16/12/2025
I want to share something special with you dear friends ✨✨
I am hosting a retreat together with my dear friend and colleague Mona Stenseth!
This retreat is designed as a full week of slowing down, breathing deeply, and landing softly.
It’s a small women’s gathering in a petit château surrounded by vineyards, gardens, and a calm, spacious atmosphere.
Everything is taken care of: all meals prepared by our private French chef, all activities included, and the whole property reserved exclusively for our group.
Throughout the week we explore gentle yoga, intuitive painting, meditation, grounding practices, sensory experiences, women’s circles, nature walks, and quiet rest.
There’s no performance or pressure — just a chance to return to yourself, reconnect with your senses, and breathe in a slower rhythm.
This retreat is designed as a full week of slowing down, breathing deeply, and landing softly. It’s a small women’s gathering in a petit château surrounded by vineyards, gardens, and a calm, spacious atmosphere. Everything is taken care of: all meals prepared by our private French chef, all activities included, and the whole property reserved exclusively for our group.
Throughout the week we explore gentle yoga, intuitive painting, meditation, grounding practices, sensory experiences, women’s circles, nature walks, and quiet rest. There’s no performance or pressure — just a chance to return to yourself, reconnect with your senses, and breathe in a slower rhythm.
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BERRIES & SOUL — FULL ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Slow down. Breathe deeply. Land softly.
Welcome to a full week dedicated to you — for inspiration, replenishment, rest, and presence. Everything is taken care of — you don’t need to make a single decision. You just need to arrive.
Berries & Soul invites you to a bohemian space for the soul — where art, nature, and community come together. This is for those who long for a safe breathing space and connection with their authentic self.
Toward the end of May, we gather a small group of women for a week of togetherness and community — at a beautiful location in the French countryside where time moves slowly, the senses awaken, and the body can breathe again. Surrounded by vineyards, colour, laughter, and stillness, you will find grounding within yourself — free from demands, roles, and performance.
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About the Location
We have rented a truly unique place for this year’s retreat — a classic French petit château and former cognac distillery from 1881, in the heart of wine country, about one hour from Bordeaux.
The 19th-century building features winding staircases, large windows, and an atmosphere full of history and soul. Inside you’ll find generous common rooms and quiet corners for stillness, a cup of tea, or a book. Outside is a large green property with a pool, hot tub, lush gardens, shaded seating areas, small paths among the vines, a yoga hall, a painting studio, and a meditative garden space for reflection.
Throughout the stay, we have our own French chef preparing all meals — colourful, locally-sourced, seasonal food made with care.
The property is surrounded by small villages, markets, and vineyards — a landscape that invites you to breathe slowly and live simply.
Best of all: we have the entire property exclusively for our group — a sanctuary for rest, presence, and joy in a beautiful natural setting.
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About the Retreat
Over the course of a week, through sensory experiences and calm togetherness, you are invited to arrive — in your body, in nature, and within yourself.
�This is not about performance; this is about letting go, connecting deeply, and entering a state of presence and flow.
You will be led through gentle activities that don’t require any prior experience, such as:
• Intuitive painting and creative exercises
• Gentle yoga and movement
• Guided meditation
• Sensory immersion
• Music journeys
• Nature walks among the vineyards
• Women’s circles and conversations
• Breathing and grounding techniques
• Tasting experiences
• Morning swims accompanied by birdsong
• Personal time and reflective space
Through spontaneous creative expression, movement, meditation, and nourishing meals, we open space between the outer and inner worlds — where presence can settle. This is not a course; this is a space to rest, where you can release demands, masks, and roles and let your body, senses, and heart find their own rhythm.
Here you live slowly and breathe deeply.
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What’s Included
• 7 nights in a beautiful petit château and former cognac distillery
• Private pool, garden, hot tub, and yoga hall
• Private French chef for the entire stay
• All meals — colourful, seasonal, organic food made with care
• All painting and yoga equipment
• Guided therapeutic program with art, expression, meditation, reflection, and rest
• Group transport from Bordeaux airport (afternoon of May 26) and return (morning departure)
• Welcome conversation to tailor your experience
• Exclusive use of the entire property for our group
• Outing to a local French market with lunch
• Instruction, program, and personal support
In short: You only need to book your flight to Bordeaux — we take care of the rest.
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Pricing
• Standard price: 23,500 NOK
• Early bird price: 17,900–18,900 NOK
• Deposit: 5,000 NOK (remaining balance invoiced January 2026)
You are welcome to travel alone — or with 1–3 friends.
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Rooms
There are several room types — shared or private — each with its own pricing structure depending on configuration (twin rooms, shared loft, queen room, etc.).
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Practical Information
• Bordeaux Airport is about one hour from the retreat location.
• Direct flights exist from Oslo and good connections from other European cities.
• Group transport departs Bordeaux Airport at 17:00 on May 26 and returns at 11:00 on departure day.
• You may also rent a car (from about €30/day) and drive through the vineyards — a beautiful and simple option.
More details are sent by email upon registration.
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Registration & Contact
To hold your spot, a deposit is required.
Once registered, you’ll be added to a closed WhatsApp group for inspiration and practical updates before the trip.
The retreat size is limited — and is for women only.
If you would like to ask questions or find out whether this retreat is right for you, they offer a free introductory conversation before you sign up.
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Retreat Leaders
Mona Stenseth is a Norwegian visual artist and founder with a deep passion for creativity as a path to healing. She believes in the transformative power of art to release emotions, reduce stress, and encourage self-discovery. Mona creates a warm and safe space for self-expression, presence, and personal growth.
Susan Klein-Holmen is an American yoga and meditation teacher who helps people find balance and peace through body-based practices. Her calm and compassionate guidance supports participants in reconnecting with their bodies, calming their minds, and opening space for inner peace.
Together they combine art, sensory exploration, movement, and presence in retreats that create nurturing spaces where people can rest, explore, and reconnect with themselves.
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https://www.monastenseth.no/berriesandsoul?fbclid=PAVERFWAOno11leHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaeUXiNpLsK5HB8fRmWlKOVsoNv8KU-h905GOUwZpMCAy4-Nc42nZ_GXOcNkeg_aem_q_zJNW1nFDmI40Db7LHQ3g
Lev sakte. Pust dypt. Land mykt. Velkommen til en hel uke viet til deg selv – til inspirasjon, påfyll, hvile og nærvær. Alt er tilrettelagt – du trenger ikke ta en eneste beslutning. Du trenger bare å komme.Berries & Soul inviterer til et bohemsk pusterom…
