Women’s Gathering & Ritual Feast
Into Winter’s Womb
December 12-13, 2026
Hot Springs, NC
Sisters, it’s time to come together. To slow down, turn inward and reconnect to the still, dark, quiet, womb-like rhythms of the season. To remember the sacred intelligence that pulses in the womb of creation herself.
As the earth draws energy toward her center, we too are called to soften into the fertile, regenerative darkness—to tend to our creational centers as we prepare to receive the returning light at the Winter Solstice.
If you have been feeling this call, we invite you to join our circle of women as we rest, pray and dream together, and honor the cyclic wisdom that lives in our bodies and in the land.
Here’s what we have planned for our time together…
SATURDAY (arrival is at 10 am)
🌹Heart connection circles & dyads
🌹Cyclic wisdom & feminine medicine wheel study
🌹 Exploration of dream tending & divination practices
🌹 Herbal medicine for deep rest & lucid dreaming (You’ll craft a dream elixir that you’ll take home with you!)
🌹 Yoga & somatic movement for nervous system self-care
🌹 Exploration of Rosicrucian teachings on the Winter Solstice
🌹 13th Rite of the Munay-Ki Womb Keeper Initiation
🌹 Nourishing local, organic seasonal feast (with vegan and gluten-free options)
🌹 Sacred fire
🌹 Blue lotus tea ceremony & medicine song circle
🌹 Slumber party in the retreat house!
SUNDAY (departure is at noon)
🌹 Breakfast bar (with vegan and gluten-free options)
🌹 Dream sharing circle
🌹 Tantric elemental flow yoga practice
🌹 Cacao circle & Mayan cosmovision
🌹 Forest hike
🌹 Land offering ceremony & closing circle
🌹 Time to explore the land and connect
Simple, High-Vibe Nourishment
for Body & Soul
Snacking boards and herbal elixirs will be available throughout the day on Saturday, to help us sustain energy as we move through practice and ceremony. That evening, we’ll gather in the Celestial Hall for a 4-course seasonal feast prepared by Chef Madeline Morgan featuring local and organic ingredients.
On Sunday, a breakfast bar with coffee and tea will be open from 8 to 9:30 am.
Meet Your Guides
Mina walks a path of devotion to the Cosmic Mother and the living Earth, creating spaces where women can reconnect with their embodied wisdom, intuition, ancestry and the natural world. She is an animist herbalist, medicine maker, ritualist, community weaver, birthkeeper, E-RYT 500 yoga teacher, professional writer and homesteading mama of two.
Mina Isabel Shahriary
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Raised outside of Washington, D.C. by a first-generation Iranian father and an American mother of Celtic maternal lineage, Mina grew up between cultural worlds, learning early to navigate belonging and in-between spaces. Over time, she recognized a subtle disconnection—from her body, the land where she was raised and her ancestral homelands. Her path has grown from that lived experience into a steady practice of restoring and deepening relationship with body, ancestry and place.
She now lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina on traditional Cherokee land, where she and her partner tend a regenerative homestead with their children and animals. There, she grows medicinal herbs and crafts plant medicines in rhythm with the seasons. Living in close relationship with the land shapes her grounded and relational approach to healing work.
With deep reverence for the intelligence of nature, Mina believes that healing and wisdom are always available through attunement to the rhythms of body, earth and sky. Her offerings weave plant medicine, somatic practice, classical Tantra, rewilding and nature-based ritual into intimate spaces for reflection and growth.
Mina’s facilitation style is gentle, grounded and deeply connective, creating containers where women can soften, clarify boundaries, reconnect with their vitality, feel supported in meaningful change and step more fully into their luminous, sovereign potential.
Havalyn is an initiated folk healer, animist, breathwork facilitator, somatic practitioner, womb keeper, ritualist, artist and cacao ceremonialist devoted to the restoration of right relationship between humans, Earth and the living web of life. Her work is guided by a deep listening to the wisdom of the body, the land and the ancient rhythms that shape all living systems.
