THE DEEPENING - A Women's Online Retreat for the Winter Solstice

THE DEEPENING 18-21 DECEMBER 2026

· Online · Live each evening ( recordings made available to watch back)

Four days to descend, soften, become still, and welcome back the light.

For four days before the year's longest night, we'll follow the natural movement of the season, the same one the earth itself is making:

Descent → Darkness → Stillness → Light

There's nothing to achieve and nothing to fix. Each morning there's a gentle practice, and each evening we gather together by candlelight, a circle of women marking the turning of the year together.

DAY ONE · FRIDAY 18 DECEMBER

THE DESCENT

The art of letting go

December can be one of the busiest and most demanding months of the year. Yet in nature, winter is a time to slow down, conserve energy and turn inward.

On our first day together, we'll explore how we can begin to do the same.

Your morning meditation

You'll receive your first guided meditation to listen to in your own time, helping you step away from the busyness of everyday life and begin to settle into the retreat.

You'll also be invited to create a simple, peaceful space at home for the four days ahead, with suggestions in your Retreat Guide for warming Ayurvedic drinks and nourishing winter rituals.

Evening: The Opening Circle — Live on Zoom

Our first evening brings us together for a welcoming and restorative session combining Ayurvedic wisdom, guided meditation and a personal ritual of release.

We'll explore:

• Ayurveda and the winter season: How the colder months affect our energy, body and mind, and simple ways to support ourselves through warmth, nourishment, rest and daily routines.

• The importance of slowing down: Why winter is a natural time for reflection and restoration, and how to work with the season rather than against it.

• A guided meditation: A chance to reflect on the year you've had, recognise what has been taking up your energy and identify what you no longer wish to carry forward.

• The Release Ritual: You'll write down the thoughts, expectations, habits or emotional burdens you're ready to let go of, then seal them in an envelope to revisit during our final Winter Solstice Circle.

What you'll take away

A greater understanding of how to care for yourself through winter using Ayurvedic principles, practical ideas for bringing more rest into your daily life, and the beginning of a personal process of reflection and release.

You'll finish the evening feeling more grounded, with a little more space to breathe and a clear intention for the days ahead.

This is where our journey into stillness begins.

DAY TWO · SATURDAY 19 DECEMBER

THE DARKNESS

Listening to the unseen

Winter is a season of quiet reflection. With fewer distractions and a slower pace, it can be an opportunity to reconnect with our intuition and pay attention to the thoughts, feelings and possibilities that often get overlooked in everyday life.

On our second day together, we'll explore the value of turning inward, trusting our instincts and making space for a little mystery.

Your morning meditation

You'll receive your second guided meditation, Into the Dark, to listen to in your own time.

This practice will help you become more comfortable with stillness and uncertainty, encouraging you to quieten the constant mental chatter and reconnect with your own inner voice.

Your Retreat Guide will also offer a reflection prompt for the day:

What might I hear if I gave myself more space to listen?

Evening: The Oracle Room — Live on Zoom

Join us for a candlelit evening exploring tarot, intuition and the power of symbolism, guided by a special guestpractitioner.

You don't need any previous experience of tarot, and you won't need your own cards.

Together, we'll explore:

• Understanding tarot: An accessible introduction to tarot as a tool for self-reflection, exploring how the imagery and symbolism of the cards can help us consider different aspects of our lives.

• Connecting with your intuition: How to become more aware of your own inner guidance and recognise the difference between intuition, fear and the constant noise of everyday thinking.

• A collective tarot reading: Our guest practitioner will guide us through a reading for the group, exploring themes and messages that may resonate with where we are at this point in the year - we will aim to also have the opportunity for individual readings too.

• Personal reflection: Through gentle journaling prompts, you'll have the opportunity to consider what the cards bring up for you, what may be asking for your attention and what you would like to nurture moving forward.

• A closing meditation: We'll finish with a short guided practice to help you integrate the evening's reflections and reconnect with a sense of inner calm.

What you'll take away

An introduction to tarot as a reflective practice, simple ways to strengthen your connection with your intuition, and a deeper understanding of the thoughts, feelings or possibilities you may want to give more attention to.

You'll finish the evening with a personal reflection to carry into the next stage of our retreat.

An invitation to trust yourself, embrace a little mystery and listen to what lies beneath the surface.

DAY THREE · SUNDAY 20 DECEMBER

THE STILL POINT

The permission to do nothing

We're so accustomed to being busy, productive and available to everyone else that truly resting can sometimes feel uncomfortable, or even indulgent.

Yet rest is essential to our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. And winter, according to Ayurveda, is a particularly important time to nourish ourselves, conserve energy and embrace slower rhythms.

On our third day together, we're giving ourselves permission to do less, without guilt or expectation.

Your morning meditation

You'll receive your third guided meditation, The Still Point, to listen to in your own time.

