Wombspedition 2024

Join the Wombspedition to take you on a journey back to yourself, the land and the unique power of our womanhood. Set in the beautiful Welsh foothills of Snowdonia within the mystical Cae Mabon.

THE INVITATION

For 6 empowering days, we will gently stroke away the dense layers and unveil our wild expressions through sisterhood, embodiment, reflection and exploration. An invitation to connect back to your body, the Earth, your sensual power and a supportive community.

Throughout our time together, we will gather in circle to explore the feminine archetypes of Lover, Witch, Warrior and Queen. As well as taking time to merge into our Mother Earth, exploring pockets of natural splendor and an expedition into the peaks of Snowdonia. Recharging our souls with cold water dips, movement, breathwork, foraging, creativity, fire jams, music, dancing, mantra and more.

A place for you to be heard, share your gifts and co-create a community who wish to empower women.

We rise rooted in our inner knowing.

We can't wait to welcome you ♥️

Video from 2023 here: https://youtu.be/jBcS04c2de0

THE LAND

Cae Mabon is an exquisite space at the foothills of the Snowdonia Mountains, on the edge of a lake, with a Celtic Roundhouse at its heart, home to many convivial evenings of fireside story and song. Circling this hub-hearth is a family of seven elegant dwellings including a geodome, a Mongolian yurt, an Iranian shavan, cob cottages, two roundhouses, a straw bale hogan, a cedar cabin, a thatched shower hut with river water heated by a wood stove, a “loo with a view”, a sweat lodge and a wood-burning cedar hot tub. We are so blessed to be able to offer something in this magical space! You will be allocated to a shared dwelling with between 1 - 4 other sisters (our booking form allows you to request to share with specific people).

DAILY SCHEDULE

07.30 - optional morning practice

08.30 - breakfast 

10.00 - archetypal exploration & processing workshop

13.00 - lunch 

16.00 - workshop & sharing circle

19.00 - dinner

20.30 - optional fire jam/evening offering

WORKSHOPS

Grief Tending 

We will give time and space to tend to our grief in a group setting, supporting and holding one another in our pain and allowing ourselves to be witnessed in this open authentic way, which can be a cathartic and powerful experience. This will include partner work, group work, voice activation and movement.

Body Honouring 

Your body is your temple, a unique spaceship that is allowing you to experience life. It is also a map of all of your personal and ancestral experiences. It speaks to you in every moment and every breath; all it asks is that you listen to it and take care of it the best you can. To be able to build a relationship with your body so you can be in-tune with her needs, it's important to spend time with your beautiful vessel and honour and witness each part with loving awareness, deep presence and acceptance. We will spend time gently exploring how women's bodies have become the ground of patriarchal politics, a part of us that we have been told is only valid if it looks a certain way and can bestow pleasure or babies for men, the ground of so much trauma and abuse, a place where great shame and pain is often held, as well as numbness and other survivial stories. We will remember the true grace, power and profound depth of our bodies, honouring them as the complex, creatrix creatures that they are and restoring our perception of our bodies back to one of awe and love.

Cacao Ceremony

Raw ceremonial grade cacao Is a powerful heart connecting plant medicine native to Mesoamerican and

South American countries and known as the food of the Gods. It brings natural stress relief and contains lots of goodness such as potassium, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium which contribute to cardiovascular health. Cacao has the ability to trigger the release of dopamine and the endorphin phenylethylamine, both of which soothe the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and depression and it also contains the Bliss molecule, anandamide. We will be working with this magical plant in a sacred ceremonial way by celebrating and honoring its magical qualities through meditation, singing and dance.

Embodied Dance

Dance is a powerful technology for processing what's held in the body, transforming stagnancy into fluidity, releasing emotion, experiencing joy and connecting more fully to our bodies, each other and the environment that holds us. Movement is truly Medicine. We will embody the archetypes, playing with their wisdom and shadows in our physicality, feeling into ourselves through our anatomical body, energetic body, and the wise, imaginative and creative body.

Earth Walk & Foraged Play

Mother Nature has food in abundance everywhere, you just have to know where to look. For our distant ancestors foraging would simply have been a way of life – a necessity in fact to live. As we have lost our connection to the wilderness, and forgotten the reciprocal relationships required to maintain healthy and respectful flow, we have also lost much of the magic and medicine that is freely available to us. Woods and hedgerows are great places to find wild food and connect deeper with the landscape. We will spend time getting close and personal with the beautiful welsh wildlife, respectfully gathering wild food to use to prepare delicious herbal brews and to add to our meals.

It's well known that a cup of tea can put the world to rights, at least in the UK! The benefits of tea are extremely varied and there are many many different types of tea which all have their own unique flavors, tastes and healing benefits. This is why tea has been worked with ceremonialy and in day-to-day life in many cultures around the globe throughout history. We will tune into the power of tea and drink together in a sacred setting to connect deeper to the energy of Tea.

Voice Work and Song Writing

Your voice Is a magical and alchemical instrument, which can be used for expression, creativity and healing. If you can speak, then you can also sing. Together we will create space for your voice to express and to be heard, exploring your unique authentic sound vibrations and sounds that are in resonance with bringing balance and harmony to your body. The voice is a potent gateway for breaking through any shame and anxiety that we have accumulated from both personal and collective oppression; as we move beyond old stories, our voice can open us up to playfulness and help us tap into our natural flow through. There will be the opportunity to engage in a song writing workshop and share your creations around the fire!

