Awakening the Wild Woman - Weekend Retreat

The Call

This is a call to all womxn who feel the wildness of these times rattling in their bones. We invite you into an immersive weekend retreat in the heart of Dartmoor to awaken the wild self of boundless creative expression, and rest in the belonging of sisterhood.

This moment of extreme uncertainty offers us the opportunity to root down into a security within ourselves, that cannot be tarnished, tainted or taken. The part of us that is courageous and soft. Untouchable. Untamable. 

Developing a deep intimacy with ourselves and the living world around us, we unfurl into our animal bodies, tenderly and fiercely remembering the echo in our bones of how wildness might have tasted on our ancestors tongues. 

If you have been yearning for the beating hearts of kindred souls, the smell of rivers and  fires, dancing under an open sky, and the freedom to express all parts of your being, then this retreat is for you.

Expect lots of; nature, dancing, singing, laughter, tears, painting, drumming, releasing and playing.
 

Please Note: Spaces are extremely limited, so book well in advance

“A deeply moving and transformative experience.”

Unlocking the Wild Self

We call upon the abundant creativity living at the core of the savage Wild Woman archetype. Art, in all its forms, is the food and language of the soul. Embracing our creative life force is fundamental to our health and flourishing.

As you unblock your creative channel, you will come into contact with your true essence. When this true essence can express itself through intuitive voice and movement, the shackles of conditioning will fall away and you will feel your whole being begin to open.

When we are able to feel fully the fear and shame that keeps us from expressing our true self, it releases from our body, we step into our power, and this is what sets our wild woman free.

“Alana and Gaia are very skilled at bringing a group together in an intimate and authentic way. They created an incredibly safe space for boundaries to be dropped and support and trust to be created very quickly within the group - a true gift.”

What to Expect

Throughout the weekend we offer a number of practices and rituals for you to connect to the unbridled power of your Wild Self.

Together we'll create a tight sisterhood where we each feel supported to unlock and let go; A place to feel seen and accepted in all that we are.

As artists and magpies of inner work we offer: sharing circles, meditation, voice work, dance, embodied ritual, grief tending, nature connection, play, theatre and magic as methods to connect with our inner feral and wide-eyed one, who listens to the wisdom in her blood and the pulse of nature all around. 

• Sharing circles - to build deep intimacy and a safe container
• Vocal warm ups and unblocking - Freeing the voice to be able to clearly express
• Movement meditation - Learning to connect with the sensations and desires of the body, moving for our own pleasure, listening deeply to the wisdom of the body, and unblocking stuck energy
• Play - Weaving together theatre games and tantric techniques to help us connect to our child-like playfulness, breaking down barriers and connecting deeply with each other
   

Weekend Highlights

Fire Ceremony - A prayer space, communing with and seeking support from our grandfather, the fire. This will be a time to sing,  dance, make prayers, and share.

River Ritual - After the intensity of Saturday we slide into the water ways of Sunday, cleansing and connecting to the river that is a short walk from the main site.

Ecstatic Dance - Connecting with cycles, rhythms and archetypes, this dance will take you on a journey to explore the outer edges of your being, and open a dialogue between visual and physical art, weaving between movement and expressive painting.

Self Pleasure Ritual - Reclaiming sovereignty of our sensuality and pleasure. Resensitising our bodies to follow our true desire. This ritual is a meditation, and practice in showing up for ourselves with full presence. Through gentle guidance and intention we will explore the world of sensation, allowing all emotions and feelings space to breathe, and following our pleasure without any goal or direction. 

Full Schedule

*We work very intuitively, and while we have put a lot of thought into the programming of this weekend, all elements are subject to change according to what we feel is most beneficial for the group.

Friday

5pm - Arrival and connecting with the land
7 - 8 - Dinner
8 - 9 - Opening circle
9 - Free time to connect/ singing

Saturday

8 - 9 - Morning practice: Meditation 
9 -10 - Breakfast
10 - 1 - Connection session and opening enquiry
1 - 3 - Lunch and free time on the land
4 - 7 - Ritual for Transformation
7 - 8 - Dinner
8 - 10 - Fire Ceremony

Sunday

8 - 9 -  Meditation at sit spot 
9 - 10 - Breakfast
10 - 1 - Connection session
1 - 3 - Lunch at the river
3 - 6 - Ecstatic Dance and Creative Flow
6 - 7 Dinner
7 - 9  Self Pleasure Ritual
9 - 10 Closing circle 

Monday

8 - 9 - Breakfast
9 - Goodbyes

 

Venue

Brimpts Farm lies literally at the heart of Dartmoor.  It is surrounded by both farmland and wilderness, with ancient monuments and river spots on the doorstep. https://www.brimptsfarm.co.uk/

Travel

Public Transport

From London: Train or bus to Newton Abbot (closest 30 mins away) or Exeter, Totnes or Plymouth then taxi or arrange car share.
Limited pick ups and drop offs available from Princetown. You can get a bus there from Plymouth.

