a creative retreat for women who desire to know and love themselves well
You’re warmly invited to this springtime retreat hosted by a collective of kind women, April 10–12, 2026, in the mountains near Asheville, NC. Join us for an all-inclusive, luxurious long weekend that will remind us what is possible and what is magical about this precious life—in a world where that’s needed.
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For those who say yes before you know the ending.
Here, we make things
without asking them to behave.
Here, we write into what’s stirring,
opening doors you didn’t know were waiting to embrace you.
Here, the body is a wise companion
who remembers joy long before she remembers rules.
What is a creative process retreat?This creative process retreat is a joyful gathering where art-making, writing, movement and meditation become ways of listening, exploring, and connecting. Blending the generative openings of a creative workshop with embodied presence, we form a living circle where everyone brings something to the center.
Through intentionally crafted “play”shops, time in nature, relaxed nervous systems, shared meals and star-filled skies, insight and connection emerge naturally—making this kind of retreat especially nourishing for women in seasons of transition, reflection and renewal.
FLOW OF THE WEEKEND-
Arrival & settling in
Welcome circle & forest walk
Dinner
Filling the Well
This guided somatic session invites you into deep rest through slow, spacious movement. Drawing from gentle yoga, grounding breathing practices and releasing bodywork, we’ll support the nervous system in settling and restore a felt sense of ease in the body. The experience is low-effort and supportive, creating space for held tension to transform into resilient energy. -
Morning meditation & breakfast
Gentle movement practice & community circle
Connecting to the Source of Creativity
This guided process art session invites you into creativity as an intuitive, hands-on process rather than a skill to master. Using mixed media art materials, we’ll explore collaborative exercises and personal work, co-creating a space that invites each of us to connect with our hearts, our bodies, our creative energy and what brings us joy. Exercises are followed by gentle inquiry and debrief, offering space to reflect and integrate insights.Lunch
Open afternoon (naps, hikes, wandering, spontaneous offerings)
A Held Writing Space
This guided creative writing session is designed to offer self discovery in a non-performative space. We will begin with a few short readings to inspire, followed by writing prompts offered in two parts: a “free write” in shared space, and then individual time to develop the piece of writing that holds the most energy. The prompts provide structure for writing from the heart and from memory, with an emphasis on physical senses, inviting both deeper integration of one’s life path and the joy of creating a written work of art.Dinner
Bonfire under the stars
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Morning meditation & breakfast
Gentle movement practice & integration circle
Bon voyage!
This retreat welcomes women in every season of life. No prior experience is needed in art, writing or movement modalities.
Resting on 25 acres and held by national forest on two sides, this women’s retreat is offered at a mountain sanctuary with sweeping views of Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountain range—an open-air backdrop that invites wonder and presence.
Cozy lodges and luxury suites feel perfectly at home among winding creeks and forest trails. Mornings linger over tea, afternoons wander into world-class hiking, and evenings ease into rest and laughter around a crackling fire.
A place to walk, to breathe, to make, to write—and ultimately, to belong: with yourself, with the land and with the circle of women gathered beside you.
If your heart is leaning in, trust that.
Come gather. Come make. Come belong.
A little gift for saying yes early: Early Bird pricing saves $100 through January 31st (or ‘til sold out.)
All of you is welcome here.
YOUR RETREAT HOSTS
Lisa Bliss is a lifelong explorer of creativity, both in her travels around the world and in her artistic pursuits at home.
A clinical law professor by profession and Fulbright Scholar, Lisa brings an open, curious spirit to all she does—whether guiding students, wandering through far-flung art museums, or working in her studio with found objects, papers, and paint.
As a co-founding member of a beloved craft group that has been gathering for over 25 years, Lisa has immersed herself in a wide range of media, including jewelry-making, quilting, mixed media, papier-mâché, painting, and found-object sculpture. Her collections—pottery, rusty metal, and natural artifacts—serve as both inspiration and material for her work, reflecting her deep appreciation for texture, form, and the stories behind objects.
In her personal life, Lisa is in a place of reinvention and growth as part of her healing journey.
On retreat, she will lead a hands-on creativity session designed to spark playful exploration and self-expression. Lisa’s approach is inclusive, tactile, and rooted in the belief that everyone has a wellspring of creativity waiting to be tapped. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or simply curious, her session will invite you to see familiar materials—and yourself—in a new light.
After a career in executive recruiting, Kelly Knowlton has returned to what she loves: writing and teaching writing.
She leads writing retreats and writing groups through an organization for psychoanalysts and other mental health professionals who want to develop their writing. These retreats have taken place on Cape Cod and on Whidbey Island. She also leads mini writing retreats in homes, most recently in Seattle. She never stopped writing, but has returned to it in a more intentional way. Her essay, “Moorings,” is forthcoming in 2026 in The Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (JAPA).
