Grace & Gratitude ~ Festival @ Home
About this Event
Gather in community for a soulful day of connection, celebration and belonging.
This is an invitation to step away from the busyness of everyday life and return to yourself in the company of kindred souls. Together we'll create space to connect, share, laugh, rest, and simply be, enjoying the richness that unfolds when we gather with open hearts.
Throughout the day you'll experience a thoughtfully curated, yet relaxed programme of practices—including yoga, cacao, drumming, chanting, ecstatic dance and special extras —each lovingly woven together to support you in reconnecting with yourself while celebrating the power of community.
Come exactly as you are, honour the abundance already present in your life, and leave feeling nourished, inspired and deeply connected.
Celebrating The Power of Community with Grace & Gratitude
Grace for me is to go with the flow of life and be present with the ever unfolding now
Gratitude for me is to appreciate and be thankful for each and everything in your life
Enjoy a relexed, curated programme including this and more...
✨ Yoga ~ Gentle Movement
✨ Cacao Ceremony
✨ Shamanic Drum Journey
✨ Drumming & Jamming
✨ Chanting & Vocal Play
✨ Ecstatic Dance
🌸 Time to connect, relax and simply be, space to sit and chat and enjoy the company of like-minded kindred souls
🥑 Lunch Time 🍇
Community Picnic Lunch:
Come prepared to share a community picnic lunch.
We will create a whatsapp group and invite everyone to share what they are bringing.
A healthy dish, snacks, fruits or treats to contribute to the shared picnic.
Expect meaningful conversations, new friendships, music, movement, fun, and plenty of opportunities to simply hang out and enjoy being together.
Full Sturgeon Moon Theme
It will be two days after the Full Sturgeon Moon.
This moon invites us to honour the richness of life's harvests, recognise our growth, and cultivate gratitude for all that is flourishing within and around us. Together we'll celebrate abundance, community, and the wisdom of returning to our authentic selves.
The August 28th Sturgeon Moon centers on themes of abundance, deep self-reflection, and transition. Named by Indigenous communities who resided near lake sturgeon. It spiritually symbolizes tapping into ancient wisdom, trusting your intuition, and bringing your hard-earned summer efforts to harvest.
YOUR GUIDES
Juliette Noske
Juliette Noske is a skilled facilitator who has been guiding beautiful souls on their paths of self-discovery, transformation, and healing for over two decades.
She has walked the path of self-exploration with a beginner’s mindset, meeting each moment with presence, curiosity, and an open heart. Now, with 51 circles around the sun, she continues to embrace life’s invitations with grace and wonder. Drawing on a rich tapestry of experience and deep compassion, she holds sacred space for transformation—supporting others in awakening to their inner wisdom and fullest potential.
Darren Rees
As an ecstatic dance facilitator I create joyful, uplifting ecstatic dance experiences that support freedom, connection, and authentic self-expression. Through music, movement, and conscious facilitation, I hold a welcoming space where people can release, reconnect, and rediscover the vitality and joy that naturally arises when the body is free to move.
CACAO BENEFITS
Lots of Goodness:
Contains iron, magnesium and calcium and tonnes of antioxidants.
Improves Your Focus
Cacao contains dopamine, the neurotransmitter that aids mental concentration, focus and the cultivation of positivity towards life.
Reduces Your Stress
Cacao stimulates the release of endorphins, which calm the body's stress response and act as a powerful and natural anti-depressant.
Boosts Your Energy
Cacao stimulates the cardiovascular system, giving a full body high without the anxious buzz of caffeine.
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Read carefully, this information is important:
CACAO USE
Is cacao safe for me? Who shouldn’t drink cacao?
For most people, cacao is very safe! However, there are some specific contraindications so please check below.
Health factors to be particularly aware of are:
*if you are on antidepressants, SSRIs or other Medic*tion, have a heart condition or are pregnant: Be aware that the theobromine in cacao is a vasodilator: it increases the heart rate and lowers blood pressure. Cacao in the concentrated doses we consume in ceremony therefore increases blood flow to the brain & heart by at least 40% so you may be better off with a smaller dose. I usually offer a half-dose to people on SSRIs. Please see below for more info.
