Heart-based songstress, Hester Fraser, known to audiences as Goldheist, and mindfulness and meditation teacher and mentor, Sharn Rocco PhD and have combined their talents, wisdom and love of life, music and the strength of women to create a unique, uplifting retreat that is not to be missed.
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Meditation and Women's Song Circle is being held at The Old Monastery at Stroud from May 15-16.
There is accommodation at the venue for the full two-day retreat, or you can attend one day, half a day, or just come for Goldheist's concert, Spellbound, where Hester will perform her original songs and stories in a concert that will be open to the community to attend.
You don't need to know how to meditate, and neither do you have to have singing chops; even if you're strictly a shower-singer you are invited to explore and lift your voice in "heart and harmony".
You will be guided in singing sessions by Hester, with each session beginning and ending with a mindfulness meditation practice led by Sharn. Everything is invitational.
It's the second time Hester and Sharn have come together at Stroud for the retreat, with the first being held in May 2023.
"I think the thing that I enjoyed about it last time was the connectivity," Hester said.
Unlocking voices and beautiful energy
As a vocalist and performer, Hester found it tricky initially maintaining meditative silence in between singing sessions.
"I found that the connectivity was there regardless, and that music actually is powerful enough to overcome those constraints of silence and I think that's pretty incredible. And I found that a really special sort of realisation that it actually can supersede all the normal day to day reality and communications that we have, can sort of supersede that. And still connect us roughly as people."
Hester is bringing the knowledge she learnt from last year's retreat to fine tune this year's workshops.
"I think last time I hadn't sort of explored working this way before. This time I feel like I have a little bit more of a sense of how to do it and which material resonates, and I think that's different for everyone to some extent. But, also, which material helps people unlock that voice inside them," Hester said.
"For me the things I'm looking forward to are seeing voices unlocked and, and witnessing that sort of lovely release and the great energy that you get from singing, that beautiful energy that we share when we all sing together."
Magical venue
The Old Monastery at Stroud is a magical venue for retreats. Surrounded by towering gums, rambling gardens, and lotus ponds, the monastery has handmade mud-brick walls, brick-paved halls and cosy communal areas. If you stay for the full two-day retreat you will have your own room overlooking the gardens.
If you're a lover of good food, you'll be glad you came just for the food. Each nourishing meal is made mindfully and dietary requirements will be catered for.
For more information and to book tickets, go to events.humanitix.com/copy-of-meditation-and-women-s-song-circle.
