When you start tuning into winter, you realize that we live through a thousand winters in our lives—some big, some small. ~Katherine May
For a long time of my existence and still to this day, I can find myself sitting with the question, “when will this be over? When can I expect to get through this time?” From the help of my spiritual practice and continued work with astrology and studying the cycles of nature, I understand that we may get through something…but it does not mean that there won’t be another thing, maybe even greater that we will have to live through and face in the future. Knowing this bit helps (and sometimes doesn’t help).
When I am feeling lost in “it,” I know it’s often time to call in some extra support.
Even though a lot of our soul’s journey is ours alone to meet, we do not have to do it all by ourselves. We can ask for help along the way. We can have someone hold our hand in times of need, and when it’s time to cross the bridge alone, we may feel more safe and ready to walk across. We may feel stronger knowing that there are people on both ends of the path waiting for us, cheering us along, who are there to lend a hand when we are in need. We may feel less alone if we know others are doing the same hard work alongside us.
While you are on retreat with us, we have 1:1 sessions available to people to tend to your needs should you need a little extra support during your time. This year, Elianne, Teresa, and myself (Kali) will be there in the case you want a check-in with another person. Depending on how many people attend the retreat, we may add more support and sessions. Below please find a little more information on the sessions we will have available this year.
MASSAGE THERAPY
Gentle body therapies are a wonderful gift to receive during the winter time. When the body is feeling cold and dry, taking time to hydrate with oil and therapeutic touch can be incredibly grounding. Elianne (pronounced El-ee-eN) started practicing massage in 1999. She has an intuitive approach to massage and uses a variety of techniques. Every massage is tailored to the client’s specific therapeutic needs, while assisting in deep relaxation. You may experience a blend of Swedish massage, stretching, deep tissue, trigger point therapy, acupressure, myofascial release, and Thai bodywork. She also may incorporate herbalism and flower essence therapy to complement the massage therapy depending on the needs of the client. Elianne will offer both paid sessions for massage and some gifted sessions. Depending on need and timing, we will either do a drawing for the gifted times, or we will be open to whatever guidance comes through on how to best share her gift. Please let us know when you are booking if you are in a time of financial need. She will offer a special retreat rate of $75 for a 60 minute session.
SOUL-BASED COACHING
Clarify your inner knowing + empower your dreams! Unlike other coaching modalities that value cognitive insight, problem solving, and goal setting, Soul Based Coaching attunes to an individual's inner wisdom, feelings and desires as the keys to transformation and change. In each 55-minute session, Teresa will gently guide you toward desired outcomes by enlivening inner landscapes of image, texture, color, and metaphor. Instead of motivating or challenging you, she will reflect back and hold steady to what you’d like to have happen. In this way, the creative wellspring of each client can be amplified, renewed, and brought to life, and innate obstacles and limiting behaviors can be integrated with ease (rather than working against them). If you are ready to invite ease into your life rather than push or pull to produce outcomes, we invite you to give Soul Based Coaching a try! Teresa offers these sessions on a sliding scale basis from $75-$125. For more information on this unique and highly effective form of coaching, check out her website>>
VIBRATIONAL SOUND
New patterns can be introduced through sound and vibration letting us shift from one energy field to another. Deep healing can come from letting ourselves rest. Rest comes from a place of relaxation. Vibrational Sound Therapy (VST) is a restorative healing modality that incorporates a series of therapeutic grade bronze Himalayan bowls placed directly on the (fully clothed) body to create coherence in all physical and energetic systems. Tailored specifically to your needs, Kali will begin the session with an intention and energetic clearing followed by placing the bowls on the body (if you wish) or surrounding the body, to help you relax and receive the waves of energy. Should it further the support of the energetic shift, the use of flower essences and card readings may also be utilized during this time. Retreat sessions are 60 minutes long with usually 40-45 minutes of sound. These sessions are sliding scale $77-$111.
For questions about the offerings and to check in on availability, please email kjh@kali.mn for the information or to book your session. While we cannot guarantee there is availability for all your requests, we hope to at least be able to accommodate one 1:1 session for people should they want one. On average 40% of our retreatants tend to sign up for a session. Depending on demand, there may be an opportunity to do more than one session; if this is the case you will be notified via email. Please send in your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices and we will get back to you as we get closer to the date. Also if you are in a time of financial hardship, please let us know so we can consider you first for one of the gifted massage sessions during Elianne’s Shabbat time.
The winter season is a rich time for reflection, for going inward and resting our way into “the answers.” Please know that attending the retreat alone will be a sacred container enough to support you during this quiet time of year. As I found myself attending my first winter retreat in 2014, what struck me most was the power of doing nothing. How simply having a room to my own was more than enough spaciousness for me to soak in the nurturing I needed—which at the time was rest. Whether you decide to have a 1:1 with another person, with a friend, or with yourself, know that this time we are co-creating will be deeply nourishing.