Soul of the Deep Body:
A 5-Day Immersion in Southwest Portugal,
September 15–19 2022
with Stefana Serafina
& assisting facilitators
Join us for five unforgettable days on a magical land nestled between ocean and mountains near the village of Odeceixe.
We welcome women and non-binary people
This retreat is directly followed by our Deep-Body Embodiment Facilitator Training
(Sept 19-25). There is a discount for joining for both,
In a depthful and nourishing environment, held by a strong land and a powerful group of humans, you will be supported and guided to investigate your life’s most deepest questions and longings, and vulnerabilities, and the forces at play in your soul story at the current time–
all in the language of your body’s expressive and intuitive freedom.
This is a unique chance to experience the power of our Deep Body method:
As we move through the different “skins” of your deep body– physical, emotional, sensual, expressive, perceptive, and mythic/archetypal– you will be naturally called into greater clarity of your journey– your "personal legend"– and how it weaves into the new collective story we must initiate as humankind.
SOUL OF THE DEEP BODY is:
~ A chance to allow your own deep body wisdom to steer & inform (or reshape) your life;
~ An invitation to experience the full potency of our work– in person, in nature, in togetherness, in organic, soulful, embodied exploration of what matters most.
~An embodied rite of passage
The Land
Vida Pura is an eco-retreat center nestled amidst the green forests and mountainous views of a nature preserve, within close proximity of the ocean, and about 5 km from the enchanting village of Odeceixe and its marvelous beach. The center is in the breathtaking Aljezur region of Portugal,
125 km from Faro and 235 km from Lisbon.
Listen to the stream running through the land, dip in the pond, take hikes by the river and through the valley, or hang out with the donkeys who are part of the family at Vida Pura.
Vida Pura is an eco-sustainable center with solar energy, grey water system, and an organic, bio-dynamic farm, which will be sourcing our meals.
What to Expect: Practice & Nourishment
Our spaces are richly curated with music & silence, guided movement journeys, sensual investigations, witness practices, embodied storytelling, deep psyche explorations, and community council. The intention is to support you in engaging the soulful genius of your deep body, attuning to its rhythm– and realizing its need to deeply express the soul of who you are in the world.
Here, we witness each other with intimacy, nourishing attention, and celebration of who we are. We become fully visible.
You will be guided and supported to:
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Open and free your physical body, and become guided by its wordless, sensual, earth-loving rhythm
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Open your emotional body and let it tell the stories of our deepest longings, aches, and hopes- through movement.
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Open the expressive body and allow its creative, imaginative language to inform our paths
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Open your perceptive body and let it be the witch that it is: A seer in the dark, an instinctual creature, a wise crone;
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Open your mythic body "skin" and discover again the mythopoetic & archetypal identity that is at the center of your soul & path.
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Receive guidance & nourishment for the pilgrimage ahead in the center of the spiral- the deep body, your soul-made-visible, 'cry for vision'.
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Put your soul on your body.
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Rest into a newfound sense of belonging and purpose. Let us witness you, mirror you, celebrate you. You do the same for us.
Nourishment
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Enjoy an eco-center built on bio-dynamic and green principles
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Wrap-around mountain landscape, deep silence, and 5 km to the ocean beaches
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3 gourmet, organic, farm-to-table meals each day
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Natural pond to swim in and relax by
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Lots of contemplation spots and hammocks in the gardens of the land
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Simple, comfortable eco-accommodations
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Share the property with a few adorable donkeys, some chickens, and the cats + dogs who are all part of the family
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Drum, song, and fire circles
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Nights of community, storytelling, and deepening together
Stefana Serafina, M.A.
is an embodiment educator, transformative movement facilitator, & mentor, recognized for her unique body– and movement–based approach to personal and collective growth. Weaving together movement journeys and expressive arts approaches, nature- and soul-centric body practices, women’s sensuality & mystery traditions, embodied archetypal psyche, and ritual dance, Stefana’s unique facilitation and teachings have been called "life-changing and life-giving", "deeply penetrating and rekindling", a "masterful invitation to the remembrance of who we are''.
Over the last twelve years, while working with communities in California, Europe, Central America, and online, Stefana developed the Deep–Body method for self-discovery and embodied wholeness, which serves as the foundation of our work.
Stefana is the founder of the Deep Body Institute, and hosts and produces the Embodied Way Podcast.
See more about Stefana's credentials and her personal story of developing the work.
Transportation, Cost & Registration
Application
Fill out the application form below to request to join us.
Transportation to and in Portugal
It is best to fly to Faro Airport (~125 km from the center), but the Lisbon airport is another option (235 km from the center). Your flight cost is not included in the fee. We will be arranging a shuttle from the Faro Airport- which will be free of cost to you if you can make the shuttle's timeline. We can also support you in connecting with other participants to group up for a taxi from Lisbon or Faro. We provide easy guidelines for getting to the center on your own as well.
All-Inclusive Retreat Cost
* Full in-person immersion tuition
* All of your organic, farm-grown meals
* 4 night accommodation, shared by 1-2 people per unit. (The center does not offer solo rooms: This is an invitation to share yourself in community, in more than one ways.)
GLAMPING TIPIS Each tipi has two single beds, lights, basic furniture and offers a closer-to-nature feel. Bathroom and showers are nearby shared between tipi guests. See first row of pictures.
$1050 USD payable in 1-3 installments
SERENITY, INSPIRATION, OR CONTEMPLATION ROOMS
All rooms are equipped with natural furniture and have private outdoor patios. Bathrooms are onsite and are shared between guests. See second row of pictures.
$1150 USD payable in 1-3 installments
NATURAL PRIVATE APARTMENTS
Each apartment has a bedroom, living room, and kitchen, with a patio and deck with great views and ensuite bathrooms/showers. Shared by two people. (See third row of pics)
$1230 USD payable in 1-3 installment
