Spring Retreat in Italy

For the second time a group of women came together connected by the teachings and worldview of ‘Feminine Power’ developed by Katherine Woodward Thomas and Claire Zammit during the last 7 years. It is an integral and transformational path out of victimization and towards self-responsibility by studying and transforming the own habitual patterns of feeling, acting, thinking and believing. 

It is not at all easy to look at one’s own patterns in this direct and radical way – or better, it is very challenging for most of us. The reaction to these challenges often disturbs the group atmosphere. But doing this together in the safe container of likewise open women committed to self development the work through these challenging situations – they often appear as conflict between members – is an unusual means for to create even deeper connection between them after having arrived to an authentic conclusion of the process.

Retreat’s structure

25th – We all meet on the Wednesday - arriving at different times and from many different locations. We join together for an evening meal - time together to share and get to know one another.

26^th – We start our days with a 7.30am meditation which someone different leads each day. We have invited the global community to join us online and share with them. This first morning Sam leads with a flower meditation called Joy. We meet for our first session on the balcony and discuss the Shared Agreements and what they mean for us. We go into the Power Practice led by two of the women to have an experiential experience. After a shared lunch on the Terrace we have quiet time before joining together for a 4pm meditation – this time led by Adelheid and involving sound. We have a circle dance together and then move into a discussion about Intentions and Motivation – again dropping into a deep space and listening to the deeper wider centre. We share our intentions.

 

27^th – We are lead on a beautiful flower meditation about growth. Our session is about Deep Listening and includes group work to experience this from the point of view of the person speaking and the listener. After lunch we have a short break and then travel to a sacred mountain-top to join Delia’s meditation energetically (as she leads for the global community). We start a deep discussion re making generative requests as an ‘issue’ arises that we explore together. Adelheid leads everyone on a meditation to meet their ‘ideal self’ and then one of the group spontaneously moves into singing and another leads us into chi kung. Afterwards we go into the town for takeaway pizza and ice-cream and a walk around. We try to visit some sulphur baths but they are surrounded by locked fences so we go home for a late snack and singing.

28^th – We are led on a lovely journey meditation including cleansing in sulphur baths! We continue our discussion about Evolutionary Partnerships and Generative Communication and use real-life examples and shares. This is a very emotive and powerful time with many issues arising for discussion! We have two rituals today – one a Birthing Ritual where one sister is welcomed by each of the other women and ‘birthed’ while being sung to and rocked. She does this on behalf of everyone. This arose organically. 

 

Later Adelheid guides us around her land and we collect firewood for an evening Ritual to birth Paradiso Integrale as the central heart of FP in Europe and a retreat centre for all. One of the women leads this ritual so beautifully and really honours Adelheid’s connection to her land. We enjoy throwing our false beliefs and identities into the fire and birthing new ones of strength and love etc! Afterwards we eat a picnic dinner by candlelight.

 

29^th – Annie weaves a meditation journey to encompass all that we’ve done together. We take time together to honour each of our group and express our gratitude and care. We end our time together with lots of homemade pizza!!

 

 

 

Adelheid

For me as the host of the retreat (I offered the place and logistics and was also part of the leader team) this was a very interesting time of verification of what I have learnt so far by doing the Feminine Power work. The new way of Feminine Leadership requires us to remain in deep connection with our feelings, emotions and needs, to listen to the body-feedback, to remain grounded in the deeper wider center while listening, speaking, leading, whatever, and to be able to process the appearance of Younger Self patterns in a way which would hold and contain them and not allow to influence the ongoing activity towards the North Star of our gathering. 

There were moments of huge challenges for me, but also moments of complete ease and happiness for what was emerging organically within the group. I felt a strong support by my co-leaders Sam and Annie and of many of the participants and I am very grateful for this. In fact, the most important learning for me was the possibility and modality in which we took over leadership organically from one moment to the other, everyone sensing into the atmosphere and taking the right moment for to step into leadership herself while the other gave it over with grace. This is possible only if the members of the group are bound by the same willingness to be transparent and to collaborate towards the goal of mutual assistance in one’s personal growth and empowerment, inside the shared agreements which in themselves create the space and container of safety to open oneself to the own deeper and unknown parts.

Annie

I was so pleased to see that this retreat was as meaningful as the last one for me. I am sure I can do this as a regular practice and by the very nature of the work, it is different every time, as we are all in a different place and new issues arise within the particular constellation of the group.

For me, several points came up about leadership and I was practicing them while at the retreat and even before.  At the first retreat, a major breakthrough for me was about the imbalance of always choosing work as a default for my attention.  When I came to this retreat I consciously chose to attend our retreat instead of a work event in Spain. Because I applied the FP principles of collaboration with my European partner for the work event, I arrived in Italy relaxed, confident in my choice.

Two other profound openings for me occurred. One was through a breakdown we had in the group around the distinction between a generative request and a request that is really a demand. The other was around defining my North Star, which has not really resonated within me.  Through sharing with another retreat sister I saw that my North Star can be informed from reflections I receive from others, from life expressing its desires to and from me.  I thought to say to myself the same thing I said to my FP sister. “Look at this. This is life pulling you forward, like the wind pulls a sailboat forward into itself.”

I really loved starting the mornings with a centering  meditation together ---and the lively, spontaneous conversations that erupted around the “Breakfast Island.” The grounds of Paradiso Integrale and the weather were superb. The food was delicious and well organized to support our schedules. We had meaningful, beautiful, rituals that also punctuated our days and learning.  In all respects this spring retreat was a profound delight, inspiring me to a more evolved version of myself! I plan to go to the next Paradiso Integrale retreat—Ciao bella!

Sam

I had such an amazing time at Paradiso Integrale last year when there were just 5 of us and found it so pivotal in my life path as well as truly learning what it is to be totally seen, heard, cared for and accepted by others. So when Adelheid asked if I would lead a retreat with her I was delighted! It was such an honour and a privilege to co-organise this with her (and later Annie) and to be holding the space for the retreat since Christmas time. Just before the retreat we had a Skype call to talk to some of the women coming and it was so magically and so exciting to hear everyone’s voices and their intentions for the retreat. Finally meeting the women and getting to really experience them was such a thrill.

Adelheid and I had set out a ‘plan’ for the retreat but kept it fluid and adaptable; we wanted to see what organically arose. I truly learned the power of intentions as we commented that we needed challenges to discuss for generative communication/clearing the field etc and they appeared! This was not a time of ‘all love and light’ but we joined together within the shared agreements and we used this amazing work and structure to work through the challenges and have them as learning for all. I was so heartened and surprised at the quickness of the depth of sharing and sisterhood – it seemed so much faster than last time – there was such love and compassion among everyone. Each woman took her time in leadership naturally and organically.

For me, I learnt that my leadership is gentle and healing – I have such a strong sense of the field and ability to hold it. This makes it sometimes harder for me to articulate things - that’s where Adelheid and Annie come into their own – guiding the group discussions and sharing insights and wisdom. It all flowed so beautifully, even preparing breakfast was a time to share and discuss things! I loved the blend of discussion, dancing, meditation, rituals as well as quiet time to just sit or lie in the Italian sunshine.

This time together led me to have a huge breakthrough on a very deep false belief – one that I am still processing. I am so aware that the group energy helped me to see this and now work through it. I love that we are all in contact as a group – by email and Skype (as is the group from last year). I went to Italy to co-lead a retreat and I came home with true sisters and a deep somatic understanding of ‘being up underneath’ someone and having them up underneath me.