About The Retreat
Way Of The Goddess Retreat with Gourmet Vegan Food
We will swim in wild waters, soothe our skin with healing unguents, make gorgeous plant-based meals together and learn the fine art of beditation.
A goddess realises that love, strength and connection cannot be felt from someone else, but must rise from within. And to that end, we will learn essential tools of self-care, we will practice joy and become mindful of when we judge ourselves or others. We will learn how to cleanse the shackles of history from our very DNA.
Discover:
- Breathing, mindfulness and visualisation techniques to apply to any yoga practice that will ease your soul back into the practice. This includes
- Using the concept of the “ Edge” to turn your yoga practice into a life practice
- Practices to develop your intuition
- Practices of self-acceptance
- Investigating the link between judgement, discernment, acceptance and forgiveness
- Philosophies on the nature of reality, and where science and mystical wisdom traditions meet
- Going beyond the paradigm of masculine and feminine to investigate your experience
- Self-care and the fine art of beditation
- Making natural beauty products to help you detoxify
- For those who are interested, weaning yourself of detergent heavy soaps, shampoos and conditioners
- For those who are interested in joining the cooking workshops, we will be covering nut based dairy, raw desserts free from processed sugar, wheat or eggs, and simple but beautiful main meals
- Wild swimming in our private Walnut Grove by the river Hers or in nearby Lac Montbel
Teacher & Host
Gertrud
Gertrud Keazor is your teacher. She has been practicing the healing arts for almost 30 years. She has been hosting these retreats to international acclaim since 2013.
She is a qualified massage therapist and Reiki practitioner. Her practice of Embodied Meditation is deeply rooted in the ancient Tantric wisdom sciences of the East. She uses mindfulness, breath (Ujjayi) and movement (common Hatha postures) to bring awareness to the inner space and physical and emotional edges. Gertrud’s aim is to support retreat guests in listening to their own bodies and to becoming familiar with how to use mindfulness to enhance their daily yoga practice.
Cuisine
The vegan food is at the heart of the retreat. It is beautiful, satisfying and incredibly tasty. Without sugar, dairy, gluten or meats, this diet is easy on the digestion, and assists the cleansing process.
Accommodation
Known for its chic, bohemian style, this beautiful nineteenth-century village chateau has the feel of a vast, ancient temple with large, stylish rooms.
There are original wooden floors, large fireplaces, elegant balconies, tall ceilings and windows, a large walled-garden and a stunning yoga shala overlooking the medieval rooftops. The bedrooms are beautifully decorated and uncluttered, mixing ethnic artefacts with classical French features in Gertrud’s inimitable décor style.
You will enjoy a peaceful nights sleep with no noise disturbances and can gave at the starry sky at night due to having no light pollution.
Schedule
Arrival day
Arrive by 15:00 hours (earlier arrival is possible, please contact us)
17:00 Introduction talk
19:00 Dinner
20:30 Silence begins
20:45 evening closing circle (20 minutes meditation )
Full days (we remain silent from rising until breakfast)
7:30 Warm drinks in the kitchen
8:00 Morning embodied meditation (a meditative yoga practice)
10:30 Breakfast followed by free time
13:00 Lunch snack followed by free time, or a group excursion on one of the days. There will be suggestions for walks, places for wild swimming or simply relaxing.
16:00 Vegan cooking workshop
18:30 Dinner
20:00 Evening closing meditation
Departure day
7:30 Warm drinks in the kitchen
8:00 Morning embodied meditation (a meditative yoga practice) after which silence ends
10:30 Breakfast followed by a closing circle.
Guests depart by noon but later departure is possible, please contact us)
Retreat price
Prices are in Euros
From €875 alone in a room. 5-day all inclusive retreat
Includes
- 4 nights’ accommodation and full board vegan meal plan
- 1 excursion
- 8 guided yoga and meditation sessions
- 3 vegan cooking workshops
Does not include
• Airport transfers are not included, but we will assist in liaison between guests to arrange shared taxis to and from point of arrival and departure. Price guideline for airport transfer: Toulouse £80 each way. Approx 1 1/2 hour, or Carcassonne £45 each way. Approx 50 minutes.
Optional activities
• Swimming in nearby lake or river
• Excursions to nearby sites of historical interest or outstanding natural beauty
• A massage
What past guests have said
”Dear Gertrud and the wonderful team. Thank you all again for a magical five days on the Yoga, Mindfulness and Embodied Meditation Retreat. Gertrud, you radiate a healing, loving energy that seems to permeate all in your presence; allowing us to feel held, connected and empowered enough to simply let go. It’s from this place that the retreat just seemed to have a beautiful mind of its own.
All was welcome to unfold, individually and collectively as a group. Gertrud’s mostly raw, always delicious and artfully presented meals promote a mindful relationship between food and our body. The way eating should be. Incredibly, after just a few days, I have come away with a Yoga self practice, lead by healing breath so beautifully instructed by Gertrud during the retreat days. Gertrud’s practice has the power to heal the world.” Narelle
“What can I say? The house was absolutely enchanting, and Gertrud was the perfect host. I’d seen photos of her food before arriving and, being someone who loves eating and who eats a lot of fatty and meaty food, I really noticed my energy levels increase and my body feel lighter during my stay. The yoga and meditation was also fantastic. It lifted a heavy weight off my shoulders, and I felt truly cleansed after every session. I would highly recommend to anyone in search of a retreat experience.” Richard
”I feel very lucky to have discovered this retreat and the transformative power of Gertrud’s daily practice. The historic château and tranquil walled garden provided a much needed refuge from the stresses of my busy life in London, while the untouched surrounding landscape evoked a profound sense of protection, helping to facilitate a magnificently restorative and healing experience.
Perfectly complementing the yoga and meditation was Gertrud’s food, which was not only seductive in its visual appeal, but unexpectedly delicious and satisfying given the absence of any meat, dairy, gluten or refined sugar – I had no idea that food could be so delicious at the same time as being so nourishing! I’ve only recently returned home from visiting this magical place and I’m already planning my next visit, during which I hope to discover a little more of the beauty and wisdom that seems to dwell in every part of its unique fabric and essence.” Madeleine
How to get here
Fly to Toulouse (Easyjet and all major airlines) or Carcassonne (Ryanair) in France.
Driving distances:
Carcassonne – 50 minutes (50 km)
Toulouse – 90 minutes (120km)
Montpellier – 2 hrs (200km)
Perpignan – 1.5 hrs (90km)
Paris – 7.5 hrs (780km)
Calais – 10 hrs (1,100km)
Girona, Spain – 2.5 hrs (200km)
Barcelona, Spain – 3.5 hrs (300km)
Booking
Fill in the booking form to enquire about this Gourmet Vegan Food Retreat in a French Chateau. You can also contact the team direct on retreats@soulseedmedia.com with any questions you may have.
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