Cyclical Femininity Women's Yoga retreat with Julie and Lucile

Retreat Highlights

• Daily morning 1 hour hatha flow yoga class with Lucile, including asana and pranayama
• Morning Cyclical Living mini-workshops with Julie to deepen your menstrual cycle awareness
• Afternoon Women’s circles with Julie to experience each of the archetypes through beauty medicine, intuitive movement, singing, drawing, soul sharing, ritual and much more
• Amazing nourishment with all the real goodness of Cretan food - vegan and gluten-free options available (7 brunches and 5 dinners included)
• Time off to explore the wild Sfakian coast, its solitary gorges and beaches on the turquoise Libyan Sea
• Possibility to tailor and deepen your journey further by booking an extra 1:1 Somatic Coaching for Women session with Julie (not included in course cost)
• A round trip to the beautiful Sweet Water beach
• 7 nights' accommodation in traditional guesthouse located near beach
• Linen and towels provided

Retreat Program

The week begins with an opening Women's Circle at 6.30 p.m. on the day of arrival,  followed by a delicious vegetarian dinner cooked by our wonderful intuitive cook Maria.

All other days will begin with a 1-hour morning yoga and meditation class led by Lucile (usually 8.30-9.30), each day focusing on one of the phases of our menstrual and/or moon cycle.

This is followed by a Cyclical Living mini-workshop led by Julie (approx. 9.45-10.45), that will introduce the theme of each day, followed by brunch.

In the afternoon, guests are free to relax and enjoy the beach and sunshine, receive a massage treatment or private Somatic Caching for Women session with Julie, or explore the village and region.

In the late afternoon, there is a Women's Circle (approx. 18.30-20.30), in order to dive deeper into the exploration of the theme of the day, after which we'll have dinner together.

All sessions are held on the yoga deck under the olive trees so you can enjoy your connection with the sea, the trees and the hills. 

The fourth day of the week is a rest day with no yoga or women's circles; an optional excursion can be arranged, including a guided hike through a gorge of the region (usually the magnificent Aradaina gorge) or other season-appropriate hike, ending at the beach (approx. €25 depending on number of participants going).

All brunches and 5 dinners are offered at the house, while on two of the nights guests are free to dine out in the village restaurants (not included in the course cost; approx. €15-20 for a full meal including drinks).

Individual excursions (e.g., hikes, boat trips) can also be arranged at an extra cost.

On the last day, departure can be arranged after brunch.

The number of women participating is limited to 14 to create a safe and supportive group dynamic.

Women's yoga

The morning yoga practice with Lucile will start with a short breathing meditation and end with deep relaxation and breathing techniques. The practice is based on Hatha Yoga and incorporates elements of free flow and somatic practices.

We will look at how the body can feel free and open, when allowed to experiment, flow, and be breathed into. Through the practice we create a more bright, centred, spacious awareness of our being so we enter everyday life more confident, true to oneself, and happy.

We will uncover the vitality and joy that is present in the body when we slow down, listen to its needs and make space to receive its wisdom.

Particular practices for the four phases of the hormonal and/or moon cycle will be offered (follicular/waxing moon; ovulation/full moon; luteal/waning moon; menstruation/new moon), for menstruation and menopause to balance and contain hormonal and emotional fluctuations.

Women’s Circles 

Women's circles are a beautiful, safe and supportive space to share, practice listening with compassion, allow yourself to follow your heart and be held by a group of like-minded women.

Julie, a trauma-informed life coach, menstrual and creative movement therapist, as well as Awakening Women Circle facilitator, will hold space for us to dive deep into exploring the feminine cycle through movement, art and rituals.

The sessions will start with a womb relaxation, then enter into a healing journey and we will complete with more relaxation and sharing.

In each circle, we'll experience initiation into another phase of womanhood, another way of entering pleasure and creating oxytocin (the love hormone!), another phase of our cycle, of the moon, of the sun:

** Inner Girl: Finding Peace and safety for our little girls (follicular phase or inner spring)**
**Abundant Woman: Healing the mother-daughter relationship (ovulation or inner summer) **
** Wild Woman: Welcoming our fierceness (luteal phase or inner autumn) **
** Wise Woman: Embracing our intuition (menstruation or inner winter) **

Whether you have a menstrual cycle, are going through or have passed menopause, these phases apply to the subtle energies that affect a woman and her creative potential throughout life.

If you're experiencing (pre-)menstrual pain, menopausal, fertility or sexuality issues, you're likely to find release, opening and a way forward.

