THE STRENGTH TO SOFTEN: Slowing Down to Feel Deeply and Honestly

This retreat takes place over the Autumn Equinox September 22-24, 2023. As the natural world around us begins its transition to slowing down and releasing what is needed to begin its next cycle of regeneration, you are invited to embody your inner strength to soften by compassionately creating space to slow down enough to feel deeply and honestly.

The strength to soften honors that the depth of transformation often reflects the depth of the container to hold it. The strength required is often the mental decision to create a boundary, a time and a place that is intentionally supportive. When you make the choice to go on retreat, you are also choosing to be held in a container that is organized to deeply nourish yourself with healing movement, nutritious meals, ceremonial time in nature and with kindhearted community connection.

Slowing down to feel deeply and honestly acknowledges that our cultural tendencies are to be too busy or too distracted to sit with the deeper callings of the mind, body, heart and soul. Each practice offered will have a consciously curated approach to awaken the intuitive knowing of your body and also be presented in a way such that you can integrate the practices into your daily life after the retreat.

It can be vulnerable to receive. To deepen the intimacy with yourself, with others, with nature, with spirit, with life. And yet, the truth inevitably arises. The most common ingredient needed to reconnect with the immense amount of love inside and around us is often spaciousness. Notice if that is true for you.

As we practice the strength to soften, we will offer support to our nervous systems to be aware of our capacity and when we are outside of that capacity, to create those intentional pauses to hold for harmony, even in the common response of overwhelm. We will celebrate the depth of courage we have already lived, acknowledging that the strength to soften is not new, simply a choice to renew. There will be an invitation to walk a labyrinth as a moving metaphor of the journey into the center of our inner world, to courageously be with ourselves and then reflect on our intentions on the ways we wish to walk in the world, honoring the interconnected fate we share.  We will bring our attention to the practices of peace that restore a sense of wellbeing and connect us to a trust in the overall goodness of ourselves and the world. We will invoke illumination to see the possibilities of play and pleasure, the glimmers that fill our minds, bodies, hearts and souls with meaning and purpose. We will humbly listen to our inner guidance on the courageous best next step as we personally inquire about our relationship to the journey of longing, desire, patience, right timing, trust, fulfillment and alignment. Attuning to the promise of prosperity and the power of presence that creates possibility, we will be supported to embrace the cycle of life we are in, by feeling it honestly and embodying it with our whole and holy heart.

This retreat is offered from the viewpoint that the medicine of the moment for so many of us is approaching ourselves, our bodies and our journeys with sincere compassion and kindness. Everything offered will be with the intention to nourish yourself in each present moment with healthy meals, daily Qoya Inspired Movement Sessions, rituals and kind hearted connections in community. This retreat also includes a one hour private session with Rochelle to support your integration of the retreat after the in-person live experience.

This program is for women, people who identify as women, or as non-binary. No movement experience necessary.

Schedule

Friday, September 22

• 3 – 4 pm Arrival & Check-in
• 4 – 5 pm Opening Circle
• 5 – 6 pm Qoya Inspired Movement Session
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 8 pm Restorative and Nourishing Guided Relaxation Through Sound

Saturday, September 23

• 8 – 9am Breakfast
• 9:30 am – 12 pm Qoya Inspired Movement Class
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch
• 1:30 – 3 pm Free Time for Massage, Rest or Adventure
• 3 – 5 pm Nature Offering Ritual
• 6 – 7 pm Dinner
• 8 pm Fire Ceremony

Sunday, September 24

• 7 – 11 am Check-out of Rooms
• 8 – 9 am Breakfast
• 9:30 – 11 am Qoya Inspired Movement Class
• 11 am – 12 pm Closing Integration Ceremony
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm Lunch and Departure
• Blessings on your next adventure!

*Please note that the schedule is subject to change.