Rise Retreat: The First Light Within

Get ready for an amazing in-person experience that will connect you deeply with yourself. This retreat is all about embracing your inner light and starting fresh. Expect good vibes, meaningful moments, and a supportive community to help you grow and shine. Don’t miss out on this chance to recharge and discover the first light within you!

Rise Retreat: The First Light Within
A Spring Equinox Women’s Retreat
The time to rise is now.

Sunday, June 7, 2026
10:000 AM – 5:00 PM
AND Creative & Art Farm
@ 851 McGuckian St, Suite B, Annapolis, MD 21401

Event Description

As the light returns to the earth, something ancient stirs within us, too.

The Spring Equinox is a moment of sacred balance — equal light and dark — a powerful threshold between who you have been and who you are becoming. It marks the beginning of a new energetic year in the natural world, a time when what has been quietly forming beneath the surface is ready to rise.

The First Light Within is a full-day immersive retreat for women who feel that quiet call to emerge — not through force, but through remembering.

Before the world sees you clearly, you must be willing to meet yourself in the light — the place of wholeness, truth, and presence.

Together in a sacred circle, we will gently awaken what has been resting beneath the surface through embodied practices that bring the body, heart, and soul back into alignment.

This is not about fixing yourself.
It is about illuminating the self that has always been there.

This is not just a ceremony of becoming — It is an invitation to belonging.

How We’ll Journey Through the Day

This retreat is intentionally designed as a flowing arc — moving from clearing, to activation, to creation, to integration, and finally to reclaiming.

Solstice Intention Ceremony
A guided ritual to cross the seasonal threshold with clarity, grounding, and purpose.

Embodied Movement
Gentle, intuitive movement to reawaken life force energy and restore inner flow.

Crafting / Community Project
A ritual that will create a sense of community and infuse everyone's energy into something you take home, where you will complete the ritual.

Guided Meditation
A grounding inner journey to meet the woman you are becoming.

Sound Immersion & Integration
A deeply soothing sound journey to support nervous system regulation and allow the day’s work to fully land.

Reclaim Ceremony – The Red Carpet Ritual
We close by stepping forward — literally — in a symbolic act of reclaiming the version of yourself ready to emerge into the coming year.

The Energy of This Day

This retreat is for the woman who:
• Feels something new trying to emerge
• Is tired of living dimmed down
• Knows she’s in a transition, even if she can’t name it
• Wants to move forward from alignment, not urgency
• Is ready to meet herself with honesty and compassion
• Longs for a supportive, like-hearted community
• Simply needs intentional time for herself

The Equinox reminds us:
You do not become new by pushing.
You become new by allowing the light to reach the places that were once in shadow.

This is where you stop bracing… and begin blooming.

What’s Included

Full-day retreat experience
Guided practices & ceremonies
Book of Mirrors materials
Lunch + light snacks
Tea & water
A supportive, sacred community container

What to Bring

We want you to be as comfortable as possible, especially during floor-based practices. Think layers, nesting, and coziness.

• Yoga mat or floor cushion
• Blanket(s), bolster, or pillow for comfort
• Eye mask (optional but encouraged)
• Journal + pen (optional — materials provided)
• Water bottle
• Comfortable clothing for movement
• An open heart and gentle curiosity

Closing Invitation

Step into the light —not the one outside you, but the one that’s been waiting within.

Testimonials

Our retreats are designed to feel safe, embodied, and deeply supportive — and participants consistently tell us they leave feeling grounded, empowered, and connected.

What Women Are Saying:

Reflections from our most recent retreat experience:

“From the moment of arriving, I felt seen and heard. The space was safe, supportive, and deeply welcoming.”
“The facilitators were calm, grounding, informative, and extremely supportive.”
“The breathwork was transformative. I was able to release shame, fear, and old patterns — and felt supported the entire time.”
“I left feeling calmer, more open, and energized. I gained tools I can use beyond the retreat.”
“This experience came at exactly the right time in my life. I feel more at peace and more connected to myself.”
“Honestly, everything was perfect. I would absolutely attend another retreat like this.”
— Lunar Lioness Retreat Participants

Meet Your Guides

Shannon Elizabeth

Empowerment Facilitator · Connection & Meditation Guide · Female Life Stage Transition Mentor · Literary & Visual Artist

Shannon Elizabeth is the founder of Once Upon a Connection and Fire Creative OUAC. Her work is grounded in lived experience, trauma-aware facilitation, and the belief that healing happens through meaningful connection — to self, to others, and to truth.

A PTSD survivor, mother of six (five adopted as teens), executive risk guide, and trusted presence through multiple life stages and transformations, Shannon brings steadiness, compassion, and deep respect for each participant’s journey.

She is currently pursuing a Foundations of Meditation Certification through My Vinyassa and Human Rights Certification Training through the U.S. Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights.

Website: https://www.onceuponaconnection.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/once_upon_a_connection/

Donna S. Conley

Author · Somatic Breathwork Practitioner · Holistic Mental Health Coach

Donna S. Conley is a local bestselling author and holistic mental health practitioner specializing in somatic healing. She is a Usui Holy Fire® Reiki Master, breathwork practitioner, meditation teacher, sound healer, and Duke Health & Wellbeing Coach.

Donna’s work weaves lunar wisdom with nervous-system-informed practices, translating ancient cycles into a language the body understands. She helps people reconnect with themselves, regulate their nervous systems, and move through stored emotional patterns with compassion, clarity, and empowerment.

Website: https://www.wildmoonhealers.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildmoonhealers/

Susan Richards

Certified Life, Transformation & Mindset Coach · Certified Personal Sound Meditation Facilitator · Reiki Master · Energy & Crystal Practitioner

Susan Richards is a certified Life, Transformation, and Mindset Coach with a deep passion for music and vibrational healing. As an energy and sound practitioner, she blends Reiki, crystal work, and sound meditation to support emotional balance, inner calm, and personal transformation.

Susan brings a grounded, nurturing presence and a commitment to ongoing growth — both her own and that of those she serves.

Website: https://www.ahamomentsofselflove.com/

Dahlia Moon

Magick Alignment Practitioner · Spiritual Guide · Crystal Practitioner · Reiki II Certified · Technical Executive

Dahlia Moon is the founder of Modern Magickal Family, a sanctuary for those seeking deeper connection, meaning, and magick in everyday life. Her work bridges the fast-paced demands of the modern world with the sacred rhythms of nature and spirit.
With a unique blend of practical leadership and spiritual guidance, Dahlia supports individuals and families in living
more intentionally — without needing to escape the lives they’ve built.

Website: https://modernmagickalfamily.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/modernmagickalwitch/

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