Forest Bathing • Qigong • Fire Circle • Seasonal Campfire Feast • Cacao Ceremony
Sunday 25th October 2026
11:00am – 4:00pm
Woodland near Hever Castle
TN8 7NG
£75 per person including refreshments,
A nourishing autumn retreat to slow down, let go and gather yourself back in
By late October, the woodland is undergoing one of its greatest transformations.
The canopy is changing colour. Leaves are being released. Energy is beginning to turn inward as the natural world prepares for the quieter months ahead.
And perhaps there is something in that rhythm for us too.
Autumn can be a beautiful season, but it also arrives at a point when many of us are beginning to feel the accumulation of a busy year. Before the pace of the festive season takes over, this retreat offers a day to step away from it all.
To move. To breathe. To be outside.
To gather around a fire, eat good food, connect with others and allow yourself to be held by the slower rhythm of the woodland.
Taking place close to the seasonal threshold traditionally marked by Samhain, our day will gently explore themes of transition, release and turning inward — not as something heavy or solemn, but as an opportunity to notice what we might be ready to put down and what we want to carry with us into the months ahead.
Together we'll weave Forest Bathing, Qigong-inspired movement, meditation, seasonal reflection and fireside nourishment before gathering for a beautiful cacao ceremony led by guest practitioner Sam Whitaker.
Five hours with nowhere else you need to be.
Places are limited.
WHAT TO EXPECT
We'll begin around the fire circle with a warm welcome and time to arrive properly in the woodland and with one another.
A grounding meditation and gentle Qigong-inspired movement will help us transition out of the pace of everyday life, release some of the tension we may be carrying and reconnect with our bodies.
The movement will be simple, accessible and suitable for complete beginners. There's nothing to achieve and no expectation to get anything "right". It's simply an opportunity to arrive.
From here, we'll move into our cacao ceremony with Sam.
Cacao Ceremony with Sam Whitaker
Cacao has a long ceremonial history within Central and South American cultures and is sometimes described as a gentle, heart-opening plant medicine. It is non-psychoactive, and Sam's ceremony offers a space for meditation, intention, reflection and deeper connection with yourself.
We'll be drinking ceremonial Asháninka cacao from Peru, grown on small, family-owned plots within a diverse forest ecosystem in the Junín province.
Sam will begin by opening the circle and inviting you to consider a personal intention before we drink the cacao together. Accompanied by drumming, you'll then get comfortable and settle into a longer guided meditation and journey.
As you gently return, there will be time to journal if you wish and an opportunity to share as much or as little of your experience as feels comfortable.
No previous experience of cacao is necessary. Simply come with curiosity and an open mind.
Time in Nature
Rather than moving immediately onto the next activity, we'll allow some spaciousness after the ceremony.
You'll be invited to spend some quiet time in the woodland, giving yourself an opportunity to process, reflect or simply be.
There will be no expectation to reach any conclusions or find profound answers. Sometimes the most valuable thing we can do is give ourselves enough time and space to notice what is already there.
Gathering around the fire
We'll then come back together at base camp and gather around the fire for a relaxed seasonal campfire lunch.
Expect warming homemade food, hot drinks, something sweet and plenty of time to talk, laugh, rest or simply stare into the flames.
This part of my retreats is deliberately unhurried. There is something wonderfully human about sitting around a fire and sharing food together, and it often becomes one of the most treasured parts of the day.
Forest Bathing
After lunch, we'll head back beneath the trees for a gentle Forest Bathing experience.
Late October offers us a completely different woodland from the one we experience in spring or summer. Through sensory invitations, mindful walking, periods of stillness and gentle reflection, we'll slow down enough to really experience the changing landscape around us.
Autumn shows us that letting go is part of the natural cycle. Trees release their leaves, energy begins returning towards the roots and the woodland prepares for a period of rest.
We'll take gentle inspiration from that process without forcing meaning or answers, allowing the woodland itself to become part of the experience.
Finally, we'll return to the fire circle to close our time together with reflection, gratitude and a gentle transition back into the world beyond the trees.
VIEW FULL LIST OF FOREST BATHING FAQ'S
SCHEDULE
10:45am – Meet at parking location provided upon booking
11:00am – Welcome Circle & Grounding Meditation
11:20am – Qigong-Inspired Movement
11:40am – Cacao Ceremony with Sam Whitaker
1:15pm – Quiet Time in Nature & Reflection
1:35pm – Seasonal Campfire Lunch & Time to Rest
2:30pm – Forest Bathing Journey
3:40pm – Closing Circle, Gratitude & Integration
4:00pm – Retreat Ends
Timings are approximate. The day will unfold at a gentle pace rather than being rigidly scheduled.
