Rewilding women: Nature meditation overnights 2023
Many women would love to practice on their own outdoors, but find deeply engrained, conditioned fears stop them. Our aim is to help women experience the peace, nourishment and joy of the woods to deepen their practice and transform nature into a place of refuge. Over a weekend, women will spend time together and alone within their own camp in beautiful, private woodlands. We will practise sitting, walking and nature meditations structured around a theme. Participation in activities is optional and you are welcome to follow your own inclinations. Formal meditation practice is not essential, but you do need to be able sit in stillness for up to 40 minutes.
All weekends will take place in Wildflower Woods near Bruton, Somerset. Wildflower Woods consists of 12 acres, part of a larger 85-acre broad-leaved woodland, with fifteen different species of trees including hazel, oak, beech and alder and flowers such as bluebells, pink campion, bugle and early purple orchids. Two seasonal streams meander through the woodland. Multiple paths lead to delightful glades and secret spots. It’s a haven for wildlife including bats, moles, butterflies and many birds including owls, buzzards and even goshawks!
We will run five weekends in 2023, some for one night and others for two. As a bonus, some weekends will feature guest facilitators offering optional sessions on nature writing, plant identification and ‘Active Hope’. There’s no obligation to attend these sessions and you will be very welcome to come to the retreat regardless. At every weekend, delicious vegan meals, a campfire and nature meditation activities will be provided. A minimum of four and a maximum of eight women can attend. A video pre-meet will introduce retreatants to each other and help prepare for the weekend.
To cover costs of the woods, food, catering and other expenses we ask for individual contributions of £80 (one night) or £130 (two nights) with a deposit of £30. Lesley donates her time for free, thereby keeping costs low. Please don’t let financial or transport concerns stop you from coming, as bursaries and lift sharing are available.
For further information, please see FAQ or contact Lesley on rewildingmeditation@gmail.com.
Celebrating the Earth
Saturday 22 April – Sunday 23 April For this overnight, we will be celebrating Earth Day (22 April) all weekend. Signs of Spring are everywhere. New, lush green leaves unfurl from the trees. Birdsong fills the air from morning to night. Bats swoop overhead at dusk. And pink, blue, white and purple spring flowers dot the paths and clearings. During this Rewilding Women retreat, we will be exploring our interconnection with the Earth and all beings, honouring all that our wonderful planet provides.
Transition & Transformation
Saturday 27 May – Monday 29 May Late May is a time of transition as the woods move into Summer, transforming early Spring’s promise into thick green canopies, bubbling streams and a profusion of wildflowers and verdant grasses. In this Rewilding Women retreat, we will be exploring impermanence through transitions in the woods and our own lives. An optional nature writing session will be a chance to delve into this through reading (and if inclined!) writing poetry.
Tending the Fire
Saturday 24 June – Sunday 25 June In June, the bright sun stays in the sky until late; the hoverflies and bees hum in dappled daylight and the light fades slowly as the owls call at dusk. With this Rewilding Women overnight, we will be marking the solstice by meditating on fire, both internal and external, as expressed through our own passions and our contribution to the ‘fires’ of our wider communities.
Reaping the Harvest
Friday 28 July – Sunday 30 July This Rewilding Women weekend falls just before Lammas, the festival of early harvest, a time of great fruition when the Earth is at its most giving. Accordingly, we will be exploring what we’d like to ‘harvest’ in our own lives and offering heart-based practices, especially gratitude and joy. To increase our cognitive and intuitive knowledge of plants, there will be an optional session on ‘Plants: Doing and Being’.
Sowing the Seeds
Saturday 16 Sept – Sunday 17 September In September, the Summer light starts to fade while the acorns and bright red hawberries are reminders of new beginnings. This Rewilding women overnight is a chance to practice ‘beginner’s mind’ and to identify and nurture the ‘seeds’ we’d like to plant in re-creating our lives. To explore this further, an optional session on ‘active hope’ practices for positive change will be offered.