It invites you to:
Rest without guilt
Speak your truth
Reclaim your inner warmth
Dream quietly and intentionally
In the heart of winter, when the earth rests, something sacred is happening beneath the surface.
So too within you.
This is a sacred time to step out of the noise and into the deep, fertile stillness of your inner world.
Come and join us.
As the quiet beauty of winter settles upon the land, you are invited into this unique opportunity for deep nourishment and self-reflection.
This Winter Retreat is for you if you are seeking to explore the depths of your inner wisdom, heal, nourish your spirit, and emerge with greater clarity and purpose.
Through guided practices, creative expression, and unwavering support, you will shed what no longer serves and embrace the fullness of who you are.
Magick happens when women gather - Beloved Sister, come and join us.
She leads two Red Owl Retreats every year in June & October, each with their own unique intent and process.
The Old Ones say that the women will lead the healing among the tribes. Inside them are the powers of love and strength given by the moon and the earth.
We are those women.
We come together in a circle of sisters, finding our boldness and courage from one another as we dive into the mysterious and magickal places of our feminine nature.
We are fearless sisters, grandmothers, mothers, daughters, warrior women, wise women and wonderful women leading the way.
We honour the essence of our light and our dark, letting go, freeing ourselves up to discover the joy of creation and destruction that resides deep in our core.
We harness the energy of sister moon, grandmother earth, the stars and the suns to understand our way with these energies so our legacy is one of beauty and power.
She connects us into the deep and ancient knowing of all those who have come before us and all those that are yet to come. This is the potent healing current of our divine feminine.
Come and laugh, cry, dance, rest, learn, share, rattle, howl and release your wonderful wild woman...
Travel into the domain of your womb.
Give yourself permission to feel your heart. Take the time to listen intimately to your body. Be kind to yourself and what you take in.
Ignite the sacred fire of passion and stand in the spirit of your true nature.
We gather to explore ancient shamanic teachings, weave our dreamtime with intent, drop inwards through guided journeys, communicate outwards using creative expression.
We make Medicine - objects of power to help us grow. We journal, draw, and talk together. We create ceremonies to open our minds. We dance, we rest, and we give all our time to the changing woman within.
During our time together you will engage in a variety of practices that unplug you from the norm, to reset and soothe your fatigued nervous system.
Dissolve into the elements - fire, water, earth and winds - becoming everything and nothing. From this place, we re-awaken our creativity, playfulness and curiosity for LOVING life.
Medicine Wheel Teachings
Gentle yet powerful matriarchal medicine wheel teachings will guide the course of each day. These ancient wheels expand your awareness and understanding of feminine and masculine energy. They speak of the magick and mystery of the Four Faces of the Divine Feminine - Maiden / Mother / Maga / Hag. These energies have profound relevance to your everyday life, understanding their nature empowers you to flow with your life rather than giving into the overwhelm and responsibility of doing for others.
We use the Sanskrit word, Sat meaning 'true' and Sangha meaning 'community or company' to describe the practice of sitting with the truest company we can keep - our Self. We ask the Medicine Wheel to guide us into a space of honest personal inquiry, finding the freedom we need to embody our most natural selves.
Breath is life. Conscious breathwork has been used for thousands of years to access altered states of consciousness and tap into the body's innate wisdom. With breathwork, we initiate you into your divine feminine awakening as you dissolve blocks and traumas lodged in the physical and energetic body.
Our bodies are a temple to be worshipped and adored. Through dance, singing, drumming, making medicine, painting, crafting, etc we channel our creative life force energy. To embody our true nature is to choose pleasure. It is through our desire for pleasure that we create life. This is difficult when our life force energy is repressed and stuck. Freeing up your life force energy is the key to creating your life as a work of art. The practice of creativity, movement and sound, moves you beyond your shame and self-consciousness to express your naturalness.
For thousands of years. indigenous people have used this sacred ceremony to purify, cleanse, rejuvenate, maintain health and wellbeing on all levels. This Sweat Lodge Ceremony has been handed down from teacher to student through the Twisted Hairs Lineage. It is a priveledge to experience this alchemical womb space as a tool for self-realization.
We move into each day from the presence of our body, mind, spirit and heart. A variety of practices support this inward journey including noble silence, daily housekeeping, ceremony and rest. Time will also be dedicated to the preparation of nourishing, heart infused food.
