Is This Retreat Really For Me? An Invitation to Come as You Are.
Image from our Wild Sanctuary Overnight Retreat last year during our Tea Ceremony.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28
The Questions We Quietly Carry
We’ve recently reflected on Jesus' invitation to come away and rest, and we've imagined what it might feel like to spend a weekend immersed in prayer, gentle movement, nature, and community. Yet even as our hearts begin to long for that kind of space, another voice often begins to whisper questions and hesitations.
Would I fit in?
I've never been to a retreat before.
What if I don't know anyone?
I'm not very flexible.
What if everyone else has it all together?
These are questions, hesitations, and points of tension we've heard many times, and perhaps you've felt them yourself. They are deeply human questions and concerns—They speak to our desire to belong and our fear that we might somehow arrive not quite ready, not quite enough, or not quite like everyone else.
The beautiful truth is this: there is no perfect way to come on retreat.
You Don't Have to Earn Your Place
At Wild Sanctuary, we believe that retreat is not something reserved for people who have mastered stillness, know all the right prayers, or can hold every yoga pose with ease. It is a space for ordinary women who are simply willing to show up with open hands.
You don't need to have experience with yoga.
Our movement practices are gentle, accessible, and always offered with options so that you can honor your own body. The yoga sessions offered throughout the weekend are about becoming more present to yourself and to God's loving presence within you. We even have a ‘Yoga 101’ on the schedule this year for anyone who wants to explore some of the basics in a safe environment so you feel prepared for the rest of the retreat, and can approach other yoga asana classes and experiences outside of the retreat with confidence.
You don't need to have all the answers, either.
Whether your faith feels vibrant or uncertain, joyful or tender, or anything in between, you are welcome. Retreat is not a place where we're expected to arrive with certainty; it's a place where we make room to listen, to explore our uncertainty in safety, and to invite the Spirit to speak to us in the places that need releasing, softening, answers, or clarity.
There Is Freedom in Coming Alone
One of the questions we hear most often is, "Can I come by myself?" Our answer is always a wholehearted yes.
In fact, many women arrive knowing no one else! While that can perhaps feel a little vulnerable at first, it often becomes one of the unexpected gifts of the weekend—every woman on retreat holds the potential of a new friend! Plus, there is something beautiful about gathering with women who come from different walks of life yet share a common longing to slow down and encounter God in fresh ways.
There will be moments of conversation and shared laughter, as well as moments of quiet reflection. There is no pressure to be outgoing or perform, and no pressure to slink into the background if you're someone who is naturally outgoing and curious. You are free to participate, to listen, to rest, and simply to be yourself, exactly as you are.
Again and again, we've watched strangers become companions, not because they were trying to impress one another, but because they were willing to be present together.
You Are Welcome Here
Perhaps the most important thing we hope you know is this: you don't have to become someone else before saying yes to retreat.
Come if you're weary.
Come if you're joyful.
Come if you're carrying grief.
Come if you've been longing to reconnect with God.
Come if you've been longing to reconnect with yourself.
Come if you're simply curious about what it might feel like to spend a weekend slowing down.
Wherever you find yourself, we believe God delights in meeting people exactly where they are. There is no expectation that you arrive already refreshed or spiritually "put together" with ‘correct’ answers, ideas, or theology already sorted out. There is only an invitation to receive the gift of being held by grace, surrounded by beauty, and welcomed into a community that values authenticity over perfection, curiosity over certainty, and
We'd Love to Welcome You
If you've been wondering whether the Wild Sanctuary Overnight Retreat might be for you, perhaps this is your gentle reminder that you don't have to have everything figured out before accepting the invitation. We would be honored to welcome you just as you are.
Registration for our Wild Sanctuary Overnight Retreat taking place October 9th - 11th is open now through September 6. If you'd like to learn more about the weekend, explore the schedule, or reserve your place, you can visit our retreat page.
Whether we'll meet you this October or not, our prayer is that you would know the deep truth of Jesus' invitation: that His welcome has never depended on having it all together. His arms have always been open, and there is always room to come just as you are.