Mazunte · February 18–25, 2027
Recode
the body.
Rewrite
the pattern.A 7-day somatic bodywork training in Mazunte, Oaxaca
A seven-day bodywork training on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. A study of fascia, breath, and the subtle currents beneath, held by René & Atabey.
At a glance
- What
- 7-day in-person somatic bodywork and massage training
- Where
- Mazunte, Oaxaca, Mexico
- When
- 18 to 25 February 2027
- Hours
- About 50 contact hours
- Group
- Up to 20 students, two lead teachers
- Language
- English, with Spanish translation
- Tuition
- $4,444, $6,666 or $8,888 USD; $800 deposit; balance due Tuesday, 1 December 2026
- Included
- Tuition, printed manual, one meal a day. Lodging and travel not included.
- Credential
- Certificate of Completion; Certified Somatic Recoding Practitioner with the mentorship tiers (requirements)
- PRE-REQS
- None
What Somatic Recoding is
The body keeps the score,
and the body can also rewrite it.
Every layer of you
Meeting the human being through every layer the yogic tradition names: physical, energetic, emotional, intellectual, blissful.
Fascia & subtle currents
We work in the fascia and on the subtler currents underneath, where the body holds what the mind has long moved past.
Nervous system science
Tuning the vagus nerve and leaning into the brain and body's neuroplasticity.
Recoding, not releasing
Not to release a story, but to recode the patterns the body has been holding as truth.
Practitioner Labs
Watch the Practitioner Labs
Every Lab we've held is free to watch, with its companion PDF. The next live date will be announced soon.
Free Practitioner Labs, live and recorded
Every Lab we've held, free to watch.
Each Practitioner Lab is a live hour with René, Atabey or both: part teaching, part demonstration, part practice you do with a partner or in your own body while we guide it. Every past Lab is recorded and comes with a companion PDF. Both are free. Pick one, leave your name, email and WhatsApp, and the recording and PDF open straight away and arrive in your inbox to keep.
The method: nervous system science and traditional bodywork lineages
Modern nervous system science
meets ancient healing.
Somatic Recoding™ is a bottom-up approach. We work through the body to shift what the mind alone cannot.
We work through the body to shift what the mind alone cannot.
Touch, regulation, and energetic awareness meet patterns at their root, before language.
Not force. The system reorganizes when it feels safe enough to.
/ the imprint
The body holds the imprint of lived experience.
Stress, trauma, and repeated survival responses don't just live in memory. They organize into patterns held in fascia, breath, posture, and the nervous system itself.
Over time, these patterns begin to feel like identity.
Through precise touch, nervous system regulation, and energetic awareness, we begin to interrupt these patterns at their root and create the conditions for something new to emerge.
/ informed by
/ the opening
When the body enters a state of safety through parasympathetic activation, it opens the door to reorganization.
- Old patterns soften.
- Energy begins to move.
- The system recalibrates.
This is where structural release meets energetic intelligence.
Where the body remembers how to reorganize itself.
Not through force. Through coherence.
The five layers of the body we work with (the koshas)
Five sheaths. One being.
Curriculum: what you will learn in seven days
What you'll learn.
Fascia recoding
Structural realignment through the connective web.
Energetic balancing
Working with the subtle body's currents and channels.
Movement & breath
Somatic practices that integrate what the touch opens.
Nervous system literacy
Reading and regulating states through the vagus nerve, and using neuroplasticity to recode lasting patterns.
Touch as language
Attuned, consent-rooted contact that speaks where words can't.
/ lineages woven in
What the training includes
What lives inside the container.
Hands-on practice
Personalized feedback from René & Atabey at every step.
Guided meditations
Daily somatic regulation to land what the day opens.
Online continuation
Optional follow-on online training to deepen the work after Mazunte.
Practitioner community
A small cohort of healers you'll grow with long after.
Certificate of Completion
A Somatic Recoding Certificate of Completion for the 7-Day Foundations Training.
Printed manual
A reference you'll return to as your practice deepens.
Daily schedule and contact hours
A day inside the container.
The rhythm of the seven days is steady and spacious. Mornings land you in the body. Afternoons go long. Evenings are yours.
About 50 contact hours across seven days
Embodiment practice
Open the day in the body.
Snack & tea break
A light pause before teaching begins.
Teaching
Theory, demonstration, hands-on practice.
Lunch & rest
Long break to integrate and be in Mazunte.
Teaching
Afternoon block: practice, refinement, depth.
Closing
Land the day and enjoy your evening.
Who this bodywork training is for
You don't need a background.
You need a willingness.
- +Massage therapists & bodyworkers
- +Healers and space holders
- +Therapists exploring somatic modalities
- +Anyone drawn to the art of touch
no prior experience required
Photos from past trainings and sessions
What the training looks like.
