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4-Day Inner Alchemy: Private Healing Retreat

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4-Day Inner Alchemy: Private Healing Retreat

May 1 - 4, 2026

Ostuni, Italy

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Hosted By

Erin Nelson

477 followers

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3 nights, 4 days

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2 person retreat

Highlights

  • Private 1:1 healing container with fully personalized daily sessions

  • Shamanic Energy Medicine ceremonies rooted in Q’ero tradition

  • Daily yoga & guided meditation practices

  • Somatic release sessions to gently discharge chronic tension

  • Plant-spirit infusion ceremonies using local herbal-essences

  • Personalized integration guidance & exercises to help you get to the core of what needs nourishment

  • Nourishing vegetarian meals crafted from the region’s freshest local produce

  • Boutique accommodations with private outdoor space

  • Nature immersion in sun-dappled olive-grove landscapes

  • Flexible rhythm that adapts to your energy, rest needs and intentions

Details

There comes a moment, sometimes quietly, when your body begins to ask for something different. You may be holding a lot. Moving through life, doing what's needed, showing up for others. And yet somewhere underneath, you feel tired. Disconnected. Not quite like yourself. This private retreat in Puglia offers a space to step out of that rhythm and come back to something slower, softer and more authentic to you. This is not a group retreat. It is a completely personalized experience, designed around you and what you need during this time. You are welcome to stay anywhere from 3 to 7 days. Together, we create a rhythm that supports your body, your energy and your process. When you arrive, we begin gently. We sit together, take time to land and speak about what has been present for you. From there, your days unfold with a natural, spacious flow. Mornings begin with gentle yoga and meditation to help your nervous system settle. This creates a foundation of safety and allows your body to begin to unwind. From this grounded place, we will move into deeper work through shamanic healing, somatic practices and quiet reflection. Everything is guided at your pace. Nothing is forced. You are supported in a way that feels steady and safe. There is plenty of space in between. Time to rest. Time to walk in nature. Time to journal or simply be. The land itself is deeply calming. Surrounded by olive groves and open sky, there is a natural stillness here that allows your system to soften and reset. Meals are nourishing and made from local ingredients. Silence is always available. You are held in a private, peaceful environment where you can begin to reconnect with yourself in a very real way. Over the course of your stay, something often begins to shift. Not through pushing or trying, but through slowing down enough to actually feel what has been there all along. This retreat may be supportive for you if you are: - Feeling emotionally or physically exhausted - Moving through a life transition, loss, or period of change - Disconnected from your body, your creativity, or your sense of self - Holding a lot internally while appearing “fine” on the outside - Longing for rest, clarity, and a deeper sense of connection This is a space for gentle but meaningful work. You will be supported with care, presence and deep respect for your process. You do not need to arrive with clarity. You do not need to have answers. Only a willingness to pause, to listen and to begin again. *About Dates & Booking* This retreat is offered as a private, personalized experience, so dates are flexible and tailored to your needs. Insight Timer requires fixed calendar dates, so the dates shown here reflect general availability. You are welcome to book a stay anywhere from 3 to 7 days. Once you inquire, we will connect and choose the exact dates and rhythm of your retreat together.

Location

Ostuni, Italy

Ostuni, Italy, often called *La Città Bianca*, is a striking hilltop town in Puglia known for its whitewashed buildings, winding streets, and sweeping views of the Adriatic Sea. Rich in history and southern Italian charm, it offers a blend of historic architecture, lively piazzas, and local cuisine rooted in tradition. Surrounded by olive groves and close to the coast, Ostuni delivers a timeless, sun-soaked atmosphere that feels both elegant and authentically Italian.

Venue

Private Sanctuary in the Olive Groves

Reviews

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This is a space to truly unwind, reflect and reconnect to yourself in the tranquil countryside of Ostuni.

Garden

Garden

Laundry

Laundry

Towels

Towels

Housekeeping

Housekeeping

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Coffee / Tea

Kitchen

Kitchen

Free Parking

Free Parking

Shower

Shower

Balcony

Balcony

Bathroom

Bathroom

Accommodation

Private Sanctuary in the Olive Groves

1 Room Left

Private room for 2

$2,567 USD / person

Private Sanctuary in the Olive Groves

1 Room Left

Private room for 1

$2,567 USD total

Retreat Access without Accommodation

1 Spot Left

For those who prefer to handle their own lodging arrangements

$2,237 USD total

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Private Sanctuary in the Olive Groves Our private accommodation offers guests a peaceful, rejuvenating home away from home. This a space to truly unwind, reflect and reconnect to yourself in the tranquil countryside of Ostuni. This beautifully restored one-bedroom home is designed in the traditional Puglian style and offers: - A spacious, comfortable double bed for restful sleep. - A private bathroom with modern amenities. - A fully equipped kitchen. - A cozy living area to relax and integrate your healing journey. - A private outdoor space surrounded by olive trees, perfect for quiet mornings or stargazing at night. - Only a 3-minute walk from the main retreat space, this home provides the perfect balance of privacy and connection to nature. Whether you’re sipping tea under the olive trees, journaling in the warm afternoon sun or simply soaking in the silence, this is your sanctuary to reset, restore and reconnect. The price listed is per room for one person for a 4-day retreat. As this retreat is completely customizable, we can adjust the length of your stay and the price accordingly. We can accommodate couples - please inquire for more info!