PREPARING FOR THE CACAO CEREMONY
To help you prepare for the ceremony, Sam recommends having a light breakfast and avoiding food for at least three hours beforehand.
Where possible, please avoid caffeine and other stimulants on the day, or for at least three hours before the ceremony, as cacao itself contains the naturally occurring stimulant theobromine.
Please give a little thought beforehand to anything you might like to bring as an intention for the ceremony. This doesn't need to be anything profound — simply something you'd like to explore, reflect upon or give a little more attention to.
If you take antidepressant medication or have a heart condition, please let us know before attending so Sam can advise you appropriately.
WHAT TO WEAR AND BRING
October in the woodland can be wonderfully atmospheric, but it can also be cool and changeable, so please come prepared to spend the full retreat outdoors.
Please bring:
Warm, comfortable layers
Waterproof jacket
Supportive outdoor footwear
Waterproof trousers if rain is forecast
Water
Yoga mat or comfortable padded mat to lie on
Sleeping bag and/or warm blankets
Pillow
Eye mask
Your favourite mug for your cacao
Journal and pen if you'd like to journal
Any small meaningful item you'd like to place on Sam's altar during the ceremony and take home afterwards
The cosier the better. You'll be lying down for a significant part of the cacao journey, so please bring everything you need to feel warm and comfortable.
I provide waterproof sit mats and have ponchos available for additional coverage if needed.
A seasonal lunch, refreshments and ceremonial cacao will be provided.
Practical note: The nearest toilets are approximately a 10-minute walk away at the Golf Club, which is also our meeting point. You'll have time to use the facilities before we enter the woodland.
BOOKING INFO
£75 PER PERSON INCLUDING SEASONAL LUNCH, REFRESHMENTS & CACAO CEREMONY
Places are deliberately limited to create an intimate and supportive group experience.
When you book, you'll receive a confirmation email containing a link to a health and safety form. Full joining instructions will be sent ahead of the retreat.
ABOUT TANSY
Tansy Dowman is an award-winning Nature Connection Guide, Forest Bathing practitioner, facilitator and TEDx speaker whose work explores the relationship between nature, movement and human wellbeing.
A certified Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Guide and internationally accredited coach with a background in dance and movement, Tansy creates immersive outdoor experiences for individuals, communities and organisations, helping people step away from the relentless pace of modern life and reconnect with themselves through the natural world.
Her seasonal retreats bring together Forest Bathing, mindful movement, meditation, food, fire and carefully chosen guest practices to create spacious, restorative experiences rooted in the changing landscape.
ABOUT SAM WHITAKER
Sam is a qualified Yoga Teacher and holistic practitioner whose work centres around helping people slow down, turn their awareness inward and reconnect with themselves.
After practising yoga for 15 years, Sam completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training with Dylan Ayaloo and further developed her practice in India. She has also worked with cacao personally for almost 10 years and, after experiencing its importance within her own practice, completed her cacao practitioner training in 2024. She now runs monthly cacao ceremonies alongside her work in sharing circles, breathwork and Reiki.
At the heart of Sam’s approach is the belief that there is no single ‘right’ way to experience these practices. She encourages people to listen to their own bodies, explore without judgement and take from each experience what feels right for them.
For our Autumn Retreat, Sam will be sharing one of the practices particularly close to her heart: a ceremonial cacao journey using Asháninka cacao from Peru. Through grounding, intention, cacao, drumming and guided meditation, she’ll create a supportive space for participants to turn inward and reflect before we continue our journey together through the woodland.
GIFT VOUCHERS
Gifting someone with a wellbeing experience not only gives them that much-needed time out to rest and recharge. It also leaves them with a lasting memory of joy and contentment.
Gift vouchers are available for all my events including this one. You must specify which date you wish to book when purchasing as I am unable to hold spaces for these events.
About Hever
This retreat will take place at a private woodland location on the grounds of Hever Castle so is not in the main grounds. This beautiful secluded spot has a wonderful wild feel to it with a base camp circle surrounded by woodland and we will have exclusive use of the space for the duration of the session.
Please note: This area is a separate private space away from the main grounds of Hever and the cost to attend this workshop does not include access into the main castle grounds. We will however send you a link when you book with the option to add the entrance fee so you can visit the Castle and main grounds afterwards if you wish.
Tickets
Places are limited and cost £75pp