A SPIRITUAL RETREAT FOR WOMEN
October 11-15, 2023
Oxford, England
As a woman committed to living your highest potential, finding the voice of your deepest self is essential. It is this voice that anchors you to and illuminates your path.
If you’re here, chances are, you know you have a bigger purpose than what you’re living right now, but you don’t know how to access it or haven’t had the right support.
Why this retreat and why now?
Every woman I know has experienced being silenced. Usually, it happens early, and more than once. The silencing is both personal and cultural. These experiences lead you to conclude that your voice and your wisdom are crazy, not important, illogical, or unnecessary. You decide, both consciously and unconsciously, to conform to other’s views of who you are in order to make your way in the world. You learn to hedge, keep your voice private and to doubt its value altogether.
It’s not that you don’t speak. You do. It’s that the voice you speak is the voice society wants you to speak. It’s not the deepest, most true, most alive, most Light-filled voice of your feminine Soul.
There’s unconscious fear around speaking THAT one.
Please step beyond this fear!
The world needs your Voice, your Light, and your feminine Wisdom.
Does YOUR Voice hide?
Some women get erased a little at a time, some all at once. Some reappear.
Every woman who appears wrestles with the forces that would have her disappear. ~ Rebecca Solnit
Does your voice hide behind symptoms in your body?
The silenced voice tries to get your attention in this way. When you silence your Soul’s expression, the blocked energy eventually shows up in your physical body. This is always true! How to tune into this ‘symptom’ as an expression not yet expressed is something you will learn in the retreat.
Does your Voice suffocate from your busyness?
In our world, busyness has become a status symbol. Yet, busyness is a disease. It disconnects you from your deepest spiritual knowing of who you are and why you are here. To hear your Voice you must slow down. In this retreat you will be guided into deep Stillness where you experience your most real Self.
Is your Voice buried beneath unconscious shame?
Shame mutes the tongue. Culturally and collectively, the female body is shamed daily. It doesn’t take long for little girls to sense that their bodies are objectified. By adolescence, it’s quite real. If you don’t feel safe in your body, you don’t don’t feel safe to speak up. In this retreat we will discuss this phenomenon in our sharing circle and explore how to resist those forces that would break our Spirit and silence us.
Do you recognize your silenced genius in other people’s wisdom?
And then say, “I said that years ago!” You may be quite conscious of your own wisdom yet fear standing behind it. When you stand behind it, you become visible. The very definition of standing behind your Voice means to share it, to use it to serve others, or to speak it to create greater harmony in your life. Being visible is scary in particular ways for women. You may be comfortable with being the ‘nice’ woman, the ‘loving’ woman, the ‘intellectual’ woman, or the ‘business’ woman—yet be quite scared to give voice to your anger, your opinion, your truth, your Soul’s deepest message. In this retreat we will talk about being visible and how to step through those fears as they arise.
Did your Voice go mute in order to conform to this world?
Everyone conforms. Yet, when you are on the Heroine’s Journey, by very definition you must throw away the culture’s rulebook when you begin. Did you do that yet? Are you still conforming in some way that feels painful to your heart and soul? For instance, are you distracted from focusing on your creativity because you think you should be married by now? Do you avoid taking action on your heart’s desire because you are in the third act of your life and think you should just relax and travel or that it’s too late anyway? To arrive at the end of the Heroine’s Journey, where you bring to the world your greatest contribution having visited the depths of your trials and the heights of your Spirit, you must throw away the rulebook. In this retreat we’ll explore the Heroine’s Journey and support each other to toss the rulebook out!
When your voice hides in these ways
then your life unfolds around silences
until you stop and transform them.
This is where I come in!
Hi! I’m Nancy Swisher and my entire life has been devoted to this subject. I understood the voice of my Essence when I was a young girl. Some of you may know this story from my memoir, The Life That Woke Me Up Was My Own. When I was five years old, the milkman at my father’s store stopped to ask me a question as he stacked the cartons of milk. I was playing on the sidewalk that morning, listening to the sounds of the creek across the road. He looked down at me and said, “What do you what to be when you grow up?” Without hesitation, I replied, “I already am who I want to be.” I spoke my Voice that morning—the voice of my Essence. The clear knowing I had then that who I am is consciousness, that who I am is a Being, got lost like it does for all of us: through conditioning, experiences, traumas and the choices made to ‘make it’ in the world.
I never forgot the feeling, however. Through study, training, and practice, I’ve oriented my entire life around understanding the Voice that got lost and why and how to retrieve it again. My book traces the arc of this journey. We’ll be using passages from my book as we identify some common areas of each woman’s journey towards unsilencing the feminine soul.
More about our Retreat. ⬇️
Your Deepest Soul’s Voice
What is the source of our first suffering?
It lies in the fact that we hesitated to speak…
It was born in the moments we accumulated silent things within us. ~Gaston Bachelard
As women we have hidden our Voice for fear of ridicule or worse—and yes, we were burned for expressing this Light of intuitive knowing. This fear is in our collective psyche. We’ve accumulated silent things within us both personally and collectively. Now is the time to move beyond these silences, to reconnect to our Voice and stand behind it.
