Welcome!

Dear Retreat Friends,

You have arrived. Well, almost. We are delighted that you’re joining us for the Women’s Wellness Retreat. We are excited to welcome you and share ground breaking research and bring in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) such as Qi Gong along with restorative yoga and a restful sound bath by saigon om friend, Karin Merkel-Dirksen, to nourish, empower and celebrate on all things being a woman.

For now, we invite you to enjoy your breathing as you carefully read through the Welcome Letter below.

A soft bamboo in the wind smile to you,
Sarah & Hang

Retreat Location: Rideau Acres Campground

The Retreat will be held at:
Rideau Acres Campground
1014 Cunningham Road
Kingston, Ontario
Tel: 613-546-2711

It's about 5 minutes north of Highway 401 as you drive north on Highway 15.

We’ll be under a large gazeboo/pavillion for the entire day. We’ll go inside if there is heavy rain.

When you get to the campground, check in at the main office so they can open the boom gate for you to drive through. Inform the receptionist that you’re there for the 1-day retreat. After the boom gate, drive about 300m straight ahead to the banquet hall. Turn left at the hall to the car park. The Pavillion is across the grass field from the lot.

Date & Time

Sunday, August 11, 2024 at 9:15am to 3pm. Please arrive around 9am to settle in.

Retreat Schedule

9:15-10am: Welcome Circle
10-11am: Mindful Walking & Qi Gong for Women's Health Practice by the Pond
11-11:15am: Tea and Fruit Break
11:15-12:30: Workshop/discussion on rites of passage and breakdown of the Qi Gong practice
12:30-1:30: Lunch
1:30-2pm: Gentle Qi Gong Practice
2-2:45pm: Restful Restorative Yoga & Sound Bath
2:45pm: Closing Circle
3pm Finish

Activities and practices will be gentle and accommodating. Qi Gong can also be practiced sitting down, thus I’ve asked you to bring along a the lawn chair under the What to Bring section below.

Snacks and Meal

As part of your fee a nut-free healthy vegetarian lunch will be provide.

Fresh fruit and tea will be available all day to keep your belly happy.

What to Wear

To respect and support our collective energy of practice, we ask everyone to wear modest clothes that cover midriff and knees at all times. We will be doing some sitting during lectures and meditation, as well as walking meditation and yoga/qigong for women’s health. Please wear comfortable clothing. We suggest that you avoid wearing jeans, skirts and dresses.

What to Bring

An open mind and your lovely smile
Cold water bottle - filtered water will be provided
Mug, thermos or hot beverage container - tea will be provided
Your own plate & cutlery for lunch to help minimize the use of disposables
Yoga mat, 2 blocks and a bolster or two identical sleep pillows for restorative yoga and blanket to cover yourself
A big old towel that you don’t mind getting soiled on the grass - the bigger the better
Something to write with - we’ll provide handouts
Self-care and protection (i.e. sunscreen, mosquito repellant, insect shield clothing) as needed from mosquitoes and other biting insects, especially ticks
We'll be outdoors with Mother Nature under a large covered pavilion for most part of the day. See photos below. We'll go inside if there's heavy rainfall
A beach or lawn chair

Suggestion: Friends from other retreats usually use a big bag, like that of the blue IKEA bag, to carry most of these items.

Scent-Free

In consideration of others who have allergies, including Hang and Sarah, please attend the retreat scent-free: no perfume/fragrance/cologne/scented products/essential oils. If possible, please use scent-free or low-scent shampoo/conditioner, soap, lotion, deodorant, etc.

Photography

We respect your privacy and would like to ask for your permission to take photos during the retreat for social media to help promote the healing yoga, Qi Gong & mindfulness practice, as well as share the photos with you later as a keepsake. Please let us know if you do not wish to be in the photos.