The Sanctuary Within
An intimate women’s retreat held in winter’s womb and rooted in the red tent tradition.
Now Welcoming Applications
January 2027 Gathering
An Intimate Women’s Retreat at Shimmering Ridge Sanctuary
There are stories women carry that rarely find space to be spoken aloud.
Not because they are unimportant, but because so few spaces exist that are capable of holding them gently.
The Sanctuary Within is an intimate gathering devoted to rest, honesty, sacred sisterhood, and the quiet remembering of what it means to simply be fully human together. It is intentionally held in deep winter as we welcome the opportunity to go within the warmth and safety of a co-created womb-space.
This is not a retreat centered around becoming someone new. Transformation is not the assignment.
It is an invitation to return — to the body, to inner knowing, to shared wisdom, and to the lived experiences that shape us as women moving through the many seasons of life.
Creating the Sanctuary Together
Before stories are shared, before rituals begin, and before the circle gathers, we first create the environment that will hold us all. Each Sanctuary Within gathering is co-created by the women who enter it. Using the colors of the deep feminine—reds, burgundy, wine, magenta, deep amber, and purple, we immerse ourselves in the womb of winter.
Prior to arrival, each participant will be invited to bring one or more meaningful items to contribute to the shared sanctuary space during our time together. These are not gifts or offerings to be left behind, but rather personal pieces of beauty, comfort, symbolism, memory, or sacredness that will temporarily become part of the living atmosphere of the sanctuary itself.
Textiles, candles, books, fabrics, flowers, heirlooms, art, pillows, altar pieces, meaningful objects, or simple treasures gathered from daily life are all welcome. Together, these contributions become part of the unfolding spirit of the space.
No two Sanctuary Within gatherings will ever look exactly alike.
Each one carries the unique energy, stories, aesthetics, and presence of the particular women gathered within it, becoming a reflection of the circle itself. The creation of the sanctuary upon arrival — and its gentle dismantling at the close of the retreat — are both considered meaningful parts of the ritual experience.
The imagery shared throughout this page is intended not as a fixed design to replicate, but as an invitation into possibility — a visual starting place for imagining the kinds of beauty, comfort, warmth, and sacred presence each woman may choose to bring into the sanctuary and share with the circle for a little while.
Within a safeguarded environment, the heart naturally begins to soften. From that place, the work of the retreat unfolds gently…
Storytelling and the sacred practice of witnessing
Conversations surrounding the Divine Feminine, the motherline, and the lived experience of womanhood
Communal meals prepared and shared together
Ritual, beauty, and the co-creation of sacred space
Space for rest, reflection, and personal practice
Divination and energy work that invite deeper awareness
Nature, movement and meditation
Nothing is required to be shared.
There is no expectation to perform, explain, or arrive in any particular way.
You are welcome exactly as you are.
The Sanctuary Within gathering will be held as an intimate retreat, allowing space for depth, emotional safety, and the kinds of honest conversations that are so often left unspoken.
This space is held with care, respect, and clear boundaries so that each woman may feel safe to soften, breathe deeply, and simply be. You do not need to follow any particular belief system to feel at home here. Bring your own beliefs and practices, with respect for those of the women beside you.
If your heart recognizes something here, perhaps this circle has already begun quietly calling your name.
What Our Days Together May Look Like
The Sanctuary Within has a thoughtful flow, with room for each gathering to become its own. Here is a glimpse of what four days at the Ridge may hold.
Thursday — Arrival and opening. Arrive in the afternoon, settle into your room, and join the other women in creating our shared sanctuary space. We’ll gather for dinner and open the circle that evening.
Friday and Saturday — The heart of the retreat. Mornings may begin with quiet practice and breakfast, followed by teaching, conversation, and the sacred practice of witnessing. Across the two days, you may experience divination, energy work, time in the forest, reflection, and communal meals. There is space to rest and be alone as well as time to gather.
Sunday — Closing and departure. After breakfast, we’ll close the circle and prepare to carry what matters into the days ahead.
You do not need to arrive with a story to tell or a particular outcome in mind. Sharing is always your choice. The retreat is designed as a complete experience, and you are welcome to honor a need for quiet or rest along the way.
At a Glance
The January 7–10, 2027 gathering is four days and three nights in Tiger, Georgia, with a circle of approximately five women. The $2,250 investment includes accommodations, meals, retreat experiences, and materials. Shimmering Ridge is a lived-in home with two resident cats. Participation involves stairs, uneven ground, and unpaved forest paths with elevation changes.
The first step is an application. I personally review each one; women invited to join the circle then receive an acceptance email and registration packet with the next steps.
Now Welcoming Applications
Applications are now being welcomed for a thoughtfully composed circle of five women.
Jan 7-10, 2027
Tiger, Georgia
Long after the candles are extinguished and the fabrics folded away, something of the sanctuary continues to live quietly within the women who gathered there.
…and always will