MEDITATION TEACHER & SOUL COACH
The Align Retreat is a week-long spiritual retreat taking place by the sea in Portugal.
Through a combination of meditation, mediumship, breathwork, and gentle yoga, the theme of the retreat is to learn how to connect inwards to hear the wisdom and guidance of your own soul.
OCTOBER 26 - NOVEMBER 2, 2024
The Venue
Ondina Guesthouse, Casais de S. Lourenço, Portugal
This retreat takes place in a seaside villa situated on the beautiful cliffs of São Lourenço, just 45 minutes outside of Lisbon, Portugal.
Are you connected to and do you follow your own inner truths?
We all have deep inner wisdom that is here to help us evolve onto our highest path. The problem? Usually our minds are too busy to hear this wisdom and guidance or we doubt its' validity and our ability to trust and follow it.
THE ALIGN RETREAT aims to deepen the connection you have to yourself, your soul and your own inner wisdom and guiding compass. It also aims to work on healing things from the past that may be affecting your growth & evolution and aims to help build confidence, self-trust and self-love to help you move towards your highest truths.
Modalities included on the Align Retreat...
The Align Retreat includes a powerful combination of modailties that can provide deep release, healing, clarity, insight and shifts within. These include meditation, breathwork, intuition development exercises, group mediumship sessions, inner child work, manifestation work and gentle yoga.
Meditation: If you've attended previous retreats with me, this retreat will include an increase time allotted to meditation practice to help us quiet our minds and connect to our true selves and inner truths. A 25-30-minute guided meditation practice period will be included in our morning practice, 5 of the 7 days.
Breathwork: Breathwork is a practice of consciously working with your breathing pattern, lying down, to music. The rhythmic breathing in breathwork helps put the mind into different meditative states. Putting our mind into meditative states allows us to experience our thoughts, emotions, and situations in life in a different way compared to the analytical/thinking mind. It's also a space for going inwards and connecting with your inner truths and your heart's needs & desires.
Meditation & Breathwork can help with:
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Insights and understanding of different situations in your life
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Healing of the mind and body
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Deep sense of peace and bliss
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New creative ideas
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Deep connection towards oneself
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Ideas of life direction/next steps
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Release of emotions that might be limiting you and keeping you stuck
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Calming of the nervous system
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Greater awareness of patterns of the mind
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Boosting of mood
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Boosting of self-esteem, confidence & feelings of empowerment
Intuition Development Exercises: Practices and group exercises to practice developing the skill of hearing and strengthening your own intuition, your own inner wisdom and your own messages of guidance. The practices of meditation and breathwork throughout the week will also help to strengthen and connect to this inner voice.
Group mediumship sessions: Laurie Oakes is a gifted medium who channels messages from the Divine that assist you on your life path. During a group channeling session, Laurie works around the room and channels a message for each person. Often these messages provide guidance, clarity and direction on different areas in your life and guidance is often provided on ways to work through and approach different challenges. You can also ask Laurie for guidance on a certain area of life.
Inner Child Work & Manifestation (Co-Creation) Work: Stepping into our highest path also involves healing things from the past that may still be affecting our lives (our thought patterns, belief systems, mood & emotions, behaviours and levels of stress). Through inner child work activities we work to heal the past so that we can move forward in a more confident and peaceful way. After we strengthen our connection to our inner voice and inner guidance system, we then also work to align our energy in the direction of our truths and desires, helping them become a reality within our lives.
Gentle Yoga: Gentle yoga & movement will be included in the week to help strengthen our relationship to our bodies and the messages our bodies hold.
