Women's Inner Joy Retreat -The Sacred Sites Of Scotland | Barbara Alexander

Retreat To Scotland

 

Where You Can Discover The Whispers Of Your Soul!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dates: September 8-15, 2023
Location: Loch Tay In The Scottish Highlands

Join Barbara Alexander, retreat-leader, personal-growth facilitator and life coach, for this soul-inspiring retreat, the all-inclusive WHISPERS OF YOUR SOUL is a getaway like no other. The peaceful tranquility of the Scottish Highlands and breathtaking views surround you while your body is nourished inside and out with delicious food, guided experiential learning and meditation/reflective classes.

See The Whispers Of Your Soul
Retreat Trailer Below…

Life can offer an incredible gift when we step away from the chaos and into the soul.  This retreat offers rare and beautiful opportunities to quiet the mind and enter the heart.

Join Barbara and a small group of women for eight days of bliss, where everything is taken care of from when you arrive until you depart.

Discover your sanctuary within through carefully designed sessions among breathtaking beauty, stone circles, faery glens, chambered cairns, mountains, and lochs.

There’s something about the late summer that makes Scotland even more magical with the heather in bloom!

Each day offers another piece of experiential learning with ample time for rest and heartfelt reflection. From vision walks and women’s circle, our week will be filled with fascination in the Highlands of Scotland.

The inner work provides the path to understanding, and as you peel back the layers and undo the burdens, you can hear the whispers of your soul that gently offers ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS, BALANCE IN TIMES OF DOUBT, and WISDOM WHEN THE ROAD AHEAD is UNCLEAR. 

What you seek is beyond the current chatter of the mind, beyond the worry, doubts, and hopes about life direction. 

You have always had this internal navigation system, tuned to your highest good; it’s just that most of us don’t take the time or don’t know how to hear our own inner wisdom.

Some places naturally empower connection to our ever-present truth and have offered support for personal alignment over thousands of years.

The energy among sacred sites and power spots within the Scottish Highlands is such a place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step Away From Everyday Life

and Cross the Veil

Between the Worlds

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights of Our UNFORGETABLE Journey!

Eight Days & Seven Nights 

Imagine time for rejuvenation, nourishing organic food, sacred lands and soulful learning… all while staying in one of the most beautiful Country Manors of the Scottish Highlands chosen for the sole purpose of replenishing your mind, body, and spirit.

We’ll be waiting for you here!

Experiential Learning in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland

From sacred power sites to hairy coos, miles of beautiful trails, hillwalks, and pleasure, Scotland awaits!

Standing Stones and Sacred Sites

You may recognize the inspiration for the hit TV series Outlander, but this place holds secrets that date back before the bronze age.

Throughout countless lifetimes humans have made pilgrimages across Europe, drawn by the spiritual magnetism of sacred sites and power places and we will be sure to explore the Fairy Glens, Chambered Cairns, and Standing Stones along the way.

Up until the day you arrive, you can only imagine what you will feel where the veil between the worlds is thin.

For some, it is like a loving awareness that is almost beyond words. For others it is as easy as a breath of fresh air and wellbeing.

You can’t help but have a natural sense of wonder in this ancient land of myths and legends.

Simply Breathtaking!

Together we will venture out to Glen Coe, the Trossachs, Castles, and Standing Stones. The mountains, forests, and seas of the Highlands freely and abundantly bestow INSPIRATION, HEALTH, WISDOM and INNER PEACE to those who share in its grace.

You can feel your heart fill as you stand in awe taking in the landscape. With each day you will experience a delightful and new Soulful experience perfectly matched with the energy of this land.

 

Hearts Reawaken, Replenish, And Find Inspiration

Habits and patterns of busyness are ways we hide from ourselves, miss important messages, and sabotage our well-being. This retreat is all about listening within and finding the path to greater well-being.

Many have shared that they are seeking like-minded women on a soulful journey.  Some want the time to rock back and breathe, to create a reset in their life for personal joy.

This retreat is a rare, beautiful, and poignant opportunity to step into the quiet and allow your heart to reawaken, replenish, and find inspiration.

Evening Circles At The Fire Pit

Our time will be steeped in experiential learning that enhances the connection to ourselves, each other, our soul consciousness, and the ever-present spirit that surrounds us all.

When our day is done and the timing is right, we meet out at the Fire Pit at the end of our day in ceremony of thanksgiving, honoring life, and the gifts we have received and shared by being together as women in circle.

Time For Reflection & Forest Bathing

The practice of Forest bathing allows you to slow down and become immersed in the energy of nature.

Each day provides another focus for personal growth. When we spend time in the forest to reflect, many say this direct connection to the Earth helps ground our energy and emotional balance.

