SOLSTISING:

Summer Solstice Women's Singing Retreat

* for those who self-identify as a woman, non-binary, or gender fluid. no cis men!

June 17-18-19 in Occidental, CA

 

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"Lauren is a wise, compassionate, and creative guide with a rare gift for empowering women to reclaim our voices and sing out our spirits. My work with her has reverberated throughout my creative life." --Anne Cushman, author of "The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood" and "Enlightenment for Idiots: A Novel".

 

"Experiencing a singing retreat with Lauren will heal you in ways you didn't even know you needed... Just go." - Anonymous, MFT

"Our three Summer of Song retreats were such a joyous and meaningful highlight of my summer! Lauren brought together an incredible group of wonderful, kind, heart-centered women who I'm so grateful to have gotten to connect with, and held such a safe and loving container for us to sing, play, create, express, and make magic together. I felt deeply seen, supported, encouraged, and celebrated by both Lauren and the group. Lauren holds beautiful space for all of our feelings to emerge, from deep grief and pain to uncontrollable giggling, joy, and delight, and provides a portal for healing and expression through voice, sounds, creativity, and song." - Stephanie F, MFT

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"My experience working with Lauren and singing with the sisterhood has been life altering. To reclaim my voice at a time of challenge and grief was essential to my mental, physical and spiritual health. With Lauren's loving support and mentorship I was able to take steps to reconnect inward and also create community with women on their journeys as well. The sounds of harmony and joy as well as sadness are so pure and powerful that I almost can't express the depth and beauty of these moments.  I look forward to continuing this exploration of soul and vocal expression/co-creation along with deepening the connections with the most lovely women I know and now love."

-Mette

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Gather with likeminded women to sing, create, play, pray, improvise, and slowly re-emerge back into being with eachother in a safe, small, COVID-aware way.

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If I've learned anything, it's that the things I take most for granted- harmonizing, creating with others, playing, praying, eating, cuddle puddles, and connection- are crucial for my heart to feel happy, healthy and full. Let's slowly unfurl our wings together in a generous, safe, loving and playful environment to help integrate the wisdom of last year into what we're wanting to create moving forward... and sing, sing, sing!

 

• Exploring improvisation and channeling in an open-hearted environment, giving space for all feelings and sensations to be acknowledged

 

• Finding joy and play through co-creating songs in groups and allowing the muse to express itself

 

• Utilizing "Integrous Song Sharing" and being exquisitely aware and respectful of the songs we are singing and sharing, understanding the tenants of cultural appropriation. Listening to the earth and receiving wisdom and songs to share

 

• Connecting through harmony, cuddles, games, potlucks, song sharing circles and open space

 

• Gaining insight towards utilizing sound as a means of healing the self and learning to move energy or emotion on your own through sound and vibration

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Logistics: we will be on our retreat land, Joy Hill, in beautiful Occidental, 1 hour from Marin, 20 minutes from Sebastopol and 10 minutes from the ocean. Depending on the weather we may have a nature day at the beach or redwoods. We slowly open our bodies back into being in connection with each other in a slow and safe way with strong COVID protocols.

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Our portal is open from Friday late afternoon - Sunday late afternoon. We have camping spots on the land as well as ample places for car camping, and spaces to sleep inside as well. If you prefer to go home during the evening you are welcome to take care of yourself as you need. Everything is consent-based: if you need to take a break from the group, you are invited to do so! My intention is to create a strong but flexible container. Don't want to go to the beach? Feel free to hang at Joy Hill instead.

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COVID Protocol: I have been vaccinated for months and am enjoying the 5G network coursing through my veins. Being able to order a pizza just by thinking about it feels like a super power and I finally have arm space to stick extra fridge magnets!

 

But in all seriousness, this is a vaccine-friendly space and being vaccinated is a requirement unless you have a medical exemption. Everyone will be required to take a PCR test (going to an in-person testing site) the Tuesday/ Wednesday before the retreat, and then everyone will take a rapid antigen test on site. If you have a medical or religious  exemption, you will be asked to quarantine from Sunday-Friday and follow the same PCR testing protocol.

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Food is potluck style, and a spreadsheet will be sent out a week before the retreat starts. We are trying to make every meal gluten-free and vegan accessible but meat will be served at main meals.

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This group is for those who self-identify as a woman, which means a person, who regardless of their sex assigned at birth, identifies as a woman. The term cisgender woman (or ciswoman) describes someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. The term transgender woman (or transwoman) describes someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a woman. I would also like to open the space to those who's gender is non binary, gender fluid, or gender queer.

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If this sounds like something that makes your heart sing, please contact me to schedule an interview by clicking here to make sure this group is a good fit for you! We will chat about pricing and answer any questions during this interview. I am filled with gratitude to be offering these groups for the past 9 years.