Facilitators

Julie Mosmuller

Julie’s soul purpose is to be the heart beat that attunes you to your inner frequency.
She combines her extensive experience in coaching & therapy, yoga, dance, women’s work and strategy consulting to help women hear the whispers of their soul.
She specialises in Somatic Coaching for Women and is certified as a Co-active coach, Unesco trauma-informed movement therapist, Awakening Women’s Temple leader and Madretierra menstrual therapist.
She loves her dance, tarot, art and meditation practice, and is passionate about conscious femininity and spreading cyclical awareness.
Living close to nature on Crete and in Auroville, India, has attuned her to living cyclically – following the rhythm of the seasons, the moon, and her menstrual cycle.
Cyclical living is now at the core of her work and mission through moon circles, as well as sharing menstrual cycle knowledge as widely as possible as a tool for self-knowledge and embodiment.
In 2012 she decided to make a drastic change and re-align her life to her values. She left her corporate career in London to deepen her yoga and meditation practice in India and become a certified co-active life coach (with the Coaches Training Institute in London).
She ended up settling in Auroville, an intentional community in a forest in South India, where she offered workshops, retreats, trainings, and private sessions while going deep into spiritual practice.
Her growth journey led her to women’s work and embodiment practices such as intuitive movement, kalaripayet (an ancient Indian martial art) and women’s temples.
In summers, she’d travel back to Europe to host workshops, circles and retreats, especially at YogaOnCrete where in 2018 she felt a call to stay on into autumn and winter in the island’s vast, wild and yet sweet landscape.
She still lives on Crete, renovating an old countryside home with her partner while continuing her offerings, online and in person to a wide variety of international clients.
Find out more on www.maitreecoaching.com. 

Lucile Pinteaux
Lucile is a passionate soul! As a soul based coach, yoga teacher and somatic movement educator, she holds space for participants to experience deeper awareness of themselves.
While she was living her passion for dance, rhythm and movement as an international Swing dance teacher, she started studying yoga and embodied movement in 2014, in Barcelona and India (Auroville).

Through these practices, she learned to take care of her body and spirit (essence), as well as her mind (thoughts) and emotions (feelings), before and after dancing. 
As a yoga teacher, she aims for each participant to go within and feel their body, rest their nervous system, release physical tensions, and maintain their body's natural potential and vitality.
Lucile also holds a degree in Psycology and a masters in Neuro-Linguisitc Programming. She is a registered Movement Somatic Educator (RMSE) member of ISMETA and a Hatha-Vinyasa Yoga Alliance teacher.
Lucile and Julie met in 2014, in one of the Joyful Living workshops that Julie was offering in Auroville.
Since then, Lucile has been learning about cyclical living and awareness, integrating her cycle and phases into her life, practice and work.

Testimonials
“In Julie’s circles, I slip right into my feminine flow and flowering. I have an extra sway in my hips and a sensual playfulness in my body. I really appreciate Julie’s generosity, consistency and commitment to her inner work. It is soothing to be a part of her soft, simple and attuned guidance. I love the womb breathwork and the free expression and I end up bringing to life whatever seeds of intentions I plant in the New Moon circles. I celebrate Julie’s journey and the crossing of our paths, and am grateful for the subtle openings that happened in her presence.”
Pushpanjali, Performing Artist & Embodiment Educator, US & India

“My experience with the Soul Purpose circle has been so enriching and transformative. It’s a space where I explore what I really want, what makes me feel alive and brings me meaning and purpose.
Every circle makes me feel warm inside and gives me a sense of community amongst women interested in exploring what really matters. No matter my state of mind when entering each circle, I come out feeling invigorated and with a full heart. I am very grateful to Julie for offering so many tools and for truly holding space in the service of making our lives more beautiful and gratifying.“
Mouna, Conference Interpreter & Taekwando Enthusiast, US, Tunisia & France

“The YogaOnCrete retreat with Julie is probably one of the best things I have ever done for myself. It was a week of relaxation, introspection and reconnection with my deeper self, set in a beautiful village at the edge of a wonderful island. The food prepared was delicious, the friendships made were special and the memories will be cherished for a long time. 
The accommodation was so charming, the retreat house is beautiful and the meals were delicious prepared with fresh local produce. I never thought I would like vegan food so much!  I loved the village of Chora Sfakion because it was quiet enough yet had nice restaurants and boat access to wonderful beaches nearby. Perfect for a retreat.
The week turned out to be exactly what I needed. In fact I learned a lot about myself and enjoyed the deep connection with the other women of the group, Julie and frankly with myself. I am a fan and will keep an amazing memory of the whole experience.”
Sabine, Finance Professional, UK & Lebanon 

Prices

(all inclusive) per person per week

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT - 100 EURO off below prices for bookings before the 21st of June!!!

• €690 shared accommodation in twin non-ensuite room (with use of communal bathroom).
• €790 shared en suite accommodation (3 in a room) or single non-ensuite (with use of communal bathroom).
• €840 shared en suite twin or double room.
• €1140 single en suite accommodation (please note that single room availability is limited).
• €550 non-participating partner sharing a room.
• €690 (or 590€ **) work-exchange option (only one place per week): about 2-3 hours’ help per day with light household tasks (e.g., washing dishes, cleaning yoga studio) that does not interfere with the attendance of all classes. Accommodation in triple room.                                           ** The €590 fee applies only if staying in the small twin non-ensuite room (just for friends sharing)