MYTHIC CREATIVITY TO ENCHANT & EMPOWER YOUR LIFE
“Myths and fairy tales, like art and poetry, are potent distillations of the human psyche, speaking in the mysterious language of the deep unconscious: allegory and archetype, metaphor and motif, symbol and synchronicity. They are the quintessence of wonder and wisdom."
- Kate Forsyth
The day begins with Tai Chi barefoot in the garden at dawn, then – after a delicious and nutritious breakfast – we move to the studio for a morning filled with stories, poetry, art, music and conscious crafting. Each day Kate and Kinchem will explore an ancient myth and show how it has been transformed over time into a classic fairy tale, its sacred meaning veiled within the well-known magical tale of wonder. We will discuss the stories’ meanings, messages and motifs, and see how we can work with them in our own creative practice. There will be time for deep and silent contemplation, as well as many opportunities for play, exploration, and laughter.
After lunch, you will have an afternoon of free time. Walk in the gardens, write a poem or doodle in your journal, sit in the sun and chat with friends, have a massage. Each evening, join the other participants in a magical feast. Tell stories by the fire, gaze at the stars, celebrate the rising of the full moon, dance, and share your creations.
Our Mythic Creativity retreat is a week of mysteries, surprises and discoveries – it is designed to spark joyous creativity and connect you once more to a sense of wonder and awe.
This retreat is for any woman who longs to re-discover her joy in creativity.
6 nights, 7 days of luxury accomodation
Daily creativity workshops, classes and activities.
Morning barefoot Tai Chi in the flower gardens.
Afternoons free to rest, read, write, think, daydream and explore this beautiful 20 acres property including labyrinth, tennis court, swimming pool, chickens, quails, cows, alpacas and more.
Excursion into the beautiful Southern Highlands.
An opportunity to retreat, relax and reemerge a new version of yourself.
Time to truly slow down and sink in to yourself in a breathtaking setting.
Cosy open fires and outdoor fire pit.
Nourishment of organic farm to table meals made with fresh produce straight from our very own veggie gardens. Vegetarian and vegan options.
Welcome Fairy Tale Feast - magical dining experience inspired by your favourite fairy tales.
Optional massage, garden tours and bush walks
Beautiful workshop studio.
Transfer to and from Bowral train station.
Concierge staff and onsite laundry.
Optional one on one consultations with in-house wellness expert and clinical nutritionist.
Springfield is situated on traditional lands that were shared by people of the Gundungurra, Dharawal and Yuin nations. Springfield is only five minutes drive from Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park. We are 15 minutes from Bowral, Moss Vale and Robertson in the beautiful Southern Highlands of NSW. The energy here has been described as peaceful, still and even soporific, making it an excellent place for exploration and transformation.
Dr Kate Forsyth is an internationally published poet, novelist, journalist and storyteller. Her historical novels for adults include The Blue Rose, Beauty in Thorns, The Wild Girl & Bitter Greens, which won the 2015 American Library Association Award for Best Historical Fiction. Non-fiction books include Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia’s First Children’s Author, written with the assistance of the Nancy Keesing Fellowship and longlisted for the 2021 Indie Book Awards, and The Rebirth of Rapunzel which won the 2017 William Atheling Jr Award for Criticism. Her books for children include Vasilisa the Wise & Other Tales of Brave Young Women, which won a silver medal in the 2018 US Readers Favorite book awards; The Impossible Quest, shortlisted for a KOALA Award; and the Aurealis-award winning historical adventure series The Chain of Charms. Kate has a BA in literature, a MA in creative writing and a Doctorate of Creative Arts, and is an accredited master storyteller with the Australian Guild of Storytellers. Her work has been translated into twenty languages.
Author, creator, nurturer and connector of women. Kinchem is the Director at Springfield & Co. Kinchem is thrilled to be putting down roots at Springfield after living overseas in New York, Chicago, Singapore and Bali for past 25 years. She has worked in venture capital, product development, start-ups, banking/finance, education, real estate and non-profits. She has an MFA in Fiction Writing and Grad Dip in Permaculture Design. Her varied background, natural intuition and deeply maternal energy come together in perfect harmony as a retreat facilitator. As well as managing the programs at Springfield she facilitates Inner Landscaping groups, helping others to transform their internal world into a thriving ecosystem.
On this retreat, you’ll need to bring curiosity, compassion, courage and a willingness to play and discover. Expect to get your hands dirty, to laugh until your sides ache, and to cry at least once. We hope you will go home invigorated and inspired, and eager to live a creative life every day.
A DAY AT SPRINGFIELD'S MYTHIC RETREAT
7:30 - 8:30 Barefoot Garden Tai Chi
8:30 - 9:30 Farm to Table Organic Breakfast
9:30 - 12:30 Daily Mythic Creativity Workshop
12:30 - 1:30 Farm to Table Organic Lunch
2:00 - 4:00 Free Time
5:00 - 5:30 Sunset Walk
6:00 - 7:00 Farm to Table Organic Dinner
8:00 - 9:00 Evening Activities
“Thank you. I came mentally and emotionally spent. I am going home a new person. I sense something huge has shifted. I will keep in touch and let you know what happened. I would love to return!”
“The mystery around what to expect revealed that Kate is a knowledgeable and natural teacher. She is generous in sharing her wisdom and is incredibly encouraging. I quickly discovered what Kate has to offer cannot be learned from a book. She is a truly gifted author and to be on the receiving end of her teaching is a privilege. My imagination was ignited and I’ve been writing nearly every day ever since."One of the most amazing experiences of my life. Mornings were spent with Kate casting a spell over us in writing workshops. The teaching went beyond the mere mechanics of writing, but what makes a reader love what you write. Afternoons and evenings were lost in the beauty of England with Kate showing us the most magical places. If you get the chance to go – you will remember it forever.
Please bring the following:
Clothes to dig and paint in
Clothes for tramps in the country
Clothes to dance in
Swimming costume & towel
Something green to wear at our spring equinox feast
A tiara or sparkly headband
Knitting/crochet/embroidery/your darning for ‘knit and natter’
Musical instrument (if you can play one)
Gardening gloves
Slippers or socks to wear inside
A favourite poem to share
Accommodation is allocated according to availability and your first preference at the time of booking. We have two private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, if this is your preference please book early. If you choose to share we’ll pair you with a like-minded roommate, or bring a friend!
Please explore room options and descriptions here before booking.
non-residential (includes all meals)
private room, shared bathroom:
(Avocado Room, Indigo Room, Drover's Rest Rooms, Farm House Rooms)
private room with private ensuite:
(Rose Room, Blue Room)
Still Available: Drover's Rest Room
