Retreat Registration & Information
You are Invited
As the seasons shift, this three-night spiritual retreat offers the chance to take time away in a secluded natural setting and connect more deeply with yourself, the Divine, and a small group of women. Informed by the rich metaphor of the ancient practice of labyrinth walking, you will be invited to reflect more deeply on the sacred, winding path of your life – where you are coming from, where you find yourself now, and how you hope to walk the road ahead. As you are guided in contemplative, embodied engagement with nature, silence, sacred listening, journaling, chant, creativity, ritual, movement and labyrinth walking, you will have the chance to slow down, rediscover the loving, aligned centre that is already always present within you, and savor the gift of the Sacred Now.
What to Expect
We will co-create a safe, brave space where you can come just as you are and listen deeply to yourself and Spirit; where our sacred stories can be shared and witnessed, our collective wisdom gathered and celebrated. Together we will experience and embody the constant Loving Presence that empowers each of us to walk the winding path of life, through all of its challenges and in service of Love in our own unique ways.
The retreat will start late afternoon on Thursday May 22nd and end after lunch on Sunday May 25th 2025. We will begin and end each day savoring the gift of intentional, shared silence. Morning and evening contemplative circles will be combined with two free afternoons, as we relish together the spaciousness and joy that are generated when we share rest, laughter, deep conversation, and good food.
Meet Your Retreat Hosts
As your retreat hosts, we bring together many years of experience in spiritual companionship, contemplative practice, and retreat facilitation. Our shared passion lies in guiding others to connect with their inner wisdom, deepen their relationship with the Divine, and discover the transformative power of stillness, creativity, and community. Together, we share a love for contemplative and mystical spirituality, the healing presence of nature, and the joy of connection through shared meals, laughter, and meaningful conversation. When we’re not gathering in circle with women, you’ll find us savouring the beauty of nature, experimenting in the kitchen, dancing in joyful expression, or enjoying deep conversations over a cup of something warm.
Mary is a Certified Labyrinth Facilitator, creative-spiritual coach, and recent graduate of Richard Rohr's The Living School. With over 30 years of experience as an actor, director, and teacher, Mary combines her passion for the arts and spirituality to guide others toward healing and transformation. Her workshops and guided labyrinth experiences offer participants a unique blend of creative expression, deep reflection, and spiritual growth. Mary’s retreats are rooted in her commitment to love, connection, and creating sacred spaces for renewal. When she’s not facilitating, she enjoys hiking near streams, creating art, and savoring the beauty of small, sacred moments. Learn more about Mary.
Rachael offers her rich background in Ignatian spiritual direction and contemplative teaching, combined with a love of poetry, embodiment, and the beauty of ordinary moments. She delights in creating welcoming, nurturing spaces for connection and reflection, helping participants receive more deeply the gifts of their own humanity and of the present moment. She believes that the contemplative and mystical dimensions of spirituality invite us into a profound intimacy with the Divine, and her work is steeped in the wisdom of the sacred listening that enables us to notice this Presence in all things and in ourselves. Learn more about Rachael.
The space we will co-create
Having first got to know each other in an online women’s wisdom circle, we strongly believe in the power of gathering in community to remember, enjoy, and embody the flow of Divine Love together. Our hope is that, as women, we will support each other to live awakening, compassionate, joyful, regenerative lives for all and in service of our collective healing and wholeness. We delight in creating brave and welcoming spaces where women can come as they are, honour their sacred stories, and experience the spaciousness and renewal that arise in community. We are excited to guide you in this retreat as we explore the winding path to the centre, where Love and Presence await.
Is this retreat for me?
This retreat is open to interested, self-identifying women of any age and from any background or stream of spirituality. While our perspective and approach as retreat hosts are deeply shaped by the Christian contemplative tradition, we also love to draw wisdom and practices from a wider pool. Experience has led us to believe in the profound healing and wisdom that can emerge as we connect with each other across differences, and discover our commonality and deep interconnectedness.
We will seek to make the retreat a spacious container, with a balance of community time and alone time, which can meet you where you are at. As you read all this information and spend time in prayer/meditation/quiet, listening for the desire of your heart as it relates to this experience and the clarity to join, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns that we can help you with.
The Details
Accommodation and Food
The peaceful, cozy retreat house where the weekend will take place, the Alcyon center, is nestled in the woods of Mount Desert Island, Maine, USA, steps away from the beauty of Acadia National Park. It offers simple accommodation, mostly in bedrooms shared with one or sometimes two other women, with shared bathrooms. Its forest labyrinth, tidal cove with kayaks, proximity to the ocean, welcoming kitchen, and book-lined living room provide a variety of spaces inside and out that will facilitate time spent alone and in community, cozied up inside or enjoying the wild outdoors.
The retreat will run from late afternoon on Thursday to early afternoon on Sunday, and meals will be provided starting with supper on Thursday night and ending with lunch on Sunday. Some dietary needs may be able to be accommodated, so please ask about this when you register.
We are able to take payment in either American or Canadian dollars – you can choose.
Full Retreat Rate: $555 USD (or $795 CAD)
Early Bird Rate: $525 USD – available until March 20th 2025 (or $745 CAD)
Pay-It-Forward Rate: $590 USD (or $845 CAD)
(or $555 USD Early Bird Pay-It-Forward Rate/ $795 CAD)
If you are drawn to this option, choosing the Pay-It-Forward rate will help make it affordable for others to participate in the retreat, and begin the co-creation of our mutually supportive space before we even arrive! Alternatively, please feel free to create a custom Pay-It-Forward price of whatever you are able to contribute.
Financial Support: If this retreat is something you are really drawn to but can’t afford, please message us. We hope to have financial support available to enable you to join us. Please also connect with us if a payment plan would be helpful for you.
Cancellation Policy: Full refund (minus $50 administration fee) before March 20th. 50% refund from March 21st. No refund from April 20th.
Cost and Payment
What is included in the cost:
Three nights of accommodation in a shared room with use of shared bathrooms, bedding and towels provided.
All meals at the accommodation (three suppers, three breakfasts, three lunches)
Tea, coffee and light snacks
Not included:
Transport to and from the venue
(Note: We may be able to help arrange some shared rides from e.g. St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada, where Rachael lives, or from Bangor, Maine, USA, so please let us know in the registration form if you would want this, or if you’d be able to offer a ride to others.)
Registration
To register, please fill out the form below and we will send you an invoice. Once your payment is received, we will confirm your place, and send you further details.
Fill out this form to register for the retreat
We hope you will join us! This retreat is a sacred space designed for you to pause, reflect, and explore your life path in a supportive and beautiful environment. From the moment you arrive, you’ll be embraced by a community that honours your story, your presence, and the unique path that has brought you here. It will be a gift to walk beside you on this sacred journey of discovery, sharing in the wisdom and strength of our collective, intersecting paths. We are excited and ready to welcome you!
Questions?
Please reach out – we’d love to chat!
Email Mary: marythomacreative@gmail.com
Email Rachael: barhams@gmail.com
“Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path… exactly where you are meant to be right now… And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing, of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love.” Caroline Adams