The Birth of a Retreat: When the Island Teaches You to Breathe Again
It began quietly — as most meaningful things do.
Not with a grand announcement or a business plan, but with the sound of wind through cedar trees and the steady hush of the sea reminding me that life can begin again at any age.
On Vancouver Island, the land itself seems to breathe. The tides rise and fall like the slow exhalations of something ancient. Moss softens every stone; light filters through branches in slow, deliberate kindness. It is an island that rewards patience — and women who have forgotten their own rhythm.
For months I walked its trails in silence, gathering ideas as others might gather shells. What if there were a place here — not a hotel, not a conference, but a sanctuary — where women could come simply to breathe?
No small talk, no competition, no expectation to be anyone’s strength but their own. Just space.
Space to heal.
Space to rest.
Space to remember that beauty, too, requires stillness.
Vancouver Island Retreat
And so, the vision of my Vancouver Island retreats took shape — not from ambition, but from listening. Each idea seemed to come from the land itself: morning yoga beside the sea, journaling circles lit by candlelight, simple meals made from the island’s gardens and farms. Healing, here, was not something to do — it was something to allow.
I imagined women arriving tired, perhaps a little lost, carrying the invisible weight of lives lived for others. I imagined them leaving softer, clearer, more alive — their laughter echoing through the pines, their breath moving in harmony with the waves.
The same lessons I once taught in spa leadership began to echo in new form: that a peaceful environment begins with a peaceful heart; that care, when given with presence, becomes sacred.
Whether leading a team or holding space for retreat guests, the essence is the same — to nurture the nurturers.
One morning, I stood by the shoreline at sunrise, watching gulls trace silver arcs across the water. The air was still, the world unhurried. It occurred to me that this — this simple act of witnessing — was the very medicine I had come to share.
Perhaps the retreat was never something I was meant to build.
Perhaps it was already here — waiting for me to slow down enough to notice.
On this island, healing is not a promise but a presence.
It lives in the salt air, in the kindness of strangers, in the quiet courage of women remembering who they are.
And when they gather — to rest, to breathe, to begin again — the island breathes with them.
Building the Retreat: Weaving Wellness, Nature, and Adventure into One Transformative Experience
Building a retreat is both a creative project and a spiritual journey. It begins not with blueprints or budgets, but with a vision — a dream of creating a space where people can reconnect to what truly matters. When I began envisioning my Vancouver Island wellness retreat, I knew it had to be more than a getaway. I wanted to build a place that nourished every dimension of being — mind, body, and soul — while celebrating the raw beauty and rhythm of the island itself.
From the very start, the land spoke first. High on a ridge overlooking the ocean, Mount Benson, and the deep green forests below, the site offered something powerful: stillness. Rather than sculpt the land to fit a plan, I wanted the retreat to grow in harmony with its natural contours — to honor the mossy rock faces, whispering pines, and native ferns that give Vancouver Island its timeless, grounding energy. This land, like a wise teacher, invited a design that flows rather than forces, that welcomes the elements instead of shutting them out.
A Vision Rooted in Wholeness
Every choice in creating the retreat has been guided by the philosophy that true wellness arises from connection — to self, to nature, and to community. Drawing from both Eastern and Western healing traditions, I envisioned the retreat as a living tapestry of mindfulness and movement, rest and adventure, silence and sound. My background in aromatherapy, reflexology, and energy work, combined with years spent managing and directing spas, shaped the wellness offerings here: they are intentional, intuitive, and deeply restorative.
Mornings begin in stillness — yoga and meditation overlooking the sea, where the light slowly unfolds over the horizon. Breath by breath, guests soften into presence. Breakfasts are slow and nourishing, made from ingredients gathered from local farms and markets on Vancouver Island. The food, like everything else here, reflects the island’s abundance and simplicity — wholesome, grounding, and prepared with love.
Designing the Experience
Each program at the retreat is crafted to reflect a balance of doing and being. Guests may join a wellness weekend focused on mindfulness and movement, a creative immersion in art and journaling, or a leadership and resilience retreat drawing on coaching principles and self-inquiry in nature. The idea is not to escape life, but to remember how to live it more consciously.
Between sessions, guests can wander the property’s forested trails, rest in hammocks beneath the Garry oaks, or enjoy quiet time in the outdoor mineral bath. The design of the retreat integrates natural materials — wood, stone, linen, and glass — that invite the landscape indoors. Large windows frame the view like living art, shifting with the light and weather, while cozy nooks invite reflection. Every space — from the yoga deck to the gathering room — was created with intention: to help people slow down, breathe, and feel connected again.
The Island as Teacher
Vancouver Island is a landscape of transformation. Its rugged coastline, lush forests, and ever-changing skies invite introspection. There’s a wildness here — not chaotic, but wise — that mirrors the human experience of change and renewal. Just as the tides flow and recede, the land teaches us about impermanence, resilience, and the cycles of letting go and beginning again.
Adventure is an essential part of the retreat experience. Guests are encouraged to step out and explore — whether it’s kayaking through emerald coves, hiking rainforest trails in Cathedral Grove, visiting the hidden beaches of Ladysmith, or spending a day in the nearby creative community of Nanaimo. These adventures are not separate from wellness; they are expressions of it. Immersing in nature’s rhythm awakens the senses and reconnects us to something primal — a reminder that we belong to this earth, and it to us.
Mindful Programs and Transformative Journeys
Our Vancouver Island wellness programs are designed to nurture body, mind, and spirit through a blend of ancient wisdom and modern insight. Some retreats may focus on yoga and meditation, exploring philosophies of presence drawn from Buddhist and yogic teachings. Others may offer Reiki and energy-clearing workshops, leadership coaching for women in the spa and wellness industries, or creative healing circles rooted in mindfulness and compassion.
Each experience follows the rhythm of the island — slowing down, aligning with the natural world, and learning to listen deeply. The goal isn’t perfection or performance, but presence. As guests move through the days, many describe a subtle shift: the mind quiets, the heart opens, and the simple beauty of being alive becomes enough.
Sustainability and Spirit
Building the retreat has also been an act of environmental mindfulness. Sustainability isn’t a marketing point — it’s a way of honoring the land that holds us. Solar power, eco-friendly materials, rainwater systems, and local sourcing all form part of our commitment to tread lightly. But sustainability also extends beyond the physical — it’s about creating a model of regenerative living, where what we offer replenishes rather than depletes.
Spiritually, the retreat draws inspiration from the idea of sacred reciprocity — that every gift we receive from the earth must be met with gratitude and care. Whether planting a tree, hosting a mindfulness circle, or serving a meal, each act becomes a ritual of connection.
A Journey of Becoming
Building this Vancouver Island retreat has been as much about inner transformation as outer creation. It has called for courage, surrender, and trust — the willingness to follow intuition even when the path wasn’t clear. There have been moments of doubt and delay, but also of profound clarity: reminders that healing spaces are born not from perfection, but from authenticity.
The retreat continues to evolve, just as we do. It’s a living, breathing reflection of what it means to live with heart — to embrace impermanence, celebrate beauty, and trust in life’s unfolding. For those who come here, my hope is that they leave not just rested, but reconnected — to themselves, to the land, and to the quiet wisdom that has been waiting all along.
This is more than a place to stay. It’s an invitation to come home — to your breath, your body, your spirit, and the wonder of the present moment.
🌿 Stay Connected
I’m not much on social media, but I write from the heart through my newsletter, sharing stories, reflections, and island discoveries.
→ Join the Newsletter to receive soulful updates, retreat openings, and inspiration from Vancouver Island.