Kelly explains that writing heals her when she lets it take her where it needs to go.
Her writing, she’s been told, makes the reader feel “safe to be human,” and that exchange is the most satisfying feeling she’s ever known. At this retreat, Kelly will offer a writing experience that creates expressive space for reconnection with yourself.
Kelly has a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.A. in Creative and Professional Writing from the University of Minnesota. She was the first recipient of the Paul Bowles Fellowship in Fiction at Georgia State University. Before shifting to a corporate career, she taught writing at the University of Minnesota, the University of Cincinnati, Eastern New Mexico University, and Georgia State University.
Shari Fox is a movement and meditation teacher, retreat leader, and mother who sees our personal and collective journey as an unfolding myth still being written. She believes in protecting the sacred from the noise of everyday life.
With over 20 years of experience guiding retreats and women’s groups, Shari has worked extensively in yoga, somatic care, holistic psychology, and embodiment-based inquiry. She is an E-RYT, Yoga Teacher Trainer, Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider, Certified Enneagram Teacher and the founder of Soul Nourish, a celebrated international retreat company.
Shari is known for creating environments that feel both grounded and alive—where bodies express their wisdom, creativity returns, and we remember how to listen to ourselves.
She is the creator of Field of Wildflowers, which began as an experiment in prioritizing one’s inner life and wellbeing. Her work centers on presence as a pathway to ease, resilience, and self-trust.
For this weekend retreat, she’s promised herself to set aside the struggle of what she can’t control—she’ll be too busy dancing anyway. She’s excited to participate in a women-led community and extend an invitation to experience belonging that is felt in the bones.
Each woman brings a spark—
stories loosen, rise, change shape.
We arrive from many lives: from motherhood and midlife, from long careers, thresholds, endings that cleared space, and brave beginnings.
We gather with open hands.
We’re keeping this weekend intimate, and its expected to fill quickly—do you feel the yes? All-inclusive packages start at $750 and deposit reserves your retreat.
Save $100 on your retreat when you RSVP today, Early Birds!
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Wildflowers Bunk Suite
Modern cabin suite with two shared bunks and ensuite bath
♥️ Our favorite feature: Feels like fireflies in the summertime!
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Friends Suite
Large suite with a queen plus bunk beds and ensuite bath
♥️ Our favorite feature: Space for cozy gatherings with friends who feel like family.
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Loft Lodge Suite
Warm and spacious, two private rooms with ensuite baths
♥️ Our favorite feature: This lounge area calls for tea, blankets, and good conversations.
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Private Lodge Suite
Thoughtfully appointed with a king bed and ensuite bath
♥️ Our favorite feature: Mountain views—from your bed!
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Luxury Private Lodge Suite
Forest porch, plush living room, queen bedroom and ensuite bath
♥️ Our favorite feature: Peaceful, quiet moments are the ultimate luxury.
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Let us hold everything for you:
Friday afternoon (arrival at 2pm) through Sunday morning (checkout at 11am)
Two nights accommodations (with the option to add an early arrival day or late checkout extra night) at our luxury, eco-friendly retreat center
Experienced guidance by a fiber artist, a creative writing teacher, and a somatic facilitator
All chef-prepared meals by our traveling chef team (you might recognize them from our South of France retreat)
Exquisite attention to local and organic ingredients and dietary needs
All movement studio and creative supplies
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You’re more than welcome to bring a friend for the experience! Solo travelers can request a shared room, and friends often act fast to reserve a room together. After a decade of retreating I can honestly say this community is incredibly safe, inclusive and welcoming.
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Yes! Our women’s retreat is April 10-12, 2026, and you are welcome to extend your stay in Asheville, NC or on-site. After your retreat is confirmed we can assist you in securing an early arrival day or add extra night stay with Mt Mitchell Eco Retreat, our mountain sanctuary.
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Your booking is fully refundable until confirmed by Shari via email. After confirmation, please reserve travel insurance as refunds can't be guaranteed for cancellations. Thank you for understanding.
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Yes, there are limited spaces for those wishing to contribute to the retreat in exchange for a reduced rate. I am so happy to have your energy adding to the supportive and harmonious atmosphere on retreat! Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to inquire about available retreat work-study positions.
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We’re so glad you asked! The mountains outside Asheville are convenient by car and air. After your RSVP is confirmed you’ll receive a retreat welcome packet with all of the details already handled for as easeful arrival.
FAQsCome closer, I’ll tell you a truth that feels like freedom—the process itself is where joy comes to life.
Hi! I’m Shari. Thanks for coming by and making yourself a priority.
