Will you come make sanctuary with us?
An invitation to join our December 2025 somatic nervous system regulation retreat in Sutton, QC.
An inner place, a sacred place. A refuge.
I was wondering about the word’s journey through time and language. It began as a word for a sacred place, something sanctus—consecrated and set apart. It evolved to mean a place of true refuge, offering immunity and safety to those who sought shelter within its bounds.
It’s not an external place you escape to, it’s an inner realm where you find the resources to nourish yourself.
My partner Shanthi and I are offering our third somatic nervous system regulation retreat this fall, and we’ve named it Sanctuary. But why the name?
At its heart, the word contains the sanctum, the 'holy of holies'—the sacred, inner space. The original Hebrew root of that idea, qodesh, קֹדֶשׁ, doesn't just mean holy; it means to be set apart for a sacred purpose. Its form as a verb, qiddesh, קִדֵּשׁ, means to sanctify. This is an act, and it is an internal process. The sanctuary I believe we all carry within us is not a place we run to, but a part of ourselves where we find resource.
Much the same, Bayo Akomolafe wrote recently, Sanctuary is not a place. He says that in these times when the very pillars of our world are trembling, perhaps the definition must evolve once more. He writes that "we will not merely claim sanctuary, we will make sanctuary." He suggests that perhaps, in the midst of it all, we will learn that "sanctuary is not a place, but a practice, a way to become-with a world that is never not broken.”
The theme of our retreat, Sanctuary, is nervous system regulation through yoga, qigong, and somatic practice.
Polyvagal theory highlights how our physiological states profoundly influence our environmental perceptions. Safety is as much an internal perception as it is an external reality. Safety is a perception, as much as it is or is not an external reality. To make sanctuary, to practice it, means that no place will be a true sanctuary if our own systems perceive danger everywhere. The practice, then, is to learn how to come home to ourselves, even when the world feels loud and our inner sanctuary feels distant.
This is where true self-regulation begins, in the moment-by-moment act of shifting our internal state back toward balance. Not to fix ourselves, but to remember what it feels like to be safe, resourced, and truly at ease in our own skin, so we can take what is present and move into the next cycle.
It is with this intention that my partner Shanthi and I are designing this retreat, a somatic journey home to yourself, from December 5th to 7th, 2025, at the beautiful Centre Arc-en-Ciel in Sutton, QC.
This retreat is an opportunity to deepen. I come away from each one with a renewed sense of purpose. This is an invitation, if you’re longing for quiet. For a reset. To get in touch with the theory and practice of listening to what your whole system needs. It is for the heart that craves more than just a break, but is looking to let go of old patterns and return to a more grounded, vibrant state. It is an invitation to come home, and make sanctuary with us.
One of our last participants said this: “[The retreat] Dégel was very meaningful for my personal journey and fit perfectly with the therapy I have been doing for several years now. I now feel confident that I can take action, step by step, to get myself out of my rut.” -I.S, Spring 2025.
We wake to the quiet autumn stillness of the forest. Greet the morning with an invitation to a silent walk in near the river. Transition through gentle Qi Gong and Yoga, soothe the body, and appreciate the connection of self and other. Shanthi leads us through the unique weightlessness of warm water aquatic somatics, releasing layers of tension that we may not have even realized we were holding. Oh, and there’s a sauna, along with fully cheffed meals.
If these words resonate with a quiet knowing inside of you, we would be honoured to hold this space with you. The circle is intimate, limited to fifteen participants, to ensure a supportive and deep experience for all.
To reserve your place in this circle, you are invited to read more details here, or reply to this email.
Blessings,
Laure