10 -15 November 2021
Find your story
5-NIGHTS OF STORY, MYTH AND LAND MAGIC
Bookings open in April 2021
So I have to tell the story while we sit together. |
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Come and sit for a while and listen to some stories from older times. Open your ears to myths and tales from the land. Find a more soulful way into your own story. This is a unique opportunity to join writing and creativity mentor Sarah Bullen and shaman Niall Campbell for a deep exploration of your personal mythology and relationship with the wild inner self.
This is an invitation to step out of the world of function and productivity and join the world of myth and magic, in a land where even whispers have meaning.
We will gather in the Langeberg mountains in the southern Cape, South Africa, in a wilderness retreat which enables the living flow of nature to be present in all aspects of life. From the accommodation to the meeting spaces to the mountains and rivers, the abundant presence of wilderness enters into and touches our thinking and our feeling, our sensibility for life.
When we slow down and connect with the rhythms of nature, our activities and our thinking become more rhythmic, more enlivened, more whole.
This is the space – inner and outer – that this immersion offers. It is a place for open conversation, between ourselves who are there, between ourselves and our world, and within ourselves. It is a place of coherence, and a reaching beyond.
We will immerse in the sounds and the rhythms of another life. We will talk of tales from long ago and discuss the mythology in your own family constellation. But we also invite you to delve deeper into a creative process. We invite you to envison your story and bring it to life. You may use writing, art, photography or poetry. We will invite you to imagine the story of where you've been, what has happened and where you are now, Of those who came before you walked on this earth. These stories are to keep to yourself, or share with the world.
Sarah Bullen has been running international creative writing retreats and workshops for close to ten years now and this is the first one in Morocco. It has been ten years in the dreaming. Niall Campbell is a shaman, a storyteller, a weaver of magic and a traditional nyanga (medicine man). Niall has over 25 years of apprenticeship with African teachers in ancestral and nature spirits, divination and medicinal herbalism. He facilitates rites of passage, coming into adulthood and manhood and is widely regarded as one of the foremost holders of traditional ways.
This is an invitation to step out of the world of function and productivity and join the world of myth and magic, in a land where even whispers have meaning.
We will gather in the Langeberg mountains in the southern Cape, South Africa, in a wilderness retreat which enables the living flow of nature to be present in all aspects of life. From the accommodation to the meeting spaces to the mountains and rivers, the abundant presence of wilderness enters into and touches our thinking and our feeling, our sensibility for life.
When we slow down and connect with the rhythms of nature, our activities and our thinking become more rhythmic, more enlivened, more whole.
This is the space – inner and outer – that this immersion offers. It is a place for open conversation, between ourselves who are there, between ourselves and our world, and within ourselves. It is a place of coherence, and a reaching beyond.
We will immerse in the sounds and the rhythms of another life. We will talk of tales from long ago and discuss the mythology in your own family constellation. But we also invite you to delve deeper into a creative process. We invite you to envison your story and bring it to life. You may use writing, art, photography or poetry. We will invite you to imagine the story of where you've been, what has happened and where you are now, Of those who came before you walked on this earth. These stories are to keep to yourself, or share with the world.
Sarah Bullen has been running international creative writing retreats and workshops for close to ten years now and this is the first one in Morocco. It has been ten years in the dreaming. Niall Campbell is a shaman, a storyteller, a weaver of magic and a traditional nyanga (medicine man). Niall has over 25 years of apprenticeship with African teachers in ancestral and nature spirits, divination and medicinal herbalism. He facilitates rites of passage, coming into adulthood and manhood and is widely regarded as one of the foremost holders of traditional ways.
THE LOCATION
Towerland Wilderness is a rare place. Surrounded by mountains, riverine valleys, exultant fynbos and abundant wildlife, it offers a space to reconnect with yourself – a place where you can walk far, swim in crystal clear rivers, watch the stars, sink deep into silence, let your thoughts unfurl in freedom, enjoy rigorous conversation and much laughter, and be nourished by great food. This truly is a space where reconnection with the wellspring of inner well-being is supported on every level.
Wilderness spaces are becoming more and more precious as the world becomes more and more fragmented; as more and more land becomes used for housing an ever-growing global population, and for short-term utilitarian gains. The price for the silence, for the solitude offered in these protected areas becomes higher and higher. In the wake of the disrespectful greed of our current world reality, we find fewer and fewer places where we can truly and deeply replenish ourselves through the ineffable communion with that silence beyond all silence, the peace that surpasses all understanding. It is in this quality of silence, and of peace, of the still centre within ourselves, that we are able to find an understanding of ourselves, and of our world, that informs and enables a response, a responsiveness, a responsibility towards a more whole future. Access to the outer wilderness provides the possibility of access to the wellsprings of our own possibilities – and that of our collective future.