The week will be intentional time for participant's to come back to SELF. Tuning into your truths, your needs and taking time for reflection, healing, relaxation and connection with others <3
What's Included
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3 delicious, organic, locally sourced meals each day at the villa – vegetarian and gluten free
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Guided Meditation Sessions and Gentle Yoga (offered 5 of the 7 days - in the seaside yoga shalla
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Breathwork workshop + 2 Breathwork Sessions for healing, clarity and connection to oneself & one's path
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2 Group Mediumship Sessions done by Laurie Oakes: receive channeled messages on what might be keeping you stuck and what would assist you on your highest path
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Plus empowering & healing group workshops throughout the week including:
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What is the Soul? - Why we experience life as a physical body + The path of the soul and the path of healing, evolving and raising consciousness
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Energy & Vibration: How it's connected to hearing inner wisdom + how to grow and strengthen your connection to inner wisdom by raising your vibration
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Automatic writing workshop + automatic writing guided session: Practicing listening to inner guidance
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Connecting to Your Intuition Workshop + Practice Exercises
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Self-Love & Inner Child Work: identifying where we get triggered and where we're stuck + healing our past inner wounds
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Balancing Our Energy: Understanding and shifting to healthy masculine & feminine energy within
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Mediumship Workshop: How to receive messages not only for yourself, but for others as well
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Manifestation & Co-Creation Workshop: tuning in to our intuition to get clear on our true desires + aligning our energy and vibration to this path
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Group coaching circles throughout the week to reflect & to connect
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Sacred cacao ceremony to open the heart
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An additional organized group activity (e.g sound healing session, private cooking class, seaside hike)
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Day off in Lisbon to tour & explore + included group dinner in Lisbon, Portugal
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Seaside free time to relax & restore - massages and surfing available for additional charge
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A sacred and supportive space to fully explore your inner self and your life
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A PDF book of the various skills & practices + all journaling prompts and workshop exercises learned to continue your inward journey of healing & growth
**Flights, transportation, accommodation and alcohol not included in retreat pricing. In accordance with travel laws of Ontario, all flights & transportation must be arranged and booked by each participant individually. [Leaders will be flying into Lisbon and taking a cab to the villa]. In accordance with travel laws of Ontario, accommodation is not included in retreat pricing however, accommodation for the retreat is graciously donated (at no extra cost) from the venue. Securing of the complementary room is done after retreat registration through Ondina (instructions provided in registration email).
Explore Lisbon
Registration
Align Portugal Retreat: October 26- Nov 2, 2024
SINGLE SPOT GETAWAY
Retreat registration for one person, coming solo for a luxury solo getaway.
$3400 USD + tax (each spot)
Deposit due today: $500 USD + tax to reserve your spot
then 2 remaining payments:
$1450 USD + tax due May 8, 2024
$1450 USD + tax due August 26, 2024
DOUBLE GETAWAY
Retreat registration if coming with a friend or if wanting to be paired with another woman on the retreat.
$3200 USD + tax (each spot)
Deposit due today: $500 USD + tax to reserve your spot
then 2 remaining payments:
$1350 USD + tax due May 8, 2024
$1350 USD + tax due August 26, 2024
QUAD GETAWAY
Retreat registration if coming with three friends or if wanting to be paired with three other women on the retreat.
$2997 USD + tax (each spot)
Deposit due today: $500 USD + tax to reserve your spot
then 2 remaining payments:
$1250 USD + tax due May 8, 2024
$1250 USD + tax due August 26, 2024
Cancellation/Refund policy: Deposit required to secure your spot. All deposits are non-refundable. Remaining payments are due on dates listed above. If payment is not received by the end of the week that payment is due, it is deemed you are not attending the retreat and your spot becomes available to someone else. A 50% refund (on amount paid not including deposit) is available if cancelling by May 26, 2024. Then, due to limited retreat spots and costs to cover retreat, no refunds are available if cancelling after May 26, 2024. No transfer of dates available at any time. If one spot is cancelled in a double getaway, the spot becomes open for another random registration. Exchange for 5 Weeks of Manifestation or RISE online programs available if cancelling after May 26, 2024. If retreat is cancelled due to Covid-19 or any other reason, a 95% refund is provided. **Please note: Be Free follows government guidelines for Covid-19. Following travel policies of Ontario, above is registration for retreat services, programming & meals. Accommodation and transportation is not included in retreat pricing however, accommodation for the retreat is graciously donated (at no extra cost) from the venue. Securing of the complementary room is done after retreat registration through Ondina (instructions provided in registration email).
