Connecting To Your Wilder Self – a 1 Day Retreat For Women Jan 25
Connecting To Your Wilder Self – a 1 Day Retreat For Women Jan 25
With Justine Clement
This Connecting To Your Wilder Self 1-Day Retreat for women is dedicated to connecting you with the restorative powers of nature.
A small group of like-minded women will spend the day together at the beginning of a new year, on Sunday 12th January 2025, on the edge of a beautiful wild-flower meadow within the 3,500-acre re-wilding project on the Knepp Estate. It might be cold and dark and whilst most of the population are not feeling uplifted in January, it’s different for here, as you’ll discover this day will a welcome antidote to the relentless stress of modern day, technology-fuelled living and post-Christmas and New Year haze. It’s an opportunity to unplug, unwind, recharge and open up your senses to the natural world that surrounds you in all directions here. This is a day of healing magic, where we focus on positive lifestyle changes and equipping you with tools to help you live a healthier, freer, more connected, and happier life.
You’ll experience the transformative power of Conscious Connected Breathwork and understand how breathing is a forgotten tool for healing and optimising your physical and mental health. You’ll also experience the gentle, calming power and wonder of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing), the Japanese-inspired practice of Shinrin-yoku and how being in the forest soothes our nervous systems and boosts our immunity. For those who would like to, you’ll also find out why everyone is going wild for Wild Bathing. It’s a magical experience and hugely rewarding experience, so now is your chance! We’ll finish off by gathering, as we did long ago, with a Campfire session and learn why fire has been used throughout human history as an aid for transformation.
Community is at the heart of a Wonderbreath experience, where you arrive as strangers and leave as friends. This will be a magical journey in nature, beautifully designed to bring out your inner power, reconnect to the wild, nurture & nourish your entire body, and uplift your soul. This is an intimate, small group retreat of 8 women only, to allow for individual attention.
More detailed information about the sessions that take place during the day
1. The transformative power of Conscious Connected Breathwork
Breathing is a forgotten tool for healing and optimising your physical and mental health. This morning session of Conscious Connected Breathwork is a powerful and safe way to infuse the body with oxygen and energy and recharge your system to its maximum healing capacity. It can lead you to optimum health, mental and emotional clarity and experience an ever-deepening relationship with yourself. This session is a gentle, simple technique that will help open up the full potential of your breathing system for better physical and emotional wellbeing. The many benefits, include increased energy, better immune response and increased ability to deal with stress in a healthy way.
2. The healing powers of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing)
Winter is a wonderful time to get out into the forest and feel the elements. After lunch we’ll head out into the nearby woods where you’ll experience the Japanese-inspired practice of Shinrin-yoku, translated as Forest Bathing. You’ll feel incredible, just hanging out in the forest together, but we’ll do so much more than that. You’ll learn techniques to open up your five senses and experience how being in the forest soothes our nervous system, balances our blood pressure, helps us to sleep better and enhances our NK (Natural Killer) cell activity, which boosts our immune systems. It’s a deeply calming, reconnecting and balancing experience.
3. The sensory wonders of Wild Bathing
Have you ever had the experience of feeling utterly revived by bathing in wild water? It’s a magical experience and now is your chance. This session is based on the principles from the book Blue Mind by marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols – written about the remarkable effects of water on our health and wellbeing, along the myriad of evidence that cold water immersions improves our energy levels, calms our nervous system, boosts our endorphins for a feel-good factor that’s hard to beat, and improves circulation. Cold showers are all the rage, but they’re a second-rate substitute to wild bathing where you really feel part of the natural world as you bob about! This is a supported, gentle way to experience how being in wild water helps you deeply connect to your body. You’ll be delighted by the flow of positive feelings and find yourself coming firmly into the present, letting go of life’s frustrations and gaining a greater sense of clarity.
4. Releasing and connecting Campfire session
Fire has been used throughout human history as an aid for transformation. Fire ceremonies allow us to honour our life lessons and let go of old stories, dramas and belief structures by placing them in the fire and emerge feeling renewed and reborn. In a world that propels us into wanting more and more and that faster is better, a fire ceremony is the perfect medicine to step into timelessness. It’s an invitation to connect back to a tradition of hundreds of thousands of years of ancestors, who sat around a fire to share stories, keep warm, to cook food and to dance.
MEET JUSTINE
Justine, founder of The Life Adventure and a certified Breathwork coach. She was born curious and adventurous. She’s spent the last 15 years exploring ways to live and feel better through ashtanga yoga, kinesiology, Celtic shamanism and mythology, psychotherapy, plant communication and mindfulness, to name a few. For many years, she was a self-confessed ‘on-the-go’ CEO of an experiential travel company and no words of warning from others about the importance of slowing down, could stop her. She only really listened after a series of injuries forced her to stop. Her slow recovery invited her to start learning how to ‘be’ rather than ‘do’. She’s also a certified Shinrin-yoku guide with the International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine (INFOM)and set up/runs the Selsey Sea Bathing Society to encourage people back into the cold water.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- A guided 2-hour morning Conscious Connected Breathwork session. This form of Breathwork has been called a detox for every level of your being for good reason and includes intention setting for the day.
- A delicious and nutritious vegetarian lunch and dessert.
- A guided woodland immersion experience based on the gentle, yet profound Japanese principles of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing).
