Spirals & Cycles 

– a queer retreat

23rd – 28th May 2025
Carmarthenshire, SA32 8NE
A five-day queer yoga retreat, for LGBTQIA+ people to be held and hold one another in a brave space of svadhyaya (self-inquiry) and cyclical wisdom in the Welsh wilderness. Grounded in daily yoga nidra, breathwork, embodied movement, community living & sharing circles, we will spiral inwards & outwards to connect with our inner cycles (e.g. sleep, menstrual, life) and outer cycles (seasons, lunar, solar). 
Complete this form to book!
Information Booklet

What to expect

Over the course of the retreat, we will move through each season, from Autumn to Summer. This will be interwoven with the elements and the Celtic wheel of the year. Arrivals from 3pm on Friday 23rd and departure after lunch on Wednesday 28th). 
An example daily schedule:
7.30am: meditation, breath & movement
9am: breakfast
10am: sharing circle, elemental yoga practice 
1pm: lunch
Free time
4.30pm: workshop 
7pm: dinner
8pm: evening practice
Workshop & evening sessions will include: cycle awareness for all*, cosmology of the body, grief tending, restorative yoga, yoga nidra, chanting, movement & fire circles.  All sessions are optional and the schedule may change depending on the needs & wants of the group at the time. 
*depending on the identity and needs of the group, we may have protected time & space for bodies that bleed to share.

Why Cycles?

We live in a society where time is presented as linear, a race from A to B. In this space we either win or we lose, we are good or bad, we have or we don’t have. It is exhausting & harmful, leading to widespread burnout, illness, injustice & disconnection. Ancient wisdoms and the direct experience of our queer bodies tell a different story. To subvert these harmful systems, promote healing & sustainable change, this retreat offers the space for deep listening & radical community connection. The opportunity to reconnect to inherent wisdom & expansiveness of inner & outer cycles.

Why Spirals?

Each cycle, be it the turn of the season, different stages of our queer journey or simply every breath we take, spirals into the next, offering the opportunity for reflection, learning and growth. Our ‘mistakes’ & our shadows become just as treasured as our ‘achievements’ in these spirals of learning. This is brave & vital work.

Who is this for? 

This retreat is for queer people – anyone who identifies as LGBTQIA+ and/or socially and politically identifies as queer. Beginners to yoga are very welcome. Those with a brave heart & curiosity to explore the spaces in between. Perhaps you feel full or burnout. Perhaps you are in need of connection, to be in a queer only space, and/or longing to dive deeper into a yoga practice which expands way beyond the mat and binary thinking/language. For those who are open to self-reflection & wishing to connect their individual learning journey to serve collective healing & freedom.
Whilst the intention of this retreat is not to educate on topics related to queerness, anti-oppression & decolonisation, this is the lens through which I share my offerings. You do not have to be well versed in these topics to attend, only open & willing to learn.  ​​​​​​​

My offerings are rooted in the values of accessibility and inclusivity. I facilitate from the lens of trauma-informed and anti-oppressive practice. If you have any specific questions or needs around access, please get in touch. 

“Wow! Deep community, joy that was bigger than I ever could have hoped for. Spiralling & cycling with you is probably the best decision I’ve made in a long time. Beyond grateful for the love, care, attention, and holding. So much healing, connection, laughter & joy!”

Ruth E. she/her, Bristol – 2023

“Leonie created the most magical and deeply intentional retreat space, with unbelievable attention to detail and their huge capacity for gentle holding and loving guidance. The space they created held immense queer joy, silliness, play, connection and community, as well as room for grief, struggle, edge- finding/boundary pushing, deep introspection and reflection. It was yoga in its truest, most holistic, philosophical form where mind body and spirit are not separated and the practice is found in everything, from the mat to mealtimes to dancing round campfires to washing up and bedtime. Transformational, brilliant, profound. Thank you.”

Laura, they/she, Bristol – 2023

“I came away with a renewed relationship with spiritual practice, an embodied and intuitive sense of the sacred flowing in a grounded way through all the strands of life, body and space that genuinely felt different, lighter but deeper”

Ffin, they/them, Machynlleth – 2024

“Truly transformative, reflective and very unexpected. My first retreat of this sort and I just could not have imagined it would be like this. Facilitation was on point, thoughtful, held. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so accepted as I am, safe and understood by a group of people, strangers, who I believe will now be life long friends. Here’s to new community! Big up to the boss team, Leonie, Issy, Babs and Laura. Honestly, you have created space for such magical growth, blossoms and blooms to occur. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Jade she/they/he, Bristol – 2024

“Not exaggerating when I say it was transformative. Thank you for cultivating a space where play, silliness and caring prevailed, alongside the opportunity to let go of some serious shit to make room for reflection and joy. I left having finally found a little queer community, and that was really special.”

Beccy, she/her, Birmingham – 2024

“It’s really very difficult to find words that do justice to the experience of attending Leonie’s Spirals and Cycles Retreat. For me this was a tenderly held space, where so much connection and un-doing was possible. Leonie’s sharing of the practices is with such reverence for their history, and an obvious love and delight, that the spaces they hold are playful and warm, while also being full of learning and deep healing. I am so grateful for being able to attend, and the reconnection I have cultivated to myself, the land, and community.”

Lou, they/them, Brighton – 2024

Accommodation, Massage & Catering

Golden Grove, run by Rob & Lou, offers a rustic, sustainable retreat centre in the rolling hills of rural Carmarthenshire. Accommodation is spread across the main barn converted house and two safari lodges. 

We will feast together in the main house with catering from Babs Greaves (the founder of Eat Your Greens and quite simply the most exquisite gluten free & vegan food creator on the planet). Babs will be infusing their food with the theme of spirals & cycles, yum yum YUM. 

We will also make use of the fire circle, spa facilities (sauna, hot tub & plunge pool) and over 10 acres of woodland & wild fields for group & individual reflection, nature connection and grounding.

Our daily practices will be held in the yoga studio & out on the land. You’ll have time to for massages, explorations of local walks & river swims with the option to journey further afield to beautiful waterfall and coastal spots.

Booking & prices

There are three tiers of pricing:
Private double bed en-suite in main house – £1050 (solo) or £1600 (shared & booked as a two)
Shared room in main house – £850
Solo space in safari lodge – £750
To book, fill in this form
Please take a look at the website gallery to get a sense of the accommodation. The main house is a bit fancier, cosy and near to the yoga studio/kitchen where we all eat. The safari lodges are like big tents, with compost loos and out in the expansive Welsh landscape. The price includes all sessions, meals, spa facilities & accommodation. This does not include travel to/from the retreat centre or massage sessions.
20% non-refundable deposit required to secure your place, final payment required by end of April 2025. Cancellation policy can be found here on my website. Get in touch if finances are a problem to discuss payment plans. I am happy to be as flexible as possible to make it work.

Bursary Pot

Accessibility is really important to me and I know that making the choice to come on a yoga retreat is a huge investment. For some, finances are a deal breaker and I have worked hard to keep my prices as low as possible/offer flexible payment plans whilst also ensuring my livelihood is sustainable.
To donate, click here
In order to support queer friends who on lower incomes and/or experiencing further intersections of marginalisation (e.g. race, ability, gender), I have setup a fundraising page to create a ‘bursary pot’. This idea came from the attendees of Spirals & Cycles and was a big success in 2024. It is open for anyone to contribute! To donate, please go here. Please share far & wide! To express interest in a bursary contribution, please get in touch/make a note in your booking form.