Havalyn Irene Raeuber
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Of Swedish, German, Polish and Northwestern European ancestry, Havalyn walks a path of remembering—reweaving the threads of earth-based wisdom, embodied healing and forgotten ancestral ways of knowing. For more than twenty-five years, she has immersed herself in the study of nature-based and indigenous wisdom traditions, alongside graduate-level studies in psychotherapy and somatic healing.
A lifelong dancer and artist with over thirty-five years of training devoted to movement and creative expression, her work bridges somatic awareness, ritual, the creative process, breath, voice and embodied presence. She weaves songs, dances and ceremonial spaces that invite people into deeper intimacy with themselves, each other and the living world.
Havalyn lives with her partner on a regenerative homestead in the mountains of Western North Carolina on traditional Cherokee lands. Living with, tending to and listening to the rhythms of nature deeply informs her practice and devotion to cyclical wisdom, earth stewardship and the restoration of healthy/right relationship.
Her work—rooted in what she calls The Spiral Path—supports the Great Healing and Great Re-membering of humanity: the return to embodied wholeness, ancestral remembrance and the awakening of our innate capacity to live in beauty, reciprocity and reverence with all our relations.
Allison has lived in the mountains of southern Appalachia for most of her life, shaped by the region’s extraordinary biodiversity and deep-rooted cultural heritage. She and her partner are raising their three children on a multi-generational homestead in a remote valley of Madison County, North Carolina, where daily life unfolds alongside animals, gardens, honeybees and the steady rhythms of the land.
Allison Welder
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Homesteading and homeschooling continually inform her grounded, embodied approach to practice.
For more than 15 years, Allison has taught yoga and serves as primary steward of Magictown Movement Studio. Her teaching is shaped by study with Anusara instructors, immersion in biomechanics and myofascial release, and work with Tom Myers of Anatomy Trains. Through motherhood, the pandemic and a devastating flood in her mountain community, yoga has remained a steady companion—an embodied practice that lives both on and off the mat.
Her path deepened through Andean nature mysticism after journeying to Peru’s Sacred Valley to study with the paqos while pregnant with her second child. Through offerings and prayer, she experienced a profound heart-opening connection with the spirit of the land and continues to walk a path of reciprocity with the living world.
Allison weaves together yoga, heart coherence practices, nature mysticism, fascia and myofascial release, and stone medicine. For the past several years, she has studied stone medicine with Sarah Thomas of Upper Clarity, creating seasonal stone grids and elixirs in pure mountain spring water.
During this retreat, we will work with the element of Gold—a symbol of refinement, resilience and radiant inner alchemy—through embodied practices designed to gently polish the heart and illuminate the steady light within.
Mina, Havalyn and Allison are co-founders of Golden Mother Collective—a land-based community initiative dedicated to embodied learning, relational healing, honoring of Earth wisdom and the reawakening of the Solar Feminine. Follow along on Instagram.
“The facilitators created a space that felt both grounded and spacious. Deep work without pressure or performance. I felt genuinely supported and left with tools and insights I’m still integrating months later.”
“What a wonderful experience! I felt safe, cared for and comfortable. Wheel of Bliss offers modern amenities in a beautifully natural and remote setting. The food was amazing and the facilitators were very attentive and organized. Highly recommend!”
“Being held in such a beautiful natural setting added a whole other layer to the experience. There was a nice balance between structured practice and time to rest, reflect and simply be.”
Fresh, Clean, Locally Sourced
High-Vibe Nourishment
Dining in the beautiful Celestial Hall, we’ll enjoy seasonal, locally sourced, organic meals prepared by beloved chef and kitchen witch Madeline Morgan. She is highly skilled at crafting delicious, nutrient-dense, deeply nourishing, easy-to-digest meals, drawing inspiration from Ayurvedic principles and traditional whole-food culinary wisdom.
We believe that thoughtful nourishment is essential for sustaining energy as we move through practice and ceremony. All meals are gluten-free and vegan options will be available.
