Softening
A Women's Retreat
With Sarah Pascual
September 18-20, 2026
Bonny Doon, CA
A weekend-long retreat rooted in slowing down, reconnecting & gentle returning to Self
A slow, intentional weekend designed for rest, reflection and reset in nature.
Come away for three days of deep rest, somatic movement, meaningful connection, nourishing meals, and time to simply be — under the trees, in stillness, and in good company.
Location: Private estate in Bonny Doon, California
Accommodations: Shared + private options
Investment: [TBD]
The Invitation
You don’t have to keep holding everything.
There is a particular kind of exhaustion that doesn’t always look like collapse.
It looks like functioning.
Like showing up.
Like being the one who holds it together.
And underneath it, often quietly, there is a longing —
for quiet, for space, for breath, for something unspoken but deeply needed:
to soften.
Softening is a return.
A gentle pause from the pace of everyday life.
A place where nothing is required of you except your presence.
Set among the redwoods of Bonny Doon, this retreat is designed to bring you back into relationship with your body, your nervous system, and the parts of you that feel far away in the noise of daily life.
Not through force.
Not through fixing.
But through care.
Through slowness.
Through presence.
Retreat Includes:
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2 nights / 3 days lodging in Bonny Doon
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All meals & beverages: organic, seasonal, and nourishing
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Workshop & movement sessions
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Guided ritual experience with Thistle & Tonic
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Evening rest practices + optional hot tub soaks
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Free time for nature, stillness, and integration
The Experience
A glimpse into the rhythm
Mornings begin slowly — light filtering through the trees, warm tea in hand, no urgency to be anywhere but here.
Movement is gentle, never forceful.
Conversations unfold naturally around shared meals.
Afternoons open into rest, journaling, hot tub soaks, swimming, or quiet time under the redwoods.
Evenings soften into candlelight, herbal drinks, and presence.
There is time to speak.
Time to be silent.
Time to laugh.
Time to not know.
And time to feel yourself returning.
Retreat Details
A thoughtfully curated weekend of restoration
Everything is intentionally designed to feel spacious, grounded, and deeply nourishing.
Somatic Movement + Slow Hatha Yoga
Gentle, grounding practices that support nervous system regulation, release stored tension, and reconnect you to your body from a place of softness rather than effort.
Night Cap Bar Experience (Non-Alcoholic)
An evening gathering space featuring herbal tonics, grounding elixirs, and intentional non-alcoholic nightcaps designed for wind-down and connection.
Restorative Practices + Guided Self-Inquiry
Slow, supported rest practices paired with reflective inquiry to help you listen inward and reconnect with what feels true beneath the noise.
Nourishment
All meals are provided by a private chef, designed to be grounding, seasonal, and deeply nourishing.
You will also receive:
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Herbal teas and tonics by Thistle and Tonic
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Morning cold-pressed juices by Thistle and Tonic
Women’s Circle with Sarah
A held, intimate space for sharing, witnessing, and connection — rooted in honesty, presence, and belonging.
Optional Healing Bodywork
Optional healing bodywork sessions will be available throughout the weekend for guests wanting deeper nervous system tending, restoration, and support.
Offerings may include massage, somatic bodywork, or restorative healing sessions designed to help you soften more fully into rest and care.
Ritual Workshop with Thistle and Tonic
A hands-on herbal blending experience where you’ll create your own wellness ritual blends using plants, intention, and sensory presence.
Nature + Integration Time
Space woven throughout the weekend for rest, reflection, walking, floating in the outdoor heated pool, hot tub soaking, or simply being still beneath the trees.
This Retreat is for you if...
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You are craving deep rest that actually reaches you
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You feel overstimulated, overextended, or emotionally full
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You long for meaningful connection without performance
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You want to slow down and reconnect with your body
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You are in a season of transition, release, or becoming
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You are ready to soften your pace and your inner world
You do not need to arrive healed, certain, or prepared.
You only need to arrive as you are.
Retreat Location
Bonny Doon, CA
A private estate nestled in the redwoods just outside Santa Cruz.
This space offers:
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Towering redwood forest surroundings
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Outdoor hot tub
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Heated pool
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Open-air gathering spaces under the trees and stars
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Access to nearby hiking trails
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A 15-minute drive to the ocean
A place that naturally invites exhale.
Accommodations
Main House Suite
A cozy shared room designed for two guests comfortable sharing one King bed. Ideal for close friends, sisters, or partners traveling together.
Single or Double Occupancy:
King Bed, Full Bath
Single $2000
Double $1800 per person
Main House Guest Room
Double Occupancy only:
2 Queen Beds, Full Bath
Double $1450 per person
Laurel Private Cottage
A cozy shared room designed for two guests comfortable sharing one queen bed. Ideal for close friends, sisters, or partners traveling together.
Single or Shared Occupancy:
Queen Bed, Private Bath and Kitchen
Single $1750
Double $1550
Travel
Nearest airports:
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San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
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San Jose International Airport (SJC)
Details + driving directions will be provided upon acceptance/booking.
Cancellation Policy
All retreat bookings are non-refundable and non-transferable.
Sample Schedule
A soft structure for the weekend
Friday Check-in 1pm
Arrival + settling in + welcome drink & snack
Opening circle + practice
Dinner by private chef
Evening restorative practice
Saturday
Slow morning
Movement practice outside under the redwoods
Breakfast
Free time (hot tub, rest, nature)
Lunch
Workshop + ritual experience
Dinner
Evening herbal nightcap gathering
Sunday
Morning practice
Breakfast
Closing circle
Departure
About Sarah
Your Host
I’m Sarah, I create intimate, restorative spaces for women to slow down, reconnect, and return to themselves.
My work is rooted in nervous system care, somatic awareness, emotional honesty, and the belief that rest is not something to earn — but something to remember.
Through movement, ritual, and intentional gathering, I hold space for women to soften back into their bodies and their lives with more presence and ease.
Collaborators
Thistle & Tonic
Thistle & Tonic was created from a deep love of herbal wellness, slow rituals, and the kind of everyday self-care that actually feels good.
I’m Yvette, a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Health & Wellness Coach and the sole owner behind the shop. What started as a personal journey - learning how to support my body through herbs, food, and more intentional living - naturally evolved into a space I wished existed. A place where wellness feels approachable, beautiful, and rooted in real life.
An herbal wellness collaboration offering:
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Ritual workshop experience
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Herbal tea blends + tonics
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Morning cold-pressed juices
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Curated wellness touchpoints throughout the retreat
Each guest will also receive a small handmade wellness gift bag to take home.
Ragamuffin Bakery
I’m Veronica, I’m a trained pastry chef with a deep passion for cooking and creating thoughtful, ingredient-driven food. My approach centers around organic, local, and seasonal produce, allowing each ingredient to shine at its peak. Inspired by texture, balance, and layered flavor, I create menus that feel both nourishing and elevated — celebrating variety, simplicity, and the natural beauty of the season.
Final Invitation
There is nothing you need to become before you are ready for rest.
Nothing to fix.
Nothing to prove.
Nothing to hold perfectly together.
Just a quiet invitation:
to slow down,
to breathe again,
to soften back into yourself,
and to remember what it feels like to be held.
We would love to welcome you.
