A day of self love in the Forest

Self-Love Day Retreat

February 16th, 2025 | 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.”

Rupi Kaur

Discover the Power of Self-Love: A Day Retreat at Just Love Forest

In the heart of winter, it's easy to get lost in the societal celebration of love as something that exists between two people. But the cornerstone of all love, the kind that radiates out and changes the world, begins with how we love ourselves. This Self-Love Day Retreat is an invitation to affirm that self-love is not just a luxury; it's essential for building a life filled with purpose, joy, and the capacity to contribute positively to the world around us.

You deserve this sacred space and time in nature to reconnect with your inner being and prepare for the year ahead. It's a moment to pause, breathe, and realign with what truly matters - your relationship with yourself.

We encourage both women and men to attend!

A Sacred Offering: Robin’s Despacho Ceremony

We are honored to have Robin Guidice guide us through the sacred Andean tradition of creating a despacho - a ceremonial offering of gratitude and intention. Rooted in the wisdom of indigenous Peruvian culture, a despacho is both a prayer and a work of art, created by layering natural elements like flowers, seeds, and herbs to symbolize our hopes, gratitude, and connection to the earth.

Robin will lead us in this beautiful practice as we reflect on what we want to release, what we wish to welcome, and how we can cultivate self-love. Together, we’ll co-create a despacho imbued with our collective intentions and bury it in the nurturing soil of Just Love Forest, offering our hearts and prayers back to the earth as we honor its wisdom and beauty.

A Journey Within: Becky’s Sound Healing and Hypnotic Meditation

Following the despacho ceremony, we’ll gather in the cozy, heated yurt for a heart-centered experience led by Becky Shanks, a trained sound healer and hypnotherapist. Becky combines the art of sound healing with gentle hypnotic techniques, guiding us into deeper states of relaxation, calm, and inner alignment.

Through the resonant vibrations of singing bowls and the power of soothing, intentional words, Becky will help us cultivate a profound sense of loving-kindness- what we call the bhav. This guided meditation is an invitation to surrender into unconditional love, allowing us to reconnect with the peace within and the joy of simply being.

A Transformative Day of Connection and Renewal

This Self-Love Day Retreat is a rich collection of practices designed to nurture your heart, mind, and spirit. Alongside Robin and Becky, Bala and friends will lead you through a transformative 8-hour journey including:

Nature therapy
Guided meditation
Breath work
Mindful eating
Live music
Sound healing
Sacred cacao
Foraged tea and heartfelt discussions

Through these experiences, we’ll explore how self-love can become the foundation for a life brimming with joy, kindness, and purpose. By dedicating this time to yourself, you’ll cultivate the inner peace and strength needed to share your love with the world around you.

Sliding Scale Payment: Open Hearts, Open Doors

At Just Love Forest, we believe that everyone deserves access to self-discovery and renewal, regardless of financial circumstances. That’s why we’re offering a sliding scale payment option. Please contact us if can’t afford this and feel called to attend.

- Standard Rate: $200 (recommended, supports our facilitators and land stewardship)

- Sustainer Rate: $300 (for those able to give more and support our mission)

- It’s All Good Rate: $150 (for those who need financial flexibility)

A lovingly prepared, high-quality vegan lunch will be included.

After registering, you’ll receive details for payment and an RSVP form. Please RSVP individually to sign the waiver and ensure we’re prepared to welcome you.

Questions or Concerns?

Email us at bala@justloveforest.com. We’re happy to answer your questions or discuss other ways to make this retreat accessible to you.

Embrace the Journey of Self-Love

Let this day be a stepping stone on your path to deeper self-acceptance and understanding. Join us in the embrace of nature, and let’s celebrate the art of self-love together.

What to Expect

Join us with an open heart and no prerequisites! Whether you're new to meditation and sound healing or have some experience, you'll find our retreat welcoming and enriching.

Here's a little of what's in store:

Personalized Support: Before we gather, we'll reach out to you directly. This is a great opportunity to address any queries you might have and for us to get acquainted. Our aim is to make you feel comfortable and connected from the very start.

Comfort in Practice: To enhance your experience, we will provide tri-fold cushions for added support during meditation sessions. If you have a favorite meditation cushion, feel free to bring it along for that personal touch of comfort.

Embrace the Experience: Our retreat offers a unique blend of instruction and guidance in a supportive environment. Everything we offer is designed to be practical and applicable, ensuring that what you learn here can beautifully complement your daily life.

Prepare to embark on a journey of inner exploration, healing through sound, and the cultivation of mindfulness and compassion. We're here to support you every step of the way.

Meet Your Guides:

Bala is a certified forest therapy guide affiliated with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, and a dedicated student in Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s two-year professional training program at the Greater Good Science Center, University of California at Berkeley, Bala brings a wealth of knowledge in mindfulness, self-compassion, loving-kindness, and meditation. His teachings are practical and accessible, designed to resonate with people from all walks of life.

About Becky Shanks
Becky Shanks, affectionately known as Beckstar, is a certified Master Hypnotist, sound healer, and energy alchemist with over a decade of professional quantum healing experience. She founded her hypnotic healing practice, Presents of Mind, in 2014, blending hypnotherapy, Reiki, and sound alchemy to empower individuals to unlock their inherent potential and heal themselves.

Becky’s unique approach weaves together hypnosis, the soothing vibrations of crystal singing bowls, and channeling of the subconscious to help clients release stuck energy, deepen self-awareness, and discover limitless possibilities. Trained in techniques such as Quantum Healing Hypnosis and medical hypnosis, Becky also integrates astrology, bioacoustics, and energy healing to create deeply transformative experiences.

Her passion lies in guiding others to reconnect with their inner power through sound, intention, and the mind’s creative potential. Whether through one-on-one sessions or group ceremonies, Becky’s work offers a profound journey into self-discovery and healing.