Studies have shown that free electrons are taken up into the body when your bare skin comes in contact with the Earth. These electrons are nature’s antioxidants and they help us neutralize any damaging free radicals that lead to inflammation and disease in the body.

Daily Inclusions

Morning Stretches and Meditation: Stretch your body in the delightful energy of movement and meditation that invites a wellspring of healing.

Daily Experiential Sessions: Experiential learning sessions are carefully woven throughout each day, integrating the perfect mix of learning and inner awakening.

Each day offers a gentle invitation to step into another space and time and strengthen the path towards your best life yet.

Tools and Personal Discovery: Experiential retreats allow the body’s brilliance to be the tool for re-directing thought and inner balance. The energetics of experiential learning reveals the vibrance of life through awareness of your sovereign state and helps elicit a self-corrective response for the wellbeing of  the mind, body, and spirit.

It is not this scope of practice to judge or diagnose issues, as we bring the human Self into a relationship with the co-creation of life, the body’s energetic wisdom becomes the tool for personal rebalancing.

Experiential learning supports your ability to tap into inner wisdom to respond. When you can react from inner balance, you engage in the world quickly, and your emotional and intuitive intelligence is optimized.

You can find answers to questions like: Who am I really? What am I doing with my life? How can I make a difference? How can I integrate what I need?

Fascinating Adventures to Sacred Sites: In the comfort of our luxury mini-bus, our group will set out to discover ancient power sites and sacred places of the Highlands.

Our experiential learning sessions on these days incorporate the unique energy of each extraordinary location. Along the way, we will surely stop to hear stories, myths, and legends of this remarkable land.

 

Afternoons at Leisure: Several afternoons are at leisure for relaxation, adventure, and integration. You can bask in nature on walks along the trails, kayak or canoe on beautiful Loch Tay, horseback ride, climb the nearby mountains and discover some of Scotland’s most magnificent views, or explore the wilder highlands via off-road safari. You will love venturing out to a quaint village or two, and the welcoming and wondrous nature of the Scottish people themselves.

Evening Sessions: Imagine evening gatherings by the fire, time for reflecting on the things you learned and the experience of the fresh Scottish air and a warm hearth before a good night’s sleep.

Quiet Time at Stucktaymore: There is no better way to soothe your mind and body than to relax near the fireplace or in one of the many indoor or outdoor spaces perfect for personal rejuvenation. You can enjoy a walk along Loch Tay or discover the magical gardens and forested trails of Stocktaymore. 

Optional Healing and Pampering: There is a hot tub overlooking Loch Tay, space for yoga, and during the afternoon integration time you can choose to incorporate massage therapies to help you unwind and open to greater ease and wellbeing. Scheduling options will be announced upon arrival.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at Stucktaymore are included in your tuition. See the section on Cuisine for a gastronomic surprise! 

Transfers: Our experience begins at Edinburgh Airport upon arrival, where you will be whisked away to your own, private, Scottish manner via luxury motor-coach. You instantly begin to unwind and relax, while marveling at the breathtaking views in the beautiful Scottish countryside.

Final Day: After you say your goodbyes to beautiful Loch Tay, you will return to Edinburgh via motor-coach by noon. Most flights returning to the US leave very early so it is recommended that you book a stay at an airport hotel for an easy morning departure the following day.

 

 

STUCKTAYMORE MANOR

Our Private Estate For The Week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accommodations

A Genuine Retreat

There is a significant difference between a retreat and a sightseeing tour.

Tours focus on the outer landscape of a destination. Many include packing, repacking, and frequent stops re-boarding a bus, perhaps before you are ready to move on.

Retreats focus on your unique inner landscape as inspired by your surroundings, and they recenter and rekindle wellbeing. When you journey into the stillness, you become part of the landscape and find the healing energy that infills your life.

Perthshire is best known for its magical scenery, wild moors, BEAUTIFUL forests, swift rivers, and waterfalls. It is the perfect place for women to circle, learn, and recharge in the wellspring of the Scottish Highlands.

Call It Home!

Can you even imagine unpacking your things and staying in the luxury of Stucktaymore of Loch Tay for the entire week – and having it all to ourselves?

This manor home holds its original charm from 1753, and has all the modern amenities to ensure the comfort of its guests today.

Perched on a beautiful knoll, our private home overlooks the banks of Loch Tay, the largest loch in Perthshire, and one of the deepest in Scotland.

Time for Tea…

How about a cozy nook, herbal-scented tea, and breathtaking views?

You will never tire of these majestic mountains that offer the continuous grounded and peaceful feeling of wellbeing.

 

The Library

Cozy corners seem to be waiting just for you at our home away from home.

