Please note
Another Water Your Soul Retreat will be planned in the future, hopefully 2023. Read on to peek in at what a previous WYS retreat was all about.
It's time to
take care of you
IMAGINE
Being curled up by a fireplace, mug of tea in hand, feeling at home surrounded by candles and kindreds and an invitation to be present to this moment.
Sitting beside someone who is quickly becoming a friend as you each share your creative dreams and brainstorm how to live them into reality.
Giving yourself the gift of time alone to spend in whatever way you choose without any expectation of what you need to do next.
Beginning your day with the smell of baking cinnamon rolls, bowls of fresh fruit, mugs of coffee and tea, and books of poetry.
Giving yourself permission to walk along the water, to play with paper and glue and color, or to simply sit in the quiet remembering yourself.
Finding your way to laughter and silliness and the decision that staying in pajamas all day (even when you're in a workshop) is the perfect one for you.
Having the space to simply listen to what you most need and then realizing that you are surrounded by dear souls who will support you as you make it happen.
What does Water Your Soul really mean?
It's about creating space for you, space for your soul care practice, in the midst of whatever life hands you. It's seeking the in-between moments and nourishing yourself. It's saying "Yes" to filling up your internal well, so you can be more present to your life and your loved ones. It's honoring The And Space - the place where we hold the beauty and the grit - and learning the ways you can support yourself in that space.
It isn't always easy, which is why we come together to practice it. It isn't always pretty, which is why we circle to tell the true stories to be reminded that we aren’t alone.
But it's a choice we can explore. Each day. It's a choice to say: I am ready to deeply connect with me, to be with myself in the quiet, to listen to what I need. And this retreat is going to help you make that choice a little more each day.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Some pieces that make this retreat special:
At Water Your Soul, we'll gather in a gorgeous ocean-front home in Manzanita, Oregon. We'll spend time learning about and experiencing soul care and mindfulness practices. We'll create the beginnings of an art journal, take some photos, share some stories, and even write a poem or two. We're also going to spend time deeply nourishing ourselves with food, walks on the beach, sitting inside by the fire, and maybe even have a dance party (okay, we will have a dance party).
Water Your Soul gives you permission to explore what you most need while in community so you can begin to integrate these practices and take them home with you. It's your opportunity to spend time with the self-care you're longing for while also letting yourself be nurtured by others.
PRACTICE AND LEARN ABOUT CREATIVE SELF-CARE
We'll spend time practicing and learning about creative self-care as we play with words, take some photos, walk on the beach, and explore other forms of creative play and connection.
listen to what you need to come home to you
You'll explore ways to seek stillness and spend time in the quiet. We'll talk about how you can create an individual mindfulness practice when you get home.
Recharge with Mother Ocean
The Pacific Ocean will be a teacher for us as we connect with her each day as she's literally steps away from the home where we'll gather. We'll also practice a story releasing ceremony and invite her to hold our stories.
Dip your toes INTO an art journaling practice
We will be filling up a journal with papers, paint, collage, writing, dreams, blessings, prayers, and so many other good things as I teach you some of my favorite journaling practices.
experience mindfulness in Sacred space
We'll slow down and deeply experience mindfulness practices, create a community altar in the middle of our circle, and look at ways we can create space for the sacred in our daily lives.
Connect with Like-Minded Kindreds
There will be time to tell your story and listen to the stories of others. Many of the dear souls who attend Be Present Retreats form friendships that last far beyond the retreat.
And dear one, this retreat has come together in the most magical way!
The short(ish) version: I had a dream (like a real dream at night while I was asleep) in late August where I wrote a Facebook status asking if a few people wanted to gather with me in late November for a retreat in Manzanita. So many people said yes! And the dream shifted to the retreat and we were gathered in a moment full of candlelight and laughter and poetry and connection and it felt so real.
I woke up filled with that magic plus missing leading retreat so much (it's been a couple of years). So I wrote a status on Facebook (in real life) and said that I'd had this dream. And there was a chorus of replies saying, "I have this dream too. Can we do it? Can we make it happen?" And here you are reading these words. We did. We made it happen. And I so hope you can come along.