Remember & Rewild: We Made the Island Shake 

We arrived carrying different stories, responsibilities and expectations. Over the days, we began to settle into a shared rhythm. Conversations grew deeper. Laughter came more easily. There was room for emotion, for quiet and for simply being ourselves without needing to explain everything.

Some of the most meaningful moments happened between the planned activities. A conversation along a trail. A hand offered on a difficult stretch. Sitting together over a meal. Sharing a silence that felt comfortable. These small gestures helped create the trust that made the experience so special.

One moment that stays with us happened on a black sand beach. As we gathered together, a cat came towards us and simply sat down beside us, as though it belonged in our circle. We smiled and thought it must have sensed the good energy too. An unexpected little companion, sharing a peaceful moment with us.

Raising our vibration together

When we say we raised our vibration, we mean the energy we could feel growing between us: more openness, more joy, more willingness to connect.

We felt it in the laughter we shared and in the care we showed one another. We felt it when someone allowed herself to be seen, and the group met her with kindness. We felt it in those moments when we stopped worrying about what came next and became fully present with where we were.

There was space for tiredness and vulnerability too. We could arrive as we were on any given day. That freedom was part of what made our time together meaningful.

These women were wonderful. Each brought her own warmth, perspective and presence. Their willingness to share, listen and support one another shaped the experience just as much as anything we had planned.

Through our walks, shared practices and encounters with the island, we gave ourselves permission to soften, explore and reconnect with the parts of ourselves that can get lost in everyday life.

Remembering and rewilding

The name Remember & Rewild took on a deeper meaning as the days unfolded.

Remembering could be as simple as noticing how good it feels to spend a day outside, to laugh freely or to listen to ourselves.

Rewilding meant allowing a little more spontaneity into our days. Following our curiosity. Feeling the rain, entering the warm water and letting nature set the pace for a while.

For Heather and me, sharing this retreat and getting to know these women was deeply meaningful. We helped create the space, and together we all gave it life.

As we said our goodbyes, we carried shared memories, new connections and plenty to reflect on. The meaning of an experience like this continues to unfold after we return home, in what we remember and what we choose to make room for.

And those earthquakes? A remarkable coincidence that gave our retreat a very memorable beginning and ending.

But in our own little corner of São Miguel, surrounded by these wonderful women, we certainly felt something move.

We made the island shake. And the experience moved us too.