No matter how big or small your voice is—no matter how far it reaches into what we call the greater public—the power of aligning with your own Voice brings to the world an essential piece of our collective consciousness. In other words, YOU matter.
Each Day at Our Retreat
It is frightening when a woman finally realizes
that there is no answer to the question ‘who am I’
except the voice inside herself. ~ Betty Friedan
These are the four main practices each day at our retreat.
Stillness
You are never more fully yourself than when you are still inside. Each day we will enter into Stillness several times. You will connect to a Presence and power that is all loving and all knowing. You will realize the consciousness of the Universe individualized as YOU. Silence is not easy, but eventually an uncommon peace ensues. You connect to Divine ideas and to a sense of security that is real. We will utilize breathwork, waking meditation, and other avenues for going deeply within.
Writing
Your Essence must be expressed in order to be realized. The word gives form to the unformed. The greater the consciousness behind the word, the more power it has. You will discover your Voice anew each time we write together. Your writing will both express your Voice and lead you into your heart. Authentic lives require authentic voices and authentic linguistic choices. This is not the kind of writing you learned in school! It is the kind where your Spirit meets your words.
Healing
The root of the word ‘heal’ is the same as the root of the word ‘whole’. Believing untrue things about oneself causes all of the emotional pain we typically seek to remedy. Healing is the process of becoming conscious of these unconscious beliefs. You will be safe in this retreat to heal what needs to be healed at this point in time. Each person will have the opportunity for one to one facilitation with Nancy. “We must do away with all that hinders true growth, all the little thoughts that hinder us from becoming.”
Women’s Circle
Feeling lonely can be triggering and disempowering for women who walk a transformational journey. In this retreat you will experience the power of being seen for who you are on a Soul level. Through talking, laughing, eating together, sharing deeply, and revealing truths, we will create a connection of Love that resides in your heart long after the retreat ends. “We cannot be ourselves without each other.”
Your Retreat Manual!
A comprehensive teaching workbook about the Find Your Voice Upward Spiral Journey.
The 2023 edition is revised and expanded! The teachings, practices, and processes are all ready for you to use at the retreat and take home.
Starting with teachings about Consciousness and moving into a history of women being silenced, your manual will support you as a reference to return to over and over.
We will cover every point on the upward spiral.
When You Complete This Program
- You will realize that the voice within you is an infinite source of wisdom, love, and direction and will stop searching outside yourself. In turn, your confidence and passion to create will be exponentially greater. You will begin new projects and deepen those you are already working on.
- You will have the tools to cultivate the Voice of your Essence with a daily spiritual practice of your own design.
- The fears that have kept you silent and scared you into conformity will be put into perspective. Gone? Maybe. But power is when we know how to respond to the conditioned mind when it arises in the moment — and you will become masterful at this.
- You will experience the pure joy of speaking and writing from that deepest part of your Self. Those words become your anchor and the Light that gives you direction. Nothing and no one can ever take this away.
- Clarity about your gifts and how to present them to the world!
Remarks from Past Participants
“Incredible, paradigm-shifting writing and spiritual retreat with Nancy and some amazing women. I had no idea what was in store. My heart is now bursting!”
“I was blown away by the effect my own words had on the group. I had no idea that my voice and my words would ever convey such awesome power. Thank you, Nancy, for your courage to help me to strengthen and nourish my own.”
“I have left the retreat feeling connected to my Essence, my Spirit, myself. Calm and ready to move forward on my path from a new place of Being.”
“Thank you for organizing a weekend that more than fulfilled my expectations. Did I find my voice? Yes. Will I be able to stand behind it? I hope so! The Abbey was at once silent and peaceful. We all shared a slice of monastic life.”
“The retreat was a revelation for me. The atmosphere of the Abbey has vastly contributed to the comfort and well being of the wonderful shared experience of our group.”
“The wealth of emotion, creativity and life experiences we all shared re-affirmed for me that our spiritual connection transcends all differences. Please continue this great work!”
“The retreat with Nancy reconnected me to my Self. It awakened my Heart and gave me tools to keep the connection alive! I came here wanting to find a trust within myself and that trust is emerging. It’s been wonderful!”
“If you want to know who you are and what your purpose is here on earth—in the present moment—then sign up for Nancy’s wisdom and retreat!”
“Being within the collective of like-minded women gave me the energy and support for my writing and spiritual journey. Writing from the heart-space was so powerful!”
“I loved the solidarity with other women and connecting to my self and spirit within a group setting to celebrate the divine feminine! The session on manifesting my heart’s desire was my favorite! And of course, being with Nancy and hearing her read from her book.”
REGISTER HERE!
If you need a payment plan, Contact Nancy
(Conversion rate approximately $1434 Private and $1107 Shared.)
Our Beautiful Retreat Center
The Abbey Sutton Courtney
The Abbey is a unique medieval building, set in extensive grounds, tucked away in the small village of Sutton Courtenay, just 10 miles south of Oxford.