Birthing your own medicine with intent through ceremonial process is an act of personal power, an expression of your unique essence and your give-away to the world. It becomes a tool to help you to focus your attention on what you truly desire so you can make it happen. Some of the Medicine you may get to create are:
Gourds open portals into the world of mystery, magick and manifestation.
They are the bridge between the as above and the so below.
They reflect the deepest, most intimate place of our woman's body where death, life and rebirth are seated.
Womb Mask Medicine is a significant reclamation of personal power, granting access to the infinite treasure of health and wellbeing.
Weaving Willow is a Spirit Wisdom Keeper and apprentice to the Twisted Hairs Lineage.
As an explorer, mother, lover, and powerful space holder, she embodies the Changing Woman Feminine Mysteries through Sacred Sexuality.
A devoted student to the teachings of the Medicine Wheel she dances with the cosmos in the sacred cycle of life, death and rebirth.
She is known as a 'spirit doula', a companion, teacher and guide who intuitively knows how to support, listen and challenge others through significant life experiences.
As a Rainbow Warrior, she stands for unity, love, kindness and the restoration of balance on earth.
This Retreat offers you a supported space to withdraw from the world and drop into your Self. We gather around the Solstice, in the depth of Winter to honour the going within time. To journey down into what we have held since always in our wombs.
We call on the wisdom keepers, ancient Grandmothers, matriarchal guides to expand our awareness and understanding of our Winter-time womb.
We ask them to teach of the Four Manifestations of the divine within. The Maiden, the Mother, the Maga and the Hag.
We welcome them into ourselves so we can harness their energies and direct them into our daily life so we can flow and thrive. We honour our going within time, to withdraw into ourselves, to feel, touch, and express that which resides in our depths. As we do this, we shift. We open. We expand. We emerge as the healed, powerful women the word needs right now. Are you ready to say yes?
Nestled in the breathtaking Valley of a 1000 Hills, midway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg, Sacred Journeys is a sanctuary to help you step away from daily life and truly focus on you. The center offers a spacious open-plan teaching area, a communal kitchen, and indoor bathrooms, along with a rather "magickal" outdoor shower. Accommodation is rustic yet comfortable.
To encourage a true detox from technology, you won't find televisions, radios, or magazines, and they kindly request that you leave your laptops, tablets, and other technical devices at home. This allows you to truly disconnect and be present.
It's a communal space where a spirit of mindfulness, mutual care, and consideration is fostered. You're encouraged to make yourself at home while respectfully sharing the space with others. Everyone is asked to help keep the center tidy, organized, and clean, and to be mindful and considerate when using precious resources, such as water and electricity.
Surrounding the Centre, you'll find lovingly tended medicine gardens, and just beyond those, acres of natural bush teeming with an abundance of bird, plant, and mineral life – perfect for mindful walks and immersing yourself in nature.
This sacred land invites you to return to something essential.
Simplicity. Earth. Fire. Stillness.
The parts of yourself you lose touch with in the rush of daily life.
For this retreat, you disconnect from the world outside - not as a rule, but as a ritual. By unplugging, you begin to tune in - to the rhythms of nature, to your own intuition, and to each other. You become more available to the moment, more present in your body, and more connected to the shared field we are co-creating.
Interconnected, we eat together, tend the fire, share stories, sit in silence, and move through each experience as a conscious community. The land holds us as we let go of what is no longer true and remember who we are beneath the noise. In the Darkness of Winter, we nest in one shared space - a warm, womb-like room where dreams are woven and silence speaks. Heartbeats gently syncing, breath rising and falling like the rhythm of the ocean.
This is more than sleep - this is a return to something ancient. A remembering.
Of the way women once gathered in circle. Of what many now call Red Tent space.
Of the comfort that comes from being held by presence, not just words.
Each of us will bring our own bedding - our soft places to land - and each morning we’ll gently pack them away, making room for the day’s unfolding. As we rest, the work continues: in our dreams, in our energetic field, in the collective space we hold for one another. You are not alone here. You are part of something sacred, even as you sleep.
At this moment in our human history, the world needs its women more than ever before.
We come together with a collective intent, to awaken what lies dormant within us with soft power.