It is heavenly to curl up with a good book and relax next to the warm fireplace in the library.

 

A Beautiful Place To Lay Your Head…

Private Accommodations

Cozy linens & spacious rooms for private accommodations. Each single bedroom includes a private en-suite bathroom.

Shared Accommodations

Large bedrooms have two seperate beds for shared accommodations also including a private en-suite bathroom.

Natural Elements for Wellbeing

Breathe Deep in the Forest… Bare Feet on the Earth

Rediscover what it means to ground your energy and feel connected to the earth and all that supports you.

Forest bathing does terrific things to heal stress and tension naturally. These inviting and magical paths are right outside our door, waiting for you to enjoy. You can almost hear the sweet waterfalls now as you step into a moment out of time. You can find many beautiful spots that indulge the inner child.

To Gather Around a Fire… Storytelling Anyone?

Step through the entrance to yet another charming room within our secret garden…

Just the thought of our special group of women gathered around this firepit conjures the feelings of warmth and camaraderie that we crave in our world.

Enjoy Hot Water Therapy

Spend a beautiful evening with a cool drink under the stars overlooking Loch Tay…

As the warm water reduces tensions, the spa jets massage away the aches and pains.

And It Just Gets Better With the Cuisine! 

Meet Chef Nelson Reposo, award winner and owner of Atalba, who will be our inhouse chef for the week!

“I have been cooking all my life. Born and raised in Milan, my life as a chef has brought me to the very best kitchens of Italy, London, Cyprus and Scotland. And, although I will always be a proud Italian, it is Scotland that I now call home. My Scottish wife first revealed the wonders of this country to me but, after relocating to Perthshire from the Mediterranean, I’ve fallen for its people, its landscapes and the stories they tell. 

But most of all, I’ve fallen for its food.

With an abundance of locally grown fruit and vegetables it is my desire to create a beautifully simple Italian – Scottish food affair using the finest of Scotland’s fresh ingredients, and to share this passion with you; to provide an unforgettable culinary experience in the comfort of your home here in Scotland.”   Chef Nelson

Scotland Program Fees & Application

 

This is an exclusive retreat. A safe space for learning and community.

Your experience is designed for personal enrichment, soulful listening and crafted in a way that will give you the tools, time, and space to discover what you need to create your best life yet!

This beautiful balance can only be accomplished by keeping our inner circle small, and to make sure that it’s comprised of like-minded woman that are a good fit for the program and for each other.

To ensure that you have the best retreat possible and that you find a sense of deep rejuvenation as you gain the clarity and soulful insight you seek.

That your week in Scotland far exceeds any expectations you may already have… and you CAN expect this retreat to be absolutely life-changing!

Attendance is by application only.

The price for this all-inclusive experience is $5,795 for shared accommodations, $700 upgrade for private accommodations.
 

 

About Barbara Alexander

My name is Barbara Alexander, and I am the President and Founder of Epona Ridge, a soul-based evolution over the last 18 years. In retrospect, my entire life has been inspired by spirit since I was very young; I just needed the time to discover that the business path most traveled was not the one to nourish my soul.

After many years in the corporate world of leadership and performance development, I discovered that the measurement of REAL success was not what we thought; it was far more straightforward; it's the amount of JOY experienced every day. (Read more about Barbara's Journey.)

After a lot of soul searching, years studying A Course In Miracles, nine years training to become a Reiki Master/Teacher, and 18 years facilitating experiential retreats, I've discovered the energy of connection which has changed my life forever.

Apprenticing for two years with Linda Kohanov, a best-selling author and pioneer of human development through the emerging field of experiential learning with horses, I became an Eponaquest Worldwide facilitator. Combined with 20 years in corporate training and motivation, I understood the missing link of energy dynamics and how individuals affect the connectivity of all beings in the office and at home. Traditional team and leadership training had missed vital interpersonal skills training that proved critical to personal balance and mutual respect for a healthy culture.

Over the last decade, I've collaborated with Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado, two of the world's finest horse trainers, to develop a holistic approach to personal development with equestrians. We've combined aspects of horsemanship and equine-facilitated learning in the human field of intuitive, emotional, and physical intelligence. This combination changed the horse-human relationship opening new doors to extraordinary co-creation.

The more I studied, the more I found the golden threads that connected it all. Healthy relationships, the keys to inner balance, joy, and personal fulfillment, were not just my hopes and dreams; many have felt the same calling. So I began to create boutique retreats, A mystery school of sorts for women who want to immerse themselves within a sacred space to learn, grow and find the inspiration of their soul.

Over the last few years, I have discovered some of the most exciting advances and deep fulfillment through this work as I continue developing the psychology of energy, interconnectedness, and personal joy at home, in the office, and in the arena.