Whispers of the Ancestors
October 28-November 1, 2026
When you say YES, the journey begins!
We are thrilled that you’ll be joining us for the Whispers of the Ancestors Retreat this October. There’s a lot to know as you prepare, and this guide is here to keep everything in one place so you can feel supported and spacious leading up to your experience.
This is a living document, and we’ll continue to update it as we get closer. If anything feels unclear or you need additional support, please reach out. We’re here to help.
We invite you into a weekend of full presence…
One of the greatest gifts you can offer yourself during retreat is your full presence. Before retreat, we encourage you to:
• Wrap up responsibilities as best you can
• Set an out-of-office message
• Let loved ones know you'll be unavailable
• Designate an emergency contact who isn't you
• Bring a journal rather than relying on your phone
Phones are put away during group activities and ceremony so you can step out of the constant pull of messages, notifications, and responsibilities. This is an opportunity to remember what it feels like to simply be with yourself.
For many women, there is something surprisingly healing about realizing that the world continues turning without their constant attention. For a few days, you don't need to hold everything together. You can soften, receive support, and allow your own inner experience to take center stage. If a true emergency arises, facilitators will help facilitate any necessary communication.
While psilocybin is a powerful medicine, the truest medicine is the circle itself.
For most of us, healing doesn't happen in isolation. It happens when we are seen, heard, witnessed, and accepted exactly as we are. It happens when we discover that our struggles are not ours alone, that others carry similar fears, griefs, longings, and hopes. There is something profoundly healing about remembering that we belong.
The circle creates a container where this kind of healing becomes possible. In order for everyone to feel safe enough to be vulnerable, explore honestly, and do the work they came here to do, we create agreements together.
During our pre-retreat group call, we will co-create some agreements that are unique to the women gathering for this particular retreat. In addition, there are several agreements that we practice at every Rose Waters Retreat.
Agreements to Keep You Safe
Confidentiality
What is shared in the circle remains in the circle. Each person's story, experiences, and process belong to them. We honor the trust that is created by keeping their stories private.
Consent First
Before offering touch, advice, feedback, interpretations, or insights, we ask. Even when intentions are loving, we respect each person's right to choose what feels supportive for them.
Honor Boundaries
When someone expresses a boundary, it is respected immediately and without debate, explanation, or pressure. Boundaries help create safety, and safety allows deeper healing to emerge.
Speak and Act with Kindness
This is a space free from violence, including aggressive, or demeaning language toward any member of the group. We strive to create an environment rooted in respect, compassion, and non-judgment.
Witness Rather Than Fix
You are not responsible for solving anyone else's experience, providing answers, or helping th listening deeply and allowing each person's journey to unfold in its own way.
Ask for Support
If at any point you feel overwhelmed, activated, confused, scared, uncertain, or emotionally flooded, please reach out to a facilitator. You do not need to navigate difficult moments alone or quietly push through. We are here to support you throughout the retreat.
Important Details
Important Dates:
September- 1:1 intake, your personal date TDB
Group Prep 1: October 15 | 5:30–7:00 PM PST
Group Prep 2: October 22 | 5:30–7:00 PM PST
Retreat: October 28-November 1
Group Integration: November 5 | 5:30–7:00 PM PST
November - 1:1 Integration, your personal date TBD
Contact Us:
Lead Facilitators
Sarah McMinn: sarah@rosewaterssanctuary
Keri Padon: kerileigh9@gmail.com
Support Facilitator:
Rosalie Siler: rosaliesiler@gmail.com
Private WhatsApp Group - This private group is designed to help you connect with the other women before we gather and to stay in touch afterward.
Where we are Staying
Airbnb: 1313 SE Nancy Rd, Vancouver, WA 98664
Service Center: Rose Waters Sanctuary, 840 SE Washington St. Portland, OR
Please plan to arrive at the Airbnb between 4:00–5:00 pm on Wednesday, October 28. On journey days, we will provide transportation to and from Rose Waters Sanctuary, so once you arrive, you won’t need to worry about driving.
If you’re flying in, the closest airport is Portland International Airport (PDX). The Airbnb is approximately 15 minutes from the airport. You’re welcome to rent a car and park it at the house, or take an Uber to and from the Airbnb. Feel free to reach out directly if you have any questions about transportation.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is NOT included in the cost of the retreat. Here are several links for info about and to purchase travel insurance:
If you’ll be driving your own vehicle, there is plenty of parking available in the driveway.
Food
We will be providing all the food for the retreat starting with dinner Wednesday night and ending with breakfast on Sunday morning.
All meals will be dairy-free and vegetarian with gluten-free options. Please let us know if you have any specific food allergies not already addressed and we will do our best to accommodate.
