THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH
Astrology & Art Immersion for Self-Exploration
Hosted by Ana Kerin x Astrology for Artists
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Monday 30 September — Sunday 06 October, 2024
Cucumbi, Alentejo — Portugal
Prices from £1932
OUR JOURNEY
We are beyond excited to share our first collaborative retreat THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH designed for you to dive into the most tender creative experience you could ever dream of.
Imagine gorgeous silky clay, good company, rural life, communal eating with organic and biodynamic ingredients, inspirational new friends, star-gazing at dusk, sacred stillness, wild lake swimming, creative drawing, dancing, bioenergetic mind-body practice, mindful exploration, deepening into your natal chart, embodied creative practices, journaling while the sun sets and your heart rises…
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I met Ana in 2018 when we exchanged practices. I offered her an in depth astrology reading and she invited me to one of her ceramic classes. I remember listening to her giving her classes and thinking ‘she is teaching us much more than just making a pot. She is teaching us about life, about our inner worlds. She is teaching us how to soften our inner critic as an act to liberate ourselves from our blocks. She is helping us find ourselves’ She was eye opening to me; in fact there is no conversation with Ana where I don’t have an inspiring and insightful realization. As you can tell we became very good friends.
We then began exploring the idea of combining astrology and clay workshops which we facilitated at her studio in East London for over a year. We experimented, learned, failed, listened and understood the potential of what we were doing. And THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH is our first immersive creative retreat where we bring together our expertise and love for self-exploration.
Join us as we connect, rethink, resist, renew and embrace creative and hidden aspects within ourselves through art, mind-body practices and astrology.
Email astrologyforartists@gmail.com and we’ll send you the Accommodation Guide with pictures of each room and much more.
Please get in touch for any question, big or small.
ASTROLOGICAL & MIND-BODY PRACTICES
by Madeleine
Our departing point / Your Natal Chart
Learning and understanding your astrological chart is a life journey experience; one where - from my perspective - there is no way back. The complexity and beauty of our charts goes beyond our star sign and can be incredibly revealing and profoundly healing.
During THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH you’ll work with your own astrological chart. I’ll prepare your chart beforehand and create personalized exercises and notes for you to have during our time together. This retreat is either for a beginner in astrology or someone more experienced.
We’ll start from the basics: the Zodiac signs in relation to the Sun, Moon & Ascendant to then connect with the power of the outer and transpersonal planets Uranus, Neptune & Pluto. You’ll learn where in your chart you are radical and rebellious (Uranus), you want to transform, transcend and regenerate yourself (Pluto) and your need to go beyond your conscious control (Neptune).
The outer planets reflect profound levels of experience, their presence in our charts has become identified with processes that are both potent and also potentially life-changing. Remote and magnificent - the invisible presence of the outer planets conjures up a deep sense of the endless mystery of our skies.
You’ll learn where you have Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in your birth chart - in which sign, house and aspect and what does that mean. We are entering a time where showing up for ourselves and others is lather for our existence. We are witnesses of a huge transformation in humanity. There are wars between the past and the future, east and west, light and dark. We are mutating and mutations are not necessarily easy - they are chaotic, messy and require authentic creative courage. This is why we’ll also learn about where these planets are transiting your charts and transforming you, right now.
Astrology will guide you as you embark into a profound creative exploration through artistic practices and self inquiry with Ana, surrounded by the most beautiful natural landscape, eating nutritious food prepared with loving intention so you surrender and embrace yourself.
Stargazing / A meditative practice
During the evenings we’ll stargaze from the most beautiful Portuguese countryside. We’ll connect with the territory of the sky by looking at the different constellations, and learn about fixed stars through observation and storytelling. It’s deeply moving when the image of the Eagle, the Swan and the Lyre, or the constellations of Scorpio, Libra, Virgo emerge as the night deepens. How can we open our hearts to the Sky?
Bioenergetic Practice / Mind- body practice
There is nothing more powerful than learning astrology in an embodied and grounding way. This means incorporating the knowledge of astrology alongside moving, shaking, dancing and releasing tensions and blocks in our bodies. When we soften our armour we can explore our natal charts in ways our mind alone can’t. The deeper we connect with our bodies, the deeper we can navigate and understand the potential of who we are that your natal chart reveals.
Email astrologyforartists@gmail.com and we’ll send you the Accommodation Guide with pictures of each room and much more.
Please get in touch for any question, big or small.
ARTISTIC EMBODIED PRACTICES
by Ana
You will work with different creative practices such as clay and drawing as tools to observe your surfacing of emotions, characteristics of your being and challenges of your personality. Creation as the perfect reflection of who you are right now. We’ll begin with recognising those feelings and emotions from which we learn and we meet ourselves. A mirror that is so soft that it makes you softer. Allowing you to embrace, to observe yourself and embrace again. And most importantly it allows you to change as it teaches you how best to change.
