It's time to gather

in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the land of waterfalls

How do we achieve liberation once we acknowledge that there’s an area of our lives asking to be freed up from constriction?

First, we have to claim that we are worthy of more, better, different. We must stop telling ourselves this is as good as it gets.

Next, we must befriend our bodies. Stop abusing and neglecting them and instead treat them like the wise oracles that they are. The more we listen the more they share.

And then, we open our hearts to the idea that we live in a benevolent universe. That we are more supported than we can even fathom.

If you want to dive deeper into this process, if there’s an area of your life begging for reclamation, I’d love to have you join us.

We will explore what liberation means to you, what it feels like, looks like, smells like… and when you return to your life you can use that embodied wisdom to navigate your way to freedom.

And the bonus: you’ll have a circle of women cheering you on, holding you accountable, and inspiring you as they walk their own path. We aren’t meant to do this alone.

Liberate yourself from the confines of outdated beliefs, roles, patterns, systems, and societal models.

What we'll do:

Qoya Inspired Movement Classes

to awaken your intuitive body

Art Experientials

to spark your creativity and support expression

Ceremony

to connect with your soul and embody your vision

Nature Connection

to call upon the support that is always available

Hi, I’m Dana, and I used to think I had it all.

After grad school, I got my dream job as an art therapist.

I had 2 art rooms (one was a ceramics studio!), a self-determined schedule and 12 vacation weeks a year!

I mean there I was honoring the art therapy degree I’d worked (and paid) so hard for, making good money and playing with kids!

But the environment was dysfunctional and showing up felt like my soul was being sucked from my body.

Though I knew that I wasn’t happy, this voice inside kept me where I thought I was supposed to be.

“This is as good as it gets…”, I’d tell myself. And so I stayed on.

I had this story that if I just devoted five years everything would magically come together. But things just kept getting worse.

At the end of the fifth year, I mustered every ounce of courage I had, started an LLC, and walked away.

When I gave myself time and space to process this counter-cultural terrifying decision, funny things started to happen….

My body started to speak up, my intuition came back online, and I started following the breadcrumbs that began to appear-seemingly out of nowhere.

I stumbled upon a feminine approach to spirituality that honored my whole and holy self as a woman. Healing my relationship with my faith re-ignited a spark in me that had long grown dim. Forging a deeper relationship with the Divine brought me back to life.

Conversations with feminine healers landed on my lap, leading me to explore and clarify my dream of leading retreats.

(Oh the trembling voice and shaking body that accompanied the first time I said: “I want to lead women retreats” out loud 😰. I’d never been on a retreat. I didn’t know anyone who’d ever been on a retreat. The idea seemed utterly and totally absurd!)

Even bigger juicier and more terrifying breadcrumbs followed as I was drawn to explore the transformative practice of Qoya Inspired Movement.

Now just to be clear…taking on a dance modality, let alone teaching it, was NOT part of the plan. Although I loved to dance as a child, somewhere along the way I began to see myself as a woman who needed a few drinks to dance in public. I also had a festering sister wound. The idea of being vulnerable with women I’d never met was both terrifying and absurd.

What would they think.. Would they judge me? Pity me? Reject me?

The fear of being seen ran DEEEEEEEP. But the call was stronger.

That’s when I took the leap that ushered in my transformation…

I went on my first retreat.

These 5 days completely changed the course of my life, it felt like 5 years of therapy in 5 days. I’m not exaggerating when I say that over the course of this sacred time and space, I remembered that I am love — feeling this beautiful truth in every single ounce of my body.

It was a remembering and a realignment into the version of myself that I was born to be — affirmed by my whole body YES!

Listen, I get it.

Forging an “unconventional” soul-led path for your life that doesn’t necessarily make sense to the rest of the world is damn hard.

It takes a hell of a lot of courage to step away from the career that you spent six years training for…and that you were taught you should feel content with.

To admit that you want something else and go out and seek that is no easy feat.

But guess what?

As with everything else, it’s a kazillion times easier if you do it with other women cheering you on!

This is what the Liberate Retreat is all about.

A space for women to share their stories and journeys.

