BELTANE ~ DAY RETREAT
Beltane ~ beltaine
~ A cross quarter fire festival ~ from the Celtic Wheel f the Year
~ A celebration of earth & nature’s fertility & honouring of life blossoming
~ When earth’s energies are at their strongest & all of life is bursting fourth in full force
~ Marks the mid way point between Spring Equinox & the Summer Solstice
~ Beltane was a time to ignite & celebrate the sensuality of nature & ourselves
~
Gather in togetherness to share ~ honour & celebrate life & it’s rhythms
It’s seasons ~ & it’s energies always in transition
Brought to you as a community offering
As we together create a circle of belonging
Weaving a web of hearts
Enjoy a day of delight
Awakening our senses
Through delicious sensual practices that
Ground & open our being
Embodied & somatic movement ~ Yoga & elemental dance journey
Frequency medicine ~ With cosmic live soundscapes ~ Voice activation & toning
Blossoming of the heart ~ With heart medicine ~ Cacao concoction & ceremony
Guided self love massage ~ Sacred aromas & Beyond
The gathering aims to leave you feeling inspired, invigorates & soothed
~
Sunday 11th May 10.30 - 6 ~ Half day options available
Bristol ~ Fishponds
Teas, tasty treats & lunch included ~ Vegan & vegetarian
Hosted by Sofia & Sandra Barnes & Ailie Tam
This day has been birthed to hold you
Know that all of you is welcome just as you are
Created especially to nurture & nourish us
As we drop fully into our internal landscapes
A space to be ~ A journey of remembering
Blessed vessels, made of the earth itself
The oceans flowing through our veins
The breath of life breathing us as we breathe it
The sunshine’s rays encapsulated within our very cells, radiating life into us & reminding us of the light that burns bright within
You are all of this ~ You are life itself
Celebrating nature
Within & without
With abundance ~ Full of gifts ~ Full of medicine
We will delve into the sacred dimension we all carry
Tuning into the fertile blossoming aliveness this time of year brings
It’s gifts ~ Messages ~ Lessons & reflections
We are alive ~ Here & Now
With tenderness we will guide & invite you through an array of simple & subtle yet powerful practices
Whilst holding a sacred container for us to flow through a multifaceted healing experience that allows a true alchemy of heart & spirit to unfurl
Anchoring in fresh life force ~ Chi ~ Prana ~ Vital energy & aliveness
Together with all those that join us we will co create a beautiful sharing
~ Where we will be gathering ~
We will share the the day in a spacious & bright hall ~ With giant windows welcoming natural light to flood in over us ~ Overlooking greenery
Hopefully the day will bring sunshine so that we may also enjoy the beautiful outdoors with a gorgeous sweeping lawn we can yoga & picnic on
Located in a primary school with amazing architecture!
Address ~ Avanti Gardens, Oldbury court road, Bristol BS16 2JG
Google map pin info ~ 51.48450, -2.527552 will lead you to correct entrance
Located in Fishponds ~ Bristol ~ With parking available
~ THE DAYS OFFERINGS ~
10 - 10.20
welcome drinks & settling in
10.30 ~ 11
opening ceremony & grounding
Land into your body ~ Into your breath ~ Into the space & Into the day
Connecting to the magic in gathering in togetherness & the wonders life offers us
11-12 ~ blossoming & becoming ~ gentle yoga flow ~ sandra
Movement will begin gently, taking us through a long awakening warm-up, as we welcome the body & heart to unravel & open softly, like the flowers that bloom all around us at this time of year. Full of juicy spiralling & rhythmic motion that will welcome & invite a creative & playful exploration of expression, connecting people to their inner rhythm & fluidity.
12 -1 ~ awaken the senses ~ yoga & embodiment ~ ailie
Awaken & spark the imagination through a full body mind journey, woven together through creative storytelling ~ With Celtic wisdom & Beltane folklore at it’s roots. Envision & travel between the Otherworld & inner landscapes. Exploring the felt world through yoga, taste, smell, sound & somatic exploration. Stimulating our senses, allowing us to remember the sensual beings that we are.
1-1.30 ~ sound journey
Soothing & cosmic live sound bath ~
See more about sound healing & what instruments will be used towards bottom of webpage.