- A guided and supported Blue Mind-inspired wild bathing experience and post-dip herbal tonic and snack.
- Herbals teas throughout the day.
- A campfire session around the firepit with woodland tea and releasing ceremony.
The day runs from 10.30am to 5.30pm
PLEASE NOTE
To take part in the Breathwork session, please ensure you have none of the following contraindications. If you do, please get in touch before booking:
Medical and Psychiatric Contraindications To Participating In Breathwork
Breathwork results in certain specific physiological changes in the body and also can result in intense physical and emotional release. Therefore, for safety purposes, we do not allow persons with the following conditions to participate in a breathwork session:
Medical Contraindications
- Epilepsy
- Detached Retina
- Glaucoma
- Prior strokes or seizures
- Pregnancy – first trimester only – ok after that
- Asthma (if you have asthma you can participate but you must have your inhaler available)
Psychiatric Contraindications
- Prior diagnosis by a health professional of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
- Psychotic or borderline psychotic states
- Any other medical, psychiatric or physical conditions which would impair or affect ability to engage in any activities that involve intense physical and/or emotional release.
Please email us if you are at all unsure whether one or more of the above apply to you.
Feedback from previous attendees
“This was an amazing day. We seemed to pack so much into the day without anything ever feeling rushed. Everything we did was explained fully beforehand, so I knew what to expect. The day seemed to flow easily from one thing to another.”
“This was a wonderful day, and I really hope I get the opportunity to attend again. Justine is such a warm, caring person and this comes through in everything we did. The day was very relaxed and there was no expecting to take part in anything that made you feel uncomfortable. I had never taken part in a breathwork session before and Justine explained everything very honestly before we started so nothing that happened during the session was unexpected. This in particular has had a huge impact on my mental health, and I will definitely be attending more breath work sessions in the future. The venue was outstanding, so beautiful and natural. The whole experience was so nourishing and supportive.”
“3 words for the day: Nourishing, Learning, Connecting. Justine’s retreat flowed beautifully and was a wonderful experience. I found the breathwork to be incredible and have begun to incorporate it into my day. Everything else including forest bathing, and the fire circle was a magical connecting experience. Justine is a natural group facilitator who’s kindness shines through.”
“This was such a releasing and revitalising experience that gave me the permission and techniques to let go of things that were weighing me down and freed me up to be really me. It was all done in a friendly, warm and non-judgemental way, thank you so much.”
“This was a lovely, unexpected experience. very caring, creative and inspiring I was a bit nervous about what to expect but I didn’t need to be. Justine is a very intuitive, kind and sensitive leader, giving everyone her full attention. She blends theory and history easily into the practises. It was lovely to be with a group who were willing to be open and honest and gave permission for everyone to speak from their hearts. And there was lot of laughter! A very special day indeed. Justine is a very intuitive kind and sensitive leader, giving everyone her full attention.”
“I’m so pleased I came it was wonderful. I like the way you don’t take it all too seriously and also underline how serious it all is. Beautiful pace, setting, food and lovely women. I learned a lot, thank you.”
“I’ve had a lot of losses in the last year, and I really appreciated yesterday which helped to move some things along in the process. I have so much appreciation for the day – for helping to release some stuck feelings and also to help me to recapture my love of nature.”
“I feel so much lighter if that makes sense, as you said, letting go of old “stuff” is really good for the soul.
Presenter Justine Clement
Justine Clement is Founder of The Life Adventure. Curiosity prevails, for she is a chaser of life's magic and wonders. The past 20 years have been spent understanding the path to true wellbeing, both her own, as well as how others can learn to take responsibility for their own health and wellness. She has spent much of her career sourcing and creating unique experiences for global brands, their marketing agencies, as well as for organisations. She's currently working on a community enterprise called The Selsey Sea Bathing Society, improving the confidence and outlook of women through outdoor swimming.
MORE »What’s included
A guided 2-hour morning Conscious Connected Breathwork session. This form of Breathwork has been called a detox for every level of your being for good reason and includes intention setting for the day.A delicious and nutritious vegetarian lunch and dessert.
A guided woodland immersion experience based on the gentle, yet profound Japanese principles of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing).
A guided and supported Blue Mind-inspired wild bathing experience and post-dip herbal tonic and snack.
Herbals teas throughout the day.
A campfire session around the firepit with woodland tea and releasing ceremony.
Presenter Justine Clement
Justine Clement is Founder of The Life Adventure. Curiosity prevails, for she is a chaser of life's magic and wonders. The past 20 years have been spent understanding the path to true wellbeing, both her own, as well as how others can learn to take responsibility for their own health and wellness. She has spent much of her career sourcing and creating unique experiences for global brands, their marketing agencies, as well as for organisations. She's currently working on a community enterprise called The Selsey Sea Bathing Society, improving the confidence and outlook of women through outdoor swimming.
MORE »What’s included
A guided 2-hour morning Conscious Connected Breathwork session. This form of Breathwork has been called a detox for every level of your being for good reason and includes intention setting for the day.A delicious and nutritious vegetarian lunch and dessert.
A guided woodland immersion experience based on the gentle, yet profound Japanese principles of Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing).
A guided and supported Blue Mind-inspired wild bathing experience and post-dip herbal tonic and snack.
Herbals teas throughout the day.
A campfire session around the firepit with woodland tea and releasing ceremony.