Earth Listening
Day Retreats in Sussex
October 12th, 2025
Join Magic Trio Silvija, Verity, and Garwyn for Earth Listening - the first in a series of day retreats that will transport you to wild places, reminding you of the unhurried rhythm of nature.
In the fast-paced modern world, the plants offer us a chance to reconnect with something far older—whispering timeless truths. Many of today's struggles stem from a separation from the land, from ourselves and from each other.
Coming together in this way literally puts us back together, reminding us of our intuitive, natural senses. By inviting an unhurried rhythm, we honour all the parts of ourselves that rarely have a chance to understand or celebrate amid the madness of modern daily life.
The Earth Whispers, When We Learn to Listen
What to Expect
Open Circle - A guided arrival, with feet on the earth, around the central fire.
Gentle Qigong – Opening the body’s energy pathways, attuning us to the harmonious flow of the natural world.
Forest Bathing -A sensory immersion and guided meditation inviting us to listen to nature and our true nature.
Lunch – A locally sourced and lovingly prepared meal. With foraged teas throughout the day, connecting us to the land’s abundant gifts.
Sound Interwoven – A Sound Journey weaving the ripeness of harvest, inviting the plants to sing through us. Experience the healing resonance of voice, cello, crystal alchemy bowls, flute, and shamanic drum.
Lithuanian Sauna Ritual – A sauna ritual rooted in Baltic traditions using tree whisks and herbal scrubs to warm your bones and clean body and spirit.
Closing Circle - Space for sharing, reflections and integration to close.
How the Day Will Unfold
We will open our circle around the central fire, to take one another in and to draw a collective breath with the land. Here, where warm breath meets the cool autumnal air, the rich scent of Earth rises to remind us to soften.
Our morning begins with a mindful walk to the woodland for Qigong beneath crisp, falling leaves, slow, fluid movement to help us arrive more fully in our animal bodies. From here, we step into a space of quiet reflection with Forest Bathing, a gentle listening ritual that opens our senses and offers time to be with the subtle shifts of the season. Lunch will be shared back at base, with a warming bowl around the central fire, before the afternoon deepens with a Sound Bath, inviting further descent into stillness. Carried by vibration, we are softened, stilled and held, preparing the body for the final rite of the day.To close, we gather for a ritual sauna immersion, a sacred space of heat, scent and touch, guided by seasonal plant allies.
This is a day of soft descent, of listening deeply, of preparing together and alone for the months to come, not with resistance but with reverence.
Perfect for
🌱 Nature lovers seeking a deeper bond with the wild.
🌱 Anyone looking to reset and recharge—mind, body and spirit.
🌱 City dwellers craving stillness and reconnection.
Guided by experienced facilitators, this retreat offers a space to slow down, listen, and dream with the Earth.
Info
Date & Time
Held Hackhurst Farm, East Sussex
When Sunday 12th October, 10:00 am - 6:30 pm
Investment Standard £165
Retreat Venue
Taking its name from the Old English' Hackhyrst’, meaning a gateway to the wooded hill, Hackhurst Farm honours the land's ancient roots and natural rhythms. This connection to the land lives on through those who steward it today, working in respectful relationship with nature to shape a more regenerative future.
In the heart of Sussex, Hackhurst Farm is a sanctuary for healing, growth, and belonging. The sensitively restored Barn, surrounded by wildflower-rich grasslands and peaceful woodlands, offers a serene and immersive space just a short journey from Brighton or London. With the addition of the Latvian sauna and the nourishing energy of the landscape, it provides a nurturing environment for personal restoration and community connection.
Hackhurst Farm is more than a retreat venue - it is a living vision of shared land, where collaborative projects and meaningful gatherings are helping to reweave a sense of belonging. Here, the land itself becomes part of the healing journey.
Your Guides
Meet Silvija, Verity, and Garwyn
Silvija Šuliokaitė – Pirtis Host & Founder of Birch House Rituals
Silvija is a Lithuanian pirtis host, herbalist and the founder of Birch House Rituals, where she weaves together ancestral traditions, plant medicine and sauna rituals to create spaces of restoration and connection. Rooted in the wisdom of her heritage, she carries forward the folklore and practices of pirtis—the Lithuanian sauna—as a place of deep renewal, working with heat, herbal aromatherapy, and the rhythmic touch of whisks to guide the body into balance.
At Earth Listening, Silvija will lead a Pirtis Ritual. Through scent, movement and warmth, you’ll experience how the elements of pirtis come together to awaken the senses, release tension, and bring you back to yourself...just as generations before us have done.
Garwyn Linnell - Cellist, Holistic Therapist & Co-Founder of Magic Tree Collective
Garwyn Linnell is a cellist, artist, energy and sound healer, and somatic therapist. He was originally born in Canada and now based in London, UK. He is one of the founders of the Magic Tree Collective and is involved with a wide range of sonic collaborations. You can find him playing in a variety of festivals and performances of all different styles and genres, he is also involved in facilitating sound baths, tea ceremonies, and retreats, doing 1-2-1 holistic therapy work, or connecting with nature spirits in the forest.
Verity Megan - Holistic Therapist, Founder of Sound & Sōma
Verity is a senior Yoga Teacher, Somatic Practitioner, and Sound Therapist dedicated to helping others reconnect with their bodies and befriend their nervous systems amidst the sensory overwhelm of modern life.
Drawing from extensive training in Yoga, Ayurveda, Somatic Therapy, Yoga Therapy for Women, Reiki, Sound Healing, and Herbalism, she seamlessly blends ancient wisdom with contemporary healing practices. Rooted in the rhythms of nature, her approach honours the body as a vital expression of the living Earth, harmonising with the shifting seasons to live in relationship with nature's cycles.
Verity creates intentional healing spaces inviting individuals to cultivate sensitivity and deep listening within their bodies to promote health, healing, resilience and self-regulation.
Testimonials