To not give our centre away - no matter what the circumstances.
To hold our Sacred Self tenderly as we dance through life - respecting our own and each others journeys.
What a way to change the world - both within and without.
Open your heart and womb to the unchartered realms of your sacred feminine, the Great Mother Goddess within.
Through ancient wisdom and powerful rituals, explore your inherent magic, releasing limitations and pave the way forward.
Beyond individual renewal, this experience sparks ancestral and inter-generational healing and growth.
Engage in unique practices like intuitive teachings, conscious breathing, and expressive arts within a supportive circle of kindred spirits, fostering unforgettable bonds and treasured memories.
Ultimately, these sacred circles guide you home – to your true, natural self.
Food is an integral part of our journey inward
We nourish ourselves with simple, wholesome meals, designed to be comforting and grounding. What makes it even more special is that we'll be preparing these meals together, fostering a sense of community and connection as we share in the creation of our sustenance. This is about being part of the circle. Whether you’re chopping vegetables, stirring a pot of soup, or setting the table, your hands become part of the nourishment we all receive.
For many women, food has been a source of control, confusion, or disconnection. We've been taught to restrict, ignore, or moralize what we eat - turning nourishment into numbers, and meals into guilt. There is a deep remembering that happens in this circle. To nourish ourselves through food is to come home to the body. It is to honor hunger - not just the physical kind, but the hunger for wholeness, for ritual, for rhythm and for pleasure.
When women learn to nourish themselves - truly and intentionally - they step into the kitchen not as laborers, but as medicine makers. Food becomes prayer, not punishment. Cooking becomes ceremony, not chore. Eating becomes an act of self-love, not self-control. We begin to ask, “What does my body need to feel grounded, clear, and alive?” And we learn to listen.
It’s Not About the Rules, It’s About the Relationship. Learning to nourish yourself isn't about following a perfect diet. It’s about building a loving relationship with food and your body. Slowing down enough to taste. Trusting your instincts over outside voices. Honoring cravings as wisdom, not weakness! Choosing foods that support your cycle, energy, and emotions
Nourishment as Feminine Power. When a woman feeds herself well, she becomes well. Not just in her body, but in her spirit. She becomes fuller. Softer. Stronger. She has more to give, because she is not running on empty. And when women nourish themselves, they nourish the world.
From this place of fullness, we cook with love, gather in joy, and restore the sacred to the everyday.
Sacred Journeys is nestled in the Valley of a 1000 Hills, approximately 45-60 minutes from King Shaka International Airport (DUR), Durban.
Driving: Specific directions to Sacred Journeys will be provided closer to the retreat date once your booking is confirmed.
Flying In: We highly recommend flying into King Shaka International Airport (DUR), Durban.
Airport Transfers: We can provide you with details for trusted local shuttle services or you can rent a car - available at DUR airport if you prefer personal transport and wish to explore the region. Remember, South Africa drives on the left-hand side of the road. A GPS/Sat-Nav is highly recommended.
Travel Insurance: We strongly recommend purchasing comprehensive travel insurance that covers flights, accommodation, medical emergencies, and trip cancellations.
Currency: The local currency is the South African Rand (ZAR). ATMs are widely available at the airport and in major towns. Most establishments accept credit cards.
Mobile Connectivity: You can purchase a local SIM card at the airport if you wish to have local mobile data. Wi-Fi is generally available at the airport.
Time Zone: South Africa Standard Time (SAST) is GMT+2.
Visa Requirements: Please check the visa requirements for South Africa well in advance of your travel. Visa policies vary significantly based on your nationality. You can typically find this information on the website of the South African Department of Home Affairs or your nearest South African embassy/consulate.
Your creature comforts and insecurities. Your habitual patterns & routines. Your social ties and any unfinished business.
We recommend you don't bring any jewelry, perfumes or bras! No make-up, body products, fancy lingerie, soaps or even your toothpaste (that's one of the uses for the coconut oil)! Any body products you may need will be provided for you - made especially for our retreat. The invitation for this retreat is to leave behind as much of your habituated lifestyle as you can & observe what arises from behind your comfort zones. Be gentle with yourself in preparation for this very powerful transformative experience.
