our Solstice festivals are a blend of traditional yogic practices and new possibilities to awaken inspiration in your life.
Seva or karma yoga, where you give and help others without thought of any “return” or “transaction” is an energy practice, like any kriya or meditation, with the power to transform the practitioner and the world. There are so many ways to practice — through random acts of kindness, volunteering your time, giving of your gifts in the ways that are right for you.
It could be a smile, it could be an endowment. We respond to the world with an open heart and willingness to serve a greater good, to do what is needed. Solstice is an opportunity to experience the joy of service or Seva at the event by participating on a daily basis in helping with some of the basic needs of the event.
Seva & The Healthy Student Teacher Relationship
10 Rights of a Service Exchange / Service Area Manager
Code of Conduct
- A Drug/Alcohol/Smoke-Free Camp: Keeping your consciousness clear and uplifted enhances the transformational experience of Solstice and this is an opportunity to help your body cleanse. Solstice is a drug-free, alcohol-free, and smoke-free camp.
- This is a vegetarian and meat free environment.
- While we share in the love for our animal friends, please do not bring your pets. We cannot accommodate them on site, unless they are a certified service animal.
- Please leave your environment cleaner than when you arrived. We ask that you “pack it in and pack it out” (if you brought it in, please take it with you when you leave). However, compost, recycle and landfill containers are provided to serve you.
- Please turn off cell phones and all other personal electronics before participating in Morning Sadhana, Workshops and White Tantric Yoga®.
- Photography and filming are not permitted during White Tantric Yoga®. Flash photography is not permitted during Morning Sadhana.
- Candles, matches, incense and other combustible materials are prohibited at Solstice unless they have been approved by 3HO for use in all-camp activities.
- Criminal activity will not be tolerated. If you are suspected of criminal activity you will be investigated by 3HO staff and local law enforcement. If you are found guilty of criminal activity you may be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and restricted from attending future 3HO events.
- 3HO has an anti-harassment policy that you can read here. If a participant’s behavior infringes on personal or community safety, 3HO reserves the right to remove any participant not adhering to the camp Code of Conduct or found to be in violation of the Anti-Harassment policy.
- All-Camp quiet hours are 9:45pm – 3:15am except in designated areas and with 3HO Administration approval. One of our top priorities is providing the opportunity for everyone to experience group Sadhana every morning in the Amrit Vela (the ambrosial hours between 3–7 am), so late night activities are limited. All music, evening activities, and the bazaar end by 9:30 pm, and lights out in the camp is at 10 pm.
- No firearms or weapons are allowed on the premises, including Conceal Carry of handguns. Kirpans are allowed.
- Please respect others’ boundaries and seek consent when looking to connect with others. This is an event for healing for many, and what each person needs for their healing is different. Asking for permission before seeking out a hug, emotional sharing or other intimate interaction shows your respect for the other person and makes the interaction that much more meaningful. Breaching of another’s personal boundaries is not acceptable at this event.
Security
Every year we hire the Sheriff’s Department to provide onsite security at our event. In the case of an emergency, a reported theft or any other criminal activity we will report to the onsite deputy on duty. We also staff a volunteer security service exchange team that monitors the flow of traffic in and out of camp and roams the camp area and the bazaar. 3HO International is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please secure valuables in your vehicle or keep them on your person in a small backpack during the day. We will do our utmost to help you recover lost or stolen property, but you are solely responsible for your own possessions, please keep this in mind when you are packing for the event.
Communications
We understand that computers and cell phones are part of the Aquarian Age. During the event we ask that you consider the sacred atmosphere we are creating at Solstice so please choose to be discreet about usage.
Phones: If you must use a cell phone, please use discretion. Reception at the Solstice site is reasonable but not excellent. We require that you please turn off your phones during workshops, classes, meditations.
Internet: We do not provide internet connection; it is recommended that you leave your computers at home. 3HO International is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Environment
Please leave your environment cleaner than when you arrived. We ask that you “pack it in and pack it out” (if you brought it in, please take it with you when you leave). However, compost, recycle, and landfill containers are provided to serve you.
Filming and Photography
3HO International encourages you to record your experiences at Solstice through filming and photography. We are happy for you to share your reflections of Solstice. We consider this to be a valuable way of communicating the joy and vibrancy of our community. Please be sensitive to the privacy of others, use your intuition to decide whether you are being intrusive or not. We also need your consent to share the words and images that our Photography Team records during the event. Please review the guidelines for Filming and Photography so that issues of privacy and copyright are well understood. You will be required to sign this consent and release/liability form at on-site registration.
Fire & Weather Safety
Each year at the start of Solstice, the management team reviews an Emergency Incident Plan. We take this training annually to remind ourselves of the potential for fire or other incidents and how to respond and take care of the Solstice Community. The local Fire and Emergency Department is aware and alert to our event each year. As a participant, you contribute to fire safety by remembering that all personal fires and cook fires including candles, matches, cigarettes, incense, and other combustible materials are prohibited at Solstice events.
Leaving the Site During Solstice
To maintain your meditative experience, please avoid going off-site. If you do need to go off-site, you must bring your Solstice badge which you will need to show to the Parking and/or Security Team when coming and going. Participants under the age of 18 cannot leave unless chaperoned by their parent or legal guardian. Note: This policy has been created for your safety and so that the Solstice team can be aware of who is on-site or off-site in the case of an emergency.
Medical Facilities
We have basic first-aid facilities at the campsite. An emergency hospital is approximately 40 minutes away. If you are on medication please make sure you bring an adequate supply with you. Please share your medication usage on your registration form in case we need to inform medics of what you need and continue with your medication use as prescribed by your doctor. Health professionals are available on site to provide basic first aid for simple medical situations. Please be certain to bring your proof of proper Medical Insurance or money in case of major medical emergency. If you have any specific concerns regarding how this activity may affect your health, please consult your physician before your program begins. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service. Please Note: Kundalini Yoga is a powerful ancient tradition, but should not be used as a substitute for regular or necessary medical care or prescribed medications.
Quiet Time
One of our top priorities is providing the opportunity for everyone to experience group Sadhana every morning in the Amrit Vela (the ambrosial hours between 3–7 am) so late night activities are limited. All music, evening activities, and the bazaar end by 9:45 pm, and lights out in the camp is at 10 pm.
Lost and Found
If you see any items left behind, please pick them up and place them in the nearest landfill, recycling, or compost bin, or take them to the lost and found at Hospitality, as appropriate. Valuable items are taken to the Admin office.
If I have questions about the location and I can’t find an answer on the website, who should I reach out to?
If you can’t find an answer on the website, please reach out to our Customer Service.