Awakening Intimacy with Ross Inness-McLeish and Camila Nieuwlands
Friday 30th May to Tuesday 3rd June 2025
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through
the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft
animal of your body love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours,
and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the
clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high
in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter
how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese,
harsh and exciting—over and over
announcing your place in the family of things.
Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
Retreat
Intimacy is a sense of deep connection, belonging, and relatedness. Whether we find it in the green beauty of a forest, through the joy of movement, in the depths of our heart or in caring connection with another, intimacy is an authentic encounter that brings us home. It nourishes, heals and holds us, it unites us with the mystery of life. It is the balm that soothes the sense of separation, loneliness and alienation that can often colour our experience. Whilst it may sometimes seem unattainable, intimacy is not something we must struggle to achieve or force our way into. It is, in fact, always accessible. Intimacy is the invitation of our true nature, we need only respond to the call.
Join friends and co-facilitators Camila and Ross for a 4 day exploration into the arts and mysteries of intimacy. Flowing between stillness and movement, inner and outer, solitude and togetherness, we offer opportunities to give, receive, and savour experiences of authentic connection with yourself, with others, and with the natural world.
Held by the forests, hills, and halls of the beautiful Wangapeka Retreat Center, and supported by practices of mindfulness, yin yoga, conscious communication, contact improvisation, restorative massage, nature connection and more, together we will co-create a playful and caring space to nourish our bodies, express our gifts, and bring loving attention to the wounds of our heart. There will be ample opportunity for rest, reflection, and embodied connection.
We invite you to show up just as you are – however nourished or depleted you feel your intimacy cup is. There will be treasures of intimacy to experience and share with the others who join this retreat, and for you to bring home with you into the living tapestry of your community and daily life.
Facilitators
Ross is an holistic educator exploring the intersection of embodiment, sustainability, and psycho-spiritual transformation. Since his late teens Ross has been fascinated by how we might restore a balance to people through nature, and a balance to nature through people. This inquiry has led him through work in organic horticulture, whole food catering and nature-based education, a decade long practice in meditation and Contact Improvisation, and training in ecology, religious studies, transpersonal counselling and herbalism. He draws upon this diverse background to facilitate transformative group experiences that include movement, mindfulness, and open-hearted connection.
He lives with his partner and their 3 year old son in Motueka, Te Tau Ihu, and is currently training as a counsellor, a Focusing professional, and in mindful and somatic approaches to trauma healing.
Camila is a full spectrum human, a gifted communicator and holistic healer who weaves their cumulative years of study, teaching and experience in Yoga, Possibility Management and Myofascial Massage into a rich tapestry of next culture offerings. Recently described as an “extraordinary, funky, big hearted cultural rebel”, Camila’s passion is to create and hold sacred spaces of connection, discovery and evolution where non-dual perspectives become embodied. Their style of facilitation draws forth the wisdom within each person so that learning and growth is a shared experience with no single teacher or teaching, instead all are invited to bring their wisdom to the communal circle.
Camila lives in an ever enriching relationship with the whenua and community of humans, animals and plants at Treesong in the Motueka Valley.
Costs
Costs include four nights accommodation, fully catered vegetarian meals, beverages and snacks, a cook’s fee and and a small resource fee. These costs do not include Dāna/Koha for the facilitators.
Room or Hut
Members: $383
Non members: $423
Camping
Members: $299
Non members: $311
Dāna/Koha
Dāna is an act of generosity – an act that empowers giver and receiver – and is at the core of everything that happens at the Wangapeka Study and Retreat Centre. In the spirit of dāna the facilitators give their offerings freely. You are welcome to offer dāna/koha in appreciation, both to the facilitators and the Wangapeka retreat centre. Please bring cash if you intend to do this, honouring your heart and your means.
Sangha Support
If cost is a barrier to your participation we encourage you to consider applying for sangha support. Funds have been donated to Wangapeka to offer support for people who want to attend retreats and are unable to afford it. Sangha Support is for accommodation costs only and up to a maximum of 50% of those costs. More info can be found here https://wangapeka.org/about/costs/#sangha_support
To apply contact the Wangapeka Office Caretaker info@wangapeka.org
Registration and Information
For more information please contact the Course Manager: Yasmin Barnett yasmin.barnett@outlook.com
To register please fill out our online registration form
Paypal: We have recently been informed that Paypal is not currently available as a payment option. If you need to make a payment from overseas, please liaise with the Wangapeka office caretaker (info@wangapeka.org) to make alternative arrangements, e.g. an international bank transfer.
Please consider becoming a Wangapeka member – click here for details.
Image credit: ahmed on Unsplash