Sisterhood in the Saddle: An Autumn Equinox Retreat

Name: Sisterhood in the Saddle: An Autumn Equinox Retreat
Start: 2025-09-20T14:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-09-20T21:00:00-05:00
Location: Aviana

Schedule

Sat Sep 20 2025 at 02:30 pm to 09:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Aviana | Sugar Grove, IL

As the wheel of the year turns and the autumn equinox arrives, nature invites us to pause, reflect, and honor the delicate dance of balance, where light and dark share equal time, where day and night stand in harmony, and the veil between seasons begins to thin. This gathering is further amplified by the energy of the Virgo new moon, offering a sacred space for inner reflection, intention-setting, and renewal.
This retreat has been curated with the intention to reconnect with yourself, reflect upon balance in your life, the rhythms of the earth, sacred cycles, and the quiet wisdom of the horse. Together, we will explore what balance means in your body, mind, and spirit and how to implement that awareness back into your daily life.
Your Journey of Balance
From the moment you arrive, you will be held in the magic of the season, the stillness of nature, and the healing presence of the herd. Throughout the day, we will move through intentional practices to awaken inner awareness, realign energy, and open your heart to transformation.
Opening Circle of Intention
Gather in sacred community to root into the energy of the equinox. We’ll explore what balance feels like within, identifying where our lives are in harmony and where we may be called to shift.
Nature Reflections & Community Mandala
Step into quiet communion with the land as you gather natural elements to co-create a seasonal mandala. This collective art piece becomes an offering to the earth, symbolizing the beauty of harmony when individual parts come together as a whole.
Balance & Breath: Gentle Yoga & Meditation
Awaken your body and steady your mind with a slow stretch and breathwork session designed to prepare you for your ride. We’ll practice balance in movement and stillness, honoring the ebb and flow within.
One-Hour Guided Horseback Ride
Journey with your horse partner through serene trails and quiet fields. As you ride, experience the silent dialogue of balance between horse and human, the subtle give-and-take that builds trust, harmony, and flow. The horse becomes your mirror, reflecting where you may need to soften, realign, or shift your weight to ride through life with greater grace.
Harvest Barn Dinner
Savor a nourishing, farm-to-table meal, celebrating the abundance of the season. Together, we will share stories, insights, and laughter, weaving connection and community around the harvest table.
Campfire Stories, Reflection & Drumming
As the night deepens, we’ll gather by the fire for storytelling, reflection, and just maybe a fun drumming circle. Together, we honor both the light and shadow within ourselves and embrace the truth that imbalance is not failure, but an invitation to adjust, grow, and extend ourselves grace.
A Day of Deep Intention
This retreat is more than a day with horses; it is a journey inward an invitation to honor your cycles, recalibrate your energy, and remember your power to realign when life pulls you off center. The equinox and new moon remind us that balance is not a fixed destination, but rather a practice; a daily dance of shifting, adapting, and finding our steady ground.
Important Rider Guidelines
To ensure the safety and comfort of our horses and riders, please review these requirements before registering:
Riders must be at least 4’4″ tall and able to safely reach the stirrups.
Riders under 5’4″ must weigh 185 lbs or less.
Riders under 5’8″ must weigh 200 lbs or less.
Riders under 6’0″ must weigh 230 lbs or less.
Riders over 6’0″ must weigh 250 lbs or less.