General Itinerary
Wednesday: Arrive and Connect
4-5 pm: Arrive & Settle
5-6:30 pm: Opening Circle
6:30-7:30 pm: Group Dinner
Thursday: Low Dose Journey
7:30-8:00am: Guided Meditation
8:00-9:00 am: Breakfast
10:00am - 3:00 pm: Low Dose Journey
3:30-6:00 pm: Free Time and 1:1 Check Ins
6:00 - 7:00pm: Group Dinner
7:00-8:00 pm: Yin Yoga
8:00-10:00 pm: Free Time
Friday: Macro Journey Day
7-7:30am: Guided Meditation
7:30-8:30am: Breakfast
9:00 am: Leave for Rose Waters
9:30 am-5:00pm: Macro Group Ceremony
6:00-7:00 pm: Group Dinner
8:00-9:00 pm: Yin Yoga
Saturday: Integration Day
7:30-8:30am: Flow Yoga
9:00-10am: Breakfast
10:00am-12:00pm: Integration Circle
12-1: Lunch
1-4pm: Free time and 1:1 Check ins
4-6pm: Integration Circle
6-7:00 pm: Dinner
7:30-9:00 pm: Free Time
Sunday: Departure Day
8:30-9:30 am: Breakfast and Pack up
9:30 - 11:00 am: Closing Circle
Please note: This is a fluid schedule and we may change things based on the needs of the group
What to Pack
COMFY clothes for Journey
Yoga clothes (bottoms and tops) for yoga classes
Sleepwear for 4 nights
Comfy clothes for hanging out
Bras/Underwear for 5 days
Socks and/or slippers
Flip flops or water shoes for sauna and hot tub
Jacket/Fleece/Sweatshirt for cool evenings
Waterproof jacket
Swimsuit
Warm hat for evenings
Toiletries, including prescription medications Tylenol/Advil- especially if you are prone to headaches
Yoga mat (if you’re flying in, we will provide these)
Water bottle
Journal- you will get a retreat guide to take notes in as well
Item for the altar
A good book to read during down time
Snacks- we provide them but if you want to bring your favorite treats
Robe (optional)- can be nice for sauna/hot tub
Preparation Tips
As you prepare, think of yourself as clearing space for your own emergence, gently releasing what feels heavy, tending to what wants to grow, and making room for the whispers of your soul. Everything below is optional, but engaging in even one or two practices can help attune your heart to the threshold you’re stepping into.We will go over this in more detail in our preparation calls.
2-4 Weeks Leading up to the Retreat
Lean Into Discomfort: Choose one practice that nudges you slightly beyond your comfort zone—meditation, yin or hot yoga, an ice plunge, or time in the sauna. Let your breath be your anchor. This mirrors the essence of emergence: staying present as you soften, expand, and meet new edges with compassion.
Craft a Mantra: Use the prompts below to create a mantra or intention rooted in who you are becoming. We’ll deepen this together at the retreat. Think of it as a whisper from your future self, guiding your emergence.
Reflective Journaling Prompts Explore these questions with honesty and tenderness. They help you meet yourself exactly where you are in your unfolding.What am I currently healing or shedding? How is this shaping my life right now?What feelings, expectations, fears, or hopes arise when I think about this retreat?Why does this moment in my life feel ripe for emergence?What do I hope to receive or remember during the weekend?What originally called me to this retreat? Has that calling shifted or deepened?
Cleanse Your Inner + Outer Space: Try a gentle technology cleanse to create more spaciousness. Start with leaving your phone behind on a walk, or remove apps that feel draining or “sticky.” Notice what opens when the noise quiets.
Begin a Stillness Practice: Start a simple meditation or breathwork ritual. Even a few minutes a day can help you reconnect with your inner pulse. If you’re unsure where to begin, try alternate nostril breathing—an easy practice that brings balance and presence.
Honor Your Dream World: Keep a journal by your bed and write your dreams in the present tense. Dreams are part of your emergence. They reveal what is stirring beneath the surface and wanting to be known.
Move Your Body With Love: Aim for 20 minutes of movement 3–5 times per week. Emergence is embodied work; tending to your physical self creates stamina, strength, and openness for the journey ahead.
Nourish Yourself: Drink plenty of water and add more vibrant, living foods to your meals. In yogic philosophy, this mirrors saucha—purifying your mind, body, and spirit so you can become a clearer vessel for insight, healing, and transformation.
Intention Setting
An intention is not a destination. It is a compass.
Imagine you find yourself in a vast, overgrown, and sometimes magical forest. Along the way, there may be unexpected twists, hidden clearings, steep climbs, and beautiful discoveries that you could never have planned for.
Your intention serves as a guide back to the path whenever you feel lost, distracted, or overwhelmed. It reminds you why you entered the forest in the first place.
An expectation, on the other hand, assumes you already know where the path leads. It creates a specific outcome that the journey must fulfill in order to be considered successful. But the medicine often has its own wisdom and may lead you somewhere entirely different than what you imagined.
When we hold an intention without attachment, we remain open to the possibility that the medicine knows a more direct route to what we need. The intention keeps us oriented, while curiosity and surrender allow the journey to unfold in its own way.
You might begin your intention with:
Show me…
Help me…
Teach me…
Some examples:
Show me what wants to grow
Help me soften
Teach me how to trust myself
Show me where joy still lives
Help me come back to my body