Being ‘off grid’ so good for the soul!

The weekend before last I embarked on a new style of retreat, delivered in partnership with Holly Walsh from @hollyjay034 (Instagram) and Becky from @bambooretreat18 (isntagram) hosted at Wasdale Hall Youth Hostel and organised within an inch of its life, we took over the whole place on Friday the 10th March, having battled our satnav’s taking us over snowing hills (as thee crow flies), somehow we arrived gaining access around 30 seconds before out fist guests landed.

My retreat’s have always been around the idea that I want people to not only reset, rest and repair but to also allow them to emerge feeling changed, different somehow. As a skilled somatic therapist I teach people skills and deliver group sessions over the course of my retreats (be they daytime a few hours or longer over night or a few days), so that people go away with new techniques they can use to quiet the mind an balance the emotions and the body.

This time by coming together with Holly from balance and breathe and Becky from bamboo retreat we were able to do more of the body practices over the weekend in the form of yoga/ yin/ massage to name a few. The stunning venue a short walk to the lake provided us with a perfect setting to practice our cold-water therapy, by dipping daily and having the added bonus of very poor Wi-Fi made for a real retreat. Feedback is still coming in and whilst we finalise plans for next years event in March, strictly limited to 20 people, I wanted to share some of that with you! Holly put it so perfectly, saying after the weekend that ‘her heart is full’ and I couldn’t honestly find a better way of saying it. What a privilege to spend the weekend with a group of such wonderful women and really making a difference.

Claire one of our attendee’s has blogged about her experience you can see it here

https://ourupsidedownlife.com/2023/03/17/and-breath/

Another attendee, wrote to us “ I am still Zen, despite the full impact of inner city Leeds, I can’t tell you the joy of the weekend the calmness it brought, I can’t quite get the adjectives right, I think maybe sublime”

I strive to get the venues and the package right for all of my retreats, this is the cost effective option where people share rooms, though as we limit to 20, this is generally 2-4 people max and generally is people who know each other. The more luxurious option is at Doxford Hall in September, check it out on my events page.

What did it involve?

At the stunning Wasdale Hall, on Wastwater Lake District. This event is focussed on setting up healthy habits creating a memorable and diverse retreat in stunning surroundings at Wasdale Hall, Lake District, where the whole youth hostel will be used by the retreat. I discovered the place whilst paddle boarding with friends last September, utterly fell in love with it and hired the whole thing (I never do things by halves).

The program included

BREATHWORK

The benefits of breath-work are vast, you might think ‘well I practice it’, I breath in and out all the time, but the likelihood is you haven’t been tapping into the healing properties of using your breath.

1) It can reduce stress and improve relaxation rapidly.

2) Being trained to breath slower has been shown to improve/ reduce your blood pressure.

3) It can, alongside other treatments, impact and improve mood.

4) Studies have shown that it improves attention.

5) It can help manage pain and is great to manage anxiety. Suppressing the sympathetic nervous system and activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

YOGA suitable for all levels delivered in a large marquee by the lake :), though next year this will be indoors as a kinder venue given extreme weather!

EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Referred to as psychological acupressure EFT involves tapping on key Meridian points in the body to reduce distress/ pain rapidly whilst using cognitive statements. With a growing body of evidence studies have shown large improvements in people with Depression and Anxiety. Studies have shown EFT to be more effective than antidepressant therapy.

REIKI

This ancient Japanese practice from the words Rei - meaning spiritually guided and Ki, life force energy, aids stress reduction, relaxation and promotes healing. Generally given by the practitioner through the laying on of hands, can be delivered to groups using drums, to balance the bodies energy centres.

Hypnosis

A human condition involving focussed attention, this practice allows modification of behaviour to create lasting improvements.

So… what did we achieve???

As designed by combining these treatments into a fantastic long weekend, people left the retreat feeling relaxed, energised, and ready to make positive changes.

Off-Grid Retreat: How Breathwork, Yoga, and Cold Water Therapy Can Change Your Life!