ABOUT THE RETREAT

Join us this September for a special retreat with Alessio Castellacci and Blanka Neprašova. During the four and a half days you will be immersed in a dialogue with yourself and the landscape, co-creating a journey of senses, movement, intuitive singing, alchemic work with natural scents and hikes in the wilderness. Together, we’ll explore each day the connection between voice, touch, movement and smell through gentle somatic practices to awaken the senses and deepen our connection to emotions and creative expression. Nestled in the olive grove hills of Sabina region, the retreat is open to a group of 10-15 participants and is designed to offer a supportive space for self-discovery, restorative practices and connection with nature.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

  • SYNESTHETIC SENSES ACTIVATION

  • VOICE EMBODIMENT PRACTICES

  • COLLABORATIVE SINGING IMPROVISATION

  • CREATION OF PERSONALISED NATURAL
    FRAGRANCES

  • YOGA | MOVEMENT SESSIONS

  • HIKES IN THE WILDERNESS

INTERWEAVING VOICE, PLANTS AND SCENTS

“Immersive Dialogues with Body, Voice and Plants” springs out from the vision of bringing together the realms of voice embodiment and healing singing with the one of plants wisdom and creative work with scents design. The work we offer is centred around four axis:
Somatic Journeys of Movement and Voicing as a life-long learning around connection (to Self and Other) and self expression.
Mindful Practices of Deep Smell and work with essential oils and scents as a portal to enhanced creativity.
Collective Sharing as a form of grounding, containment, belonging and creation of meaningfulness.
Dialogue with the Plants and the Natural Landscape as a restorative, spiritual path.
The retreat is designed to give daily space to each of these practices, in a paced progression that keeps at heart the sustainability of learning and exploring, and the central value of integration, ‘un-doing’ and ‘non-doing’ in every deep learning process.

 

DAILY PROGRAM

Each day will begin with a movement and yoga sessions to connect to our body and become present to the space and our felt sense. After that we will open a space for exploration of Voice Embodiment and Collaborative Vocal Improvisation. The work with voice will be inclusive of the different levels of experience in the group, with the intention of reconnecting with our innate musicality, engaging with spontaneous rhythms and melodies in small group formations, tapping into the music of the moment. The afternoon sessions will be dedicated to Deep Smell contemplative practices, scent journaling, outdoor hikes in the wild nature of Sabina region, and creative work of designing your own fragrance from natural essential oils, under the expert guidance of Blanka. All the activities involving voice, movement, touch and smell will be trauma informed and consent based, inviting the group into a space of self regulation. 

 

INTEGRATION AND REST

Each day there will be a lunch break followed by a siesta time to rest and enjoy hanging out by the pool, rest in the gardens of Le Cerque, read a book under an olive tree, or give yourself permission to do nothing :)  This unstructured time is vital for processing and integrating the deep work that can occur during the work sessions. Set in the vibrant agriturismo Le Cerque, the retreat provides a peaceful sanctuary, an opportunity to step into a journey of self-discovery while celebrating the last bits of Summer. 


“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop” (Ovid)

 

RECONNECTING TO THE CYCLES OF NATURE:

Each day, we will thoughtfully dedicate time to dialoguing intimately with the various natural elements, engaging all of our senses to interact in a playful and immersive way with the rich soundscape, captivating smellscape, and vibrant sightscape that surrounds us. Through a variety of exercises such as scent journaling — where we will learn to describe and map different types of scents through the lens of our memories, free associative imagery, and other tools — we will delve into the world of synesthetic perception, blending our touch and sight senses freely with voice expression. Additionally, we will practice different ecosomatic practices such as forest bathing, observation of local plant varieties, and spontaneous singing in the wilderness. We will invite ourselves to reconnect deeply with the rhythms and cycles of the natural world and our own bodies. Through this enriching connection, we will awaken our primal affinity for the breathtaking landscape and its dynamic balance, all while tuning our inner focus back to our life journey and its subtle movements.


SCHEDULE

10.09 | ARRIVAL
15:00 PICK UP AT TRAIN STATION (WITH DIRECT TRAIN FROM FIUMICINO AIRPORT)
17:00 OPENING SESSION
19:30 DINNER | FREE TIME

11-12-13.09 | EXAMPLE OF DAILY SCHEDULE
8:00-8:45 YOGA 
9:00-9:45 BREAKFAST
10:00-12:30 VOICE SESSION
13:00-14:00 COMMUNAL LUNCH
14:00-16:00 FREE TIME | REST
16:00-19:00 WORK WITH PLANTS & SCENTS | OUTDOOR SESSIONS | HIKES
19:30 DINNER | LEISURE TIME

