6th - 10th november 2026
over new moon in magical marvao, portugal
The Sacred Dark Retreat:
A Woman’s Descent into Loving Transformation
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Your female body holds a sacred power that is uniquely yours.
Yet in our modern world, women are still on a quest to break free from the spell that numbed our bodies and taught us to mistrust our intuition, emotions and disconnect from the rites of passage that support the different seasons of our life.
But the truth is this:
No one benefits from a woman disconnected from power.
No one.
Not her partner. Not her children, family or friends. Not her community. Not the collective we all belong to.
No one.
Many women understand this intellectually.
Yet what is forgotten is that a woman's power does not live in her mind.
It lives in her capacity to move closer towards her tender parts and hold them with care.
It’s her willingness to move through cycles of grief, shedding and descent to retrieve the wisdom that lives there.
It’s in her listening to the loud and quiet signals of her body intuiting the world inside and around her with accuracy and precision.
It is in her courage to discern and trust her own deep listening.
the sacred dark is not just a lack of light, but a force that hums with aliveness.
“Fern created a truly magical space for life-altering alchemy for a circle of women willing to stay open and in love through it all.”
— Past Retreat ParticipantDouble-click to edit...
You are invited to magical Marvao for a four day retreat journey.
The Sacred Dark is an invitation to tend to your female body and psyche as we descend into the long dark night of winter.
Through embodied yoga and movement, somatic practices and group work, we will work to unwind tensions of the mind-body and restore the innate flame of what it is for you to be authentically you.
Could it be that this flame is your light in the dark as you navigate any threshold in life you might be crossing?
As women we journey through many moments of deep transition where we dissolve old versions of ourselves, ideals, relationships and emotional wounding.
Moments that require a complete rearrangement of body and psyche, that allow us to emerge as a more truer expression of who we are.
A woman who works intentionally through such passages finds deeper trust and maturity in herself, is able to relax into her body and create life from her most authentic place.
“This in depth work is so important and it is beautiful to witness” - participant
You will be supported with a rich retreat programme of:
Embodied Yoga, Movement and Dance
Somatics, breath work & Exposure Work
modern psychology, self enquiry, integration circles
sacred rituals, herbal sauna ceremony, healing with nature.
After the retreat:
integration homework
group sharing call
continued emotional support via telegram
the sacred dark retreat is for you if
You feel called to the mystery of the dark and sacred energies that open to us there.
You feel yourself at a “threshold” or deep transition and want to work with the wisdom of your body and psyche as you move through.
You want a professional and trauma literate retreat journey where the full spectrum of womanhood is welcome, where you will meet some edges and be held with care and love.
You want your system to be touched with heart, to receive the healing that only ever happens in sincere community.
You feel things build up inside and want a space to work with the emotions that are present.
You want to be lit up in psycho-education of the female nervous system so you can understand yourself more clearly.
You want to celebrate the glory in yourself and other women, to break the spell of envy and competition.
You want to feel your body come alive within wild nature, remembering how every rock, tree and body of water is a living being - just like you.
You are a lover of the Truth, and want to be in this world as the deepest expression of who you are knowing that your life is a gift.
The Location
Our retreat home is a luxurious and wild nature sanctuary in Portugal’s magical Marvao.
01/ ceremonial herbal sauna with wild nature views
On the evening of the new moon we will take a ceremonial sauna with aromathermic herbs, with cold plunges and moments to be together under the stars.
03 / pools of water to cleanse
Whether it be the pool, river or the vital water that we drink, being with the healing qualities of water will be a big part of your retreat experience.
Almighty corks, wild river and ancient rocks are all there for your discovery.
02 / ancient forest path to the river
There are plenty of paths to explore and get lost in at our retreat home. Space to be together and alone, with ancient rocks and wild river swimming spot. We have the unique opportunity to live above the trees and also be down in soil of the valley.
Our Previous Guests
The Food
Home cooked protein rich menu served to you three times per day + treats served by our in house chef Chloe Cossy
MORNING nourishment
HEArty BRUNCH
big feast dinners
Daily Schedule
We will move through a structured and spacious retreat experience with space to be alone and together, in silence and sound.
Make it stand out.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Hello, I’m Fern. I hold professional & potent containers for women.
My own healing journey began twenty years ago where I would wake up most days with a fear that I was going crazy. This opened the door to my root practice of yoga. For me back then, finding a way home to my body felt like survival.
This became the start of a twenty year practice of sharing embodied yoga, movement and the healing arts including the importance of working uniquely with the female body and system.
Six years ago I began supporting women through in depth trauma healing journeys through Awareness Facilitation. My client base is built only through word of mouth with many describing the power of the work as being a place where everything is welcomed, accepted and feels possible. What I feel to be true is neither a person’s light or shadow intimidates me because I work with
I am a devoted mother to my toddler girl and entrepreneur. I take pride for having built a life from my own gifts whilst never compromising on my own principles. This is the example I wish to pass on to my daughter and the women who work with me.
Meet the team
We have an experienced retreat team here to serve you.
Our Team
Chloe Cossy
Holistic ChefWe have been holding retreats with Chloe for fifteen years. She passionate about healing the gut through food. Her retreat menu is designed to support the content of our retreat so every part of you is nourished. We will all eat in her open plan kitchen.
Serra Vida Gaurdian and Retreat Assist.Shona Pratt
Shona will be joining the retreat team supporting sessions and being the bridge between us and the land. A sensational woman, retreat facilitator and sauna ceremonialist.
What’s included?
Luxury accommodation and meals from Friday afternoon to Tuesday brunch.
A full and expert retreat programme - Embodiment, Meditation & Breathwork, Exposure work & Somatics, Science and Sacred Rituals.
Ceremonial Herbal Sauna by Shona
A highly skilled retreat team who are there to support you in your booking process all the way through to post retreat integration.
Integration support - online integration circle, journalling enquiries, continued emotional support via Telegram.
Pricing & Rooms
rates range from £1075 - £1675
Bookings close Sunday 26th October.
A non refundable deposit of 25% confirms your place.
Payment plans until December January available.
If you book before Friday 16th October you get a bonus:
1 x 1-1 online Integration Session with Fern to be used before January 31st.
Travel information
Our retreat is held in Marvao which is inland Portugal near the border of Spain. When we recieve the travel details of our guest we will arrange a shuttle from Lisbon to the venue. We will provide the address upon booking for any independent travelers.
A luxurious and spacious set up for one person.
You will have your own kitchenette and internal fire place and are all stylishly decorated.
You will have a very comfy super king bed.
You will have one shower room and a large terrace that goes straight out onto the garden.