I’m here for us—and for the inner life of women. (As a mom, wife, creator, and collector of way too many unread books and unused art supplies, I get it.) Want to connect offline, interested in working together, or have a question about retreat? Share a few details below and I’ll be in touch soon. I can’t wait to hear from you.
What people are saying
“Shari has a superb ability to ask exactly the right question at the right moment, in a way that helps me see what’s going on beneath the surface. She is dedicated to the truth, presence, and what’s real, and her insights and teachings always help me contact my Essence and listen to it. I love the way she blends movement and meditation with the Enneagram for a truly unique experience.”
— Women’s retreat guest, 2016
“If you are seeking space to shed all pretenses and reconnect with the essence of who you are and who you aspire to be—this is the place.”
“Shari teaches a skill that is essential to the core of our very being. Thank you for sharing your love, support and kindness. Thank you, too, for the multi-pronged approach: experiential, theoretical, reflective, scientific, spiritual and interactive. I appreciate the breadth and depth.”
— Sarah, 2015
“I want to be part of the shift as well as an agent for the shift that I believe is happening all around us. I come on retreat to find space, to re-energize, to connect with Self and the Source within, and to expand and grow through fellowship with other women. Being with women who are like-minded and soulful is comforting, normalizing, and magnifying to the divine nature of the feminine. I enjoy the opportunity to be deep, I enjoy the chance to be playful and have fun, and I think the group sharing is invaluable.”
— Laura H, 2015
“Being with Shari is like the deep inhale of crisp, clean air on a mountain peak. Restorative, inspirational, and life giving to all the nooks and crannies of the soul that have been waiting to hear, ‘I see you.’ Her insight and intentions pave the way for transformation for anyone ready to receive.”
“First...thank you! You opened and connected me to my so long forgotten heart center. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough. Even more importantly, I was able to be fully authentic and present in your safe space. I anticipate being able to move forward with gratitude. ”
— Rebecca A, 2017
“Life changing, life affirming! It was a safe space to be vulnerable with the many experiences we are all dealing with in our daily lives. Shari is the most generous, loving, open facilitator. Everything was greater than I could have ever imagined. Thank you!”
— Cynthia P, 2018
“Knowing my Enneagram type, I was hesitant to sign up for the retreat without seeing the agenda, and I’m so glad I took the leap. I can truly say this community and soul + body work has filled my cup. I know I'm going home much stronger and with a present slate of mind, which is a great gift to myself (and my family). Forever grateful to my soul sisters.”
— Lori F, 2019
“I came in feeling depleted, exhausted, so tired from work and relationships. I now feel completely balanced; my cup is full and running over with all of these amazing women and being able to gather wisdom from all different walks of life. I feel strong and ready to take on the outside world…I love it! I’m taking back incorporating breath into everyday. Just to sit, be where I am, notice my steps when I'm walking, be present and slow down. It was joyful, peace-giving, energizing and full of friendship!”
— Sarah, 2018
“Something special from this retreat was an understanding of vulnerability. I’ve been inspired to be more vulnerable, because it will lead to deeper connections. I’ve read about this and yearned to be vulnerable, but here on retreat I actually experienced and practiced it. That was life-changing.”
— Kelsey C, 2019
“This retreat was a rebirth for me. I’ve done many activities in the past to understand what kind of leader I am and what my personality is, but this was the first time I actually saw who I am as a person and what motivates me. The connections I’ve made with a diverse group of women & the meaningful programs have truly been a blessing. Everything is brighter and more beautiful!”
—Makesha, 2019
“I arrived stressed and anxious and your meditation did wonders to my body and soul. Something you said really hit home: ‘you invite relation, you dont force it.’ I think I was definitely trying to ‘force it’…I have 10 minutes, I really need to relax, relax relax relax. Perhaps that is why it wasn’t working…or it just seems to work a lot better with you and your gentle voice. I am deeply grateful for these precious moments.”
—Julie A, 2020
“I wanted my ‘self’ back and your retreat reunited me with her once again. Shari’s nourishing loving energy reconnected my spirit to the softer, sweeter side of life… When our yoga session ends and I go into savasana with her special breathing exercises, Shari's touch on my forehead is gentle and caring. As she instructs me to relax parts of my body, I can truly feel myself MELTING. Thank you.”
— Women’s retreat guest, 2013
“Hard to believe for myself that after 10+ years of the Diamond Approach I'm still a woman of few words... but gratitude, warmth & compassion runs deep in me. Thank you for all the effort you put into making this a loving and kind world. Thank you for giving us space to feel safe as we explore our inner world.“
— Kim, 2016
“You have gathered the most magical circle in the most magical of places. My roots are stronger and deeper. My body and senses are nourished. My heart overflows like the chalice. I’m home now and experiencing such a profound reset. Merci, merci beaucoup! ”