Spend the Autumn Equinox immersed in nature, movement and community in the beautiful Kawarthas with Steph and Thu! The Autumn Equinox represents a special time as we shift from the more Yang, action oriented season of summer, to the more Yin-like embrace of Fall. Together, we will welcome the things we are ready to let go of, and prepare our bodies, minds and spirits to receive the abundant nourishment of the Earth in Harvest season.
Your hosts and guides for the day will welcome you into an outdoor space - our home in an old school house we lovingly call Nusqool - with an invitation to connect with your True Self and embody your Divine Feminine. The day retreat will start at 1pm and wrap up by 8pm - and you’re invited to join some or all.
We will circle up and reset our nervous system through a variety of embodiment practices like Qi Gong, Yoga, Energy Medicine, TRE (Trauma and Tension Release Exercises), Meditation, and group Reiki. You’ll also have free time to journal, pull oracle cards, walk in nature, share, hang on a hammock, pick apples and eat nourishing food from the land and local farms. There’s a conservation area close by for hiking should you like to visit as well.
At sunset, you’ll be guided into an Ecstatic Dance journey, set on our peat moss dance floor (bring dancing socks if you’d like) and wrap up the day in a closing circle. You can choose to stay and camp over night* or drive home and rest in your own bed.
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This is a rejuvenating in-person day retreat for like minded guests to spend the day away from the city, and intentionally welcome in the transition from summer to fall by connecting to ourselves and each other. So much magic has happened since we moved into this old school house 4 years ago from Toronto and we can’t wait to share this space with you.
Nusqool can be found here in Kawartha Lakes. (~1.5h from Toronto - south of Lindsay or ~ 2.5 hrs from Hamilton)
*The overnight option requires you to have your own tent and set up to camp overnight. Stay the night to experience some bedtime Yoga Nidra, morning Qi Gong and breakfast in community and nature before you leave. This option requires an additional $25 investment.
What the day will look like:
You'll arrive anytime after 1pm with your yoga mat and journal at Nusqool, a single room school house turned home and studio in Kawartha Lakes and have an introductory circle to set our intentions for the day.
2-4pm: We will reset our nervous system and guide you through a variety of embodiment practices like Qi Gong, Yoga, Energy Medicine and TRE (Tension & Trauma Release Exercises).
4pm-6pm: Free time to journal, pull oracle cards, walking in nature (nearby you can find Windy Ridge Conservation area for a short hike), share stories, hang on a hammock, pick apples and have a nourishing vegetarian dinner grown on the land and in local farms.
6-8pm: Ecstatic dancing outdoors at sunset and closing circle.
You can plan to head home by 8pm or should you choose the overnight option, you can set up your tent and camp overnight and experience some bedtime yoga nidra, morning qi gong and breakfast before you leave on September 22nd by 12pm.
About Thu & Stephanie
We started collaborating 2 years ago in an online series called The Embodiment Circle - Connecting to your higher self for inner peace and then created an in-person workshop a few months ago for the summer solstice called Nervous System Reset. This will be our second in-person day retreat hosted at Nusqool, Thu's home and studio. We want to continue to design safe spaces the healing of our divine feminine mind, body and soul and promote a deep sense of connection, clarity, and peace from within.
Stephanie Debou, now a full time Yoga and Meditation Teacher, is a former Advertising Executive and Entrepreneur of 15+ years. Her own personal Yoga journey spans a much larger time frame over decades and several countries, but it wasn't until 2017 that she finally gave up her corporate high heels, board rooms and ergonomic chairs in favour of bare feet, yoga mats and meditative cushions. Stephanie has received 500 hours of Formal Training in Yoga and Meditation, and hundreds more as she pursued her studies that lead her into additional training, retreats and workshops for Restorative Yoga, Pre and Post Natal Yoga, Functional Movement, Rope Wall, and Barre. She has also recently completed her Holistic Doula training. It was in her latest training however, to become a Fertility Yoga Specialist, that she encountered the wisdom of Energy Medicine under a Master Teacher. It was the perfect compliment to her Yin yoga and more meditative practices, helping her dive deeper into the Subtle Body, Energetics, and our connection to Self and Spirit. Now her classes are a unique combination of her varied background, all infused with the healing effects of quite literally "tapping" into our energy bodies. Stephanie teaches yoga and meditation to all levels, in studio, in private, online, on retreat, and in corporate settings. Stephanie's unique blend of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Energy Medicine, Yoga and Meditation weave together in classes that are thoughtfully crafted, elegantly and compassionately delivered, and profoundly transformative.
Thu Nguyen, now a full time inner transformation leadership and somatic coach, is a former tech entrepreneur and CEO of several startups. She spent the earlier part of her life trying to fit in with the "winning gender" in patriarchy as a tom boy, and one of the few female computer engineers in her class, tech jobs in silicon valley and as a founder and completely lost her true self. Her divine feminine parts started to fight back and guide her through a journey of uterine cancer, diabetes, asthma and more chronic illnesses and guide her to meet mentors, guides, teachers in many wisdom traditions to bring her back to her body and authentic self. She has co-founded Nusqool as a place for people to reconnect to their true self through many practical modalities so they can live life with authenticity and purpose.
Cost of Day Retreat: $108 + HST = $125.43
Optional Overnight Camping Add-on: +$25
We're happy to offer pay-what-you-can tickets in exchange for you to do three acts of kindness and tell us about it. Please contact us!