‘If you are thirsty you must drink. Do not go to the well looking to teach others to drink.’
Flourish: Beyond Wellbeing is a retreat from the business and busyness of life, in the sacred sanctuary of Hawkwood. This is a precious opportunity to breathe in, in a world that prioritises breathing out.
During these few days, you will be supported and nourished, replenishing your inner resources at all levels: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, enabling you to meet what 2020 brings from an empowered place of strength and confidence.
Our time is precious, and we must think wisely about how we use it. Often, we view every experience as an opportunity to develop new skills for the benefit of others. However, it can be a false economy to use the sacred space of retreat for anything less than becoming intimate with our own needs and replenishing our most precious resource – ourselves.
The demands on us throughout the year often leave us depleted in energy, in need of inspiration, rest, and restoration. To receive true nourishment, we must be willing to drop everything and turn inward, to be curious and vulnerable, and to put aside our practitioner identities. Outcomes must be set aside. Instead, trust that you will come for the right reasons—that you need space and care in a place like Hawkwood, which holds and nourishes us while guiding your exploration of what it takes to truly flourish. I look forward to seeing you there.
Best wishes,
Karen Downes
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Karen Downes is a Social Entrepreneur, Business Consultant, Change-agent, and Author. As a pioneer in the alternative healthcare sector, business consultant, and leadership development coach, Karen has worked for over 30 years on changing outdated business models that do not serve people or the planet.
Starting in the 80s, Karen built a start-up enterprise from her kitchen tabletop into a multi-million-dollar business, exporting alternative healthcare products and training programmes to five countries. She was a pioneer in the industry, writing six books and introducing aromatherapy into mainstream pharmacies and hospitals in Australia. Today, Karen’s 80s style of leadership would be known as ‘conscious’ leadership. For years, she worked as an activist with women in the villages of India and Bangladesh to end the subjugation and marginalisation of women.
When she moved to London in 2002, Karen transitioned into coaching and leading development programmes for executive teams in FTSE 100 companies, in some of the toughest industries. She knows that the way we are working is not effective and aims to transform this at the personal and leadership levels.
Karen will soon be facilitating a 2-day workshop, "Flourish: Beyond Wellbeing" (3-5 Feb) as part of the Hawkwood Programme.