Hands on bodies, slow days, attuned contact. Real moments from past trainings and sessions held by René & Atabey.
Your teachers: René Refi and Atabey
Held by René & Atabey.
René Refi
René Refi is a somatic practitioner and relational guide specializing in emotional healing and reconnection, and a co-founder of Somatic Recoding. She brings a grounded, intuitive approach to the patterns held in the body and within relationships.
Her background spans Ayurvedic massage, craniosacral therapy, trauma-informed yoga and somatic trauma therapy, with deep study of Polyvagal Theory, yoga therapy and Ayurveda in India. Time with the Matsés people of the Peruvian Amazon and pilgrimage to the Wirikuta desert in Mexico shaped how she works with touch, breath and clearing. She has led practitioner trainings in nervous system work in Mazunte and is the founder of Her Magnetic Magic. Students describe her as present, attuned and deeply caring.
Read René's full story
Atabey
Atabey is a bodyworker, meditation and yoga teacher, and co-founder of Somatic Recoding. Trained in Osho Rebalancing, Thai massage, Nahuatl massage, Reiki and cupping, and a practitioner of sound ceremony, he brings a deep, intuitive touch to the patterns the body holds.
Before bodywork, he studied computational biology at the University of Pennsylvania and co-founded BioBots, one of the first accessible 3D bioprinters for living tissue, earning a place on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He has since taught and held sessions throughout North America, South America, Europe and Asia. His main teachers, he says, are his clients and the long exploration of his own body.
Read Atabey's full storyReviews from past students
What past students carry forward.
Thank you for this training; it has brought me so much hope and made me feel empowered and confident in my ability to empower others. The training has helped me create space in my body to fully step into my true embodiment and be part of something that is creating a massive ripple.
René is an exceptional teacher, healer, and space holder. As a yoga teacher and bodyworker with over a decade of experience, I've participated in many trainings, including recent courses in somatic coaching, but nothing compares to the depth and embodied wisdom I gained through the Polyvagal Theory training with René. Her ability to translate complex concepts into clear, digestible teachings makes learning feel both accessible and profound. I wholeheartedly recommend training and learning from René.
René is truly an amazing teacher, incredibly embodied and authentic. It has been invaluable to learn from her and be in her presence. The capability she has to create a container for everyone to feel safe, supported, and seen is incredible. I've learned how to trust my intuition and surrender to the needs of my body and to support others to do the same. There is a lot of love and gratitude for this amazing experience.
René has a deep connection to health and well-being within herself and she shares her wisdom and knowledge so fluidly with the class. Her talent and skill with the human body/mind is extremely potent. I am forever grateful for attending this class. It was more than I could have imagined.
Atabey holds a strong and powerful presence as a teacher who lives in integrity with his practice. I experienced the depth and wonder of his ancient transmissions which were varied and aligned with the source that brought them through.
Atabey's breadth of knowledge in healing arts is remarkable. He held space and empowered me marvelously. His expertise combined with his powerfully gentle way of teaching, facilitated a truly life-changing experience. I'd jump at any opportunity to work with him again.
Atabey is a true magician. I have had the pleasure of watching this man work, moving big energy while holding a space of loving kindness and pristine presence for each individual's journey and experience. The purification and healing I've witnessed in myself and in others through his offerings is radical and immensely valuable.
I have had deeply expansive experiences through Atabey's guidance and many moments I will never forget. He is truly trustworthy to navigate the sensitive and sometimes unfamiliar waters of my inner world in a gentle, loving way that allows me to feel seen, held, and safe as I journey deeper within. I have touched the healing divine in myself through the varied immersive therapeutic and transformational sessions he facilitates.
Atabey will take your consciousness on a deeper journey than you can imagine! He does this with his enchanting and exceptional energy. I am very grateful that I could tap into his wisdom and healing gift, his immense experience beyond that, his loving compassion, his majestic humor, and his great heart.
Receiving bodywork from Atabey was out of this world! I experienced a tremendous amount of energy moving through my body when his magical hands activated my psoas region, the energy build-up left my body tingling and paralyzed with blissful pleasure. After the session, my mind became super clear and I was buzzing with lots of energy to share with my community. I'm forever grateful and inspired by the energy this being embodies.
Atabey is a modern magician able to tap into ancestral wisdom for deep energetic healing and authentic expression. He is light to be around and profound in his impact.
The process with Atabey was a demanding test of will and spirit. His gentle guidance and serene presence gave me the strength to endure. I feel as if a blessing has been bestowed upon me, one that fills me with power. I am grateful for this process that put me on a new and prosperous path. To whoever conducts this work with him, know that you will change for the better.
