The Stones of Orkney: A New Moon Retreat
5 nights and 4 days of meditation, movement, ritual and sacred site pilgrimage to Scotland's ancient northern isle.
There are places that don’t call loudly…
but are quietly recognized.
Orkney is one of them.
A landscape shaped by stone, sea, and sky- where ancient circles and passage temples have long been attuned to the movements of the sun and the deeper rhythms of the Earth.
In this space, something becomes more audible within.
This gathering is not something to be “joined” in the usual way.
It unfolds through resonance- through a felt sense of recognition between you, the land, and the field we enter together. Guided by the energy of the New Moon- that liminal, inward-facing threshold- we move gently into stillness, listening, and subtle unfolding.
Through soft movement, shared ritual, story, and time in the elements, there is space for reflection…
for remembering…
for a return to a deeper kind of knowing.
If something in you recognizes this - not as an idea, but as a feeling - you are welcome to step forward.
Retreat Highlights
Five Nights and Four Days With the Energy of the New Moon
Deluxe Airbnb Accommodations
All rooms are indivually heated and include a private bathroom and views of the sea. The home also offers a full kitchen and plenty of space for relaxing.
Meditation, Movement Practices, and Ritual
At least twice a day we will gather for meditation, movement, and ritual. I will guide gentle free movement practices, along with song and dance, and offer rituals and meditations to help integrate what we receive from the land, sea and stone.
Custom-Made Healthy Meals
We have a lovely private chef, who will prepare nourishing meals to suit our dietary needs such as gluten-free, plant-based dairy, as well as vegetarian/meat options.
Sacred Site Visits to Stennes, Brodgar, Maeshowe and Skara Brae
It is especially meaningful to visit these ancient sites durng the Yin energy of the New Moon. Our focus will on quiet presence and receptivity, allowing us to receive the medicine of these sacred places.
Intimate Group Setting (7 Participants)
This retreat is intentionally limited to a small group so that in our discussions and practices we can truly learn from one another and really see/hear one another.
Do you wonder if this retreat is for you or not?
This retreat is for you if:
- You feel called to spend time in sacred landscapes
- You are curious about the wisdom held in ancient places
- You enjoy meditation, free movement, circle dances, contemplation, yoga, song, rituals
- You appreciate facilitated group sharing
- You feel drawn to explore the energy of the New Moon
- You have an adventurous spirit spending time outdoors
- You are comfortable walking, hiking across uneven terrain
- You like engaging in quiet reflection individually or within a small and supportive group (7 persons)
I understand your worry
This Retreat May Not Be the Right Fit for ....
- If you are seeking a fast paced tour of Scotland, enertainment, and sight-seeing
- If extended quiet or reflective time makes you feel uncomfortable
- If international travel tends to feel stressful or overwhelming
- If you are uncomfortable with group practices such as meditation, gentle movement, dancing, singing or reflective sharing
- If you prefer highly structured schedules rather than spacious time for contemplation
- If shared meals featuring simple wholesome foods are not appealing
- If surprise weather changes (it can be harsh) will ruin your trip
Feeling Inspired?
To preserve the intimacy of the circle, participation is limited to six people. Those who feel called are encouraged to apply early.
The Retreat Schedule; carefully curated, an energetic arc for awakening the body, entering the ancient wisdom field, descending into the womb of the earth, and then returning to life inspired.
August
9: Check in 4pm
Arrive & Disconnect to Connect
This afternoon you arrive here (as pictured!) at our Airbnb in Orkney, a gorgeous luxury beachside manse, with seaviews and a walled garden. Take your time to slow down into the natural rythm of the far North. Connect. Shift into a lower gear as you take in the landscape, meet your fellow participants and wander the premisis, the beach or take in the views. The veils are thin and the land here supports us. We will get aquanted during a light supper of soup and salad. What called us to Orkney? We complete the night with tea and some Nordic storytelling and star gazing to set the tone of our days together.
August
10
The Stones of Stenness
Morning group silent meditation walk around the beautiful grounds (pictures below). Listening beneath thought. Fascilitated breathwork. First sacred site visit: The Stones of Stenness. Here we activate our bodies. This site is among the oldest stone circles in Brittian. Built around 3100 BCE, only four of the original twelve remain standing today, and they are massive - thin blades of stone rising dramatically from the earth. An energetic threshold where our body becomes highly aware of the surrounding landscape. Stone to bone resonance practice. Grounding. Intentional, focused- prompts here; What do I feel in my body while standing with the stones? How is this landscape affecting my awareness? What qualities of strength or stability do I want to cultivate in my life? Optional group toning to feel the vibrational response. Picnic lunch. We won't be rushed here. Optional afternoon outings; to the sites near our Airbnb, beach or free time. Evening sharing, song and dinner. Silence and journaling time recommended. What do I remember through the stones? Group processing. Optional silence after dark.