SAMPLE MENU (subject to change)
Pre-Yoga Coffee & Tea Bar:
Fresh seasonal fruit, golden milk (turmeric, cardamom, black pepper, coconut milk), coffee and herbal teas
Breakfast:
Sweet potato and zucchini hash with hard-boiled eggs, sautéed bitter greens with ghee and cumin, polenta cakes with herb crème fraîche, sliced tomatoes with black lava salt and olive oil
Lunch:
Corn and coconut soup with cilantro oil, herb-marinated grilled chicken thighs with cucumber-mint raita, rice noodle salad with shaved vegetables, basil and lime-sesame dressing, blueberry and mint juice
Dinner:
Slow-braised beef short ribs with tamarind-date glaze, roasted eggplant with tahini, pomegranate and mint, saffron basmati rice pilaf with toasted almonds, charred green beans with coriander and lime, coconut panna cotta with blackberry compote
Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center is a secluded, lovingly tended 63-acre forest sanctuary nestled in the ancient mountains of Southern Appalachia, about an hour from Asheville. This Blue Ridge Mountains retreat center in North Carolina features a large ceremonial yurt, a spacious dining hall and a comfortable retreat house with 16 beds, six bathrooms, a kitchen, a welcoming living area and a serene meditation room anchored by a Tibetan Buddhist altar.
About Wheel of Bliss
Join Us, Sister
Payment plans are available for all accommodation tiers, with a small installment fee. We believe cost should never be the only reason you can't be here—if finances are a barrier, please reach out before you talk yourself out of it. We'll do our best to find a way.
Questions? On the fence? We’d love to connect. Send us a message.
Sister Sanctuary (Shared)
$1,100 (twin top bunk)
$1,250 (full bottom bunk)
Or 3 payments of $370 / $420
Enjoy resting in a comfortable bed on the first floor of the retreat house. You’ll share a room with 2-4 other sisters.
Twin Sanctuary (Semi-Private)
$1,500 per person
Or 3 payments of $505
This semi-private room offers two twin beds on the second floor alongside the altar room and kitchen, with a large balcony that overlooks the forest. This room shares a bathroom with the Queen Sanctuary.
Queen Sanctuary (Private)
$2,100
Or 3 payments of $710
This private room has a queen bed on the second floor alongside the altar room and kitchen, with a large balcony that overlooks the forest. This room shares a bathroom with the Twin Sanctuary.
Camping
$850
Or 3 payments of $285
Choose a spot nestled in the forest or in the meadow adjacent to the yurt and dining hall. Indoor restrooms and showers are available. You must provide all your own camping gear.
If you are local or wish to find a rental nearby and commute in, you are welcome to register at the camping rate. If you are looking for private accommodations, we recommend booking with our friends at Dancing Sun Cabins, which is an 8-minute drive from Wheel of Bliss. Use code BLISS to receive 10% off your booking.
This Retreat Is for You If…
☀️ You’ve been the one holding everything, and you’re ready to be held
☀️ You've drifted from your body and feel the pull to come home to it
☀️ You're longing for slowness and deep connection—forest, water, fire and real rest
☀️ You're ready to stop dimming and let yourself be fully, unapologetically seen
☀️ You feel the call of sisterhood—the kind that goes beneath the surface
Your investment includes:
Saturday Day Retreat Option
Full day retreat (11 am - 9 pm)
All circles, ceremonies and experiences, including medicine-making supplies for an herbal dream elixir that you’ll take home with you and a bundle of herbs for dreaming
13th Rite of the Munay-Ki Womb Keeper Initiation — You will receive the rite and be initiated as a womb keeper so that you may share it with other women.
Nourishing seasonal feast (vegan-friendly with gluten-free options) — We’ll share a dinner made with local, organic ingredients in the Celestial Hall.
Herbal elixirs and healthy snacks throughout the day
Access to hiking trails and rushing creeks on 67 acres of private forested land surrounded by National Forest
Preparatory Zoom call on Monday, 11/24 at 7 pm — It will be recorded so you can watch the replay if you can’t make it.