There was so much that I learnt about myself during this weekend. I learnt that I allow my fears and resistances to be bigger than they should be and learnt that in facing my fears and resistance I gain greater courage and a different perspective, while truly understanding what it means to be in relaxation and focus. I have a deeper understanding of my womb space and the purity and power that lies in my womb to create and birth to life whatever I imagine for myself.
Shivani
Wow! I realised that I have an immeasurable amount of power in my womb space and how important it is to work with my feminine receptive energy. Also that when woman gather… magick happens! I've had the privilege of doing the Summer and Winter Retreat and both were so transformative in their own way.
Candy
How to see myself through new eyes. To listen to my intuition and grow self trust. Learning to find comfort in the uncomfortable, and pleasure through the pain. Truly how to completely change the relationship I have with my mind, body and emotions. That being an ever changing woman is beautiful ♥️
Shaz
I was privileged to attend both the Summer and Winter Red Owl Retreat and WOW! It felt like we had stepped into a completely different space of being for those few days and it was so hard to leave! My greatest gain was tapping into the magical mystical creature I am. Learning about the power I hold and how to harness it has forever changed me and my relationship with myself. I continue connecting in with the sisters and I have gained and the powerful support system we all hold and share. Definitely want to do more in future!!
Jenny
I truly am so grateful that you pushed me for this Weaving Willow. I know this is where my healing is needed the most. I know this is just the beginning, but the fact that you made me feel really held and heard, where I normally shut down, really stretched me but also opened me up so much.
Mel
My greatest gains were: Miracles; a Big Wild Heartfelt Life of Love and Truth. Sacred Journeys is a portal, the most powerful. Be prepared for it all to change. Deepest Love & Gratitude for it All.
Lyn
I truly want to thank Weaving Willow for showing me that a collective of woman can be a powerful safe space. The feminine isn’t as intimidating or repulsive to me as I thought it was! I really enjoyed being in a sisterhood of real woman.
Jane
I loved the flow of the weekend and how I was able to dig deep within myself and allow myself to just be present and aware of the subtleties within myself and my surroundings. I really enjoyed the teaching on the birthing wheel and allowing my creativity to flow in painting my birthing shield. Red Owl is a retreat that I keep coming back to. It is a time for me to really dig deep or to allow myself to just be in the presence of myself. I love the expansiveness these retreats bring each time I return, and I always gain a bag full of wisdom, knowledge and tools.
Marianne
The BE-ing. The naturalness of doing what I need to for myself. The ease of being surrounded by likeminded women who aren’t afraid of their darkness, but embrace and dance in it together as sisters. The real, meaningful connections and true understanding of Sisterhood. A reintroduction to me and my power. To the power of my womb and birthing. The magick that happens when I have women gathered around to support me. This was the most supportive, gentle but powerful of the woman’s retreats I have ever been to. The amount of transformation that can happen in such a short time is incredible. I felt depleted and small on arrival, but powerful, supported and full when I left. No matter what your background, every women should consider experiencing this shifting retreat to unlock their own power. Thank you for your gentleness and openness to what I needed. I love you WW♥️
Tam
The women's retreat really was an experience like none other! Of releasing blockages and old programming patterns to embrace my true feminine nature. My greatest gain was reuniting with the Goddess within me and the guidance of Weaving Willow.
Xina
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I arrived at the Winter Retreat feeling tired in ways I couldn’t even name - heavy in my body, scattered in my mind, and completely disconnected from myself. I didn’t realise how much I needed this space until I stepped into the circle.
Zelda
The Women’s Retreat was transformative. I had no idea what to expect and that helped me be more receptive to whatever came up. I found myself surprised at how much I was repressing and how harsh I was being with this beautiful earthly vessel of mine. I got the opportunity to meet ‘me’ again, and that has changed a lot in how I engage with myself and those around me.
Christi
I felt deeply called to the Red Owl Women's Retreat, I followed my intuition & with the Divine Hearts of Weaving Willow & Dancing Butterfly, I showed up. It truly was the experience of a Lifetime. The keys that this Retreat has unlocked for me has had the ability to open myself up to deeper truths & deeper Love for myself, & therefore others. It shifted and continues to shift my world. It held me in such a way that I feel safe enough to explore myself, to go into depths that were unavailable to me before. The Red Owl Winter Women's Retreat has connected me to a yearning that I had been seeking for so long within, it connected the ‘dots’ for me; I suddenly felt ‘Ahh this is it, this is what my Heart has been calling’.
