Healing retreats to connect with self and the local environment

I recently came back from co-hosting a women’s healing retreat in the beautiful mountains of Canaan Valley, West, Virigina. It is not a new place for me; I have been going there to ski, hike, bike, relax and heal since I was a teenager. I’ve experienced many poignant moments in these mountains, and when it came time to develop and host my first retreat, it was the obvious place to begin. I knew the area and had already developed relationships with wonderful local people and their businesses. With the where and the how taken care of, my co-host and I had to figure out the why.  

Going back hundreds of thousands of years, humans had to rely upon and have a deep understanding of the flora, fauna, and the night sky around them to survive. I think that today, too many of us live disconnected from nature, and often from ourselves and others, at a cost to our health and happiness.

Which led to the first part of why I wanted to host women’s healing retreats. In my healing and coaching practice, I have noticed shared patterns among many clients (male and female), including disconnection with their higher self, or intuition, and often with the wisdom of their own body. This disconnection can lead people to distrust their inner wisdom and make life choices (large and small) that do not align with their true nature, or core values. The backbone of the why in my practice is to help clients re-connect with their intuition and find balance (at all levels) through one-on-one sessions and small class offerings. Hosting retreats allows me to work within a larger group setting, guiding participants to tap back into themselves via magical and practical tools such as meditation, intuitive exercises, and movements, in a supportive, healing environment.

The second why for hosting retreats is to connect participants with the outside world in a meaningful way. The environment where we hold space and heal is as important as the activities we offer as retreat hosts, or experience as participants. I knew that this mountain retreat would be very grounding and relaxing because that is what I feel when I visit, and I wanted to share it with others. The beauty of the mountains, the clear air at a high (3300 feet) elevation and amazing Milky Way views at night supply a wow factor. In addition, working with local businesses helps make a healing retreat successful.

The locals of Canaan Valley, WV are very welcoming and friendly, and many run thriving businesses with whom I rely upon for catering, retreat venue and lodging. I realized early on in the planning process that I wanted to give back to local communities. It’s a win-win situation—you receive great service and support their livelihoods at the same time.

For the most recent retreat, we hired a local plant expert whose family has been using plants for natural remedies for generations. A few years ago, he started a business making salves and tinctures which he sells in local shops. He is also passionate about teaching others how to use plants as medicine and offers educational walks. During his guided nature walk, which was located alongside the road next to the wellness spa we called home base for the retreat, he pointed out local plants including mullein, plantain (not the kind we eat), and clover. Most of us were astounded to learn about the healing properties of plants that we normally walk (or step on) by, thinking they were only weeds. After the walk, we were able to buy his products directly from him, which cut out the middleman (i.e. - more profit for him) and allowed participants to take home healing remedies made directly from the local land.

Other ways that I have connected locals with retreat activities include contracting with a woman-owned caterer for group dinners and a local ceramist who provided us with beautiful custom-made mugs that we gifted to participants.

As I continue planning future retreats, I know that I am doing so with integrity and with a view of the larger picture, where attendees are welcomed into an inter-connected world, and encouraged to blossom and connect with their inner wisdom, as well as with the land and local people’s wisdom and experience.