Integration Zoom call to be scheduled after the retreat
Printed handouts and practice suggestions for the winter season
Opportunity for deep connection with like-hearted women
Overnight Retreat
Includes everything listed above PLUS:
Comfortable shared overnight accommodations in the retreat house
(A limited number of private rooms are available—see above.)Morning yoga practice
A nourishing breakfast (vegan-friendly with gluten-free options)
Cacao ceremony
Hike, land offering ceremony and closing circle
Logistical Details
🗓️ Date: Saturday, December 6th - Sunday, December 7th, 2025
🕛 Time: 10 am arrival on Saturday. Retreat programming runs from 11 am to 9 pm on Saturday and from 8 to 10 am on Sunday. Departure is by noon on Sunday.
📍 Location: Wheel of Bliss Retreat Center in Hot Springs, NC
Space is limited—register early to save your spot!
Questions? On the fence? Please send a message!
We look forward to gathering with you soon!
Love,
Mina, Havalyn & Allison
Frequently Asked Questions
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This retreat is for women of all ages who feel called to embodied leadership, clear boundaries and sustainable radiance. No prior experience is required, but a willingness to engage with self-awareness, emotional responsibility and care for the shared space is essential.
Participants should feel generally stable and resourced. While our time together includes meaningful emotional and somatic exploration, this retreat is not a substitute for therapy or crisis support.
This container may not be the right fit if you are currently in acute crisis, navigating unresolved trauma without outside support or seeking a recreational retreat experience.
Into the Light is a women-centered space open to women and femme-identifying people who feel called to participate in women’s work.
If this resonates, we welcome you.
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Wheel of Bliss is located in Hot Springs, NC, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes away from Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) and 3 hours away from Charlotte Douglass International Airport (CLT). We can help coordinate transportation from the airport if you are flying into Asheville.
GPS will bring you to Wheel of Bliss.It is recommended that you drive a truck, jeep or SUV with four-wheel drive (4x4) to make the journey up the mountain smoother and safer.
If you do not have access to such a vehicle, we will arrange for someone to shuttle you up the mountain.
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No. All plant-based practices in this retreat are legal, non-psychoactive, and trauma-informed. No psychedelic or controlled substances will be used, and all participation is entirely optional.
During our time together, we may engage with plants through:
• Native plant identification
• Guided nature-based and plant connection practices
• Flower essence crafting
• Optional ceremonial use of tobacco (hapé)
• Blue lotus tea ceremonyHapé is a traditional Amazonian tobacco preparation used ceremonially in some Indigenous cultures. It is offered with care, consent, and clear guidance in a grounded, supportive setting by a trained facilitator. Participation is always optional, and we provide information around suitability and contraindications.
Blue lotus is a mild botanical traditionally used in ritual contexts. When prepared as a tea, it is gentle, legal, and non-psychoactive. Some participants may experience subtle relaxation or a light shift in mood.
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This retreat includes exploration of anger, grief, visibility and relational patterns. Emotional activation is possible.
Facilitation is gentle, structured and grounded. Practices emphasize regulation, consent and pacing.
However, this is not a clinical therapeutic setting. If you are currently navigating acute trauma, severe anxiety, depression or instability, this retreat may not be the appropriate level of support at this time.
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No.
All practices are invitations. You are encouraged to listen to your body and make choices that feel aligned. Consent and personal agency are foundational to this container.
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Wheel of Bliss is a secluded 63-acre forest sanctuary with shared and private lodging options. Expect modern comforts within a natural setting, forest trails and access to mountain streams.
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Due to the limited size of this retreat and the advance expenses required to host it, all payments are non-refundable and non-transferable except as outlined below.
We recommend purchasing travel insurance for this retreat if you think for any reason you may need to cancel.
You may transfer your registration to another eligible participant with prior written approval from Golden Mother Collective.
If you need to cancel and we are able to fill your spot, you will receive a refund minus a $75 administrative fee to cover processing and coordination costs.
Cancellations after May 1, 2026 are not eligible for a refund unless your space is filled.
No refunds will be issued for late arrival, early departure or failure to attend the retreat.
In the event that Golden Mother Collective cancels the retreat, all tuition payments will be fully refunded. We are not responsible for airfare, travel expenses or other personal costs incurred.
By registering, you acknowledge and agree to these terms.