Nature and Nurture Retreat

It’s time to get back to in-person experiences and there’s no better place to do that than at Samish Island Retreat Centre. Join us for a Nurturing weekend with lots of outdoor Nature time, and plenty of time for socializing. For those of you who have attended our retreats in the past, you know that we have a practice of service at our camps. You'll notice something different this time. We've hired people to do the end of camp cleanup, so you'll only be responsible for cleaning your own cabin when the camp ends.

Friday Arrival

Arrive anytime after 4pm on Friday to get settled into your cabin and tour our acres of Nature. Please note that some cabins are set up for sharing as they each have 3 beds. If you prefer to have a cabin to yourself, please register early, specify your special needs, or consider a 'rustic' cabin with a shared bathhouse.

Friday Night Dinner

How long has it been since you’ve seen old friends and made new ones? We’ll be seated family style around one giant table to share stories and full belly laughs. You’ll have a bird’s eye view of Lake Freestaad and all the splendor of nature that is Samish Island Retreat Centre to enjoy over our first meal together.

Dancing the Labyrinth

You may never have danced the labyrinth; you may never have walked a labyrinth. Tonight, we will ‘Dance the Labyrinth’ to the sultry sounds of blues and jazz. Feel the musical rhythms seep into your soul. Explore the Labyrinth in a new way, still spiritual, yet passionate.

Meaningful Conversation Groups

What does it mean to be connected to nature for you? How does nature, nurture your soul? When did you first find your appreciation for nature? What do you hope to experience in Nature or in Nurturing this weekend? We’ll gather in small groups so we’ll each have time to share on these questions.

Games Night

Playing games nurtures us, takes us back to our childhood, to times when we had fewer cares and concerns. Bring your inner child to games night and be prepared to have fun.

Music Jam

Some of us will bring instruments, and others will enjoy listening to the music. If you prefer, you can listen to the music and continue playing games or engage in conversations.

*For those wanting quiet time in the evening, the cabins will be the place to be. If you want to stay up, play music, board games, or talk and laugh into the wee hours, please do so in the dining hall. Tea and Coffee are available all night.

Gentle Yoga

Description coming soon

Breakfast

Take your time to talk and linger over breakfast, we’ve allotted lots of time. If you’re on kitchen or dining hall cleanup, we ask that you start by 10am. For everyone else, take this opportunity to visit, go for a walk, or work on our giant puzzle.

Forest Bath Studies indicate time spent in a forest around trees, plants and soil is soothing for body, mind and spirit. We will enjoy the forest at Samish in this activity. If you like a brisk walk and talk with friends, you can head out into the woods together. If you would like to experience it in a quiet, slow, reverent way; you can hang back with the tree huggers!

Lunch

You’ll have lots of time to linger over lunch and enjoy the conversation. Weather permitting, we encourage you to take your food outside and sit at the picnic benches. If you’re on kitchen or dining hall cleanup, we ask that you start by 1:30pm.

Qui Gong (pronounced Chi Gong) The study and practice of cultivating vital life force through breathing, posture, meditation and movement exercises; qi-gong is an ancient Chinese practice. This will not be led by a master and is intended to just be a basic introduction to this interesting practice - simple to follow as the movements are repetitive. Feel free to bring a chair if you are not sure about how you might handle it. You can try a few of each movement and sit between if you find it too strenuous but are curious. It is a good practice for reasonably able-bodied people of all ages. The movements have fun names, and it feels great!

Blue Mind Water Inspired by the book Blue Mind by Wallace J. Nichols, we welcome you to explore why humans are so drawn to water, what it can do for us and then we will offer many ways to get into your “Blue Mind”. Come prepared to paddle, play, wade, watch, or just enjoy looking at the water we are surrounded by at Samish. Leave your “Red Mind” behind!

Dinner

You’ll have lots of time to linger over dinner and enjoy visiting. Weather permitting, we encourage you to take your food outside and sit at the picnic benches. If you’re on kitchen or dining hall cleanup, we ask that you start by 6:30pm.

Dancing the Labyrinth

Tonight, we’ll Dance the Labyrinth to classic popular songs that have romanticized us through relationships, carried us through breakups, and inspired us to sing to the rafters. Flash Dance, Footloose, and Fame will have nothing on us this evening.