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Retreat Pricing:

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$700 per retreat as a main participant

$500 as a Kitchen Witch Bitch

 

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Scholarships:

 

If you resonate with any of the following, you may be eligible for a partial scholarship: BIPOC, LGBTQ+, low-income, teacher/nurse/frontline/healing arts/ social support worker, or disability please contact me for further financial assistance.

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What does work-trade entail?

 

You may be asked to arrive early to help set up/stay late to clean, greeting and helping folks take their rapid test when they arrive, support in the kitchen with food and potlucks, being part of the breakfast making crew, potentially helping drive if we go on a nature excursion, helping folks feel welcome and comfortable during the retreat.

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Testi/Ovamonials from this Summer's Retreats:

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"Lauren is a wise, compassionate, and creative guide with a rare gift for empowering women to reclaim our voices and sing out our spirits. My work with her has reverberated throughout my creative life." --Anne Cushman, author of "The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood" and "Enlightenment for Idiots: A Novel".

 

"Experiencing a singing retreat with Lauren will heal you in ways you didn't even know you needed... Just go." - Anonymous, MFT

"Our three Summer of Song retreats were such a joyous and meaningful highlight of my summer! Lauren brought together an incredible group of wonderful, kind, heart-centered women who I'm so grateful to have gotten to connect with, and held such a safe and loving container for us to sing, play, create, express, and make magic together. I felt deeply seen, supported, encouraged, and celebrated by both Lauren and the group. Lauren holds beautiful space for all of our feelings to emerge, from deep grief and pain to uncontrollable giggling, joy, and delight, and provides a portal for healing and expression through voice, sounds, creativity, and song." - Stephanie F, MFT

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"My experience working with Lauren and singing with the sisterhood has been life altering. To reclaim my voice at a time of challenge and grief was essential to my mental, physical and spiritual health. With Lauren's loving support and mentorship I was able to take steps to reconnect inward and also create community with women on their journeys as well. The sounds of harmony and joy as well as sadness are so pure and powerful that I almost can't express the depth and beauty of these moments.  I look forward to continuing this exploration of soul and vocal expression/co-creation along with deepening the connections with the most lovely women I know and now love."

-Mette

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Other Ovamonials:

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 Lauren’s professionalism and reverence for the power of the voice creates a container of safety that allows such a deep and healing connection to self. Her warmth and playfulness invite the experience of healing connection to others by mirroring and holding your voice with hers. She is a born healer and delightful human to behold.

- BT, Psychologist, 57

 

I loved singing with Lauren because it is about being free and creating a willingness to get messy and to throw away the confines of perfectionism.  I also felt a deep sense of awareness from Lauren as a facilitator which supported the creation of a safe space and a feeling that she was paying attention to you and your unique needs in the midst of also doing this for 20 other woman.  I am so happy that people like Lauren have gone through their own personal transformation so others can be inspired to do the same.   

- Katie Owens 

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It is Lauren's gift to hold space for others to open, blossom and touch a deeper place within their being. It was a three hour round trip for me to have this experience and it was 100% worth it every time. I am honored and grateful for all the inspiration I absorbed in Lauren's songbird choir. 

- Christianna K

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Lauren has been such a safe space for me to explore opening and honing my voice.  She is an incredible, encouraging guide in my journey of falling in love with music again and feeling held so that I can express myself through song!! I have never found another music teacher who even comes close to Lauren in this ability.  I went from not singing in front of anyone to coming out with my own album, and I could not have done it without Lauren’s expertise and support.  Thank you Lauren !! I am a forever fan and I am in deep gratitude that we crossed paths when we did.

- Melanie Berman 

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"It is very difficult for me to sum up my experience of working with Lauren in a simple testimonial. I went from being completely shut down in my voice and not even being able to sing the first verse of a song for my best friend without crying, to playing the uke and performing at open-mics. I have even been being asked to co-lead women's circles and other rituals because of my new-found musicality! But Lauren's teachings are about so much more than music. They are about the big, beautiful, messy, and worthwhile business of being a spirit in human form. She lovingly coaxes and artfully guides us to unfurl our wings and reclaim our voices because when we share our songs, the whole world soars!"

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-Sundew

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“... profoundly transformative ...deeply meaningful event if my life and evoked major and lasting shifts...I have finally broken the barriers to being self-loving and am much more in touch with my creativity; I am filled with overwhelming gratitude for Lauren and the magical groups she offers.” -Erin R. 

 

 

"Lauren is a gifted facilitator in the sound, healing arts, and song. I came to Lauren to work on a wound with my music. After working with Lauren I have discovered more confidence and ability to channel my thoughts, emotions, and surroundings into sound. I have been touched and inspired by my work with Lauren to find rhythm and rhyme ever where I go, to start musical improv with friends and to not be afraid of it sounding perfect. The gift I have taken away is resilience and imagination within song sketching, writing, and creation."

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-Jess

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“...I reclaimed MY powerful ancestral voice!... I reclaimed part of my soul with Lauren’s strength and compassion...” -Tamara L.

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Click here for more ovamonials!