Driving

From London Go to Exeter, then follow directions.

From Exeter (40 minutes) take the A38 towards Plymouth:
Take 2nd Ashburton turn off onto the B3357 to Two Bridges/ Princetown. Follow the road for 7 miles, past Dartmeet, up the hill, we are the 1st drive on the right.

From Plymouth (40 minutes) take the A386 towards Tavistock:
Take B3212 at Yelverton to Two Bridges (via Princetown). At Two Bridges turn right onto the B3357 towards Dartmeet. Follow the road for 5 miles, turn left immediately after the Hexworthy turning.

Investment

A place at our retreat costs £475

Includes:

• 3 nights accommodation
• All meals + snacks
• Epic schedule with 2 lead facilitators
• Access to wild nature in the heart of Dartmoor, Devon

Does not include:

• Transport to and from site

COVID

• As of the 15th August regulations continue to relax, and a number of indoor activities are now permitted, such as indoor performances, play areas and weddings. We will keep an eye on developments and keep this section updated.
• Most people will be sharing with one other person. If you are coming with a friend or family member you may share a room send us an email to let us know. If you are not comfortable sharing a room for COVID reasons please also let us know when booking.
• Once full we will start a wait list. If regulations relax on the 1st Oct, then the retreat can hold up to 23 participants.
• In the case that someone develops symptoms during the weekend, that person will be isolated and we will adjust accordingly.
• In the case of another lockdown in which gatherings are banned we will cancel the event and you will receive a full refund.
• We will do our best to respect the 1m distance rule if it is still in action, however this may not always be possible. We trust that you will make a good judgement as to whether or not this retreat is appropriate for you at this time. If you are a high risk individual, or if you live with a high risk individual, we advise you not to attend.

About the Facilitators

Gaia Harvey Jackson is a workshop facilitator and artist creating spaces for deep transformation and specialising in women's empowerment. She runs the Psychedelic Women’s Circle Courses, and has just launched a 3 month training programme for womxn.
Gaia is passionate about the revival of ritual and works with communities to co-create ceremonies around the world, helping people to mark significant moments, move through challenges, and celebrate life. Her work combines elements of theatre games, voice work, meditation, dance and ritual, creating safe and playful environments where people can authentically connect and release.

“Gaia always holds a safe and loving space to explore the depths of our souls. It's one of the only places I have in my life to truly be myself - no expectations, limitations or judgement.”

www.gaiaharveyjackson.com

Alana is an artist, facilitator, performer, ritualist and activist committed to expressing life to its fullest capacity through creativity and facilitation. More recently she has been exploring what it means to become a doula to systems change through the intersections of ritual, community, spirituality, learning and creativity. She weaves embodiment, cyclical wisdom, pleasure, grief and artistry into the spaces she holds, drawing on her lifelong curiosity in leading groups. Since 2016 she has run an array of creative retreats including The Warren where she creates experiences for people to explore their creative gifts through community, connection and many practices inspired by theatre & dance.

‘Alana’s facilitation is brave and instinctive, rounded and direct, and speaks to both a deep knowledge of her craft (and embodiment more generally) and a level of self-belief.’

‘Her mixture of skill, authentic expression, intuition and pure feminine power as a facilitator, ritualist and artist have empowered, inspired and catalysed my own authentic creative expression.’

www.alanabloom.co.uk 

Artwork by Dimitra Milan

REFUNDS POLICY: Please note, we do not arrange refunds or exchanges. When possible we encourage reselling on Ticketswap.

ACCESS:  We do our best to include everyone in our events, regardless of health circumstances. If you have access requirements please email the event organiser directly to discuss. Many facilitators are able to offer reduced ticket prices for those truly unable to afford the ticket price. If this applies to you, do please get in touch with the event organiser.

For PSYCHEDELIC KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES please check out the Psychedelic Society website. 

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