The Abbey is surrounded by 4 acres of beautiful grounds that include mature trees, a woodland path, a labyrinth and tranquil sitting areas, which all guests are welcome to explore and enjoy. There are also fine walks through the old village and along the nearby Thames.
All meals are vegetarian and prepared from fresh ingredients, including produce from the Abbey’s kitchen garden. During our morning and afternoon breaks you will have homemade treats and fresh fruit available, along with tea and coffee.
The meeting room for our retreat is comfortable, quiet, and has a fireplace!
Upon registration, you will receive details of directions and what to bring.
Accommodations and Monetary Investment
The rooms at the Abbey are simple and sweet. All rooms have shared bath; however there are a few private rooms available. All other rooms are double with twin beds. Prices listed below include: Accommodation for four nights, all meals, and retreat sessions.
Retreat with private room: £1097
Retreat with double room: £847
Email Nancy at nancy@nancyswisher.com if you want to ask any questions to make sure this retreat is a good fit for you.
NOTE:
Attendance is limited to 12 women so that deep healing, writing, and transformation is guaranteed!
Cancellation Policy:
There’s a £290 non-refundable cancellation fee for all registrations. If you cancel prior to June 1, you
will be refunded the full fee minus the £290. Any cancellations after June 1 will not receive a refund.
Endorsements of Nancy’s ‘Find Your Voice’ Programs
Based on my experience, I think Nancy’s coaching is so profoundly effective because she has developed authentic authority through devoting her own life, time, money, and attention to her own path of development. She has done the work to Find her Voice. She has cultured the commitment and self-love to Stand Behind It. From there, her own life has been beautifully shaped into an instrument that naturally empowers others in her sphere of influence to make their own unique contributions to changing the world!
So, if you have a chance to work with Nancy, TAKE IT!!! She is a true master, and she will help you become the true master of your own life and work!
It is hard to put into words the immense impact Nancy’s Find your Voice program has had in my life. Through my work with Nancy, I was able to identify how my silencing occurred and the impact it had on the trajectory of my life. I have come to live my life from a deeply conscious place, in alignment with my life purpose, connected to my inherent joy and deep understanding of my own voice and wisdom.
Since intensifying my practice and work with Nancy, a miracle has occurred—-I’ve transformed my consciousness from feeling like a victim of what was happening around me to being an advocate and taking up the space I need; I’ve stopped suppressing my true expression and found my voice; I’ve moved from resignation to being the co-creator of my experience… A massive shift!
Nancy has helped me to transform my life, from finding my voice, to shining a light on my subconscious fears and beliefs, to helping me realize and connect to the source of all that I am. To say I am grateful is beyond words. Her gentle, always supportive and illuminating insights makes her a most gifted and wonderful guide for anyone seeking to find and express themselves at their highest being. I cannot recommend her enough.
Is this Retreat right for me?
See our top FAQ’s
Is there any free time during the retreat?
Yes. There is a two-hour lunch break, which gives plenty of time to take a walk, journal or nap, whatever you need to do. There are also a couple shorter breaks during the morning and afternoon sessions.
What’s the length of the retreat?
We begin on Wednesday, July 3rd at 18:30 (6:30 pm) with our evening meal as a group. You can arrive any time that day after 16:00 (4 pm).
We end on Sunday, July 7th after our noon meal at which is served at 13:00 (1 pm).
Can the Abbey accommodate my dietary restrictions?
All food is vegetarian and freshly made for you in the Abbey’s kitchen. Restricted diets can be provided for genuine medical reasons (with 14 days notice) so if you have this need you would let Nancy know and she will let the Abbey know. You will also have access to a kitchen area in the building where you stay.
Do I already have to know meditation?
You do not need to know how to meditate! Nancy will teach you a couple meditative practices that are part of the Find Your Voice curriculum.
How much is the investment?
Included in the fees listed below is your room, all meals, and all retreat sessions!
For a private room the fee is £1097 (approximately $1434)
Retreat with double room is £847 (approximately $1107)
REGISTER HERE!
If you need a payment plan, Contact Nancy
(Conversion rate approximately $1434 Private and $1107 Shared.)
Have other questions or need help enrolling?
Just email nancy@nancyswisher.com
Nancy Swisher, MA, MFA is Transformational Coach and Spiritual Mentor and the author of The Life That Woke Me Up Was My Own: A Memoir. She has been supporting women to heal, transform, and evolve in consciousness for over 28 years. She teaches her Find Your Voice and Stand Behind It Retreat in Oxford, England and has taught at Kripalu Center in western Massachusetts, and in Iowa City. For a 1:1 experience of the Find Your Voice Journey, Nancy offers the powerful Mentorship Program. And for a community experience she created the Find Your Voice Women's Club. When she isn’t working inside her business, she writes, studies, contemplates the Presence within, and has soulful conversations with friends.
For a look at Nancy's Education and Certifications click here.
We meditate and then begin to speak and write from the depth of our truth, whether the truth is despair or hope, bliss or fear, love or anger. All of it is part of the whole—the whole of the feminine psyche and heart.
We heal the world by healing our Self. We find our Voice from knowing our Essence. We change the world by standing behind our Voice.
