There comes a moment each autumn when nature begins to let go. Not because it is trying to. Not because there is something else it needs to become. But because the season has changed, and what was once held can begin to fall away.

At the Fall Equinox, we arrive at a fleeting moment of balance—light and darkness held in equal measure—before the natural world begins its gradual turn inward.

This half-day retreat is an invitation to honour that transition within ourselves.

A Fall Equinox Half-Day Retreat

Sunday, September 20 | 1–4 pm
Manotick United Church

Your retreat includes

• Collective Fall Equinox mandala + seasonal altar creation

• Opening and closing circles

• All-levels Hatha yoga balancing yin & yang energy

• Elemental Breathwork Journey with Falen Reid

• Immersive sound bath

• Guided Abhyanga self-massage ritual

• Your own custom 10 mL essential-oil blend to use and take home

• Guided journaling and seasonal reflection

• Oracle cards and intention setting

Together, we will explore balance, harvest, surrender and transition through movement, breath, sound, ritual and reflection.

We will begin by gathering in circle and creating a collective Fall Equinox mandala and seasonal altar from the bounty of the earth. Leaves, flowers, herbs, grasses, seeds, fruits and other natural treasures will come together to create the centrepiece for our afternoon—a reflection of abundance, gratitude and the changing season.

You are invited to bring something harvested from your garden or gathered respectfully from nature to contribute to our collective creation, or simply choose from the natural materials we have gathered for you.

From our circle, we will move into an all-levels Hatha yoga practice inspired by the balance of yin and yang at the equinox. Through movement, breath and stillness, we will explore the place between effort and ease, holding and softening, doing and simply being.

Falen Reid will guide us through an Elemental Breathwork Journey and immersive sound bath, inviting us beneath the thinking mind and into an embodied experience of breath, sensation and sound.

We will also explore the Ayurvedic ritual of Abhyanga, using intentional self-massage as an act of grounding, nourishment and care as we prepare for the cooler season. You will create your own custom 10 mL essential-oil blend to use during the ritual and take home with you.

Throughout the afternoon, there will be space for journaling, oracle cards, quiet reflection and connection.

We will close as we began—in circle, gathered around the mandala we created together. Not with the expectation that we have figured everything out or successfully “let go,” but with an opportunity to notice what may already be softening, what we are grateful to have harvested, and what we would like to carry gently into the season ahead.

An afternoon to pause.
To gather.
To breathe.
To soften our grip.
And to allow the season to change us.

Meet Your Guides

Falen Reid

Elemental Breathwork Facilitator • Sound Practitioner

Falen Reid is a breathwork facilitator and sound practitioner whose offerings invite participants into deeper connection with the body, breath and inner landscape.

Through her Elemental Breathwork Journeys, Falen combines intentional breathing, music and embodied exploration to create immersive experiences that move beyond the thinking mind and into sensation, awareness and presence.

Sound is also an integral part of Falen's work. Her sound baths create space for deep rest and integration, allowing participants to receive rather than strive—an approach that feels especially aligned with the energy of the Fall Equinox and our gradual transition from the outward energy of summer toward the quieter seasons ahead.

Falen brings a grounded, intuitive presence to the spaces she facilitates and an invitation to meet whatever arises with curiosity rather than expectation.

For this Fall Equinox retreat, Falen will guide an Elemental Breathwork Journey followed by an immersive sound bath, creating space to breathe, soften, listen and receive.

Diana Steadman, BScN, RYT500, RPYT

Yoga Teacher • Doula • Founder of Sacred Grace

Diana is a yoga teacher, birth and postpartum doula, and the heart behind Sacred Grace. With a background in nursing and more than 500 hours of yoga teacher training, her work brings together her understanding of the body with a deep appreciation for the quieter practices of breath, ritual, reflection and rest.

A natural caregiver and space-holder, Diana is drawn to the transitions we all move through—the beginnings, endings and seasons in between. Her teaching invites people away from striving and toward a more compassionate relationship with themselves, where movement doesn't need to be performed and stillness doesn't need to be earned.

Her offerings weave together accessible yoga, breathwork, meditation, Ayurveda-inspired practices, nature and seasonal ritual. Whether gathering in a yoga class, birth space or circle, Diana's intention is to create a place where people can arrive exactly as they are, reconnect with themselves and feel supported through whatever season of life they are navigating.

For this Fall Equinox retreat, Diana will guide the opening and closing circles, seasonal Hatha yoga practice, Abhyanga self-massage ritual, essential-oil blending and reflective practices.

Sliding Scale Investment

$77 | $88 | $99

Each tier offers the same complete retreat experience. Choose the level of investment that feels accessible and sustainable for you.

Optional: Bring a small piece of the autumn harvest to contribute to our collective mandala—something from your garden or gathered respectfully from nature. Natural materials will also be available, so simply bringing yourself is enough.

No previous yoga, breathwork or meditation experience is required.