Through Atabey's sessions I have felt the truth that vibrates in his therapy, the integrity, and respect for the healing traditions he works with, and the devotion and strength of his teachings. I feel a genuine sense of safety, honesty, and trust when working and flowing with Atabey. The many years dedicated to the exploration of spirit, body, and self directly transmutes into Atabey's authenticity and unconditional love.
I've had several sessions with Atabey and they were all exceptional. He's more than a massage therapist, each treatment is a session where he worked with me to ease out years of tension through his unique deep massage technique and profound understanding of the body. Each session left me feeling like I had a new body, with an ability to heal myself through renewed flexibility and vibrating energy. This level of caring takes care of the body, mind, and soul.
Location: Mazunte, on the Oaxacan coast
Mazunte, Oaxaca.
A small Pacific village on Mexico's southern coast, where jungle presses against ocean, slow days, bare feet, and a quiet that does half the work for you. The container we'll meet inside.
Tuition and certification options
Three ways in.
Choose the depth of support and certification pathway that matches where you are. Every path includes the full 7-day training, printed manual, and one meal per day. Practitioner certification requires mentorship, practice, and assessment beyond the in-person training.
Honest scarcity
February 18–25, 2027 · Mazunte · limited to 20 students. Reserve yours with the $800 deposit; balance due Tuesday, 1 December 2026.
Not sure yet?
Book a free practitioner pathway call first. We'll help you choose the right path before you commit. Book a call →
Early-bird price has closed
The full 7-day in-person training in Mazunte. For personal growth, foundational study, and direct experience of the Somatic Recoding method.
- ·Seven-day in-person training in Mazunte
- ·Printed manual
- ·One meal per day
- ·Guided practices and hands-on learning
- ·Certificate of Completion for the 7-Day Foundations Training
- +Does not include practitioner certification
Certificate of Completion
Early-bird price has closed
The complete practitioner certification pathway. Begin with the 7-day in-person training, then continue into a one-month online group mentorship container with practice, reflection, feedback, and assessment.
- ·Seven-day in-person training in Mazunte
- ·Printed manual
- ·One meal per day
- ·Guided practices and hands-on learning
- ·Certificate of Completion for the 7-Day Foundations Training
- +One-month online group mentorship
- +Weekly 90-minute group calls for 4 weeks
- +Practice requirements and integration assignments
- +Case studies and reflection submissions
- +Final practitioner assessment
- +Eligibility for Certified Somatic Recoding Practitioner status upon successful completion
Practitioner Certification Pathway
Certification is awarded through demonstrated competency, not attendance alone.
Early-bird price has closed
The deepest path for students who want personalized mentorship, practitioner certification, and preparation for the future Advanced Practitioner Pathway.
- ·Seven-day in-person training in Mazunte
- ·Printed manual
- ·One meal per day
- ·Guided practices and hands-on learning
- ·Certificate of Completion for the 7-Day Foundations Training
- +Everything in Foundation + Practitioner Mentorship
- +One-month online group mentorship
- +Practitioner certification assessment
- +Four 1-on-1 online mentorship calls tailored specifically to you
- +Personalized guidance from René & Atabey
- +Advanced practice feedback and professional development
- +Fulfills the 1:1 mentorship prerequisite for future Advanced Practitioner Training
- +Opens the pathway toward Advanced Practitioner certification
Practitioner Certification + Advanced Pathway Preparation
This package does not certify you as an Advanced Practitioner by itself. It prepares you for the future Advanced Practitioner Training and fulfills the required 1:1 mentorship prerequisite.
Early-bird tuition of $2,800, $3,800 and $4,800 has closed. We sometimes offer special pricing on a practitioner pathway call, so ask us.
Next cohort · February 18–25, 2027 · Mazunte
This work can open new channels of abundance, clarity and belonging, and we know that not all of us begin from the same level of financial privilege. If you are from the Global South, come from an oppressed or historically excluded community, or would otherwise not be able to join at the full rate, we want to hear from you.
Questions about the Mazunte training
The things people ask.
An invitation
The body is listening.
Will you answer?
Apply for the Winter 2027 Mazunte cohort. Begin with a conversation.
Start online: Somatic Recoding Foundations
Not ready for the full immersion?
Somatic Recoding Foundations is the self-paced doorway into the method. It gives you the same maps, language, and orientation we use in the in-person training, without the travel, time away, or tuition commitment.
- The complete body-pattern map and nervous-system archetypes
- Consent, touch, and somatic-listening principles you can use right away
- Private client quiz links and a results library for practitioners
- Somatic Recoding Informed Practitioner badge on completion
A credit, not a cost
The $220 course fee becomes a discount off the in-person training if you decide to train in Mazunte later. If you continue, Foundations effectively pays for itself.