This gentle practice will help you slow down, reconnect with your body and cultivate a sense of calm, without needing to achieve anything or work through anything.

Your Ayurvedic self-care day

Today is also an invitation to bring some of Ayurveda's most nourishing self-care practices into your day.

Your Retreat Guide will include simple instructions and suggestions for creating your own restorative winter ritual at home.

You might choose to explore:

• Abhyanga (Ayurvedic self-massage): Learn how to use warm oil to nourish the skin, encourage relaxation and create a comforting daily ritual.

• Warmth and nourishment: Discover simple Ayurvedic approaches to winter meals, warming drinks and supporting digestion during the colder months.

• Creating space for rest: Explore small ways to reduce stimulation, step away from screens and introduce more quiet into your day.

• Restful evening routines: Simple practices to help you wind down and prepare for a restorative night's sleep.

There is no pressure to do everything. Choose what feels good, what fits into your day and what your body needs.

Evening: The Deep Rest — Live on Zoom

Our third evening is dedicated entirely to rest and restoration.

Join me for a deeply relaxing session combining Yoga Nidra and Reiki healing, designed to help you switch off from the demands of everyday life and settle into a state of profound relaxation.

Together, we'll experience:

• Gentle grounding: A short introduction to the practice, helping you settle comfortably and leave the busyness of the day behind.

• Yoga Nidra: A guided yogic sleep meditation, experienced lying down, using body awareness, breath and visualisation to encourage deep physical and mental relaxation.

• Reiki healing: A gentle, restorative energy-healing experience, inviting you to release tension and simply receive.

• Quiet integration: Time at the end to rest in stillness before returning gently to your evening.

Come in your pyjamas, bring your blankets and pillows, dim the lights and make yourself as comfortable as possible.

You won't need to speak, share or participate in any discussion. There is nothing to prepare and nothing to achieve.

What you'll take away

Practical Ayurvedic self-care techniques you can incorporate into your daily routine, a greater understanding of the importance of rest, and the experience of Yoga Nidra and Reiki as tools for relaxation and self-nourishment.

Most importantly, an opportunity to experience what it feels like to truly slow down and give yourself permission to rest.

Tonight, there is nothing to fix, nowhere to get to and nothing more you need to do.

DAY FOUR · MONDAY 21 DECEMBER

THE RETURN OF THE LIGHT

Rekindling what matters

Today marks the Winter Solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

For centuries, cultures around the world have honoured the solstice as a time of renewal, hope and the gradual return of the light.

After the stillness of winter, the days will slowly begin to lengthen again. It's a beautiful opportunity to reflect on what we want to welcome back into our own lives.

On our final day together, we'll celebrate this seasonal turning point with intention, ritual and a special closing ceremony.

Your morning meditation

You'll receive your fourth and final guided meditation, The Return of the Light, to listen to in your own time.

This practice will invite you to reflect on what you've discovered during the retreat and consider what you would like to nurture as we move towards a new year.

Rather than setting resolutions or creating another list of things to achieve, we'll explore a gentler question:

What is ready to be rekindled in my life?

Your Retreat Guide will include reflection prompts to help you identify a personal intention for the months ahead.

It might be creativity, confidence, joy, connection, rest or simply making more time for yourself.

Evening: The Solstice Circle — Live on Zoom

Our final gathering is a special candlelit Winter Solstice ceremony, bringing together everything we've explored over the past four days.

We'll gather at 8pm UK time, sharing the symbolic moment of the solstice together as we welcome the return of the light.

Our evening will include:

• The meaning of the Winter Solstice: A short introduction to the traditions and symbolism of this ancient seasonal celebration, and why it offers such a meaningful opportunity for reflection and renewal.

• The Release Ritual: We'll return to the sealed envelopes we created on our first evening. Through a guided reflection, you'll revisit what you wrote and take part in a simple, symbolic ritual of letting go.

• The Lighting of the Candles: As we approach the moment of the solstice, we'll light our candles together, each flame representing the return of light, hope and new possibilities.

• Your Word for the Year Ahead: You'll be invited to choose one word that represents something you'd like to rekindle or welcome into your life. Those who wish to can share their word with the circle, creating a beautiful moment of collective intention.

• The Solstice Sound Journey: We'll close our retreat with a specially created sound healing experience, allowing time to rest, reflect and integrate the journey of the past four days.

You'll be invited to join from a quiet, softly lit space with your candle, your sealed envelope and your Retreat Guide.

No previous experience of ritual or meditation is needed.

What you'll take away

A meaningful sense of completion to the year, a personal intention to carry forward, and simple ways to continue honouring the rhythms of the seasons in your own life.

You'll also have experienced a beautiful Winter Solstice ceremony, shared with a supportive circle of women, and a restorative sound journey to close our time together.

Rather than rushing towards the new year with a list of resolutions, you'll leave with a renewed sense of clarity, connection and possibility.

The light returns slowly. And so can you.