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Wild & Sacred nature retreat ~ 25th to 27th of August 2023
25 August 2023 @ 12:00 - 27 August 2023 @ 15:00
Three days to get more deeply in touch with our natural selves in a magical setting. In this retreat, silence and meditation come together with shamanic practice and ceremony. We will guide you on a healing, relaxing journey to beautiful places in nature.
We start each day with silence and meditation. Our focus of the day is loving care for the body, our feelings and emerging thoughts. The 4 dimensions of human nature help us deepen our connection with nature. After breakfast, we go into the forest. For most of the day, we will be outside. By holding ceremonies for Water, Fire, Earth and Air, we find more connection with our natural selves and the living world around us.
Some of our activities throughout the days: meditation, silent walks, ceremonies, time alone in nature, fire and togetherness. Community and silence are our guides through the days, the simplicity of being in a natural andnurturing environment with beautiful people.
Programme of our days
Day 1 – Theme: grounding and grounding | element: Earth
15:30 Arrival at Chamai: welcoming, practicalities of our days together
16:30 First introduction circle
18:00 Free time: honoring the land
18:30 Dinner
20:00 Silent walk in nature
Day 2 – Theme: Freeing and finding space, connecting and being together | element: Air & Fire
08:00 Morning meditation & yoga
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Sharing circle
11:00 Silent walk to nearby place. Solo stay in nature with lunch
Air ceremony to release and find space within yourself
15:00 Free time in the afternoon (swimming in the Ourthe)
18:30 Evening meal
20:00 Fire ceremony: standing in your own power, music and sharing
Day 3 – Theme: purify and relax | element: Water
08:00 Morning meditation
09:00 Breakfast
10:00 Sharing round
11:00 Silent walk to the source
12:00 Solo stay in nature with lunch
Water ceremony: to bless and purify yourself
15:00 Final round of sharing and farewell
Accommodation during your stay
During the retreat you will stay overnight at Chamai, in the Old Presbytery of the village of Hodister, in the Ardennes. You will stay in a spacious room with 2 or 3 people. Private rooms are only possible with a limited number of registrations and on payment of an extra fee. Staying in the tent in the beautiful garden is also possible. During the day, we hike to special nature spots nearby. We also prepare delicious vegetarian meals every day with herbs and greens from our own garden.
All meals are provided during the retreat. If you like to eat regular snacks in between, be sure to bring what you need for yourself, or possibly to share with the group. Tea, coffee and water are provided at all times.
Registration and prices
Standard price: 490 euro
Supporter & business price (also if you would like an invoice): 590 euro
If the standard price is a barrier for you, you can contact us and we will see if you can participate at a reduced rate.
Deadline to register is at the latest 10 days before the start of the retreat and after payment of your participation fee. Later is not possible due to organisational reasons.
Your registration for the weekend is complete as soon as you have sent an email to chamaicentre@gmail.com and transferred the full registration fee to the following account: BE12 7340 4886 7292 – Sophie Vandenkerchove, stating your name + Wild & Sacred retreat and date.
If you cancel your participation, part of your contribution will be withheld to cover the administrative costs of your cancellation. Two months in advance 25% of your contribution will be retained, one month in advance 50% and 2 weeks in advance: 75% of your contribution. If the retreat has to be cancelled due to external organisational reasons, your registration will be fully refunded.
The Wild & Sacred retreat is a weekend that we organise on a regular basis throughout the year. The next dates will be in May 2024. You can already enroll through chamaicentre@gmail.com and receive an Early Bird discount.
Guides of the retreat
Sophie Vandenkerchove
Sophie is a lover of the Wild – within and without. Sophie grew up in the forests of the Belgian Ardennes, where she nurtured a strong connection to the land of her ancestors as a child. After roaming wild places in the cities, she moved back to her village with a dedication to offer her life to the well-being and healing of her ancestral land. Out of this, Chamai came into existence: a nature-based learning centre, where she offers residential workshops and experiential journeys in and with Nature and collaborates with others. In her own work, she interweaves the power of ceremony and presenceness with her soulful love for her place, nature and people. She is passionate about pilgrimages, solo time in nature, silent retreats and all those experiences that bring together a good balance of adventure, presence and gentleness. Feeling and bringing each other home, is her life’s longing and service.