I co-hosted and co-facilitated a Mother's Day Women's Retreat with the theme, Summoning the Sacred Feminine.
This was our second annual retreat held at the Belknap Hot Springs Resort in Oregon. Ten of us, some returning from the previous year, spent a heartfelt two days together in a rental home near the resort where we engaged in movement, meditation, and mindfulness practices designed to drop us into our innate feminine nature.
This was our second annual retreat held at the Belknap Hot Springs Resort in Oregon. Ten of us, some returning from the previous year, spent a heartfelt two days together in a rental home near the resort where we engaged in movement, meditation, and mindfulness practices designed to drop us into our innate feminine nature.
Each morning we shared in an uplifting and energizing yoga practice on the covered deck overlooking the grounds. We then arrived back to a delicious and healthy vegetarian breakfast prepared by our onsite personal chef (my best friend). Afterwards we gathered in a sharing circle to take part in interpersonal communication and mindfulness practices. In the afternoons we had free time to enjoy the hot springs and garden, walk the forest paths, etc. We gathered back together in the evening for another communal circle, dinner, and finished the days with a relaxing guided meditation and yoga practice in the house that sent us straight to bed in a soft and warm embrace.
We created an altar with items of memorabilia brought from home - things that we felt connected us to our feminine lineage. We opened our time together by gathering in the living room where we introduced ourselves and talked about what drew us to participating in this experience, what we hoped to get from it and what we hoped to give to it. We shared what we had brought and placed it on the altar. At the end of the retreat we each made a closing statement and retrieved our newly 'charged' item from the altar. Finally we sealed our experience by contributing our voices to make the sacred sound of 'aum' in a rolling set, as can be heard here.
SUMMONING THE SACRED FEMININE
Exploring the theme of the retreat: What does it mean to summon the sacred feminine? And why is it important?
To explore feminine principals and integrate them into our bodies and our awareness because we are living in a society that values masculine qualities over feminine qualities. In order to find inner balance, we must tap into the ways in which we suppress and hide our feminine nature so that we can bring it into the light and shower it with appreciation.
In our discussions we explored what are feminine and masculine qualities.
Masculine vs Feminine Principles
To explore feminine principals and integrate them into our bodies and our awareness because we are living in a society that values masculine qualities over feminine qualities. In order to find inner balance, we must tap into the ways in which we suppress and hide our feminine nature so that we can bring it into the light and shower it with appreciation.
In our discussions we explored what are feminine and masculine qualities.
Masculine vs Feminine Principles
- Outward vs Inward
- Expression vs Intuition
- Direct/structured/clear vs Spiraling/Spacious/metaphorical
- Hard vs Soft
- Aggressive vs Receptive
- Sun/light vs Moon/dark
- Fire/Air vs Earth/Water
- Spirt vs Matter
- Product vs Process
testimonials & take aways
May 2023 was my 2nd year enjoying our Mother's day retreat with Summer. I cannot say enough about how wonderful the weekend was. Everything was so well planned out, the meals, the circle time, the activities as well as plenty of free time. I love the circle time, sharing and the pre-planned topics for us all to interact and learn to open our hearts with a group of women. We always feel so unique in our thoughts and worries and to hear that we are so similar, is truly heartwarming! The yoga activities being energizing in the morning, and calming in the evening is so welcomed and necessary. Summer kept music going in the back ground during the weekend and it was special to learn about new artists and just feel the calming energy. The women were all friendly and open and non-judgmental. The over all experience is absolutely grounding, and refreshing and I'll carry the memories for years to come. I very much look forward to the next one! Thank you Summer for putting this together, and having Rose help this year was brilliant so you could enjoy parts of it also. It was very special to get to know you on a deeper level as well!
~ Gina
~ Gina