SEPTEMBER 2012

THE WILBUR PHILOSOPHY
Sustaining Wilbur Hot Springs Hotel and Preserve as the perfect place to relax.



A FREE FORM RETREAT
Wilbur Hot Springs is a free-
form retreat, unobstructed by structure or dogma, self-
directed by mutual respect,
and is the creation of everyone who comes here. In short, it's organic."—RD

"WILBUR IS A CHARMED AND MAGICAL PLACE AND IT HAS ALL THE LUCK"

The Wye/Walker fire burned over 7,000 acres and caused the evacuation of the Wilbur Hot Springs staff on Sunday, August 12. No guests were on the property as we were just starting our annual 10 day maintenance close down. Although fires surrounded the property, the wind shifted and the hotel and views were untouched.

We offer our profound gratitude to the many firefighters and all who worked to save and protect our beloved Wilbur and the beautiful land and wildlife that surround us!

The wildfire, along with many others raging throughout the West, made headlines. Reuters news service interviewed Dr. Richard L. Miller, owner of Wilbur Hot Springs. "Wilbur is a charmed and magical place and it has all the luck," he was quoted in newspapers around the globe. Scroll down to read more of Dr. Miller's words in Notes from the Caretaker.

He is often found at the Wilbur Hot Springs community room piano playing a Nocturne or two. Yoshi moved to
the Bay Area over a year ago from Washington, D.C. where he studied and practiced bodywork for five years.

Ryan Helton, Administrative Assistant and Front Desk, originally hails from Cincinnati, OH. He left Ohio after
high school and moved to West Virginia where he attended the University of Charleston, earning a B.A. in Communications and then went on to receive an M.A. in Administration from Marshall University. Ryan left
WV to move closer to family in Orlando, FL, and in 2007 moved to Oakland where he worked most recently
as Director of Development for Park Day School. Along the way, he has worked in service industries mostly
as a bartender and continues to enjoy mixing as a hobby.

Yoshi and Ryan are both enthusiasts of cooking, hot springs, nature and their three adorable cats: Snufkin,
Starbuck and Lilly.

They feel honored to take part in the stewardship of this incredible place and they will strive to keep Wilbur
a place of healing, nurturing and happiness.

The next time you’re at Wilbur, please say hello to them!

EVENTS

Guest Chef Weekends: September 14-16 and 29-30

We welcome Autumn with the return of two Guest Chef Weekends, both paired with yoga.

Chefs Marion Cascio and Liam McDermott team up for a relaxing, invigorating yoga weekend with Sarana Miller on September 14th, and then Chef Marion cooks solo on the weekend of September 28th when Vickie Bell will offer yoga of Respite, Retreat and Rejuvenation.

Yoga with Sarana Miller: September 14-16

Join us for a weekend of breathing, chanting, asana and soaking in the healing mineral waters of Wilbur. Food by chefs Marion and Liam.

Come strengthen your practice while relaxing and rejuvenating your body and mind. We'll step back from our daily routines and retreat to this sacred land, home to healing waters that have been used for renewal for centuries.

Students will practice yoga on Wilbur's beautiful yoga deck, cradled in nature with the sounds of the breeze and the creek. We will begin each day with chanting and pranayama, followed by breakfast and then an active morning session. In the afternoon there will be time for bathing, hiking, massage and personal time. We will gather in the late afternoon for a restorative session followed by a delicious dinner.

Weekend fee includes:
• 5 organic meals with Chef Marion Cascio
• 5 yoga sessions
• 2 nights' accommodations (including use of baths, sauna and grounds)

For more information about registration and pricing, please click Here, or contact Sarana directly at: [email protected], or visit Sarana’s website: www.saranayoga.com.

Yoga with Vickie Bell: September 28-30

A few spots remain open for this workshop. For more information, please visit Vickie’s website at www.yoga-vickie.com or contact Kate Walsh at (510) 350-7316. To register email [email protected]

Skywatching under Wilbur's dark skies: September 7 &8

Blessedly free of noise and light pollution, Wilbur Hot Springs is the perfect place to explore the beauty of the night sky. On moonless nights in late summer the Milky Way arches high overhead, inviting us to gaze deeply into our cosmic neighborhood. If we know where to look, we can even see other galaxies

.

Amateur astronomer Anthony Barreiro will be our guide. Friday night will focus on what we can see with our unaided eyes: understanding the Earth as a planet in space, observing the Moon and the other planets in our solar system, and learning the bright stars and constellations of late summer and early autumn. On Saturday night we will use a professional quality telescope and binoculars to look more closely at the planets of our solar system, the stars of our own Milky Way galaxy, and distant galaxies millions of light years away.

Anthony Barreiro has been an avid skywatcher for many years. He is a volunteer at Chabot Space and Science Center and a member of the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers and the East Bay Astronomical Society. Anthony has a special passion for helping people learn to find their way around in the night sky.

Complementary event—open to all Wilbur guests.

NOTES FROM THE CARETAKER

Dear Friends of Wilbur:

Once again Wilbur has prevailed!

Many of you are aware of the Walker Ridge fire which necessitated The California Division of Forestry sending in teams of firefighters to protect us. What a great job they did! Wilbur was not touched! As a result of the fire Wilbur now has a huge professional fire break all around it. Potential danger has become a great asset.

September is here and we are moving towards our fall season. Guest Chef Weekends are back and I am so looking forward to it.

Say hello next time you are at Wilbur. I am the tall guy with the smiling eyes and laughing heart.

Hugs all around,

Richard Louis Miller, M.A., Ph.D.
Wilbur Caretaker since 1972