We gather in circle within our Buds and Blossoms groups, taking time to arrive, orient and settle into the space we are stepping into together. This is a beginning point, where we meet one another, the facilitators, and the way we move in this kind of shared space.

Together we explore what it means to sit in circle, to listen, to speak, and to be part of women’s work in a way that is respectful, present and aware. Attention is given to how we take care of ourselves and each other, how we participate, and how we hold what is shared.

As the circle forms, there is space to arrive as you are, to notice how you feel, and to begin to find your place within the group. This session sets the tone for the weekend, offering a clear and steady foundation for what will unfold across our time together.

We gather to explore intuition as an inner compass that can be sensed, felt and trusted. Through movement, creative expression and gentle reflection, attention is brought to how intuition speaks through the body, emotions and imagination.

In a supportive and playful space, each maiden is invited to notice her own signals, responses and ways of knowing. There is no right way to experience this, only an opportunity to begin recognising what is already present.

Each maiden creates a personal symbol piece to take with her, along with simple ways to listen to and honour her own inner guidance in everyday life.

We gather to enter the practice of Kalaripayattu, an ancient South Indian martial art that weaves movement, breath and awareness into a living discipline. Through guided sequences and partner work, the body is strengthened and refined, building mobility, coordination and a steady sense of inner resilience.

As we move, attention settles into the relationship between body and mind. The practice invites a clear sense of boundary, confidence and presence, shaped through rhythm, repetition and embodied awareness. Each movement becomes a place of focus, where strength and sensitivity develop together.

Rooted in traditional lineages and offered in an accessible way, this session opens a direct experience of vitality through the body. It offers a way to engage discipline as a form of care, awakening clarity, strength and a deeper connection to one’s own capacity.

We gather in ceremony to awaken voice as a living expression of truth, presence and power. Through sound, breath and embodied attention, we enter a grounded and resourced state, gently unwinding the tension and contraction often held in the throat, chest and body. Together we soften patterns of silence, people-pleasing and ancestral memory, allowing space for what has been held back to loosen and release.

As the body settles and the field clears, we reconnect with the clarity and strength that naturally lives within the voice. We move into vocal activation through breath, vibration and resonance, inviting sound to rise without force or performance. Ceremony songs, received through healing work, are shared as vibrational medicine, and voices are woven together in shared rhythm and remembrance.

This is a collective space of liberation, embodiment and sisterhood. We leave more connected to our own sound, more at home in expression, and with a renewed sense of voice as something sacred, relational and alive.

We turn toward the voice as an ancient instrument of comfort, connection and care. Across cultures and centuries, women have carried the practice of singing to those who are dying, unwell or vulnerable, using simple song to ease pain, express love and accompany moments of transition. This lineage speaks to both the social role of women as caregivers and the deeper, mystical power of the voice to hold tenderness and presence.

Together we enter an embodied exploration of this form of singing. Through gentle voice practices, visualisation and shared sound, we connect with our own ancestral female lines and archetypal images of the Mother. The music is simple and soothing, offered not as performance but as devotion. We sing together in community, blending voices in an act of care, remembrance and love. Some sacred lullabies learned here may be shared in the Saturday evening concert.

We come together in midlife to turn toward longing for love, intimacy and joyful play as vital forces, rather than indulgences. We gather in a held circle, opening shared space through ritual and attentive listening, allowing honesty and presence to shape the field.

Together we take time to name what is stirring, giving language to emerging desires while gently noticing the emotional, relational or practical edges that may be present. Attention is also given to recognising the resources, capacities and support already within reach. From this grounded place, we draw on collective wisdom, sharing insight and imagination to explore how more lightness, pleasure and connection might be consciously invited into daily life.

This shared inquiry supports clarity, courage and movement, without urgency or performance. We leave feeling seen and resourced, carrying practical ideas and renewed permission to pursue joy, intimacy and play in ways that feel true, relational and alive.

We gather in Sacred Space to reconnect with the sensuality, wisdom and aliveness of the breasts as a source of pleasure, nourishment and embodied knowing. Many women discover that cultivating a conscious relationship with this part of the body can support breast health, sensitivity, confidence and heart-centred pleasure. All breasts are welcome here, regardless of size, shape, sensitivity, or whether one or both breasts have been removed. Sensation, connection and pleasure remain available in many forms.