You can slowly confront your challenges and blocks, you can stop and start again. And clay as a forgiving, soft, smooth material will kindly allow you to become who you want to be a little more or a little less. Dropping into the rhythms of this beautiful landscape, we will focus the week around hand-building organic, sensual and unusual shapes. Ana will guide you into the subtle ways you can develop and refine your own language in the clay – and together we’ll explore clay as an intuitive and spontaneous material that responds to and reflects our inner worlds.
Hope you’ll join us on this beautiful adventure!
WHERE
THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH will take place in Cucumbi, a beautiful family-run organic farm only 90 min from Lisbon set in the golden Alentejo and surrounded by rolling hills and over 100 hectares of private land filled with cork oak, olive and orange trees.
Embraced by orchards, wild gardens, a natural lake and a saltwater pool - the serenity of the landscape and its stunning natural beauty sets a perfect backdrop encouraging calm, reflection and inspiration.
WHEN
Monday September 30th - Sunday October 6th 2024
Check in at 14:00 on Monday 30th and check out at 10:00 on Sunday 6th
PROGRAM
Our collaborative program combines Art, Creativity, Astrology and Bioenergetics
Will be emailed to you closer to the time.
A typical day looks like this:
Morning for rest, reflection, journaling, walk or swim
Breakfast & you time
AM workshop
Lunch
Siesta, swim, read, relax, wander, connect
PM workshop
Evening sunset meditation
Aperitivo
Dinner
Night time sharing circle
Surprise workshop or stargazing with Madeline
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This example schedule above is subject to change.
Email astrologyforartists@gmail.com and we’ll send you the Accommodation Guide with pictures of each room and much more.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
•Six nights accommodation at Cucumbi
•Five full days of retreat programme
•Daily guided clay, drawing and creative workshops by Ana
•Daily astrology workshops by Madeleine, which includes
dance and bioenergetic practice
•Your personalised natal chart with customised notes
•Daily space and time for self-explorative practices
•Outdoor walks to embrace nature. Cucumbi has few 5k
trails to explore their lands
•Breakfast, lunch and dinner - all food is seasonal, organic,
vegetarian and grown on the Cucumbi grounds or locally sourced
•Outdoor salt-water swimming pool & wild swimming in the lake
•Bikes, sups and kanoe available
•Outdoor dining under the vast Sky
•Stargazing sessions with Madeleine
•All materials for creative workshop will be provided (clay and
firings, paper, ink and paint, journal, etc)
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Travel insurance
Flights, train, bus, taxi travel to retreat
( let us know if you are renting a car or if you need help with booking a taxi / we will try to combine taxies to collect few of you on similar arrival times)
Additional alcohol and soft drinks during retreat (they have a selection of wines and cocktails available)
Shipping of your ceramic pieces - we recommend you check an extra bag for your flight back (we don’t provide shipping service from this location)
•Treatments and therapies on request
ROOMS & PRICING
Accommodation Overview
Cucumbi is set in refurbished traditional Portuguese style farmhouses, which offer a beautiful selection of modern spacious accommodation with plenty of privacy and calm. Private ensuite double bedrooms with terraces, stunning apartment suites, generous double bedrooms and dorm-style shared apartments.
We encourage sharing double rooms with a partner or close friend, in addition to shared accommodation with fellow guests while also offering spacious and inspiring rooms for those joining us individually.
BOOKING
To secure your place we kindly ask for a 30% deposit which is non-refundable. The remaining 70% should be paid in full by September 1st, or we can offer two instalments to be completed by the same date. Please get in touch to discuss.
We really hope you’ll join us for THE SKY MEETS THE EARTH
EACH ROOM
•Double bed / twin beds options *on selected rooms
•Air Conditioning
•Hair Dryer
•Shampoo & shower gel
•Towels and linens
•Wifi
•Pool towel
•*Some have fireplaces
OCCUPANCY OPTIONS
Single: Joining us for the whole retreat programme, this room is yours alone
Double: Perfect for couples or friends sharing.
Twin: Dorm-style shared apartments with friends or another guest.
Four Double Bedrooms with Ensuite
These beautiful double rooms have a private entrance from a shared walled courtyard; all rooms are sunset facing with unobscured stunning views over Alentejo landscape. You will hear the sound of the sheep being shepherded home in the evenings, and your room will be bathing in golden sunlight. Each room comes with an open plan wardrobe, double bed, a private bathroom and a private outdoor terrace by the gardens with a view of the garden.
Lunoka £3468 single occupancy
Double queen-size bed and an outside terrace with garden view
Kawa £3468 single occupancy
Double queen-size bed and an outside terrace with garden view
Mukuza £3468 single occupancy / £1992 per person sharing
Double queen-size bed and an outside terrace with garden view
Tchombo £3468 single occupancy / £1992 per person sharing
Double queen-size bed and an outside terrace with garden view
En-Suite Deluxe Kambimbi
A stunning rustic cottage tastefully refurbished into a Suite Deluxe Apartment is ideal for anyone wanting to have a lot of privacy and comfort while being a step away from the retreat group and communal living. Spacious Apartment spreads across 3 rooms, a large ensuite bedroom, kitchen with dining corner and a cozy living room with sofas, armchair and a fireplace. From the kitchen you access your own private large terrace with a sitting area and views over the gardens and the land towards the west.
