What happened on the Winter “Wellbeing Day Retreat”
Soothing Sounds to restore balance and calm.
✨ A Restful Day for Mind, Body & Soul: Our Wellbeing Day
On 15 November, I had the absolute joy of hosting a nourishing wellbeing day at St John’s Church Hall — and what a beautiful gathering it was. Eleven lovely ladies joined me for a slow, spacious day designed to help us step back from the busyness of life and reconnect with ourselves.
As the darker months draw in, it’s so easy to get swept along by to-do lists, plans, and obligations. This retreat, A Day to Pause, was created as an invitation to do the opposite: to rest, to breathe, and to soften into stillness. And from the moment everyone arrived, it felt like the hall filled with warmth, openness, and a shared desire to simply be.
We began gently, settling in together with introductions and intention-setting. From there, the day naturally unfolded into a rhythm of movement, rest, reflection, and moments of joy. A grounding yoga practice helped us ease into our bodies, releasing tension and arriving fully into the space. Later, we explored the calming world of solution-focused hypnotherapy — first learning about the approach before dropping into a deeply restorative trance that left the room feeling peaceful and centred.
After a relaxed lunch (and plenty of conversation and laughter), the afternoon took on a more playful feel. Browsing the beautiful handcrafted jewellery from Buddha’s Beads & Jewellery proved irresistible for many — it’s hard not to treat yourself when everything is so thoughtfully made. Alongside this, several people experienced EMMETT Therapy, a wonderfully gentle technique that works through light touch to ease discomfort and improve movement. It’s always amazing to see how much release can happen in such a short session.
Later, we shifted into the serene embrace of a soundbath led by Elspeth Lewis of Pause To Be. The gongs, bowls, and soft percussive tones washed over the group, creating a cocoon of sound that invited deep rest and inner stillness. We closed the day with flowing Qi Gong and gentle stretches — the perfect way to integrate everything we’d experienced and leave with a sense of calm grounding.
As we said our farewells around 4:30, the atmosphere was one of lightness, connection, and quiet renewal. It’s amazing what can happen when a group of women come together with openness and intention: a space for healing grows almost on its own.
I’m so grateful to each person who joined me. Hosting this day reminded me how needed these pauses truly are — little pockets of time where we can reconnect with our bodies, soothe our minds, and realign with what matters.
If you’d like to join the next wellbeing day, or want to know more about any of the practices we explored, I’d love to hear from you.
Here’s to carrying calm into the season ahead. ✨
“Dear Liliana, thank you so much for a beautiful day retreat. The sessions were soulful and inspiring. Your personal care and attention shone throughout and the group of women there was lovely. The whole experience was wonderful and I would love to repeat it.”
