Our very first retreat
It all began with an idea, I started imaging a place where people could getaway from their busy lives & societal pressures. I wanted to create a retreat experience that was easy and allowed people to feel present & free. I wanted to curate groups that would connect on an emotional & spiritual level allowing them to relate & support each other during their stay. This was my dream I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to uplifting people to find joy in life but I didn’t know in what aspect until the day I decided to create these Safe Spaces.
So, fast forward to September 2021 I found a beautiful retreat location in Newburgh NY on a hill with a stunning view of the Hudson River. Everything about this space felt right. Before the guests arrived I quickly began decorating the rooms with flowers, putting goodie bags on everyones bed, and prepared a soul food dinner to feed a group of five. The girls started arriving to the house they soon got settled and ready for dinner. We all sat down at the dining room table surrounded by a beautiful meal and started to get to know each other. Introductions turned into sharing life stories & soon the strangers who just arrived became quick friends. We roasted some smores by the fire pit & turned it in for the night.
The next day we all headed to the Washburn Trail in Cold Springs, NY for a four hour hike. After our hike we headed home to relax, reset, and prepare for dinner & a meditation. One of the women even jumped into our Higher Dose Sauna Bed to ease some of the soreness from the hike. After dinner we jumped in the Hot tub for some much needed soaking & than turned it in for another exciting day.
Our Last day in the Hudson Valley we explored the town of Beacon where we ended up grabbing some doughnuts from a super cute spot called Glazed Over. We decided to head to Long Dock Park for a peaceful picnic where we shared affirmations & soaked in the beautiful environment. To our surprise the park was hosting kayak rentals that day we jumped on the opportunity and kayaked the Hudson River for a few Hours. After a long day of kayaking and glazed over doughnuts we headed home for a paint & sip activity where we created our own memory boxes. Finished the night with another family dinner, s’mores session, hot tubbing, and sharing the rest of our stories.
Every Bit of this experience gave us the motivation to continue providing these retreats to our community. Five strangers came to house & left a family, left recharged, and left inspired. This was the start of our Safe Space Journey.
Shot by @pangaeaultimanyc
