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As the temperatures drop and mornings become crisp and cool, we gather for a weekend of connection, healing and transformation in one of the most beautiful retreat centres in the forest of Brabant, surrounded by forest. A place to reconnect with the wisdom and spirit within, where you can breathe deeply and just be.In our Mantra & Medicine retreat we want to reconnect you to the mystical aspect of life and help you discover your deeper spiritual essence. Each retreat offers a full program of guided practices and rituals, such as Chanting, Soundhealing, Breathwork and Bodywork, designed to align with the unique energies of different seasons and cultures. Each Mantra & Medicine weekend forms a unique portal into different aspects of the human experience through the integration of music from a specific culture, or a specific part of the world.
With this Nordic winter theme we want to bring the wisdom and healing of ancients myths. The Nordic traditions remind us that the darkest times can be a prelude to new beginnings. Mid-winter is a season of healing and transformation. By embracing our inner darkness and shedding light upon it, we embark on a path of healing. We learn to confront and release what no longer serves us, making room for new growth and a deeper connection to our true selves. This process is just like the rebirth of nature in spring, when the world awakens. We don’t just celebrate the return of the light, but the illumination of the human spirit.
Winter is a time of silence and deep rest. Nature sleeps. Cold and stormy winds sweep over the land and push nature even deeper inward. Often, it’s a time where we feel cold and isolated. Whether we recognise it or not, during the winter seasons of our life, the deepest revelations and the best lessons arise.
⏀ Program & Time schedule (subject to change)
Friday 24
⌾ 15.45-16.15 onwards arrival
⌾ 16.30 Opening Circle
⌾ 17.30 Small group practice & Free time
⌾ 18.30 Potluck Dinner
⌾ 20.00 Story & Sound Experience
Saturday 25
⌾ 9.30 Silent sitting
⌾ 10.00 Gentle movement practice
⌾ 12.00 Brunch
⌾ 13.00 Small group practice & Free time
⌾ 16.00 Opening ritual
⌾ 16.30 Start ceremony
⌾ 21.30 End ceremony & dinner
Sunday 26
⌾ 9.30 Silent sitting / Silent Space
⌾ 10.00 Breathwork
⌾ 12.00 Brunch
⌾ 13.00 Small group practice & Free time
⌾ 14.00 Closing circle
⌾ 15.00 leaving time
About the program
⏀ Sagas of the North: Story & Sound Experience
As you arrive at our Mantra & Medicine weekend, we welcome you with a sound-experience, to start your journey with a sense of wonder and relaxation. Our aim is to bring back the feeling of the ancient Nordic Longhouse. The Longhouse was the heart of a village, a place where families and neighbours came together to seek shelter from the harsh Nordic winters and, more importantly, to connect. It was a space where the bonds of community were forged and stories were passed down from generation to generation. In this special opening session where you will be invited to lay down, the old tales of the North come to life. This unique experience blends the soothing resonance of instruments like the gong, the drum, and our voices with the captivating art of storytelling.
⎑ Silent sitting
In this collective morning meditation, we join together as one, creating a powerful and harmonious energy field. The shared stillness invites us to hear the language spoken by our soul as we allow ourselves to be fully present.
⍙ Movement practice
This Saturday morning movement session focuses on energising the body and cultivating a heightened awareness of the subtle energies that flow within. We will explore gentle and intentional movement to open up our system in preparation for the evening ceremony.
⏁ Ceremonial Singing Circle ~ Cacao & Plant Medicine
On Saturday evening we come together for the highlight of this weekend: The ceremonial singing circle. On this night we combine three beautiful tools for transformation: Cacao, Mantras and Magic Truffles. The micro/ minidose that will be offered to you during the ceremony contains between 1 and 2 grams of fresh truffles with a possible second serving. You will be free to choose in the moment the amount that calls you most. We choose to serve a micro/mini dose because our goal here is to cultivate a collective energy, opening up to the music and connecting deeply with oneself and others. In this way we can still be fully present.
The fusion of singing and altered states of consciousness is a tale as old as human history. Indigenous cultures and ancient civilisations understood that the voice could carry intentions and prayers, to the divine realms. It can tap into the depths of one’s feelings, revealing layers of suppressed emotions or unspoken truths and explore our innermost sensations.
We will sing various songs rooted in the Nordic culture. With this Nordic winter theme we want to bring the wisdom and healing of ancients myths and various Norse spiritual traditions. Nordic music is raw, powerful and has an uncompromising quality to it. By chanting these songs and invoking these energies, we can allow ourselves to go into the parts we often ignore or even repress.
Learning to accept the light ánd the darkness within yourself, others and life, is a huge gift. By bringing consciousness to the depths of our soul, we are able to clear our energetic body and use our life force to reclaim and rebirth our true and beautiful self. Join us under the canopy of a wintery forest, as we sing, connect, and journey into the heart of a culture that continues to inspire and mesmerise. In doing so, we become not just participants, but bearers of a musical heritage that stretches back through the annals of history.
‘The new dawn is reborn from the darkest night.’
