Do Less, Be More is a series of seasonal retreats which align internal transformative processes with the natural rhythms of the seasons. They offer a facilitated, yet self-directed process, informed by a variety of contemplative and embodied traditions delivered by an interdisciplinary team. The ethos is one of learning by doing, experimenting, reflecting, and sharing. The approach is informed by the work of Ferrer et al. (2005), as well as the broad experience of the facilitators (Dr. Tamara Russell and Trudi Simpson). Our next retreat is August 5-7th – Summer, and our theme is EXPANSION.
“In Summer, some flowers have matured into fruits and some of those fruits become ripe. It is the season of harvest, celebration, sharing, and gratitude. It is also a time to rest, to peacefully contemplate the new seeds contained in the fruits, and to plan another cycle for the following Autumn.
-―Jorge Ferrer 2005
The yang energy of summer invites us to expand all aspects of ourselves. This includes our bodies, hearts, minds and our relationship to nature and each other. It is a time to explore what is “ripening” within. To open to the possibility that we can expand more in each of these domains in service to what wants to flow through us into the world. Some of these explorations can be done individually, in quiet contemplation. Yet the work of expansion is best done collectively, so we can be inspired and informed by the experiences and learning of others.
“Life is a concept, like the “universe”, that expands as soon as we reach what we think is its edge.”
― Kamand Kojouri
Working with creativity gives us a unique opportunity to generate shared collective knowledge. It expands our awareness of different perspectives, methods, and approaches. When we see how someone else has captured a moment or explored a theme, this invites us to look again, go again and keep going in our own process. Below you can see some of the work from those who attended our retreats in 2021 and 2022 (themes of creativity and movement), many of whom arrived saying “I’m not creative at all.”
Do Less Be More retreats are ideal for…..
- Curious explorers who want to go deep or find new ways to stretch body and mind.
- Those wishing to dip a toe into creative retreats for the first time.
- Meditation or mindfulness practitioners who wish to explore their practice in a different way.
- Creatives who wish to extend themselves through embodied meditative explorations.
- Transpersonal explorers who recognize the benefits of multimodal deep dives to explore their connection to the mystery.
- People who believe they are “not creative”
Our program offers a variety of activities. There is plenty to “do”, but also plenty of time and space for rest, reflection and taking time alone, if desired. The day starts with a morning meditation under “Big Momma”, a huge oak tree in one of the paddocks. Mindful movement and stretching is offered to support deeper engagement with the body. A walk in the beautiful countryside with expansive views over the Chilterns helps to open the mind. Take a moment to pause and enjoy the landscape in this short video.
Today, see if you can stretch your heart and expand your loves so that it touches not only those to whom you can give it so easily; but also to those who need it so much.
– Aristotle
Trudi Simpson, Tamara Russell and Fernanda Terra are part of the ViCePh(3) artist collective. The ViCeP(h)3 collective formed in 2021 as a response to the pandemic and the need to harness the power of immersive, participatory embodied creative practice and art for collective healing. We are women. We are embodied visceral, cerebral, physical, and heart artists who feel and work in profound ways with the body in motion and the movements and experiences of life and death. We also run retreats for women artists who wish to deep dive personally and professionally in visceral and embodied ways. Watch this space.
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