Mothertree Women's Retreats

Mothertree Women’s Retreats started out from a call to provide an in-person experience for the women who had been attending our Thursday Night Women’s Circle over zoom during the pandemic. There was a desire in the Circle to meet each other. It was the ignition we needed to make a start!

Winter Reign (Holistic World Retreats, One World Center for Dance, www.oneworldctr.com) and myself started exploring ideas. Between us, with Winter’s skills in curating special events and expertise in vegan cheffing, and my own experience in leading groups in transformational practice, we booked our first retreat to Joshua Tree, California in June 2021. With two retreats now under our belt, having recently returned from Sedona, Arizona, I am humbled by what continues to unfold, and feel incredible joy and fulfillment in the process of creating these experiences.

Creating the space, Sedona

The image of the Mothertree came to me in meditation many years ago and has had a profound impact on all my offerings since. She presented in Her gentle strength, branches open to the sky, roots connected into the ground. She represented a symbol of life, abundance, balance and interconnectedness, but mostly I felt the ease and safety of the sanctuary under Her branches.

Prayer ribbons from the Avebury Trees, UK ©JessLakin 2019

The sanctuary and peace I felt was so powerful and seemed to speak directly. A deeper understanding about the importance of self-nourishment and a reflection on how tired I had been feeling. It dawned on me how my life had taken on a rhythm of perpetual busyness, juggling work and family life. In the journey, somehow I had forgotten to slow down and give time to listening to my own evolution, to do things just because they felt good … to nourish.

From the Birthing Cave, Sedona ©WinterReign 2022

The Mothertree spoke and I saw that despite Her incredible strength, even She depended on the sun, rain and earth to stand steady and be able to offer all she did. She showed me that in order to nourish others, one must also nourish oneself. From that moment, I committed to opening time for myself to rebalance, to water and sun myself, and in the process I began to feel an opening ease within myself and the blossoming of creative energies.

Without conscious direction, the Mothertree has formed the roots and branches of our retreats. The intention being to provide a space of sanctuary where women of all ages and backgrounds may feel able to rest for a time from the busyness of their normal lives, to get back to basics but in a space of beauty and inspiration, and in the process reconnect to themselves.

Circles at Joshua Tree

There is something particularly special and powerful about entering into this sanctuary space with others, and approaching this time in a light and playful way. This is where I feel the character of our retreats emerging. We open a space and a Circle and from here offer a schedule of activities, including meditations, creative activities, movement and healing practices, ceremony, adventuring out into nature and free time. We provide healthful nourishing foods. We invite the sharing of dreams and intentions.

Creating Together

It feels like play, but with reverence and honoring. Play like we might not have played for so long. And along the way what I notice most is the laughter! The laughter, then the tears … the healing tears which may have been waiting to be released …and then the laughter again. I watch as each woman walks her journey, and I notice the gradual lifting of spirits, trusting in this journey even during the challenging moments.

Playing with pendulums at Sedona vortexes

Having recently returned from Sedona, and reflecting back to Joshua Tree, I feel deeply honored to share in such beautiful experiences with these women. Different retreats, different places, different groups, different activities - yet a similarity in the Bhav or feeling.

Sedona 2022

Both experiences seemingly offering an opening of time, a journey within a journey and a spiral within a spiral - of arriving, settling, laughing, crying, shedding, recalibrating and rejuvenating. Trusting that the experience meets each individual where they need, and the shared space providing the container for whatever must flow.

Sunrise Hike to Doe Mountain, Sedona @JessLakin 2022

And the outcome? Well, we hear from those who come along for this ride, that they return home feeling full, rested, rejuvenated and ready for the next chapter. How for many the experience continues to be a source of joy and strength, and how it seems to play a significant role in a larger unfolding tapestry of life transformation. But perhaps most significantly, how they return home with a living sense of connection to sisterhood - feeling seen, held and accepted for being who they are, and for all the possibilities of becoming.

Upcoming

Joshua Tree, September 23 - 26th 2022

Thank You!

I would like to send our a big thank you to all who have been part of our retreats so far. It has filled my heart to share in these experiences with you and it is a joy to witness the blossoming connections and friendships as our circle begins to widen.

Look out to the Joshua Trees at sunset ©jesslakin 2021

A special thanks to Winter Reign as without you, none of this would have been possible. You are the Retreat Whisperer with an incredible ability to create soul nourishing experiences - from location, food, to ensuring all our guests are happy and comfortable for the duration of their stay. It is your talent, enthusiasm and tireless effort which has helped bring my dream of hosting retreats into reality, and into a smooth and seamless reality at that.

Winter Reign - Retreat Curator and Vegan Chef

Winter’s nourishing offerings ©jesslakin 2021

If you are a teacher/guide with a desire to host a retreat, I highly recommend Winter as a valuable resource. She offers retreat management services and she is also an experienced and talented Retreat Chef speciclizing in vegan foods.

Join the Women’s Circle

If you would like to know more about Mothertree Retreats, join community, and get a feel for our offerings, come along to the Women’s Circle, Thursday evenings, 8-9pm Pacific over zoom.

Offerings