Our venue is Towerland. We have created a space which is located within and provides physical access into the wilderness. This has meant finding that delicate balance between access and wildness, between creating a space for human habitation which offers an experience of the wilderness, yet which is not overwhelming. Simple and beautiful accommodation which is – in all senses – in harmony with its environment; paths which lead into the mountains; myriad spaces to observe and experience the beauty of the surroundings. We have attempted to honour and maintain the natural rhythms and the silence as far as possible by not installing electricity and by using our own life-filled water. To let the outer wilderness activate our inner wilderness, to reach into our imagination, to enable a slow unfolding into deeper spaces of our own understanding and becoming.
ACCOMMODATION
The accommodation consists of 10 units built from natural materials of clay, straw and wood, all situated at the top of a hill amongst pristine fynbos, giving a beautiful perspective of the surrounding area. The units are thoughtfully situated in relation to one another to allow both privacy and a sense of interconnectedness. All the units are pentagonal in shape, with a pentagon of glass in the ceiling through which the night sky can be observed. Generous windows offer beautiful views to the surrounds, and stable doors extend the flow between inside and outside, whilst the living roofs keep the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. With single, double and twin options, the units are tastefully yet simply furnished to enhance the overall intention of Towerland: to experience oneself and nature in an ongoing interdependent dance.
A carefully designed ablution block with two composting toilets and four gas-powered showers serves all the units. The showers are designed with two doors, one of which can open to the outside with views of the valley extending below.
Towerland Wilderness is a rare place. Surrounded by mountains, riverine valleys, exultant fynbos and abundant wildlife, it offers a space to reconnect with yourself – a place where you can walk far, swim in crystal clear rivers, watch the stars, sink deep into silence, let your thoughts unfurl in freedom, enjoy rigorous conversation and much laughter, and be nourished by great food. This truly is a space where reconnection with the wellspring of inner well-being is supported on every level.
Wilderness spaces are becoming more and more precious as the world becomes more and more fragmented; as more and more land becomes used for housing an ever-growing global population, and for short-term utilitarian gains. The price for the silence, for the solitude offered in these protected areas becomes higher and higher. In the wake of the disrespectful greed of our current world reality, we find fewer and fewer places where we can truly and deeply replenish ourselves through the ineffable communion with that silence beyond all silence, the peace that surpasses all understanding. It is in this quality of silence, and of peace, of the still centre within ourselves, that we are able to find an understanding of ourselves, and of our world, that informs and enables a response, a responsiveness, a responsibility towards a more whole future. Access to the outer wilderness provides the possibility of access to the wellsprings of our own possibilities – and that of our collective future.
Our venue is Towerland. We have created a space which is located within and provides physical access into the wilderness. This has meant finding that delicate balance between access and wildness, between creating a space for human habitation which offers an experience of the wilderness, yet which is not overwhelming. Simple and beautiful accommodation which is – in all senses – in harmony with its environment; paths which lead into the mountains; myriad spaces to observe and experience the beauty of the surroundings. We have attempted to honour and maintain the natural rhythms and the silence as far as possible by not installing electricity and by using our own life-filled water. To let the outer wilderness activate our inner wilderness, to reach into our imagination, to enable a slow unfolding into deeper spaces of our own understanding and becoming.
ACCOMMODATION
The accommodation consists of 10 units built from natural materials of clay, straw and wood, all situated at the top of a hill amongst pristine fynbos, giving a beautiful perspective of the surrounding area. The units are thoughtfully situated in relation to one another to allow both privacy and a sense of interconnectedness. All the units are pentagonal in shape, with a pentagon of glass in the ceiling through which the night sky can be observed. Generous windows offer beautiful views to the surrounds, and stable doors extend the flow between inside and outside, whilst the living roofs keep the rooms cool in summer and warm in winter. With single, double and twin options, the units are tastefully yet simply furnished to enhance the overall intention of Towerland: to experience oneself and nature in an ongoing interdependent dance.
A carefully designed ablution block with two composting toilets and four gas-powered showers serves all the units. The showers are designed with two doors, one of which can open to the outside with views of the valley extending below.