And MORE!

There will be several other workshops and group processes including:

- daily morning meditation, mantra and movement

- daily archetypal exploration workshops

- cold water dips!

- daily fire jams with music and song

- Eco-heroine's journey: hike a mountain (see below)

- integrated bushcraft mini-workshops (tending the fire, chopping wood etc)

- craft activities

- sessions offered by attendess

THE CLIMB

We have two options for the climb:

1) Snowdon mountain (Yr Wyddfa) in northern Wales - the highest point in England and Wales at 1,085 metre (3,560 feet) and named after the Welsh phrase for Snowdonia — literally, the Land of the Eagle. With options to climb both the ‘easy’ route, or ‘Crib Goch' - described as a "knife-edged" arête and one of the best scrambling points in the country.

2) Yr Aran. Described by some as a “perfect mountain”, this sister peak to Snowdon sits at 747.2 metres (2451 feet). This climb includes the option for cold water swimming and a visit to Dinas Emrys, once known as “The Druidic Stronghold” and “Fort of Fiery Higher Powers”.

These climbs are 6-8 hour hikes and require reasonable fitness levels. As we are not certified mountaineering leads, these hikes are facilitated as an opportunity to take personal and collective responsibility for our wellbeing and safety. If you're not up to the hike for whatever reason, you'll be able to stay at Cae Mabon for the day, and chill in the hot-tub, or swim in the lake!  *The climb will be weather dependent and is subject to change/not take place if required.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Although the event is called “Wombspedition”, we believe that all women have a strong connection to their womb-energy via their womb-space whether they have a physical womb or not. The space is open to ALL women, however it is important to be transparent that we will be delivering from our lived experience as women who were born into female bodies/cis-gendered women; we are keen, and putting in the work, to expand our knowledge about how to hold spaces more safely & inclusively for all women, however it is a work in progress. Please bear this in mind when you book your space and we would be delighted if you have the desire and energy to chat to us beforehand about any concerns you may have. We are especially keen to support women who cannot usually access these spaces - please see 'Bursary' section below.

We cannot say that the retreat will be easy, we expect that people will meet edges and may have to dig deep. We can say it is held within a gentle, strong, loving container to support you to grow, heal and shine your gifts. It is a brave space. With this in mind, there is a level of psychological and physical wellbeing that is required. As this is a group process, not an individual therapy, you will need a strong element of self-responsibility. We will absolutely be on hand for support, however you will need sufficient internal resources to ride any emotional waves, and to tune in to where

your edges are and how to meet them in a way that is right for you.

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

• 6 mind blowing days! (6 days and 5 nights from Tues afternoon to Sun afternoon)
• An outrageously stunning location with access to cold water swim spots, outstanding wildnerness, and the most magical cob builds and art installations
• All activities outlined above plus more
• 3 delicious meals a day plus hot drinks and snacks
• Travel to the hiking start point (petrol money for those providing lifts and costs of taxis if needed)

WHO'S RUNNING IT?

Chantelle is a lover of expression, creativity & diving deep within. She connects using a variety of tools including energy healing, voice, mantra and medicines of Mother Earth. She is an advocate for growth and reconnecting to spirit as this has allowed her to become more open to life and work with her voice as a tool for healing and sharing. Chantelle co-holds and facilitates ceremonies, workshops and Reiki courses as well as sharing music & poetry at retreats & festivals. She is also a part of a musical duo/band called "Cheetah Ram". Running deep underneath and through this expression is her passion for learning from the tribes and wisdom keepers of our planet. Those who keep ancient traditions alive and are in harmony with Mother Earth's flow. @chantandtellem

Megan is a clinical psychologist working with adults with complex trauma in the NHS and privately, an experienced yoga teacher & teacher trainer, a founding director of the Bristol Yoga Roots Project and a nature-based facilitator with over 13 years of experience holding space for others and 20+ years of practicing yoga. She's passionate about embodied wisdom, women empowering each other and working reciprocally with nature for the healing and growth of all. The space she holds is strong and steady but with a cheeky dose of mystery and mayhem mixed in. www.sphinxyoga.co.uk

Zena is a herbalist, forager and wildcrafter, having practised with the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine. She runs workshops, talks and experiences to bring us into right relationship with the land. She is also the feminine energy behind Lovejam, which produces conscious community events of music, wellbeing and culture across the UK since 2018. She has devoted her working life to eco-community projects that support people and nature to come back into harmony. @thehempherbalist

THE EXCHANGE

Supporter - This covers the cost of your space plus a little extra to fund our bursary spaces - exchange £585

Community - Please only select this option if you genuinely can’t afford a Supporter ticket as these ticket spaces are limited to 7 - exchange £485

Bursary - We have two bursary places on offer to give greater accessibility to people who are often under-represented in wellbeing spaces. If you feel this applies to you please email us to request a bursary place, letting us know if you need half price or a full discount. As we only have two spaces available we will consider all applications and make a decision on who to offer the bursary places to by the end of Nov 2023.

Please book using the deposit function below, or you are welcome to pay direct to us via bank transfer to save on booking fee.

The bank details are:

Zena Winterbottom

Sort Code: 04-00-75

Account Number: 09743359

Please email us after you have paid your deposit at wombspedition@gmail.com to let us know which ticket you are requesting.

Please do get in touch with any questions. 

IN LOVE AND POWER!

The Wombspedition Team 

x