It has been a month since I returned home from my Self-Empowerment and Transformation Yoga and Human Design retreat in Ericeira, Portugal from October 5th-11th, 2024. After leading a retreat, it takes me a while to recovery, which I think is natural and OK; however, this retreat doesn't feel completely integrated yet; something about it remains unfinished.
With Gate 42, the Gate of Growth and Completion, in my defined Sacral Center, I wasn't fully satisfied. The cycle wasn't complete. I sensed some loose ends needed to be wrapped up before the retreat cycle could fully mature to completion and be felt as a growth cycle in my life. Writing this blog is part of that completion cycle. There are still a few lingering things to wrap up, but sharing my memories here is helping me close this beautiful chapter.
This retreat created a ton of wonderful memories! Here are my top 12 memories, in no particular order.
Top 12 Human Design Retreat Memories
#1: One-on-One Human Design Readings
Throughout the week, I had the joy of spending 30-minutes, one-on-one, with each of the 16 women, talking about their Human Design chart. I loved it so much! Having that dedicated time to dive deeply into each person’s unique design was so fulfilling. For me personally, these sessions felt like the heart of the retreat, getting to shine a light on each and every one of them.
#2: My Co-Host, Maja
Maja, my incredible co-host, brought her own magic to this retreat! She led our sharing circles and guided us through meditationsand yoga with such love, always knowing exactly what needed to be spoken or felt.
Everyone loved her calming voice, and her breathwork sessions are splendid to participate in and witness (I've done both). It was such a pleasure to collaborate with her and to create this Empowerment and Transformation retreat. I'll always treasure these memories of co-creating with her.
#3: The Incredible Women at the Retreat
I adore each and every one of these women! This group of women is so talented, smart, fun, and loving! I learned so much from each of them. Everyone arrived with open arms, completely receptive to the experience and it showed in the way they all got along, opened up with one another, and supported each other.
On another note, of the16 women at the retreat, eight of them were dear friends I've known for many years. When I launched this retreat, my Innocence Motivation was completely shocked by how many of my friends wanted to attend—it felt like a 4/1’s dream come true! There’s nothing more gratifying than having those close to you continuously engaged in the work you feel called to share.
#4: Reflecting on Our Life's Purpose Together
On the retreat's final day, we explored the theme of Purpose, learning about our Personality Sun and Earth gates and our Life Purpose Incarnation Cross. Each woman reflected on the shadow, gift, and siddhi for both gates, sharing insights about how each quality appears in her life. The intimacy of that circle was beautiful. By this point in the retreat, the group had really connected, which made it easy to recognize these gifts in each other. I loved hearing each woman validate themselves for the special gifts they innately carry within.
#5: Delicious Portuguese Food
The food was delicious! We ate a lot of traditional Portuguese food. All the ingredients were fresh and every single meal was homemade. Every breakfast offered a variety of fresh, homemade breads with different types of spreads and jams. Every lunch and dinner started with a homemade soup and offered a fresh salad and at least two other colorful vegetable dishes.
Our protein options were always unique and delicious, and needless to say we ate very healthy all week, which was my ultimate goal. I purposely chose the venue's "no dessert" option because I was going for a blood sugar stabilizing menu and didn't think we needed dessert every day. One woman told me it was the longest she had gone without eating sugar in the past year—and she felt amazing!
#6: A Supportive Sisterhood
This was a wonderful group of women! Getting to witness all 16 women come together in such unity was pure magic. Over the week, they connected, shared openly and vulnerably, and supported one another through laughter, tears, and transformation. The human design system dives "below the surface." It's a map of the soul, and when you spend a week talking to people about what fuels their soul, the conversations have a lot of depth, which I love and prefer!
#7: Cacao Ceremony and Deconditioning Dance
Maja is a trained cacao ceremony facilitator and she guided us through a wonderful ceremony, focused on receiving and giving with love. She brought the pure ceremonial cacao from a farm in Guatamala and it was delicious!
After the ceremony, we moved to the roof of the yoga shala where we did a 5 Rhythms deconditioning dance with the intention of shedding conditioning and accessing a more authentic expression of ourselves through movement. I love feeling into the different rhythms of the music and allowing my body to flow through a dynamic journey that encourages self-exploration and release.
At the end of our deconditioning dance, I turned on a Taylor Swift song which really made everyone come alive, and was the best way to wrap up the day.
#8: Crystal Themes for Each Day
I loved how each morning Maja and I introduced a new crystal to energetically support the day's discussions, meditations, and Human Design work. These themes added a subtle yet powerful resonance to our time together, giving us a tangible symbol of the day’s focus and energy. By the end of the retreat, each person left Portugal with seven beautiful crystals to add to their personal collection.
#9: Morning Joy and Excitement
Walking into the breakfast room each morning and seeing all my wonderful people filled me with joy! It was the best feeling knowing I’d get to spend all day with these inspiring women. One participant compared it to summer camp—and it truly did feel like that: the simple excitement of being with people who understand and uplift you.
#10: Our Uniquely Rustic Venue - Casa Paço D'Ilhas
Our venue was a charming 13th-century property, like nothing you’d ever find in the U.S. Casa Paço D’Ilhas was once the property of the Kings of Mafra, which is a city 10 minutes away. When I first stepped foot onto the venue, it had a regal quality that felt like the perfect setting for stepping into our authentic selves. The venue grounds and greenery were stunning with giant succulents everywhere, flowering trees, grapevines shedding their leaves, green grass, and pampas grass all around. The atmosphere was grounding and inspiring, inviting us to release our fears and explore our depths.
#11: Dancing Under the Stars with DJ Johnz
On the final night, Maja and I brought in DJ Johnz (@thedjohnz) for a celebratory dance party—a perfect ending after a week of transformation. When Maja and I first met two years ago, we bonded over our love of dancing! I also knew there were a lot of women on our retreat who loved to dance. So, although untraditional for a retreat, a DJ was a wonderful representation of our personalities. Dancing together to an uplifting playlist curated just for us was exhilarating, and we danced for hours, letting the music and laughter carry us into a state of pure bliss.
#12: Extra Time with My Best Friend in Portugal
I was lucky enough to spend extra time in Portugal before and after the retreat with my best friend of 30 years. This was another gift that made this experience extra special. Before the retreat, we spent two days exploring Lisbon together, allowing us both time to settle in and catch up on sleep.
After the retreat, Tara gifted me with an unforgettable adventure in Porto, Portugal. We did a full day tour to the Duoro Valley, where many of Portugal's vineyards are, and where much of Portugal's porto wine is made. We did a walking tour through Porto's historic streets, learning all about its history and visiting the most beautiful bookstore in the world. But some of my favorite moments were the evenings in our Airbnb, ordering in from Uber Eats, binge-watching Netflix, and just being together. Simple, soul-nurturing memories.
I want to say thank you to Maja and all 16 women who trusted me and believed in me. I'm so grateful. I love you all!
xo,
Kelly
This blog was PERFECTION! Thank you for sharing!
Wow!!!! All the feels! Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I laughed, I giggled, I got goosebumps, I cried!
What an amazing and beautifully written remembrance of our time in Portugal. That retreat, everyone there and all of our experiences were life changing.