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Frequently Asked Questions
"What airports can I fly into? And how do I get to the guesthouse?"
We recommend flying into Lisbon airport and taking a cab or an uber to Ondina Guesthouse. Flights and transportation to villa not included in retreat pricing. You can get to the venue by public transport - metro and bus, takes around 1.5 hours and costs around 10€. You can also arrive by Uber or taxi, from 40 to 55€, around 45 minutes travel. According to travel laws of Ontario, all travel arrangements and booking needs to be done independently.
"I'm thinking about coming alone...is this ok?"
Absolutely! YES YES YES! Going to a retreat alone can be extremely powerful and transformative. Common feedback we also receive is the welcoming, safe and connected vibe we create and the relationships you create on retreats sometimes turn in to lifelong friends. Around 50% of Shawna's past retreat attendees have come on their own and this % increases with international retreats.
"I'm not too experienced in meditation, breathwork, yoga or mediumship...is this ok?"
Another big YES! We welcome women of all levels and complete beginners too! Retreats are a great place to learn or to solidify established practices and routines.
"Is there a what-to-bring list?"
Yes, a retreat information email with all this information will be sent out closer to the retreat date.
"What if I have dietary restrictions?"
The villa is able to accommodate for dietary restrictions. Send an email to befree@shawnathibodeau.com if you have any dietary restrictions to ensure that week's menu will accommodate you.
Meet The Team
Shawna Thibodeau
MEDITATION, BREATHWORK & YOGA TEACHER,
SOUL COACH + PREVIOUS MENTAL HEALTH NURSE
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Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology – McMaster University
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Bachelor of Science in Nursing – Trent University
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Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Certification - Canadian Nurses Association; 8 years experience as a mental health nurse
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Certified Meditation Facilitator (2014) – Naturality, Hamilton (in association with Yoga Alliance, Canada)
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Certified Breathwork Facilitator (1:1 & Group) - Breathwork by Jon Paul Crimi, California
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200 hr Yoga Teacher Traning - YogaRenew
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Yoga.Psyche.Soul (2015) - 120hr Yoga Psychology Speciality Certificate on the Psychology of Yoga - Ashley Turner (MA,LMFT)
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Level 1 & 2 EFT Tapping (Emotional Freedom Technique) Certification - AAMET International
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Level 1 & 2 Reiki + 35 hr Hands of Light Energy Healing Training - Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Fundamentals Program (2014) – University of Toronto, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
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Breathe to Heal - Max Strom
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Navigating Psychedelics for Clinicians and Therapists Certificate - Psychedelics Today
Laurie Oakes
MEDIUM, SPIRITUAL TEACHER & INTUITIVE COACH
Spirituality and mediumship have been interests and passions of Laurie's from a very young age. She can recall receiving messages and images and pondering her soul’s purpose and path in this life from a young age, seeking to find the answers to her questions about the meaning of life outside of this experience in a physical body.
Her interest in spirituality grew and she then met her mentor and good friend, Dagmar Butler. Through her time and dedication, Dagmar guided Laurie step by step in learning mediumship, channeling and spiritual teachings. She shared with Laurie God’s teachings and helped her to understand what it means to live a more positive and happy life. With Dagmar's help, Laurie learned how to communicate, channel God, and trust in following His Guidance.
In 2020, Laurie was honoured with the opportunity to work in the Dagmar Butler School for Spirituality as a channel for two years.
Laurie's soul’s purpose is to work as a medium and help to lift others, as she was. She is honoured to hear and receive God’s guidance in all areas of her life. She has experienced and learned that when you walk with Him, you walk on solid ground.