*if you are taking 5-htp (5-Hydroxytryptophan) it's advisable to have a smaller dose of cacao.
*if you are taking St John's Wort, please refrain from taking it for a few days before & after the cacao circle.
*if you are on MAOI antidepressants, cacao (& all forms of chocolate) is contraindicated because it contains tyramine.
*if you take antipsychotic Medic*tion, (for any reason), consuming ceremonial cacao in this way is also contraindicated. (And if being treated for psychosis, I also don't feel it's wise to engage in practices which involve exploring how to tune into and hear an inner voice, the voice of a plant spirit or other guide.)
*if you have low blood pressure, be aware that although cacao is a stimulant, it lowers blood pressure. Depending on your condition, a smaller dose might be appropriate - in some cases it may be contraindicated eg if you have had epileptic fits triggered by low blood pressure (bear in mind that the whole ritualised experience of lying down & being guided on a nidra & deeply introspective journey is also likely to lower your blood pressure even without the cacao!). Please contact me if you want to ask more.
*some people are allergic or sensitive to theobromine - it can trigger headaches or migraines in some people. (You will probably already know if this is you.) In some cases, a smaller dose will be fine depending on how sensitive you are.
*if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, be aware that theobromine is a stimulant & increases heart rate & lowers blood pressure. Some western people advise avoiding it completely during pregnancy, others suggest a smaller dose. However, I think it's also worth noting that for thousands of years, indigenous Mayan women have consumed cacao safely throughout pregnancy and even during childbirth (in the final stages of labour, to assist with the final big push!), as well as afterwards - in their culture, midwives know that cacao is such a nourishing, energising food that it gives women great strength. So if you are pregnant or breastfeeding this does not rule cacao out for you - I simply present this information so that you can make your own informed decision, and if you are new to cacao especially, I would certainly serve you a smaller dose so you can see how you respond. Cacao contains roughly a tenth of the caffeine found in coffee so depending on your stance on coffee during pregnancy you may be ok with the smaller dose of cacao. Similarly, some people prefer to avoid all sources of theobromine & caffeine while they are breastfeeding.
*if you are epileptic: high consumption of cacao stimulates the brain and there is also scientific research to suggest a possible connection between caffeine & cacao consumption and increased seizures. Scientific research / evidence is still inconclusive, but I would err on the side of caution if you have a history of epilepsy. It is also important for the sake of other participants that we create a safe environment where there is little risk of disruption.
*if you are sensitive to caffeine, it can affect your sleep - though cacao contains far less than coffee - about a tenth of the amount. People often find they actually sleep really well and dream vividly after consuming ceremonial cacao.
The ceremonial-grade cacao shared in the medicine ceremony is very different from, and more pure & potent than, the raw cacao powder you might use to make raw chocolate, a superfood tonic or smoothies (although ceremonial grade cacao can also be used for all these things). It is far less processed: ceremonial cacao is not heat-treated & retains the cacao butter as well as the cacao powder (cacao solids).
About our "ceremonial grade" cacao from
This ancient strain criollo cacao is sourced from organic farmer's co-operatives in the Peruvian Andes. From "seed to ceremony" we only work with co-operatives and family-run businesses, supporting indigenous entrepreneurship with our exchanges.
The co-op we've worked with over the last decade was founded in 1998 with the intentions of working with small farmers to preserve traditional methods of cultivating, processing and harvesting cacao.
Their four founding principles are:
1) Prioritising quality over quantity
2) Supporting Andean mega-biodiversity, not homogenisation
3) Promoting organic methods of production
4) Fair income distribution amongst the people participating as suppliers, transformers and traders
5) Social responsibility, following the principles of Fair Trade
The co-op works alongside the small farmers, generating employment for the local community and offering training and financial support to encourage indigenous entrepreneurship, raising the living standards of small farmers and sustainably increasing crop yields.
Pre Retreat Instructions
What to bring:
~Yoga mat
~Blanket/ pillow (whatever you need to be comfortable)
~Eye Mask
~Journal & Pen
~Picnic Dish to share
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 66.00 to GBP 88.00