This apartment is ideal for a single occupancy as well as perfect for two sharing, for a couple or two friends (room can be set up as double bed or twin).
£4068 single occupancy / £2892 per person sharing
Cottage Phuka
A cosy cottage with an open plan living room with a fireplace, dining room and kitchenette and two attached bedrooms - a twin and a double bedroom (with a shared bathroom).
All rooms have access to the large private west facing terrace with a sitting area and loungers.
Twin room has two single beds and is available as our shared `dorm style occupancy”, the double bedroom has a large comfy double bed and is available as single occupancy (shared bathroom).
Twin room £1932 each person
Double room £2868 single occupancy
Suite Duplex Tchikungulu
This bright and stunning Suite Duplex Apartment is ideal for anyone wanting to stay in a suite with a lot of character, its built in a refurbished industrial height unit, with a whole east wall in large French style doors, covered floor to ceiling with muslin curtains to allow maximum privacy while allowing beautiful sunrise to sunset light coming through the suite. The apartment is split between the spacious ground floor with walk-in wardrobe, open plan living room with suspended fireplace, kitchenette and dining room, bathroom and mezzanine with double bedroom. The mezzanine bedroom is only available as a double bed set up which makes this apartment ideal for a single occupancy or a couple sharing.
The light in the space is sublime from sunrise to sunset drawing ever-changing light and shadows.
£4068 single occupancy / £2892 per person sharing
Lakeside House Apartment
This Lakeside apartment is located on the end of property with unobscured views of the landscape and the sunsets over the lake. It is located on the quietest and most secluded spot allowing plenty of privacy. Lakehouse is right next door to the ceramic and yoga studio.
The lakehouse has one double bedroom, a dorm style sharing twin room and a private ensuite deluxe double bedroom / studio with private access.
All rooms in the Lakeside apartment share a spacious open plan living space with bathroom, kitchen, living room and access to a large terrace with breathtaking views.
Double Bedroom En Suite £3468 single occupancy
2 x Twin room £1932 each person
Studio £2868 single occupancy
Email astrologyforartists@gmail.com and we’ll send you the Accommodation Guide with pictures of each room and much more.
OUR TEAM
Hello & welcome, we are so grateful you're here.
ANA KERIN
Trained in the Classic program at Fine Art Academy in Sculpture, printmaking and painting my practice spans over many different materials. I have developed a strong personal artistic practice and developed a few side explorative projects, one of them is ceramic and design studio Kana.
I have always been passionate about sharing skills and collaborations which has naturally brought me to teaching along the way. I believe a great teacher is always also a student and students are one of the best teachers.
With my over 18 years of teaching experiences and 6 years of hosting retreats with different programs and for different levels of Art practice, I have been focusing on challenging, nourishing and developing creativity, returning to one self and connecting the mind with the body. I love combining creative practice with other self inquiry tools.
I often work intuitively, allowing for the schedule to be soft and informative. Over days we spend together I create a slow flow of workshops, classes, experiences that slowly dive you into a process of surrender into your senses and disconnect you from the sense of time.
My teaching technique is focused on supporting, mentoring, guiding and recognising whether you are in need of encouragement, support, need corrections on technique, introduction to new techniques, whther you need gentle guiding or seeking a challenge.
I teach with focus on each of you individually while guiding the group collectively. This way there is always space for everyone to learn from one another and for the group to grow together.
MADELEINE BOTET DE LACAZE
Astrology has always been one of my biggest sources of inspiration. However, at the beginning my focus was my art practice - I studied acting for many years, photography, dance, then I went through four years of Cinematography to finally move to London and do an MA in Performance Art. My astrology journey happened alongside my art practice, I began studying Astrology in my early 20s (I’m 41 now) and it was something I did for myself. It gave me the strength to pursue my dreams, to be kinder with myself and to realised I had challenges to face within me that could become talents.
I believe in an astrology that liberates, that opens up possibilities for life experiences and that cultivates fluidity and resilience. With Astrology for Artists I want you to connect with your creativity, the inner self that makes your heart beat strong and confidently.
Our life is our most important creative journey, and the more we know ourselves the more freedom we have to choose who we want to be. Creativity can be beautiful but also painful, as it’s the process of becoming who we are. It connects us with our hopes, beliefs, fears, wounds and from that place we heal.
Astrology spoke to my soul and allowed me to believe in myself, to trust my steps. It helped me put the pieces of my broken self together. Now I want to communicate this to guide you in the hardest of times, bringing calm through understanding the bigger picture that the sky reveals.
Can’t wait to meet you in September, please don’t hesitate to send me an email with any questions, big or small.
astrologyforartists@gmail.com
Much love and until soon,
x Madeleine
Photos used with permission:
Cucumbi archive, Gaja Naja Rojec, Ana Kerin and Kana retreats archive