Ready for a Creative Life Journey?

Salon-style retreats that rest the body, enrich the mind, and feed the soul

We design gatherings that feature enriching conversations for a meaningful life.

Our hectic and hyper-connected lives leave many of us seeking quiet and transformative places to pause, reflect, and learn anew along life’s path.

Our team curates Salon-style retreats with accomplished artists and refreshing minds on the Greek island of Patmos and in the Mexican mountain town of San Miguel de Allende.

Each Salon offers rhythm of rest and inspiration — inviting you to wander, reflect, and share space with others who care deeply about artistic craft, creative living, and the common good.

Where We Gather

Our journeys are rooted in a deep sense of place. Each of our Salons is shaped by the landscapes, cultures, and communities that surround us—whether it’s the luminous Greek island of Patmos or the vibrant desert highlands of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. These destinations are living, breathing contexts that spark creativity and connection.

From the timeless rhythms of the Greek islands to the colorful streets and desert light of central Mexico, our settings invite participants to slow down and draw inspiration from their surroundings.

Upcoming Journeys

June 2026

Living An Examined Life

Join a creative pilgrimage into music, memoir, & myth with Neko Case, Ani DiFranco, Anaïs Mitchell, and Ann Powers.

June 2026

The Stories We Tell

Explore the power of words and storytelling with Silas House, Barbara Kingsolver, Ada Limón, and Safiya Sinclair.

August 2026

The Journey is Your Story

Dive into the craft of memoir, personal storytelling, and poetry with Hala Alyan, Ashley C. Ford, and Maggie Smith.

One of the most memorable teaching experiences of my life.

The deeply spiritual, beautiful, and gloriously under-touristed Greek island of Patmos seemed to both relax and inspire people (including Mary Karr and me). Our hosts, Jenny Yancey and Dan Siegel, have been doing this a long time and know just how to arrange things so that the artistic development of the participants is foregrounded. The format serves to give an aspiring artist a chance to really look at what might be obstructing her, and what real growth might look like and feel like—it’s something about the beauty and peacefulness of the setting and, if I can say it this way, the purity of intention that surrounds the Salon, which is designed for artists, by artists.

George Saunders

Booker Prize & MacArthur Genius Winner.
Author of Lincoln in the Bardo & Tenth of December.

This is an extraordinary program in an extraordinarily gorgeous and calming place

you are truly away from hurried, scheduled time and from travel as tourism. The ten days of Salon are structured spaciously — a wonderful mix of conversation and concentration and learning, and exploring and resting and play. The food and wine are fresh and lovely. The waters of the Aegean are indescribably lovely to gaze at and swim in. And the ancient speaks audibly to the present in the everyday — Greek mythology embodied and alive alongside the sacred Christian significance of the island.

Krista Tippett

Award-winning radio host.
Founder of the OnBeing podcast.

Among the best teaching experiences of my life.

My time leading the workshop for GoodWorld Journeys on the magical island of Patmos was among the best teaching experiences of my life. Gathering in a place of such beauty with so many open-hearted people heightened the already inspiring exploration of writing, storytelling, and creative expression. Patmos is famous for being a place of revelation and that history permeated everything my co-leaders, the workshop participants, and I did during our illuminating time together on the island.

Dan, Jenny, Satchel, and Weezie were the most gracious and helpful hosts, who made the experience a true pleasure and one I’ll never forget.

Cheryl Strayed

Bestselling writer & podcast host.
Author of Wild & Tiny Beautiful Things.

I’d go back in a heartbeat.

Seldom have I had a more creative time than during the three weeks I spent on the gorgeous, inspiring island of Patmos, Greece, including the ten days the Salon put me before so many curious, open-hearted students. The ability to teach in the morning and write in the afternoon, with a handful of Salons in the evenings made an artist’s paradise for all of us.

Jenny and Dan are masterful hosts and have created a mobile university in one of the planet’s most glorious landscapes. A lifetime highlight as a teaching experience and as a writer’s retreat.

Mary Karr

Award-winning poet & bestselling memoirist.
Author of The Liar’s Club and The Art of Memoir.

“Sometimes you do something totally beyond your zone of comfort and it leads to experiences that transform you wholly. The salon changed who I am as a person. It created a community that remains strong more than 5 years later.”

— Shamima Khan, salon participant

“What an amazing ten days filled with heartfelt inspiration, creativity, music, and friendship! Exceeded all expectations. Dan and Jenny are superb organizers. "

— Lori Horvitz, salon participant

“Spending time in the presence of great artists I admire - where else could something like that happen? You guys are really doing something good in the world! Thank you. "

— Michael Kauffman, salon participant

“Words alone cannot adequately describe the experience of participating in a GoodWorld Journey. These salons bring back to life every sense imaginable. I have experienced two GoodWorld salons in my lifetime and already thinking about attending a third.”

— Jennifer Margiotta, salon participant

“GoodWorld journeys provided me with a lifeline during a time of transition, unrest, and burnout in my life. The combination of luminous attendees and presenters, stunning landscape, and time for rest and delight nourished my soul.”

— Jacob Grant, salon participant

Our Story
Our People

GoodWorld Journeys began with a simple idea: gathering people together in places that inspire. Rooted in decades of creative work and community building, our team brings care, vision, and curiosity to every Salon. Learn more about the story and team behind our journeys.