Meals

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Meals provided

Brunch · Dinner

Diets catered

Vegan · Vegetarian · Gluten-free · Dairy-free

Nourishing, seasonal, and made with love. Our retreat meals are designed to support your healing journey with fresh, locally sourced vegetarian dishes, served for brunch and dinner, with nourishing snacks available throughout the day. We cater to various dietary requirements (vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free, low sugar) to ensure that every meal is both delicious and deeply nourishing so that it fuels your body, mind and soul. Expect vibrant flavors, wholesome ingredients and meals that leave you feeling light, energized and fully satisfied. Please contact us to discuss your individual requirements - we can accommodate most diets other than nut allergies.

Schedule

Each day follows a structured yet intuitive rhythm, moving through deep healing, restoration and integration. MORNING - Personalized Yoga & Somatic Practice: These sessions are designed for nervous system regulation and release. Through intentional movement, breathwork, and body awareness, we help your system process what it's been holding. - Brunch: Nourishing vegetarian meal prepared with fresh, locally-sourced Puglian ingredients to support your body while it does such intensive healing work. AFTERNOON Your afternoons vary based on where you are in your healing journey: - Integration Time in Nature: After brunch, you have spacious time for journaling, walking among the olive groves, resting, or simply allowing your system to process. This isn't optional. Integration is where the transformation actually solidifies. - Intensive Shamanic Energy Healing Ceremony: These deeply transformative sessions work at the soul level to clear trauma, ancestral patterns, limiting beliefs, and energetic blocks. We go to the root of what's keeping you stuck. EVENING - Sacred Ritual, Breathwork or Guided Meditation: End each day with grounding practices. Fire ceremonies for releasing. Breathwork for moving stuck energy. Meditation for connecting with your intuition. Each practice is chosen based on what your system needs that day. - Dinner & Evening Space: A nourishing meal followed by time for deep conversation, stargazing under the Puglian sky, or simply resting in silence. You choose what serves you. Special Ceremonies: Day 1: Opening Ceremony to create safety, set intentions, and establish the sacred container for your healing journey Days 2 & 3: Intensive shamanic healing ceremonies Day 4: Closing Integration Ceremony to anchor your transformation and honor how far you've come The flow of this retreat is intentionally designed to support the deep work you're doing. This isn't a packed schedule. The spaciousness between sessions is essential for your nervous system to integrate and for lasting transformation to occur.

Testimonials

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Erin is by far the best yoga and meditation teacher I have ever had - and I’ve experienced many! Her sessions are individualised and designed to give you whatever you need in that exact moment. I wanted to be pushed in some sessions - and wow, did I work up a sweat, with strong poses, held for a long time, in a way that was really grounding, and not at all stressful. In other sessions, Erin sensed I needed a softer approach and accommodated me with a more nurturing practice.The meditations allowed me to get deep & introspective - Erin’s soothing voice & wise words were accompanied by beautiful calming sounds & scents (oils / incense). Sometimes I find healers / guides / yogis to be too preachy and/or ‘woo woo’, but Erin is nurturing & spiritual in a way that is very accessible and practical. She creates the perfect balance between challenging you and taking care of you - creating a warm and safe space, that is free of any judgement - where you can be truly honest with yourself. If this wasn’t already enough, the food and environment is absolutely delicious and nourishing! Every aspect of the retreat is thoughtfully curated and beautifully presented. I recommend the seven days… you’ll never want to leave!

Rhi, Australia

The countryside of Ostuni is the perfect backdrop for this retreat. The olive grove and garden is beautiful - the ideal sanctuary for deep inner work and restoration. Each meal was thoughtfully prepared, nourishing and absolutely delicious. Erin's wise words and personalised approach to yoga and meditation left me feeling lighter, more centred, refreshed and ready to re-enter the busyness of life.

Evan, Australia

I had the incredible opportunity to work with Erin during my time in Ostuni, where I was seeking much-needed healing from intense grief and severe burnout. For six weeks, we worked together weekly, incorporating yoga, breathwork, and deep processing that truly shifted my perspective. Her energy is so authentic and grounding—you immediately feel you're in the presence of someone with a deep, intuitive gift for healing. Her intuitive understanding of healing helped me not only process the pain I was carrying but also reconnect with my feminine energy in a way that felt both gentle and powerful. Erin's presence is calming and nurturing, and she has a way of guiding you toward self-compassion with such grace. Her presence made me feel safe, supported, and understood in a way that words can hardly capture. There is no judgment with Erin, only kindness and understanding. While I continue to face challenges, the shifts in my energy and the gains I made with Erin have had a lasting impact. She embodies compassion and is deeply attuned to the unique needs of each person she works with. I cannot recommend her enough.

