REFLECTIONS FROM RETREAT

Reflections from my first Womens Retreat : Rest In Joy

I’m not sure I’ve fully gathered all of my thoughts after holding my first women’s retreat, but this is what I know to be true so far…

For too long, I allowed imposter syndrome and fear to sit firmly in the driver’s seat of my life. They dictated where I went, what I avoided, and—even when I longed to take a new route—they pulled me back towards a perceived sense of “safety.”

But 2025 was going to be different I was 50, a fully certified grown-up who had been teaching one of the great loves of her life—yoga—for many years. And I asked myself: If not now, then when?

So I began to manifest. I envisioned taking 10 wonderful women away with me to Wales for a retreat named Rest In Joy . I pictured yoga, home-cooked food, walks in nature, outdoor swimming, massage offered by my daughter, and spacious time simply to rest.

And it became reality. More beautiful than I ever dared dream.

W o m e n… wow. When we come together as equals—open to sharing our vulnerabilities as well as our strengths, our achievements alongside our fears, flaws, and dreams—something quite extraordinary happens. Alchemy takes place.

An exquisite, intricate web of support is created. A space where we can show up exactly as we are and know, without a shadow of a doubt, that it is enough. We don’t need to be more, to do more, to strive, shine, or achieve. We are whole and perfectly imperfect, just as we are.

Perhaps the only thing we are truly called to do more of is letting go.

Letting go of the expectations, the “shoulds,” the goals, the if onlys and musts. And in that space of release, we discover something precious. The chance to gather and marinate in moments of pleasure, play, laughter, daydreaming, creativity, and deep rest. We nourish ourselves on a cellular level and rediscover the quiet joy of in-between moments… and the exquisite delight of laughing with women until our cheeks and bellies ache.

This retreat reminded me that it is never just one thing—or one person—that makes something work. It is the sum of many parts: the warmth of the venue, the care of an incredible chef, the healing touch of massage, the thoughtfully woven yoga sessions, and, most of all, the courage of each woman who said yes.

Every one of them arrived with an open heart, trusting to be held tenderly by something far greater than any of us. Breath by beautiful breath, they let go—and they rested in joy.

So thank you. Thank you to each woman who placed her trust in this retreat, who heard the whisper within, and who followed the thread that eventually wove us all together.

Until next time…

And perhaps that “next time” comes sooner than I imagined.

On Saturday 29th November, I’ll be holding space for another retreat—this time a day retreat at PAUS called Devotion in Motion.

If Rest in Joy was about softening into rest, Devotion in Motion is about tending to the sacred in everyday life—through movement, stillness, and presence. It’s a chance to pause before the year closes, to gather in circle, share cacao, soak in the wood-fired hot tubs, move slowly, rest deeply, and return to yourself.

I find these seasonal day retreats at PAUS carry their own quiet magic—each one gathering the right people at the perfect time. If you feel the whisper of curiosity or a gentle pull in your heart, I’d love to welcome you there.

[Learn more about Devotion in Motion →HERE

In Love and Gratitude

Ray x