Together we explore gentle, empowering somatic practices using awareness, breath, movement and touch to deepen relationship with the body. We also reflect on breast anatomy, wellbeing and the understanding held in ancient cultures about breast energy and its role in vitality and self-love. As pleasure ripples through the body, we notice how embodiment supports emotional connection and self-trust.

This session is explicitly clothes-on, with no nudity. Children are welcome to attend with carers. You’re invited to bring cushions, a shawl or sarong, and a willingness to meet your body with curiosity, tenderness and care.

We gather to create and wear our plant selves, working with herbal paints and simple design to bring connection with plants onto the body.

Each maiden begins by creating her own face design, drawing inspiration from plants, shapes and patterns that call to her. From there, we work together in pairs or small groups, painting one another and learning how to apply the herbal colours with care and attention.

As we move through the process, there is a sense of working together, sharing touch, creativity and expression. The plants become part of how we decorate and see one another, and the act of painting becomes a way of building connection, confidence and sisterhood within the group.

Each maiden leaves wearing her design, carrying both the experience of creating it and being part of something shared.

We gather in circle to learn the drum as a rhythm of the body and heart, working together with sound, movement and attention.

Beginning with a simple introduction to the drum and its lineage, we move into feeling rhythm through the body, learning how to follow heartbeat patterns and play together as a group. No experience is needed, and drums are provided.

As the rhythm builds, we work through cycles of release and renewal, using the drum to let go of what feels ready to move and to call in what is wanted. There is space for rest, breath and noticing what shifts along the way.

We close with simple integration through expression, with the option to share or simply sit with the experience, allowing the rhythm to settle back into the body.

We gather to enter the practice of Kalaripayattu, an ancient South Indian martial art that weaves movement, breath and awareness into a living discipline. Through guided sequences and partner work, the body is strengthened and refined, building mobility, coordination and a steady sense of inner resilience.

As we move, attention settles into the relationship between body and mind. The practice invites a clear sense of boundary, confidence and presence, shaped through rhythm, repetition and embodied awareness. Each movement becomes a place of focus, where strength and sensitivity develop together.

Rooted in traditional lineages and offered in an accessible way, this session opens a direct experience of vitality through the body. It offers a way to engage discipline as a form of care, awakening clarity, strength and a deeper connection to one’s own capacity.

We turn our attention back toward the sun, reconsidering a relationship that has shifted from reverence to fear. Once honoured as life-giving, the sun is now often approached only through the lens of damage and risk. Together we explore a fuller understanding of this powerful presence, holding both respect and discernment.

We look at how skin responds to sun exposure, what contributes to skin damage and cancer, and how care, awareness and informed choice shape protection over time. Natural ingredients such as herbs, oils and butters are introduced as allies in tending the skin, offering nourishment alongside protection. As part of this shared exploration, we work with a sun-protective cream, learning how it is made and why each element matters.

Each woman leaves with a small sample to try and a simple recipe, carrying practical knowledge alongside a renewed relationship with the sun that is informed, respectful and grounded.

We gather to reflect on the weekend and begin shaping what each maiden will carry home.

Through movement, creativity and reflection, attention is brought to what feels nourishing now, what has been learned, and what support is needed moving forward. We explore simple ways of caring for the body, emotions and mind, working with gentle practices that can be used in daily life.

Drawing on nature, rhythm and personal experience, each maiden creates her own symbols, cards or visual reminders, alongside a simple self-care ritual that feels genuine and doable.

We close in circle, acknowledging what is needed, what is changing, and how each maiden will continue to support herself beyond the gathering.

We gather to create a stick witch, working with natural and upcycled materials to bring a small figure to life.

Using a found stick, a hand-crafted clay face and simple sewing, each maiden builds her own figure through hands-on making. There is space to shape, decorate and respond to what emerges, allowing each piece to become personal.

This is a practical and creative session, with each maiden leaving with a finished piece to take home.

We gather back together in circle to reflect on the weekend, taking time to notice what has been experienced, created and felt.

There is space to look back over the sessions, to share, listen and begin to make sense of what each maiden is taking with her. Attention is given to what stands out, what has shifted, and what may continue to unfold beyond the gathering.

From here, we gently prepare to rejoin the wider group for the closing ceremony, bringing our own experiences into the collective space. This is a moment of coming back together, before returning home, carrying what has been gathered in our own way.