Linda, Canada

When I reached out to Erin, I was in such a low, dark, dysregulated place. I know now that what I always wanted from therapy, I got from working with her. The way that she held space for me as a guide is one of the greatest gifts that I've ever received. Doing this work has felt like "me". I used to dread therapy calls, but always looked forward to my sessions with Erin. It was such a magical and sacred time being held by Erin. It's difficult to be vulnerable and share, but Erin looks at everything as a tool for learning. There's hardly a delay in reaction time after sharing an experience. It's always, "Oh! That is happening because of X,Y,Z." It is just clear to her. She's able to identify the source so naturally, without any judgement. She customizes the journey to each individual. This is not a "one size fits all" program. If something isn't working, or something doesn't feel right, it's easy to change the course. The tangible practices bring magic and ceremony to the mundane. With Erin, my world got still, and opened this container in a beautiful way, so that I could do the work. I feel like I can relax now, that I am on a new path. I am happier, more content, more appreciative of my life and my circumstances. I am finding harmony. I am working daily to shed frustrations, and I am finding myself. I know last November, I couldn't have written those things. My goal was to take this learned levity and joy into each day. Since our time together came to a close, I've felt different, in subtle ways. I would recommend Radiant Self to everyone, and I encourage you to connect with Erin in any phase of joy or despair.

Talia, United States

I could never comprehend the phrase “the kindness of strangers.” Or the idea of “perfect strangers.” How could someone unknown to you offer something so meaningful? But within an hour of arriving at The House of Healing, I understood. I found Erin and Ewan at the lowest point of my life. I could barely speak in full sentences. My body trembled terribly and all I could do was cry. I arrived broken, exhausted, and unsure of how to survive the trauma I had experienced. And somehow, these two strangers were exactly what I needed. They welcomed me in and cared for me in a way I had never experienced before. The love and compassion they wrapped around me became the safest place I have ever known. No one — not my mother, not my grandmothers, not my husband, not even myself — had nourished me the way Ewan did. Every meal was prepared thoughtfully and intentionally, with me in mind. I have struggled with food my entire life, but I never knew it could taste like that. I could taste the care in every bite. Erin’s healing methods were powerful and deeply thought-provoking. Her ability to sense what my body and mind needed — and what my spirit was quietly asking for — felt almost otherworldly. The ceremonies, the scents, the sounds, the sacred space they have created together — it was one of the most inspiring and transformative experiences of my life. Erin taught me how to create an altar as a living, breathing representation of my own personal growth and the path that I am on. And to remember why I'm on it. And that nothing is too small. For the first time, “the kindness of strangers” was not just a phrase. It was something I had lived.

Melissa, United States

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Host

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Erin Nelson

72017 Ostuni, BR, Italy

Erin Nelson is a shamanic practitioner, yoga & meditation teacher & guide for women navigating major life transitions. Based in Ostuni, Italy, she created House of Healing as a sanctuary for women who...

1 language

English

Teaching for 1 year

Joined Insight Timer in Oct 2024

What's Included

3 nights in your private sanctuary nestled in the peaceful Puglian countryside, surrounded by ancient olive groves

Two daily vegetarian meals (brunch & dinner) lovingly prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to nourish your body while your soul does deep work

Water, tea, coffee and healthy snacks available throughout the day to keep you grounded and nourished

Opening ceremony to set intentions and create safety for the transformative work ahead

Pre-retreat consultation to understand your needs and co-create your healing experience

Daily personalized yoga sessions designed specifically for nervous system regulation and somatic trauma release

Shamanic Healing ceremonies tailored to your unique needs, clearing trauma, ancestral patterns and energetic blocks

Daily guided meditation sessions to support deep emotional release and integration

Sacred rituals and embodiment practices you'll learn to use long after the retreat ends

Closing integration ceremony to anchor your healing and honor your journey

Post-retreat integration support because the real work continues after you leave

Unlimited time in nature for processing, integrating, and letting the land hold you through your transformation

Not Included

Flight costs

Travel insurance

Visa fee

Airport transfer (we can book this for you at an additional cost)

Additional activities not included in the itinerary

Additional treatments

FAQs

Guest requirements

  • It's recommended you come to this retreat with an open mind and an open heart.

Cancellation policy

The remaining balance for the retreat is due 30 days prior to the start date. If this balance is paid earlier than these 30 days, you are eligible to cancel and receive a full refund of this remaining balance, provided you do so at least 30 days before the retreat begins.