Music Jam and Restorative Yoga

Yes, we're mixing it up! While the music jam is going on, Barbara will lead a restorative yoga session.

Dark Walk “The sun watches what I do, but the moon knows all my secrets.” J.M Wonderland Darkness is healing and often misunderstood. Since the invention of the modern lightbulb, we haven’t really gotten enough time in the dark for our wellbeing. We will step out into the magic of the dark at Samish. The dark walk is a great opportunity whatever your level of comfort to explore the night outside. Come with a childlike wonder and some cozy outdoor clothing to be charmed by the campgrounds at night!

*For those wanting quiet time in the evening, the cabins will be the place to be. If you want to stay up, play music, board games, or talk and laugh into the wee hours, please stay in the dining hall. Tea and Coffee are available all night.

Gentle Yoga

Description coming soon

Breakfast

Take your time to talk and linger over breakfast, we’ve allotted lots of time. You may want to share contact information with your new friends. As this will be a final cleanup, we ask that everyone start at 10am. For those of us who are regulars to Samish Island, you’ll be pleased to know that we have hired someone to do the bigger dining hall cleanup at the end of the camp so be sure to take advantage of your visiting time.

5 Rhythms at the Labyrinth The dance floor meets meditation in 5 Rhythms – a movement meditation practice devised by Gabrielle Roth in the late 1970s. We will explore how being in our bodies in movement in the moment can be profound as the sequence of the rhythms creates a wave that allows the dancer to reach a point of inner stillness. We will play 5 different music rhythms and dance in the labyrinth to all. Then we will find a spot to sit in silence for 10 minutes in silent meditation.

The rhythms are:

1 Flowing (fear, birth, being, body) Unconsciousness -the wall flower, I can’t, I don’t want to.

2 Staccato (anger, childhood, loving, heart) Self-conscious – I am dancing, watch me!

3 Chaos (sadness, puberty, knowing, mind) Intuitive – live as meant to.

4 Lyrical (joy, maturity, seeing, soul) Imaginative dancer – reach out in a communicative way.

5 Stillness (compassion, death, healing, spirit) Swept away, ecstatic, disappeared, just the dance.

Pack up your cabins

Once you’ve packed up and cleaned out your cabins, let our camp director know so they can tick your cabin off the list.

Scroll down for the shorter schedule

What to bring

Bedding or sleeping bag and pillow

Toiletries and towels

Coffee mug and water bottle

Rain Gear for outdoor activities – optional- check the weather before arriving

Walking shoes or boots for the forest and beach

Slippers for inside the dining hall for comfort if you wish, and so we don't track dirt into our spaces

Musical instruments (beginner or advanced) all levels will feel welcome here

Flashlight

Swimsuit and/or water gear e.g.: paddle board or share with others

Bug repellant for the forest activities if needed

For classes:

Comfortable clothing

Yoga mat, strap, sash, or belt

Blanket or quilt – can be your sleeping blanket

Pillow – can be your sleep pillow

A personal journal

Extra yoga mat if you're able

An open heart and an open mind

A few extra yoga mats will be available – please advise us if you will need one.

Chairs will be provided for those not comfortable on the floor.

Let us know if you have any food allergies when you register

Our Schedule

Nurture and Nature Retreat June 3-5

Friday

6pm Dinner

7:30 Dancing the Labyrinth

8:30 Meaningful Conversation Groups

9:30 Games Night!

Music Jam – Bring your instruments

Saturday

7:00 Toast Bar and Coffee open for early risers

8:00 Gentle Yoga

9:00 Breakfast

11:00 Forest Bath

12:30 Lunch

2:30 Qui Gong

3:00 Blue Mind Water - we’re off to Lake Freestaad!

5:00 Clean up water

5:30 Dinner

7:30 Dancing the Labyrinth

8:30 Music Jam and Restorative Yoga – Yup in the same room!

9:30 Dark walk

Sunday

7:00 Toast Bar and Coffee open for early risers

8:00 Gentle Yoga

9:00 Breakfast

10:00 Put away food, stack chairs and tables

11:00 5 Rhythms at the Labyrinth

11:30 Journaling

12:00 Pack up Cabins

12:30 Closing Circle at Dining Hall

1:00 Goodbye and safe travels

See you at our next retreat!