The power of a retreat

I spent last weekend on a Women’s Retreat (hosted by amazing alchemist, Dory Walker). Eighteen of us gathered in a beautiful Tudor mansion. We enjoyed stunning views. We ate delicious food. We slept in comfortable beds. 

But these comforts had nothing to do with how valuable, and needed, and powerful this retreat felt to me.

The power of this retreat came from how we spent our time throughout the weekend.

We consciously moved our bodies and our breath.

We danced, we sang, and we chanted.

We surrendered to a sound bath.

We meditated and journaled.

And we sat in circle. 

We sat in circle and we witnessed each other. 

We listened - really listened - to each other. 

And we shared - openly and vulnerably - with each other.

This is what made the retreat so powerful.

It’s the same thing that made the mini-retreat for women that I hosted earlier this month so powerful. 

The mini-retreat was a few hours, not a whole weekend.

And yet

It’s amazing the energy and power that can be created in a few hours.

 We consciously moved our bodies and our breath.

 We meditated and journaled.

 We surrendered to the deep relaxation practice of yoga nidra.

And we sat in circle. 

We witnessed each other. 

We listened to each other - without judgement, without trying to fix anything, with full acceptance. 

We each shared - bringing whatever felt present within us, knowing we were bringing it into a space of loving, non-judgemental support and acceptance.

Whether it’s a whole glorious weekend, or a few precious hours - the power of being on a retreat is, for me,

the power of

Stepping out of my day-to-day routines and familiar environment for a while

Stepping into a space that is held for me

Being in a space with like-minded others.

Why is this so powerful?

Because within the space I step into, 

I have the time, and the headspace, to be really present with myself.

I have no distractions, responsibilities, or obstacles to hide behind. 

And

I am guided in a whole range of practices - some familiar, some brand new to me.

I am encouraged to hold myself accountable - to stay present and engage with the practices, even when resistance comes up and it feels so tempting to go back to the comfort of the familiar.

And

I am supported and energised by the collective energy of every single person that is present with me in that space.

At one and the same time,

I feel fully seen for my own true, unmasked, unique self - as I am lovingly witnessed and unconditionally accepted

and

I am so much more able to connect with those around me - each person’s sharing a reminder to me that I am not alone, that I am not the only one who doubts, or struggles, or rages, or despairs. Just as I am not the only one who loves, or laughs, or celebrates, or rejoices.

For me, a retreat is a space that is co-created by everyone present.

Each person brings their own presence, their own energy, their own sharing and their own witnessing - to create a space of mutual support.

And within that space, I am more able to find the spaciousness within me. The spaciousness which allows me to reconnect with the part of myself that is so easily hidden underneath day-to-day distractions, responsibilities, and identities.

A retreat is an opportunity to connect more deeply with that deeper, truer part of myself that knows. 

The part of me that knows where I’m heading. 

That knows who I am. 

That knows the spaciousness within me is always there, no matter what life throws at me, and regardless of whatever I’m feeling or thinking in any given moment.

Being on retreat is an opportunity, every time, to remember what I already know, deep down. And to take that remembering with me as I step out of the retreat space and back into everyday life.

Each retreat I go on is like a huge boost to my awareness, to my sense of spaciousness, and to my connection with myself and others. It gets me back on track when I need it. And it supercharges me to a new level of awareness when I’m ready for it.

Not every day can be a retreat day. And not everyone can spare the time or resources for a whole weekend, or longer, of being on retreat.

And that’s why I offer mini-retreats. 

Because we all need and deserve more spaciousness. More connection. More awareness. 

Because the world needs more of us with more spaciousness, connection and awareness.

My mini-retreat for women is only four hours long.

And

It is four. whole. glorious. hours long.

Four hours of practices to help you find spaciousness, to help you connect more deeply with yourself and with others. 

So that you can meet the next part of your life as fully and gloriously as possible. 

Four hours to step out of your day-to-day routine. 

To step into a space that is held for you. 

To be in a supportive, safe space with others.

Four hours to help you remember. So you can take that remembering with you, back into your daily life. 

Whether I'm on a retreat or hosting one, it’s a privilege and a joy to co-create a space of support and connection with other women.  

If you haven't experienced the power of a retreat before, or it's been a while since you have, let this be your invitation: to step out of the day-to-day and into a space of connection, where you can really remember. Whether that's for a week, a weekend, or a few glorious hours 💜