Odysseys with Wholeness

Nicola Mary Christensen-Johnson

Imbolc Retreat

Saturday 28 January - Saturday 4 February 2023

Imbolc – 1 February – is the Celtic festival that marks the halfway point between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In the Christian calendar it is known as Candlemas, the day candles are blessed to celebrate the end of the dark nights of winter and the return of the light. Here in Denmark, the days will get longer by 4 to 5 minutes per day, a quickening that lasts until Beltane.

Imbolc is the feast day of Saint Brigid, a much-celebrated holiday in Ireland when women make crosses from straw or rushes and display them in the snow with candles to invoke fertility and prosperity. Saint Brigid is the patron saint of poetry, healing and creativity. She is the muse of inspiration and the protectress of childbirth. Her three symbols are the spinning wheel for creation, the cauldron for rebirth and the mirror which facilitates entrance into other realms and dimensions.

A lightly structured programme

Under the auspicious patronage of Saint Brigid, I would like to dedicate the Imbolc retreat to exploring what uplifts and supports our creativity.

  • What are the next creative endeavours we are called to take on?
  • What are we being nudged to initiate, unapologetically and even outrageously?
  • What are the truths in our hearts we are being encouraged to voice?  

 

There are plenty of exciting questions to nurture our explorations and usher us into the imaginal realm.

We will start the day with a 30-minute meditation held between 7.45 and 8.15 followed by breakfast. Then the day is ours to structure according to resonances and inner promptings.

On our pilgrimage of identity and purpose, focusing on reclaiming our sovereign creatorship, we might nurture our inspiration and creative sparks with some art work or craftmanship. We can engage in constellation work and intuitive readings for stimulating inner guidance. And we can open ourselves to the splendours of the winter landscape.

I would like to take you to my special places in the woods. If we are blessed, which we surely are, we might get a sighting of the white stag who dwells nearby. I will introduce you to the standing stones, the perfect place for setting up an Imbolc altar with candles, snowdrops and a Brigid cross. And no stay in Yggdrasil Guest Lodge would be complete without spending some time in the nearby round church of Østerlars.

Lunch will be served between 12.30 and 13.30 depending on the morning activities. Evening meals are served between 18.00 and 19.00, again depending on the afternoon activities. We will share the preparations of the meals and tend to our well-being by caring for the home.

Practical information

The cost of the retreat is 4.000,00 kr.

This includes accommodation for seven nights in Yggdrasil Guest Lodge, food and drinks for the duration of the retreat, pick up and drop off at the airport or the port depending on how you get to Bornholm, transport around the island.

The guest lodge is an eco-friendly community house specifically designed for hosting retreats. It boasts comfortable rooms, state-of-the-art bathrooms, an excellent internet connection, the sense of being immersed in nature, a spacious and luminous workspace for our time together, a powerful meditation circle, and plenty of cosy corners for getting a taste of Danish hygge.

Getting to Bornholm

When planning your itinerary, the best option is to head for Copenhagen. From there you can either ‘green fly’ by taking the shuttle flight to Bornholm with Danish Air Transport (DAT), or you can take the less green option of coach and ferry with Kombardo Express. They have a stop at the airport and the journey takes around 2 ½ hours.

There is a night ferry leaving Køge which is South of Copenhagen, arriving at 6am in Rønne the main town on the island. There is also a ferry connection between Bornholm and Germany which runs only on certain days in winter.

I am happy to help you plan your itinerary and discuss various options. Contact me and will set up a call to do so.