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COST 2021
R1,500 price per person sharing Payment in three parts with a £300 deposit to secure your room (single rooms @ £400 supplement for the week) COST INCLUDES * 7 nights/8 days B+B in twin/double rooms * Airport Transfers to and from Agadir at one agreed time. * All tuition and group material. * Personal ancestral session with Niall * Personal session with Sarah * Family constellation session facilitated by Niall. * A trip to the local steam bath (hamman) * “Feast for the Senses” celebration on your last night. COST EXCLUDES * Cost of flights, travel insurance, VISAS * Tips and lunches. YOU WILL LEARN * How to define and create your most compelling story * The elements of structure * Finding your book genre and sub-genre * Creating plot, place and character outlines for your genre * Adding plot points and structure * Beginnings, middles and ends * Developing your main character * Developing your minor characters * Developing your voice * Developing point of view as a plotting technique * How to improve your plotting, pace and structure * How to make your characters unforgettable * Adding depth and layers * Sourcing tips and techniques * How to present your book to publishers |
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Niall Campbell is a shaman, a storyteller, a weaver of magic and a traditional nyanga (medicine man). Niall has over 25 years of apprenticeship with African teachers in ancestral and nature spirits, divination and medicinal herbalism. He facilitates rites of passage, coming into adulthood and manhood and is widely regarded as one of the foremost holders of traditional ways. He and his brother Colin Campbell are the subject of numerous international documentaries on shamanic healers and both consult and work all over the world.
*He is an ancestral family constellations specialist * He is a doctor of ritual and ceremonies * Facilitator of a large number of public & corporate courses, drawing on traditional medicine, Western complimentary medicine, and process-oriented psychology. * Working and teaching indigenous Amazonian peoples, and Cree and Algonquin traditional healers in Canada in partnership with the Gaia Foundation and Gaia Amazonas. * Consulting with indigenous shamanic elders in the Altai region of Siberia |
TESTIMONIALS
"Thank you so much for an unforgettable week in Tulbach. The beautiful feminine energy, the gentle, nurturing environment that blended with the physical care taken with the healthy, organic food, yoga sessions and massages all conspired to bringing about a luxurious introspection into spaces that I have allowed to become dusty corners of my imagination."
- Carin Combrink, Forgotten Waterfall, 2019
"I spent this last week with Sarah and the other writers at the Write your Novel Retreat in the Cape. This was truly the most inspiring and motivating thing I have ever done for myself. Sarah's guidance is invaluable. Working our way through the writing process with Sarah has left me feeling far more equipped to pursue my dream. And her personal insights into my project has taken it to another level. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone, regardless of where you are writing wise. Amazing experience."
- Hanri Mostert, 2017
"This 'write a novel' course was the best birthday present I ever gave myself. It was set in a beautiful and peaceful environment, was well paced, was information packed with all the basics of how to really write a book, had surprising acts of art and physical exercise included to move the thinking through the body, was practical and honest about how dedicated one must really be to write, and was delicious to be around such inspiring facilitators who are warm, caring and so professional too. Thank you Sarah and Anel!"
- Kate, 2017
"Dear Sarah. That was the best writing course I’ve ever been on. Thank you so much. I learned so much, and I can apply it immediately to my third novel."
- Helen Brain (Elevation Trilogy) 2018
"This retreat was the best birthday present I ever gave myself. It was set in a beautiful and peaceful environment, was well paced, was information packed with all the basics of how to really write a book, had surprising acts of art and physical exercise included to move the thinking through the body, was practical and honest about how dedicated one must really be to write, and was delicious to be around such inspiring facilitators who are warm, caring and so professional too. Thank you Sarah and Anel!"
- Kate Baxter, 2017
- Carin Combrink, Forgotten Waterfall, 2019
"I spent this last week with Sarah and the other writers at the Write your Novel Retreat in the Cape. This was truly the most inspiring and motivating thing I have ever done for myself. Sarah's guidance is invaluable. Working our way through the writing process with Sarah has left me feeling far more equipped to pursue my dream. And her personal insights into my project has taken it to another level. I highly recommend this retreat to anyone, regardless of where you are writing wise. Amazing experience."
- Hanri Mostert, 2017
"This 'write a novel' course was the best birthday present I ever gave myself. It was set in a beautiful and peaceful environment, was well paced, was information packed with all the basics of how to really write a book, had surprising acts of art and physical exercise included to move the thinking through the body, was practical and honest about how dedicated one must really be to write, and was delicious to be around such inspiring facilitators who are warm, caring and so professional too. Thank you Sarah and Anel!"
- Kate, 2017
"Dear Sarah. That was the best writing course I’ve ever been on. Thank you so much. I learned so much, and I can apply it immediately to my third novel."
- Helen Brain (Elevation Trilogy) 2018
"This retreat was the best birthday present I ever gave myself. It was set in a beautiful and peaceful environment, was well paced, was information packed with all the basics of how to really write a book, had surprising acts of art and physical exercise included to move the thinking through the body, was practical and honest about how dedicated one must really be to write, and was delicious to be around such inspiring facilitators who are warm, caring and so professional too. Thank you Sarah and Anel!"
- Kate Baxter, 2017
