‘If you are thirsty you must drink. Do not go to the well looking to teach others to drink’
Flourish: Beyond Wellbeing is a retreat from the business and the busyness of life, in the sacred sanctuary of Hawkwood. This is a precious opportunity to breathe in, in a world that prioritises breathing out.
During these few days you will be supported and nourished, you will replenish your inner resources at all levels: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual, enabling you to be meet what 2020 brings from an empowered place of strength and confidence.
Our time is so precious, and we must think wisely how we use it. Often this leads us to think of every experience as an opportunity to develop new skills as a contribution to others. However, it can be a false economy to use the sacred space of retreat to do anything less than become intimate with our own needs and to replenish the most precious resource of all – ourselves.
The demands on us throughout the year mean we are often depleted in our energy and in need of inspiration, rest and restoration. To receive true nourishment, we must be prepared to drop everything and go inwards, to be curious and vulnerable and put our practitioner identities down. Outcomes must be set aside and instead trust that you will come for the right reasons, that you need space and care in a place such as Hawkwood which holds and nourishes us whilst being guided on your exploration of what it takes to truly flourish. I look forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes,
Karen Downes
Karen Downes is a Social Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Change-agent and Author. As a pioneer in the alternative health care sector, business consultant and leadership development coach Karen has been working for over 30 years at changing outdated business models and ways of working that do not serve people or planet. Starting out in the 80’s Karen built a start-up enterprise from kitchen table-top into a multi-million-dollar enterprise exporting alternative health care products and training programmes to 5 countries. She was a pioneer in the industry, writing 6 books and introducing aromatherapy into mainstream pharmacies and hospitals in Australia. Today Karen’s 80’s style of leadership in which she built her business would be known today as ‘conscious’ leadership. For years she worked as an activist with women in the villages of India and Bangladesh to end the subjugation and marginalisation of women. When she moved to London in 2002, Karen transitioned into coaching and leading development programmes for executive teams in FTSE 100 companies in some of the toughest industries. She knows that the way we are working is not working and aims to transform this at the personal and leadership levels.
Karen will soon be facilitating a 2-day workshop, “Flourish: Beyond Wellbeing” (3-5 Feb) as part of the Hawkwood Programme
