"The Dance of Self-Acceptance: Embracing Wholeness through Movement"
(in English)
With Joanna Lewins & Leonor Levy
This retreat is designed to help participants explore self-acceptance, emotional healing, and personal transformation through (somatic) dance, yoga, meditation, and reflective writing. Movement will be at the core of the retreat, incorporating somatic experiencing techniques that invite participants to reconnect with their bodies, process emotions, and release trauma through mindful, intuitive movement. Participants will leave with a deeper connection to their body and a sense of wholeness through the exploration of their true selves.
BIO
Joanna Lewins is a vocalist and medicine woman passionate about the healing powers of music, movement, and shamanism. She creates transformative experiences that invite participants to explore their inner landscapes. Her workshops emphasise expression and healing through the arts, encouraging individuals to embrace their authentic selves. With each performance and retreat, Joanna aims to inspire a deeper connection to the earth and to one another, fostering a sense of community and spiritual awakening.
Originally from the UK, Joanna has lived and worked in Bali and across Europe. She is currently based in Portugal, where she facilitates Ecstatic Dance Journeys, Body Wisdom Classes, and Singing Circle Gatherings. “Voice is my instrument, dance is my prayer.”
Leonor Levy, founder of the Slow project and a yoga teacher certified by the Sama Yoga School of Yoga - Bali/Sweden since 2013, is also a guide of the Write Your Self method. This method supports individuals in reclaiming their voice and choice through the transformative power of writing their own stories.
During this retreat, Leonor will guide meditative practices and facilitate reflective, creative, and expressive writing sessions designed to support self-discovery and inner healing. Through diverse writing techniques, she will cultivate a welcoming and supportive space where participants can reconnect with their true selves, delve into their inner landscapes, process emotions, and tap into their creativity. This harmonious blend of mindfulness and writing encourages personal growth, heightened self-awareness, and a deep sense of empowerment
Program (Subject to changes)
Day 1: Arrival and Grounding in the Body
Theme: Grounding and embodiment
“Body is something you need in order to stay on this planet." – Living in the Body by Joyce Sutphen
17.30 - 18.30 | Arrival and welcome
- Arrival & Welcome Ceremony. Introduction to the retreat’s theme: discovering self-acceptance and healing through somatic experiencing, movement, and reflective practices.Grounding meditation to center ourselves and begin the journey inward.
- 18.30 -19.30 - Dinner
19.30 - 21.00 | Evening
- Gentle movement practice Yoga or movement Soft, grounding session to help participants arrive fully in their bodies and release any travel tension.
- Evening Reflection: "The body as a home" Reflexive writing prompt: “What is my relationship with my body at this moment? How can I feel more at home in my body?” Inspired by “Living in the Body”by Joyce Sutphen.
Participants will journal individually.
Day 2: Listening to the body’s wisdom through movement
Theme: Moving from within – Listening to the body's innate intelligence
“There was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own.” – The Journey by Mary Oliver
6.30 - 8.30 | Morning
- Silent sunrise meditation The day begins in silence, allowing participants to tune in to their inner voice and the body’s subtle sensations.
- Flow Yoga. A flow-based yoga session designed to increase body awareness and prepare participants for intuitive movement. Focus on breath and aligning with inner sensations.
- 8.30 - 9.30 - Breakfast in silence.
Mindful eating in silence, fostering a connection with the body through nourishing it with presence.
- 10.00 - 12.00 Dance Workshop: "Body Wisdomt" This session will explore Authentic movement, a somatic practice where participants close their eyes and follow their body’s impulses. The practice will invite participants to trust their bodies and move intuitively, bringing awareness to emotional and physical sensations as they arise.
- Post-movement reflective journaling: “What did my body tell me? What emotions surfaced during the movement?”
- 12.00 - 12.30 - Lunch
- 13.00 - 15.00 - Free time for reflection. Free time to integrate the morning’s experience. Participants can journal, rest, or explore nature.
- 15.30 - 18.30 - Dance exploration/connecting through movement workshop ( An introduction to Contact improvisation, a dance form where participants explore shared movement, physical contact, and trust. The focus is on responding to sensations, weight, and touch in the moment. This practice will help participants connect more deeply with their body and others.
- Personal journaling prompt: “How did I experience connection through movement? What felt liberating or challenging?” A personal exercise.
19.00 - 21.00 | Evening
- 19.00 - 20.00 - Dinner
- Evening Reflection & Dance: "The inner voice". A reflective writing session based on Mary Oliver’s “The Journey”. Journaling prompt: “What voices or external expectations have I been listening to, and how can I start listening to my own inner voice?”