Photo by David Maxfield
August
11
The Ring of Brodgar
The dark moon threshold; a time when the old cycle is ending and the new one is about to begin. Our energetic focus today is; clearing, aligning, and preparing our inner field before our deeper descent tomorrow on the New Moon itself. Morning movement and breathework. Sacred site visit: Ring of Brodgar. Many reseachers believe it is one of the great ceremonial circles of Neolithic Europe. Its stones (originally 60!!) seem to gather sky, earth, water and wind into one living mandala. A place where human intention and earth energy meet to relase old cycles and opening our bodies as an instrument of the land. Silent walking meditation. Standing stone individual practice. Circle inside the stones. Afternoon free time upon re-entering our Airbnb/land. Evening supper and storytelling, gentle movements, journaling, rest. photo: Doris Pecka
August
12: New Moon
Maeshowe Temple
New Moon. Stillness. Fertile darkness. Tuning into the soft glow of daylight. If room provides indoors or out; yoga nidra/gentle poses held for reflection and total body congruence. Group meditation. Sacred Site visit: Maeshowe Temple. Built around 2800 BCE, it was carefully constructed of a stone chamber buried inside a large grass-covered mound. A long, narrow passage leads into a central chamber made of massive sandstone blocks. It's famous for winter solstice alignment, and speaks to cycles of death, gestation and rebirth. Because this visit is concducted with a guided tour from the visitor center, the work here is subtle and internal. The practice here is through attention, breath, and presence. Womb presence. Listening. Allowing. Receiving. Upon our return; contemplative walking, gentle yoga, journaling. Option for two additional sites that are said to have been tombs very near to our airbnb. Silence. Optional one-to-one check-ins. Evening new moon rituals. Silence held until morning recommended.
August
13
Skara Brae, Prehistoric Village
Integration - Patterning the new. Circular movements in dance. Dream and insight sharing. Sacred site: Skara Brae prehistoric village. One of the best preserved Neolithic villages in the world, inhabited around 3100-2500 BCE. (Same time period as the stone circles.) Here you can get a feel for the people who lived here during that time. Here, we can be reminded that the sacred is also present in ordinary acts of living. Opening group visualization. Because this site is carefully protected inside a visitor center, alongside other tourists, our practices here will be contemplative. Reflection and embodyment. What does home mean to me? What kind of enviornment nourishes me? How can I create sacredness in the spaces where I live? How will I live what I've received (from days prior)? Afternoon walks with Roseness cliffs. Beach time. Rest. Final Evening feast. Ecstatic dance/free movement. Joy. Group sharing: What I carry home. Giving voice to a new living prayer.
August 14th, Morning Departure
Departures through out the morning. Check out time is before 10am.
Maybe your flight leaves later in the day? Check out key attractions in Kirkwall that include the 12th-century St. Magnus Cathedral, the nearby Earl's and Bishop's Palaces, and the world-renowned Highland Park Distillery.
Follow Up Group Zoom, Near the August Full Moon, 28th (date TBA)
Sacred journeys often continue unfolding long after we return home. This gathering offers a space to share our insights, ask questions, and reconnect with the circle that we created. As the moon is around its fullness, together we will revisit the intentions seeded during the New Moon and explore how the wisdom of the land, stones, and sea with our shared practices is moving through us. Additional teaching about living the phases of the moon will be provided.
Retreat Investment: $1693
Deposit to reserve your space: $505
Remaining balance due July 2nd: $1,188
Because this is a small retreat with limited spaces, payments are non-refundable after the final payment date unless your place can be filled from the waitlist.
Costs include:
- Shared bedroom accommodation: each with private bathroom, full kitchen
- Delicious catered dinners by a local chef with dietary needs addressed
- Lunches
- 5 days of daily movement practices; (yoga sessions with me (certified) are a possibility), guided free movement sessions
- 5 daily/nightly guided rituals
- Transportation to and from sacred sites
- 5 days of daily journal prompts
- 5 days of community sharing/discussion.
- Transportation to and from Kirkwall Airport
- Transportation to grocery store for you to purchase desired breakfast items/snacks
- Site fees
What's Not Included:
- Breakfast & snacks (Intermittant fasting will be the norm for mornings unless you choose to prepare break-fasting for yourself)
- Flights to and from Kirkwall, Scotland
- Travel insurance. It is required that you obtain and you may be asked to submit a copy.
If the retreat is full, you are welcome to join the waitlist.
If the retreat is canceled by the organizer, all payments will be fully refunded.
Accommodations
Bedrooms With enSuite Bathrooms
A historic building, the original was a church from the 1800s. It sits upon land that archaelogists and archeo-astronomers believe form a ritual landscape aligned with the sun, moon and water in what's called the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.
Rebecca, our Airbnb host has been an enormous help to me with logistics. She will be available if needed.
Each bedroom includes one double and one single, and has individual heating, window views of the sea or garden, room darkening shades, and a TV.
The kitchen meets our needs for morning coffee/tea, a refrigerator and stove/oven. Dining table seats 8 and the living room has ample seating for our leisure.
Nearby walks to local beaches and archeolgocial sites.
More photos of our Luxe Airbnb Manse
Application
Find your questionaire here:
I'm gathering a very small circle of six women for this sacred Orkney immersion in nature August 9-14. We'll expore ancient stone circles, sites and do spiritual practices like meditation, yoga (hoping to secure logistics), free movement, song and ritual - in a quiet reverent container. If you feel a steady pull toward this kind of expreinece, I'd love to hear from you.