1.30 ~ LUNCH ~ 2.45
Enjoy a nourishing vegan & vegetarian lunch
There will be time to enjoy the lawn ~ The stalls & connect to others
2.45- 3.30 ~ fire ceremony
Gather in circle around the fire, with sacred sounds to honour & celebrate this element within the Beltane tradition.
Ziva Zena will share a song for us to enjoy &
3.30- 5.30 ~ cacao ceremony ~ with elemental dance & sound journey
Together we will share ceremonial grade theabromine cacao within a nutritious concoction of plant medicines all supporting the release of endorphins & happy hormones. Welcoming us to drop into the heart space & opening it up for the day ahead.
Ready to receive
Ceremonies are a way to gather & honour life, it's transitions, ebb & flow whilst exploring the part we play within this rich tapestry. It will bring us into the present as we celebrate our elemental nature & ground us into our centers & the prayers that live within.
More about cacao further down this page.
5.30 ~ 6 ~ returning to our senses ~ closing ceremony & good byes
Gently returning to the breath, the body & the space, with a tasty treat to ground you.
Taking time to reflect on the day, the magic & experiences that arose & what you wish to carry fourth with you.
~
We hope for you to feel fully arrived in your beautiful sacred self by the end of our time together
To feel life pulsating & alive within you ~ To know you are & you hold all the medicine you ever need
~ MEET THE SPACE HOLDERS ~
Sandra & Sofia
Mother & Daughter
Sandra is a free spirited playful yogini from Argentina who has been sharing yoga in England when the family moved here over 25 years ago. Sofia began assisting her with her offerings from a young age & their paths have become intertwined.
’We enjoy creating together & support one another in birthing our visions & dreams, which is to offer containers for others to drop into the present, to feel the full spectrum of being that life can offer us, through heartfelt experiences & explorations. We bring this to people through workshops, classes, retreats & ceremonies. You can find our offerings at an array of yoga & wellness festivals & gatherings, as well as offering immersive 'YogaVentures' across the globe.
We weave together embodied movement, meditation, ritual & the power of vibrational medicine to all our offerings. Our aim is to bring you home to your inner beloved, hoping to leave you feeling relaxed & nourished, energized & radiating LOVE.
Learn more in the ‘about us’ tab.
Ailie Tam
Ailie is a mumma of two girls, a yoga & somatic teacher, a space holder for Celtic ceremonies & founder of Yoga Rewild. Ailie has a background in health behaviour, which has been driven by a deep interest in natural cycles, rhythms & the interaction between humans & our environment. Having grown up between the city of Cardiff & the wild coastal farmland of Scotland, Ailie has a deep appreciation for the freedom that arises from being in nature & the grounding effect of being with the trees. This has shaped Ailie’s approach to yoga, which offers ways to intentionally remember our connection to the land & our shared bond with Mother Earth. She weaves traditional aspects of Hatha yoga with somatic techniques & connects with the energies of the lunar cycle, the seasons, the web of life & Celtic folklore to guide awareness within our inside outside worlds. Ailie believes yoga should inspire & be accessible & adaptable to meet our individual needs on any given day. Ailie set up Yoga Rewild in 2020 with the simple aim of Sharing Yoga, Planting Trees, which has since planted over 10,000 trees.
Learn more about Ailie ~ Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook
~ D E T A I L S ~
Everything we share is simply an invitation & guidance & we welcome you to do whatever feels right for you.
Everyone welcome new or accustomed to yoga ~ An array or options / layers shared for each movement / pose.
Homemade lunch included.
Teas, healthy nibbles & tasty treats provided throughout the day.
Half day options available ~
10.30 - 2.45 ~ OR ~ 1.45 - 6
Exchange
Early bird deal £44
Normal price £55
Full day
10.30 am - 6 pm
Exchange
Early bird deal~ £66
Normal price £77 / £88
~
Payment plan available on request ~ Just get in touch(:
~ PLEASE ~
~ Arrive at least 15 minutes before the day starts to register, help yourself to refreshments & settle before we commence.
~ Bring yourself, an open heart, layers, a blanket & a cushion or 2 for comfort & cosyness.