⏄ Breathwork
Breath is the essence of life, an involuntary action that sustains us from the moment we are born. In each of our events, we invite different experts in Wim Hof, Conscious connected breathing or Psychedelic Breath. Breathwork is a practice that harnesses the power of conscious, controlled breathing to influence our mental, emotional, and physical states. It encourages the release of suppressed emotions, offering a cathartic experience. This can aid in addressing unresolved issues and fostering emotional well-being. It also improves your immune system, eliminates toxins from the body and enhances your lung capacity.
The experiences and insights gained on the previous day can stir up emotions and feelings. The Sunday morning Breathwork session provides a safe and supportive environment for releasing any residual emotional blockages and helps you leave with a sense of emotional clarity.
⏀ About Cacao
Cacao ceremonies originate all the way back to Mayan and Aztec traditions in central and south America. Cacao opens the heart and allows for a deeper, authentic love based connection with yourself, others, the earth and all of life.
⏃ About Magic Truffles
The micro/minidose we serve in the ceremony is between 1/20 and 1/5 of a full ‘journey’ dose, depending of course on the dose you decide to take. This range is carefully chosen to support a subtle, yet profound experience. It helps you to fully feel everything that is alive in you with a more heightened state of awareness. This allows you to attune to the communal energy and the power of the songs.
Feel free to contact us in case you have no experience with plant medicine, or in case you have any questions!
⏁ About mantra chanting
A mantra is a sound or a vibration that becomes very powerful when you repeat it. Singing the ancient words with subtle intentions help you to reach a deep state of meditation. By simply repeating the mantras, you can disconnect from your thoughts. The mantra becomes more abstract so it can lead you into a place of pure consciousness. Each mantra with its different sound has another effect on the human psyche. The sound vibrations penetrate every cell of the body. When we sing these mantras together in a group, a profound sense of unity and connection arises. The harmonious sounds created by everyone, are felt deeply within and help you raise your vibration. When we sing with others, blending our voices, we start listening more attentively, feeling the energy of the group trying to find harmony. As everyone synchronises their breathing, and thereby the beating of their hearts, singing in unison, a bond forms and feeling of completeness surrounds us.
⏄ The facilitators
Pleuni Apollonia & Robert Tolenaars: As a couple they play devotional mystical music from all over the world in singing circles, cacao ceremonies, and plant medicine journeys. For them, music is a huge source of inspiration. It has the potential to heal, and take you to different layers within yourself. Together we create a space in which your inner light can shine brighter, even in the darkest corners of your existence.
Pleuni shares the path of Yoga and Healing Music with others, to help people find more peace and live a more fulfilled heartcentered life. In her beautiful space near the forest, she has given almost 200 private sessions with cacao and plant medicine so far. Community is an important theme in her work. Bringing people together and creating a safe space creates the opportunity for growth and invites you to step into your light.
Robert is a teacher, musician and guides inner transformation processes. Driven by his mission to contribute to the realisation of divine consciousness on earth, his journey took him from modern science, to ancient spiritual traditions, to the most effective methods of consciousness development he has found. Years of study were accompanied by deep inner work, where, through the confrontation with physical and inner pain, he became familiar with deeply rooted aspects of the soul and the darkness that we as humans can experience.
As a dedicated guitarist since the age of 16, he has learned how sound resonates with the soul and can serve as keys to deeper levels of your being. He works together with the spiritual world to heal your energetic body so you can come into contact with your divine core.
⍙ Preparation
For the cacao ceremony on Saturday evening we want to invite you to put a bit of extra effort in your outfit, inspired by this Nordic theme. We love creating space for self expression, so this is your chance to wear that amazing dress you never wear, or to borrow something nice from someone. Make sure you feel both beautiful and comfortable. This is a sacred ceremony. Just like we create an altar, and decorate the space, we also give some love to ourselves and make sure we fully show up. In this way we seal the space from the influence of the outside world and enter a different world in which you can fully submerge yourself. In the book; ‘King, Warrior, Magician, Lover’…this is called ‘sacred space’.
⎑ About the location
AVANI means: ‘The good earth’, and stands for grounding within yourself, ground with each other. Being in contact with yourself and the earth. This retreat and training center is surrounded by trees, and a newly planted food forest. The beautiful architecture, the natural light and all the indoor decorations make you feel at home right away. The location is very close to the “Loonse en Drunense duinen” in Helvoirt. Take a look on their website.
AVANI
Sleeping and other extra’s:
AVANI retreat has some beautiful dorm-rooms (6 beds each), private rooms and yurts available. (It’s also possible to sleep at home in case you live very close by) You can book your favourite sleeping option separately in the ticket system.
NOTE: We totally understand that life has other plans sometimes and for some reason you are not able to join this event you were so much looking forward to. However, our event planning proces takes precise coordination, budgeting and agreements based on the amount of tickets sold. This is why we decided not to give refunds, because it otherwise simply isn’t possible for us to keep doing this work.
We dó have a few options though:
– You are free to resell your own ticket to someone you know, share it on your social media, or post in our FB event. Please inform us about the exchange, so we can update the name list.
– If there is a waiting-list, we will help you sell your ticket to someone else.
– For exceptional cases please contact us.
*24h before the start of this event we are not available anymore to help you sell your ticket, due to preparations.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
AVANI Retreat, Drunen, Netherlands
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