Life & Work with Mark and Lana Royce of Peoria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark and Lana Royce.

Mark and Lana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Lana (My wife) and I opened Blisstopia Retreats in September 2021. We have both been involved in the health, fitness, and wellness business for over 30 years. Lana’s bio is quite lengthy – she is a educated and trained psychotherapist, a hypnotherapist, a reiki master, healing touch practitioner, yoga teacher’s teacher, certified sound healing practitioner, and a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Mark’s bio includes 45+ years of martial arts training and teaching. A serial entrepreneur, security professional, certified breathwork coach, and personal trainer. 10 years ago. We opened our 1st fitness center together in Minnesota. We owned and operated 3 Boxing fitness centers and a custom-built boutique yoga studio in the North Suburbs of Minneapolis, MN. When covid hit, it devastated our industry and our small businesses. So, we decided it was time to make a big change. We sold everything and headed for Arizona. Lana’s parents have been here for 35+ years, and they are getting older, so we thought it would be best to be closer to them as they get older and may need some help. Lana had just returned from a Yoga retreat she ran in Costa Rica in February of 2021 (Delayed 1 year due to Covid) and we made the decision to find the right place and open a wellness retreat center. Thus, the beginnings of Blisstopia Retreats. We have been helping people over the past 4 years with their mental health, their physical health, and their emotional & spiritual health as well. We take them on journeys back to themselves and help them discover ways of living healthier, cleaner, more inspired, and more positive. In June of this year we just finished our 60th retreat hosted here at Blisstopia. And we are now finding new opportunities to have other facilitators host their own retreats at our unique venue. In January of 2025, we became a nonprofit spiritual wellness ministry a 508C1a PMA. This gives us a little more autonomy to operate as a wellness center promoting natural health, and preventive health practices, as well as hosting our special retreats for individuals, couples, men, women and even corporate participants. We also host shorter events that are everything like bio hacking, cold plunging and breath work sessions, to spiritual and meditative sessions like sound bath healing sessions. These shorter 1- 3-hour events are held monthly at Blisstopia.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since 2021, one of the greatest shifts in our industry has been the explosion of retreats being offered. On one hand, this speaks to a beautiful truth: more and more people are seeking spaces for healing, connection, and transformation. On the other, it has also created an oversaturated landscape where many hosts—though well-intentioned—step into facilitation without professional training, business grounding, or experience in holding safe space.

As a result, the integrity of the retreat experience has sometimes been compromised, leaving guests unsure of what to expect or how to discern between offerings.

At Blisstopia Retreats, we see this as an opportunity to lead with clarity, excellence, and heart. Our commitment has always been to create retreats that are not only nurturing and transformative, but also rooted in professionalism, integrity, and decades of experience in the healing arts. In a crowded marketplace, we believe it’s more important than ever to set the standard for what a retreat can and should be—a safe, intentional, and life-changing experience for every guest who walks through our doors.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What do we do? We create intentional retreat experiences and trainings at Blisstopia Retreats, a sanctuary in the Sonoran Desert designed for deep rest, renewal, and transformation. We also operate Blisstopia Yoga in Peoria, AZ, extending the retreat experience into daily life through yoga, meditation, and community.

What do we specialize in?
We specialize in guiding people through life transitions by combining ancient wisdom with modern healing practices. Our work integrates yoga, meditation, energy medicine, transformational breathwork, sound healing, and holistic therapies in a way that is approachable, embodied, and sustainable.

What are we known for?
We’re known for creating safe, premier retreat environments that feel both luxurious and deeply personal. Every detail at Blisstopia — from nourishing food to sacred practices — is designed with intention. Our guests often share that they feel genuinely cared for, seen, and supported in ways they’ve never experienced elsewhere.

What are we most proud of?
We’re most proud of witnessing our guests leave lighter, clearer, and more connected to their authentic selves. Many arrive feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or uncertain about their next steps, and leave with peace, clarity, and renewed purpose. Seeing those transformations unfold is the heart of our work.

What sets us apart?
What sets us apart is the holistic depth we bring. With over a combine 70 years of teaching yoga, plus backgrounds in Reiki, Healing Touch, somatic therapy, psychotherapy, breathwork, martial arts and hypnotherapy, we weave together practices that support healing at every level — body, mind, and soul. Unlike larger, corporate retreat centers, Blisstopia is intentionally intimate, allowing for genuine connection, personalized care, and lasting transformation.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
We don’t really see life in terms of luck — good or bad. For us, everything that unfolds is part of a larger flow of life’s lessons and opportunities. What some might call “good luck,” we see as the result of cultivating a positive mindset, staying aligned with our values, and being open to receive. When we are grounded in clarity, intention, and trust, life seems to meet us with the right people, places, and opportunities at exactly the right time.

On the other hand, when challenges arise — what others might label as “bad luck” — we see them as invitations for growth. Those moments teach us resilience, humility, patience, and often guide us toward deeper wisdom. In fact, many of the lessons we’ve learned from difficult seasons have shaped the way we hold space for others at Blisstopia.

So for us, it isn’t about chance. It’s about how we choose to meet each moment — with presence, gratitude, and a willingness to grow. That perspective has shaped not only our lives, but also the heart of our retreats and the work we do every day.

Pricing:

• Retreats range from $199 – 3700
• Blisstopian Method $99
• Property rental
• Sound Healing plus events $33 – $77
• Yoga Teacher Training, Energy Healing Certifications range from $599 – $3333

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blisstopiaretreats.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blisstopiaretreats/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blisstopiaretreats
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blisstopiaretreats2798