Tucked away just a five-minute walk from the ocean on beautiful Gabriola Island, our cozy guest home offers all the simple luxuries you need to make your stay feel like a true retreat.

Space is limited, but not to worry - we can help arrange additional accommodations nearby. And if you’re local, you’re welcome to stay in the comfort of your own home and still enjoy the full retreat experience.

Ground Up Café & Catering will be nourishing us with beautiful lunches and dinners, including vegetarian options and accommodations for food allergies. Each morning will begin with a buffet-style breakfast, and all beverages will be provided throughout the weekend.

Emma Hamilton brings over two decades of martial arts experience, a powerful teaching presence, and an unwavering commitment to women’s safety and self-trust. Across three 90-minute empowerment sessions, she’ll guide you through a blend of self-defence fundamentals, striking techniques, and embodied drills rooted in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Kickboxing.

These sessions are more than physical training - they are a space to sharpen your instincts, reclaim your voice, and build embodied confidence from the inside out. With a focus on precision, awareness, and personal empowerment, Emma creates a grounded, encouraging environment where every woman can rise in her own strength.

Whether you’re a total beginner or have trained before, you’ll leave feeling stronger, more capable, and deeply rooted in your own power - physically, emotionally, and energetically.

I’m so honoured to welcome Mikaela Millington (www.mikmill.com) as my collaborator for this retreat.

Mikaela brings a deeply intuitive and grounded presence to her work - weaving together yoga, somatic awareness, and soul-centred reflection in a way that feels both expansive and profoundly restorative. She’ll be leading daily yoga sessions to help you stay connected to your breath and body throughout the weekend, as well as a closing Soul Circle to support integration, reflection, and deeper connection.

These practices will beautifully complement the empowered martial arts and self-defence training you'll receive - allowing you to move between strength and softness, fire and stillness, with intention and awareness. This full-spectrum approach creates space not only for skill and physical power, but also for healing, clarity, and embodied confidence.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have such a rich and diverse creative community here on Gabriola - and I’m thrilled to include a special offering led by local artist and master craftsman Tony Grove (www.tonygroveartist.com).

Tony will guide us through a hands-on art class designed to spark creativity, presence, and self-expression - no experience needed. With his deep artistic expertise and grounded, inspiring teaching style, Tony brings a soulful layer to the retreat that invites us to slow down, connect, and create something meaningful with our own hands.

It’s a rare gift to learn from someone of his calibre, and I can’t wait to share this part of the weekend with you.

Poems in the Moment

A rich and beautiful experience awaits as we open together on Thursday.
Scroll down for a glimpse into the soulful presence and poetic offerings that Nia brings to this special gathering.

This retreat invites connection in the most natural way - through movement, reflection, and shared presence. You'll build trust and camaraderie through martial arts, deepen self-awareness with journaling prompts, and enjoy heartfelt conversations during beach walks, nourishing meals, and grounding group rituals. These moments, both quiet and communal, create lasting bonds and a deep sense of belonging that lingers long after the weekend ends.