14.09 | DEPARTURE
8:00-8:45 BREAKFAST
9:00-12:30 CLOSING SESSION
13:00-14:00 LUNCH
15:00 DRIVE TO TRAIN STATION 

ALESSIO CASTELLACCI

SOMATIC VOICE WORK / SINGING IMPROVISATION / SENSORY JOURNEYS

With a background in contemporary voice-dance performance, sound design and psychotherapy, Alessio’s work focuses on the embodied voice as a channel for self expression and healing. Drawing from his 20-years expertise in voice technique, somatic movement practices and singing improvisation, he guides the participants into deeper states of consciousness and transformation. Alessio has worked from 2014 to 2020 as curator of educational dance programs (Smash Berlin and Roar) and performance events around the voice (From Breath to Matter, in collaboration with Jule Flierl). Since 2014 he runs together with vocal artist Irena Z. Tomažin The Word is Sound, a program of workshops and retreats on voice embodiment and singing practices.

BLANKA NEPRASOVA

HERBAL ALCHEMY / NATURAL SCENT DESIGN / SENSORY JOURNEYS

Blanka’s journey weaves together art, nature, and holistic practices. With a background in contemporary visual art, she spent over a decade in production and art management, bringing creative projects to life. Over time, her work organically expanded into the world of herbal alchemy and sensory experiences. For more than nine years, she has been sharing her knowledge of natural cosmetics and herbs, guiding workshops of home made cosmetic products, and crafting ointments and tinctures that harness the healing power of plants. She also curates immersive retreats for women in the mountains, and leads children’s Art & Nature camps, inspiring young minds to explore the intersection of art and the natural world.

ACCOMODATION - AGRITURISMO LE CERQUE

We will stay at LE CERQUE, a modern agriturismo nested in a valley of olive groves overloooking the medieval town of Collevecchio in the region Sabina, well known for its high quality olive oil and wine production. This sustainable, family run guest house offers 7 independent apartments within 4 houses across 4 beautifully restored rural buildings, a professional kitchen, an elegant shala working space with big sliding windows overlooking the valley for our indoor sessions, and an adjacent swimpool where we will refresh between sessions. 

At the heart of LE CERQUE is a stunning natural garden, lovingly cared for by Massimo and Laura. Blending wild and cultivated plants, it’s a vibrant space full of herbs, flowers, and fruit trees that inspire the delicious meals served during your stay. Sustainability is key here: rainwater nourishes the garden and pool, waste is composted, and Laura and Massimo even produce their own olive oil, which you’ll get to taste!

 
 

THE RETREAT IS FOR YOU IF YOU WISH TO:

  • Explore the interplay between vocal expression, touch, and sense of smell

  • Play with the senses creativity and the synesthetic perception

  • Deepen the relationship with your voice, through deep somatic work

  • Discover the transformative power of rhythm, melody, and intuitive group singing

  • Develop your connection to the sense of smell, as a gateway to consciousness, emotions and spirituality

  • Learn more about herbs, natural cosmetics and scents 

  • Tune in with nature through outdoor immersive hikes

  • Dive in a shared process with the group of like minded explorers

  • Slow down, reconnect with your inner process, and enjoy the warmth of the Italian Summer

WHAT’S INCLUDED:

  • Transport from and to the local train station (10 min drive from Le Cerque) on arrival and departure days

  • 2-3 person shared apartment with bathroom

  • Daily transport to all activities

  • Three vegetarian meals a day

  • 8 work group sessions (indoor/outdoor)

  • guided hikes

  • creation of your own natural perfume

  • Daily access to the swimpool

 

All activities will be held in English, with Italian and Czech translation if needed

 


LOCATION:

AGRITURISMO LE CERQUE, Collevecchio (Rieti) - Italy
(1 hour direct train from Rome Fiumicino Airport / or 1 hour drive from Rome)
For more info about the place: www.agriturismolecerque.it/


ACCOMMODATION:

SHARED FLATS FOR 2-3 PERSONS WITH PRIVATE BATHROOM


FEES:

ACCOMMODATION (includes 4 nights / 3 vegetarian meals x day) / use of shala, swimpool and other facilities):
405 € for shared flat (2-3 people)
480 € for single room (limited availability)

WORKSHOP(*):
- EARLY BIRD FEE: 340€ WHEN APPLYING UNTIL MAY 1ST, 2025
- REGULAR FEE: 390€
(*)Limited number of 14 participants, places are reserved on a first come, first served basis.

REGISTRATION:

To apply please fill the form at the bottom of this page. You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your application (check your spam folder if you can’t see our email).

For any question, please contact:
Alessio at info@the-world-is-sound.com
Blanka at reherb.blanka@gmail.com