Spring Equinox
Sound Healing & Yoga Nidra Retreat
14th-17th March 2025
Blandford Forum, Dorset
Join me for this three night Spring Equinox women’s retreat with private spa pool & sauna. Drawing on the regenerative energy of spring to create space for nurture, nourishment, deep rest & renewal.
Nature is awakening and it’s time to start peeling off the winter layers, and set our compass for the coming year. This is the perfect time to check in with your inner landscape, and plant fresh seeds for new beginnings.
On this special weekend we will be calling on the energy of this season to nurture ourselves and connect to the balance within. Taking time to reflect upon what is wanting to be birthed in the coming months and attune to slower rhythms that support our replenishment & renewal.
Unwind and deepen your connection to yourself as you’re guided through a series of transformative practices. Over the space of the weekend we’ll absorb daily Yoga Nidra (yummy yogic sleep!) therapeutic sound healing and enjoy a sacred cacao and rose ceremony designed to awaken your inner wisdom, bring clarity to your heart, and nourish your soul.
Begin each day on retreat by harmonising your body and mind with a gentle Spring Equinox Qigong practice, expertly guided by Sarah Mooney. Then, indulge in some 'me time' by enjoying a rejuvenating dip in our exclusive on-site spa pool or sauna, where you can release any tension and toxins, setting yourself up for a day of rest and rejuvenation amidst the peaceful surroundings.
Our retreat space will be held by the elements of the beautiful, natural surroundings and we will be supported in our daily practices by the soft, feminine qualities of Rose, Cacao and Nidra. You can take part in as much or as little as you like and there’s ample space in the program so you have time to enjoy the pool, sauna, nature walks, cosy up by a log burner, receive a yummy treatment or simply rest.
Food is an important part of retreat life and our chef ‘Food With Shell’ will be nourishing our bellies all weekend with the most delicious plant based creations that really provide medicine for the mind, body & soul.
This peaceful setting will allow you to unwind from busyness, settle into beingness and leave feeling rested, connected and renewed.
Your Weekend Includes
Daily Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep meditation!)
Alchemy Crystal Bowl & Gong Sound Baths
Our Own Private on-site biomass heated Pool & Sauna
Awaken to Spring Group Healing Ritual
Morning Qigong Gentle Movement Practice
Sacred Cacao Rose Sound Ceremony
Spring Equinox Fire Ritual
Shared accommodation in en-suite twin and double en-suite rooms
Time to explore the surrounding ‘area of outstanding natural beauty’
Nourishing, ‘warming’ plant based meals prepared by our personal chef
Warm, cosy accommodation in a beautiful, traditional farmhouse
All teas, drinks, snacks & refreshments
Optional Extras
If you’d like to treat yourself to some extra pampering we’ll have a local Holistic Therapist offering treatments throughout the weekend. And Reiki Master Sarah will be offering her beautiful Reiki & Theta energy balancing treatments.
Investment
Bed in twin room with private en-suite: Early bird £705p/p (until 27th Jan 2025)/ late bird £745 p/p (after 27th Jan 2025).
Single Occupancy of a Double Room with private en-suite £795 p/p (two rooms available)
Small cottage (below) with one twin room (that can also be converted to a king) includes living room/kitchen & outside seating area slightly away from the main house, perfect for two friends sharing. £1550 in total.
A £200 deposit is required to secure your space on this retreat.
A second payment of £200 is due by December 3rd 2024.
Payment plans available, please message for more info.
Spaces are limited with only 12 spaces available
Our Location
Our retreat home is set near Dorset’s Blandford Forum in an area of outstanding natural beauty. The site includes access to over 900 acres of organic farmland with miles of trails for walking, an indoor biomass heated swimming pool & sauna and a very special newly renovated barn workshop space with underfloor heating where we’ll be cocooning for the weekend.
Deliciously nourishing food made with love by
‘Food With Shell’
Sample Itinerary
Friday
5.30pm Arrivals
6.30pm Warming Vegetarian Evening Meal
8pm Opening Circle, Yoga Nidra & Gong Bath
Saturday
8-9am: Qigong Morning Movement Practice & Yoga Nidra
9.15am: Breakfast
10.15am: Free Time (spa time, nap, explore, book a treatment)
12pm: Sacred Cacao Rose Sound Ceremony with a range of instruments
2.15pm: Lunch
Integration Time (naps, swims, pampering: all welcome)
7pm: Evening Meal
8.15pm: Spring Equinox Fireside Ritual
Sunday
8-9am: Qigong Morning Movement Practice & Himalayan Bowls
9.15am: Breakfast
10.15am: Free Time
12pm: Group Healing Transmission
1pm: Lunch
2pm: Free Time
6.30pm: Evening Meal
8pm: Closing Circle & Crystal Singing Bowl nidra nap
Monday
8.30am: Breakfast
9.45am: depart
Our Retreat Team
Louise Shiels
Louise is a dedicated Functional Kinesiologist, Sound Healing Practitioner and Yoga Nidra guide, empowering people towards re claiming their vital energy through therapeutic rest systems. She brings over a decade’s experience in energy medicine and holds nurturing spaces for groups and individuals to slow down, find embodied connection and experience more peace and well being.
She has been on a deeply transformative plant medicine journey since 2014 and offers groups the opportunity to experience gentle plant medicine ceremonies to explore and connect to the bodies’ wisdom and process the stories that are held there towards integration and wholeness.
Louise works with a variety of instruments including Planetary Earth Gong, Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls, Himalayan Singing bowls, harmonic chimes, voice, lap harp and various percussive instruments.
Sarah Mooney-Jones
I’m over the moon to have Sarah with us offering morning Qigong movement practice & her beautiful Reiki energy balance treatments throughout the weekend. Sarah is an energy practitioner who utilises a range of holistic practices to attain balance and harmony in the physical, mental, emotional and energetic bodies.
Sarah brings so much passion & wisdom to her practices with the most inspiring, uplifting energy. Feeling truly blessed to have her onboard.
Food With Shell: Retreat food Redefined
Shell’s food really is medicine for the mind, body & soul. Our retreat guests are continually awed at the amount of love that goes into these yummy creations, we’re super excited to have Michelle with us for another winter retreat.
“When I cook for retreats I want to offer a new experience whilst making the guests feel at home, cooking to compliment the days activities. As a yoga practitioner I have an awareness to what might be that perfect meal to start and end the day, and lunches that are wholesome, light and energising. I work with the seasons celebrating produce that is fresh and local, adding extra vibrancy as I draw on Ayurvedic cooking principles.”
Getting There
By Car
If approaching from the north/east, take the A354 from Salisbury and head towards Blandford Forum until you reach Tarrant Hinton. Turn left down a country road sign posted Tarrant Launceston. Follow the valley road for approximately 0.75 miles and Launceston Farmhouse is on the right hand side, just after the turning for Launceston Farm.
If approaching from the South, head out from Wimborne on the B3082 towards Blandford Forum. When you reach Tarrant Keyneston turn right at The True Lovers Knot pub. Follow the road for approximately three miles, through Tarrant Monkton and the next hamlet you come to is Tarrant Launceston. Continue for another 0.5 miles along the same road and Launceston Farmhouse is on your left.
By Train
The nearest train stations are Salisbury & Poole which are both 15 miles from the house. If you would like to share a taxi with other guests then I can co ordinate this for a specific time from Salisbury station only.
From London
Leave the M25 at Junction 12 onto the M3. Head south on the M3 towards Southampton, take the A303 towards Andover, turn onto the A338 to Salisbury and then follow directions as above as approaching from north/east.
Parking - There is plenty of parking on Site