- Short free-form dance to music, allowing participants to express the insights they have gained through their body. Silence carried until breakfast.
Day 3: Releasing and transforming through movement
Theme: Letting go of old patterns – Transformation through dance
“I walk down another street.” – Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson
7.00 - 8.00 | Morning
- Dynamic flow Yoga. An energizing yoga session to build physical strength and support the body’s capacity to embrace change.
8.00 - 9.00 - Breakfast
Mid-Morning: - maybe we change this to Ecstatic Dance or Elemental Embodiment which is a journey through the 5 elements (in a way it’s similar to 5rhythms so it would work moving through earth, water, fire, air, ether) The ED would be music guiding and the EE would be more guided.
9.30 - 12.00 - Elemental Embodiment Workshop, a journey through the 5 elements : "Release and transformation through 5Rhythms" 5Rhythms is a dynamic dance practice created by Gabrielle Roth, which takes participants through five different rhythms—flowing, staccato, chaos, lyrical, and stillness. Each rhythm represents a different aspect of life and emotional expression.
Participants will be guided through these rhythms to explore emotional release, transformation, and freedom. This dance is about breaking old patterns and discovering new possibilities in movement and life.
- Personal journaling prompt: “What did I release through the dance? What new paths opened for me?”
12.00 - 13.00 - Lunch
13.30 - 15.00 - Free time in silence for integration. Participants can rest, explore nature, or take time for quiet reflection and journaling.
15.30 - 17.30 - Movement Practice: "Pleasure in movement" somatic-based dance practice that emphasizes sensory awareness, improvisation, and finding pleasure in movement. Participants will be guided to explore different textures, sensations, and rhythms in their bodies, cultivating joy and freedom in their movements.
- Personal journaling prompt: “How did I experience joy in my body? What did I learn about myself through this practice?”
19.00 - 21.00 | Evening
- 19.00 - 20.00 - Dinner
20.00 - 20.45 - Guided meditation and evening reflection: "Walking down a new street" ( Reflective writing session inspired by Portia Nelson’s “Autobiography in Five Short Chapters”.
- Prompt: “What old patterns am I letting go of, and what new paths can I walk down?”. Sharing circle (optional).
Day 4: Integrating Wholeness through Movement and Stillness
Theme: Becoming whole by embracing all aspects of self
“Feast on your life.” – Love After Love by Derek Walcott
7.00 - 8.00 | Morning
- Gentle Yoga & Meditation. A gentle yoga session, followed by a meditation to integrate the physical and emotional work done throughout the retreat. The meditation will focus on gratitude for the body and self-acceptance.
8.00 - 9.00 - Breakfast
9.30 - 12.00 - Closing ceremony: "Feast on Your Life" Ecstatic Dance as a celebration (9:30 AM - 12:00 AM) - maybe this closing session could be the Ecstatic Dance as a celebration
- Silent gratitude sharing. Rather than a traditional sharing circle, participants will sit in a circle. Each person is given a moment to hold a small symbolic object (like a stone or flower) and, in silence, reflect on their journey and what they are grateful for.
12.00 - 13.00 - Lunch
14.00 - 15.30 - Closing Circle “Love after love”. Closing journaling prompt: “How will I feast on my life moving forward?”Closing circle and group sharing of insights, gratitude, and intentions.
Participants will leave with tools for continuing their journey of self-acceptance, movement-based healing, and personal transformation.
O investimento neste retiro inclui:
• Alojamento 4 noites em quarto partilhado,
• 3 refeições vegetarianas por dia, preparadas pela nossa Slow Kitchen, focadas em equilibrar e centrar o corpo,
• Sessões de yoga, movimento, sound healing, escrita reflexiva e meditação,
• Caminhadas na natureza,
• Práticas no dome de yoga,
• Uso exclusivo da piscina se o tempo permitir.
The total retreat value include:
3 night accommodation in a shared or private room,
3 vegetarian meals per day, prepared by our Slow Kitchen, focused on balancing and centering the body,
Yoga sessions, movement practices and workshops, reflective writing, and meditation,
Nature walks & bicycle rides,
Practices in the yoga dome,
Exclusive use of the pool, if the weather allows.
EARLY BIRD until 31st January
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• Total for 3 nights in a shared room - €735
• Total for 3 nights in a private room - €1005 (90€/night)
From February onwards
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• Total for 3 nights in a shared room - €780
• Total for 3 nights in a private room - €1050