~ Bring a journal /some paper & a pen for journaling / note making.
~ If you have a flask for hot drinks, bring it along as it is better than cups everywhere.
There will be 2 or 3 boutiques, shared by creators that live in Bristol ~ Incase you wish to treat yourself to some glorious art, herbal products or clothes, textures & patterns(:
~ HALF DAY OPTIONS & INFO ~
You can choose weather to join for the first or second half of the day.
~ 10.30-2.45 OR ~ 1.45 - 6
Both half day options include lunch which is 1.45-2.45
The first half of the day shares more yoga, whilst the second half will be more dancing.
Both parts of the day, will awaken our senses & drop us into a ceremonial space, woven together with plenty of time to rest & soak up the magic of sound healing through live cosmic soundscapes.
The day is being created to be enjoyed as a whole though ~ Please keep this in mind(:
~MORE ABOUT CACAO ~
The cacao ceremony will be woven into the afternoon, sharing ceremonial grade theabromine Cacao within a nutritious concoction of plant medicines all supporting the release of endorphins & happy hormones. You will be told the whys of each magical natural ingredient.
Cacao is chocolate in it's purest form. A plant medicine that has always been associated with universal love & seen as a sacred healer & teacher. When raw, it is one of the most nutrient based foods known to man, containing over 300 chemical compounds. Bursting with vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium & hosting an array of mood enhancing chemicals that release & transmit serotonin & creates cosy feelings to name a few.
Whats the difference between chocolate & ceremonial grade cacao? ~ Ceremonial grade cacao is grown in nature that is allowed to remain wild, unlike most farmed foods. It is grown by ingenious local communities who get fair pay for their products, who preserve native strains of the whole bean & use minimal processing methods. It has been used & cultivated since at least 2000 BC, used within the Olmec, Aztec & Mayan civilisations shamanically, ritualistically, in ceremony, as a plant medicine & for nutrition.
Cacao even has a goddess ~ Ix cacao who was worshiped as a fertility goddess for bringing abundance to the land.
Please note cacao concoction is vegan & nut free. Feel free to get in contact if you wish to know more about ingredients
Click here to explore more about Cacao
~MORE ABOUT SOUND HEALING ~
A gentle practice that invites you to settle into softness as soothing sounds transport you into a sense of timelessness. The magic of sound healing is that you do not need to 'do' anything to receive the magic & benefits. As our body & mind is bathed in oscillating waves of sound, this promotes a relaxed state of consciousness to arise, allowing our brain to travels between different wave states. Scientific evidence shows that the specific frequencies & resonances of healing instruments effect us on a molecular level & can speed up healing of many kinds.
A sound healing session is likely to leave you in a serene, deeply relaxed & energised state.
It may be particularly helpful for people living with hypertension, stress related issues, anxiety, sleep difficulties & beyond.
INSTRUMENTS THAT WILL BE USED ~ Gongs, tibetan, crystal & alchemy singing bowls, drums, rattles, swinging chimes, rain stick, wah wah, tuning forks & beyond.
CONTRA INDICATIONS ~ Not advised for people with a pace maker or in the first trimester of pregnancy ~ Feel free to be in contact if you have any questions.
~ MEET THE GONGS ~
~ Chinese wind gongs 20” & 25” ~ We will walk around the room with these ~ A healing all rounder, said to encourage ‘centering’.
~ A 32” symphonic gong ~Who’s makers ~ Paiste (German) say: 'It's fundamental note is balanced with its own complex overtones', meaning that it’s tuned to create a compatible blend of resonance – so offers a wide variety of harmonious sound for holistic balance.
Gongs are said to ~
Mentally ~ Encourages wisdom, purity & clarity.
Emotionally ~ Help release negativity & promote a clearing & opening.
Physically ~ Awakening a sensitivity to the present state of our body's energy reserves.
~ CANCELLATION & REFUND POLICY ~
If your unable to attend ;
You can receive a full refund up to a week before the gathering, if you have good reason
OR
Your ticket can be transferred to another person up until the day before.
We hold the rights to assess the situation, so please be in touch.
All images from our own retreats & workshops, of times gone by . Above image from one of our retreats in 2021.
Love All Ways