They came from all over US and Canada, from Arizona to Montreal, from New York to Vancouver. But they all had something in common – they wanted to explore their depths and know themselves better, and they were all drawn to the ultimate place of teaching: nature’s classroom in Maui. Many were in for some pleasant surprises, because nature sure has her own unique way of teaching. And they wanted to connect with like-minded women to share the journey. 

Their intentions were varied and yet on a similar theme – whether it was rejuvenation; to be present and authentic; to heal; to have fun and remember how to play again; to open to spirituality – all spoke of their desire to feel a deeper level of self trust. They wanted to stop holding back and leap more bravely, more audaciously, into life. And who can teach that better than the one who constantly embodies that – nature herself?

What was delicious was observing the way nature played with each one of the women, teaching her in the perfect way to meet her needs. For one, the spiky lava fields were a place of rest, comfort and connection. She lay back on the rock and felt herself letting go, as if floating. I took a picture of her in her bright aqua colored dress and she really did look as if she was floating. It’s surreal (see attached pic). Another found a black, one-clawed crab that taught her about compassion. Seeing it all forlorn in it’s tiny pond, she remembered her ex-husband (Cancer star sign) and felt a softening of her judgement of him. Read more ...

It felt like an eternity, in the best way. But it really was just a few moments. That’s all I needed. I was sitting on a big rock in the middle of the stream in the mystical Iao valley, sunning myself like a lizard. My skin was still tingling. Not one minute before I was fully submerged in cool, mountain water, breathless with the shock of it. Now, in the afterglow I was radiant, feeling lit up from head to toe.

And that’s when the portal opened. I saw, sensed, felt, through several dimensions. I felt my lineage, I felt history unfolding behind me, millenniums of human experience. And I felt the layers of the future spiralling in front of me through the trees that lined the riverbank. The legacy, the forward lineage of a life lived in joy, in fullness, authentic choices, in gratitude. All this crammed into one tiny moment in a stream – albeit no ordinary stream.

It took me a while to come to. I had been in a kind of trance, basking in the contrast of warm and cool. I didn’t truly understand what all this was about. But soon I would. And it would come the next day in the form of a very special rock in an outdoor Heiau (temple). This place is known to the locals as the ‘teleport,’ and inter-dimensional ‘leaping off’ point, because of its’ sacred powers and the mystical experiences to be had there. Jeana, our Hawaiian guide, had introduced us to some of the special stones in the Heiau and their purpose, explaining that in ancient times Heiaus were places of birth, healing, medicine and meditation. Simple structures with no roof, there is nothing between you and the sky, you and spirit. I immediately felt viscerally drawn to the birthing stone and sat down. My rational mind thought it was because I was wondering what I was to give birth to next in life and business. Little did I know it was to be a very different kind of birth. Read more ...

 Here we are again in Maui with another fabulous group of women. They just completed a whole morning of Hula with our beloved Hula teacher, Auntie Gordean. Everyone falls in love with her. She's precious. And very patient with us! We learnt some very complex dances and chants and stepped into the a deep Maui embrace represented by Auntie's huge spirit. It's our first day and the perfect introduction to The Peaceful Woman. We are welcomed into the heart of Hawaii... the heart of Mother Maui.

Next step, the labyrinth where we get to reflect on what happened for us in the Hula session. We get to let go, center and align.. On a breezy outcrop there's a huge labyrinth made of coral.. the view is extraordinary. And the sense of space and freedom is felt by all. 

Today we head for the mystical Iao valley with our kahuna, Jeana and the special 'teleport point' - a very sacred space not on the tourist map where they say the veil between worlds is very thin and we get to connect more deeply with the true Hawaiian mysticism. Actually local Kahunas say there really isn't a veil at all. Every time we come to this place people have big shifts in consciousness. . Maui so brings out the divine feminine in us all. Check out our facebook page. Lots of news there: www.facebook.com/ThePeacefulWoman

You know those bad hair, bad mood days, when Murphy’s law is calling the shots. The toast lands butter side down, you spill coffee on your best jacket, your computer dies, you ding the car, and it’s still only 9am... not a great start to the day. For me, when stuff like that starts to happen I know I’m out of balance. I’m not present. And life’s not pleasant. And I can imagine I’m less pleasant to be around too. Basically I’m overloaded, overwhelmed and over stimulated (even though half of my daily caffeine intake is now on my jacket!) It’s times like that when I realize I’m overdue for a retreat. It could be a mini-retreat – a half day or full day for me, just to be. But I know how important it is to get away for several days at a time. To completely unplug from the world of fast moving targets and technological glitches. Time to breathe and be still. Time to get to know myself and go deeper.  

Fortunately one of those times is upon me right now. In fact, because of time delay you’re reading this while I’m soaking up the sun in Maui. Now technically I’m leading this retreat, but honestly, it’s so fulfilling, so relaxing, and so expansive, it feels like my own retreat too. I get to spend a week with 12 fabulously conscious women. We get to laugh, explore, have adventures, share deep truths, and play in Maui’s glorious natural beauty. What more could a woman want?  Read more ...

  “It’s a volcano.” said one of the women, proudly displaying the sand mudpie she’d created. ‘Mine’s a castle,’ said another, placing a feather on the highest tower of her sand village. We surveyed the diversity of our artwork. There were moats, rock gardens and stairways, there were bridges, windows and towers. We happily had our photo taken with our creation thanks to Cathy who happened to be passing by, curious as to why 5 grown women had brought buckets and spades to a beach, with no kids in sight.

After 30 minutes or so of play we sat down and reflected on our experience. Prior to this part of the adventure we’d all journeyed inwardly with a guided meditation, exploring our child-like self, and the imaginary worlds we create as children. We’d created an ‘inner sandcastle’ and explored it before embarking on the outer sandcastle. So we’d been primed to play. And play we did.

But it was deeper than that. After the play part we reflected on how we’d played… what had come up for us, and how we’d engaged with each other and the process itself. And the discoveries were rich. Some noticed how they jump in without planning, while others wait and prepare. Some reflected on how their childhoods had not been happy, and yet there were moments of joy and discovery and they were able to connect with that. We all spoke of the letting go process also – when the tide comes in, or someone walks over your sandcastle – how do you feel? We reflected on grief, on joy, and how also, as we contemplate the shifting sands of our own lives, it’s important to honor our emotions. Read more ...

Why Sensory Awakening is so important Read more ...