A space to be in communion with one another. And our great mother.

A space to listen to and honor our soul voice.

A space to build up the courage to bring your dreams to life.

I don’t believe in coincidences…if you’ve read this far I want to invite you to take a moment and tune into what your body and soul are telling you.

Do you feel a tingle? Goosebumps? A warm glow inside? Nervousness?

Yes?!

Then it’s time.

Liberate Retreat is for you.

The Container

"Dancing with Dana is a deeply healing experience, the space she holds is both soft and strong ~ creating a container of gentle love and acceptance. With this as the foundation for her retreats, the wounded expressions of trying, vying for attention, posturing and hierarchy drop away and what is left is space to feel, heal and find out who you are.

The "Dana retreat experience" is curated with care in every detail which allows the body and nervous system to drop-in. I am still integrating the depth of unraveling which took place in a recent retreat and would highly recommend her work to a woman who is looking for a soft space to land, to feel herself, to attune to her body’s wisdom, and remember her center.

I feel blessed to have sat in circle and danced with Dana, and if you feel the call to work with her, I wholeheartedly say, “follow it!” Your heart, body and soul will be happy you did." ~Dr. Katharine Grossman, Ma Collective

What You Will Learn

How to awaken your intuitive body through Qoya Inspired Movement

How to deepen your connection with the consciousness of nature to honor your cyclical nature and reclaim your flow

How to support your nervous system so that you can expand into your fullness

How to build and cultivate a loving inner voice

How to create daily rituals that honor and support receptivity and transformation

What You Will Gain

Restoration: Delight your body through Qoya inspired movement, delicious organic meals, and communing with the majestic beauty of nature

Increased Receptivity: Expand your capacity to ENJOY being in your body (yes, really!)

Connection: Be witnessed and supported in warm-hearted community (quantum transformation is more accessible in groups)

Inspiration & Accountability: Shed inhibitions to live the fullest expression of your soul

Right Relationship: The sacred connection between gratitude and receptivity

The (Blue Ridge) Mountains are calling

Accommodations

Accommodations

Sample Itinerary

Thursday August 17th: Arrival Day

4:00 pm: Check-in begins

5:30–6:30 pm: Dinner

7:00–9:00 pm Opening Ceremony

Friday August 18th:

8:00-9:00am: Breakfast

9:30-12: Qoya Movement Session

12-1: Lunch

1:30-5:30: Waterfall Hike or Free Time

6:00-7:00: Dinner

7:30-9: Evening Ceremony

Saturday August 19th

8:00-9:00am: Breakfast

9:30-12:00pm: Qoya Movement Session

12:30-1:30pm: Lunch

1:30-4:00pm: Free Time

4:00-6:00pm: Afternoon Rituals

6:00-7:00pm: Dinner

7:30-9:00pm: Evening Ceremony

Sunday August 20th: Departure Day

8:00-9:30am: Breakfast

10-11am: Qoya Movement Session

11am-12pm: Closing Ceremony

12-1pm: Lunch

1pm: Blessings on your next adventure!

One of the unique aspects of this retreat is that we will co-create the experience with Mother Nature.

You'll learn simple, yet profound, practices that you can use upon returning home.

Learning to tap in to this support, that is always available, is life-changing!

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel for any reason and we can find a person to take your spot, we will refund the amount paid minus a $100 administration fee. If we cannot find a person to take your spot, there are no refunds; however, you can transfer your paid spot to someone else, so you can send a friend or family member to the retreat in your place.

If cost is a barrier email dana@engagingart.com to request payment plan or sliding scale options.

The lodge is in Penrose, NC- 25 minutes from the Asheville Airport. You can grab an Uber from the airport and if you'd like Dana can connect you to other women to ride-share. There is a local service available for the return trip to the airport.

your host

Dana Whiddon has been offering support for transformation for over twenty years.

She is a creative arts therapist and Qoya movement teacher who facilitates circles, ceremonies, and retreats focused on supporting women in their transformation.

Her unique medicine comes through combining art, nature, community, movement, and ritual to create a deep and powerful container for healing.

Dana honors nature as a master teacher and is passionate about humans and earth healing together.