Kylan
It has changed everything! How to see myself through new eyes. To listen to my intuition and grow self trust. Learning to find comfort in the uncomfortable, and pleasure through the pain. Truly how to completely change the relationship I have with my mind, body and emotions. That being an ever changing woman is beautiful ♥️
Belinda
I love the way that it’s had the ability to ripple into my entire existence. Red Owl still continues to move through me a year later & I know it will for the rest of my life. It has changed everything!
Michelle
My greatest gain was knowing that whatever I was facing at that time, would be addressed in the next session. Having the relaxation to know I’m held in whatever form, because it wasn’t easy to dig into those areas for me personally. Also the vulnerability of Weaving Willow, which opened the space for us all. I was able to be as raw as I had to, to get to the spaces I needed to.
Nikki
I gain incredible understandings of myself and each time I come it changes my reality and understanding of who I am. It has brought about so many positive changes in how I create and birth my life. My greatest gain was sisterhood, feeling held by a powerful group of REAL woman all there to support each other.
Yvette
The space and freedom to just be. A deeper level of understanding of my natural self and my mature sense of self. A big transition from child to adult. Letting go of what I thought my naturalness to be to allowing me to discover what my natural self truly is... The flow of the weekend was just what I needed. Each time coming to this retreat I delve deeper into my self worth and honesty with self. Weaving willow holds a space I trust and can truly let go to break open parts of myself that I fear, but in breaking open there is so much growth and self awareness. The process is so raw and natural with a trust of being held that it feels safe to dig deep, experience, feel and let go.
Deerdre
You can expect a profound journey of personal transformation and self-discovery. Our retreats offer a sacred, transformative space for healing, creativity, and soul restoration, guiding you back to your true feminine nature and inner wisdom, far from the noise of daily life.
Our approach is rooted in ancient wisdom, particularly Medicine Wheel Teachings and the guidance of the Grandmothers. We emphasize trusting your intuition and living in awareness, fostering deep healing across your mind, body, heart, and spirit, leading to true self-discovery and evolution.
If you're a woman navigating today's challenges – experiencing burnout, overwhelm, chronic stress, or a disconnection from your true identity – then yes, this is for you. If you yearn for sacred sisterhood, genuine connection, to unlock your creativity, or to heal past traumas, then this is the place for you. But if you're still uncertain, book a free connection call to chat with Weaving Willow directly.
We offer two distinct annual retreats:
* Darkness of Winter Retreat (annually in June): A 3-night immersion for deep nourishment, self-reflection, and embodying your true feminine nature, particularly exploring your "Winter-time womb" wisdom.
* Changing Woman DeArmouring Medicine Journey (annually in October): A 10-day intensive designed to help you release what no longer serves, dissolve defenses, heal sexual wounding, and reclaim your inherent womb power and pleasure.
You'll engage in a harmonious blend of practices, including Medicine Wheel Teachings, Guided Shamanic Journeys, Breathwork, Creative Expression, Movement, Sound, Satsang (sitting in true community), powerful Sweat Lodge ceremonies, dedicated Quality Time for self-reflection and rest, and Medicine-making (creating personal objects of power like Gourd Medicine and Womb Masks).
Our retreats unfold in a beautiful, natural, and serene setting in the Valley of a Thousand Hills, Hillcrest, within Outer West Durban, South Africa. It's a place designed to support your deep inward journey and reconnection with nature.
You will be held in a strong, safe container with gentle, ruthless compassion and unconditional love. Weaving Willow provides loving guidance, and you'll be supported by a sacred circle of like-minded sisters. Practices are designed to unplug you, reset your nervous system, and allow for your natural unfolding.
Beyond immediate peace and purpose, you'll gain new tools for self-care, deepen your self-awareness, and experience lasting healing. This journey sparks ancestral and inter-generational healing, growth, and evolution. You'll carry home a revitalized sense of vitality and purpose, having created unforgettable bonds and cherished memories with your sacred sisterhood.
Red Owl Retreats are focused on personal growth and holistic well-being. They are not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider for any questions regarding a medical condition. All experiences, ceremonies, and teachings are offered with reverence and respect for ancient traditions, adapted for modern application