Spinning for the Soul

A Sheepspot Retreat at Shobac Farm, September 19-22, 2024

Are you tired?

The last few years have been . . . a lot. The pandemic may be over but so many of us remain unsure how to navigate life going forward. We’re straddling what has become our new normal but still holding onto the memories of what normal used to look like. It’s exhausting.

So much change and so much loss. It would be miraculous if you weren’t feeling exhausted, burned-out, numb, or stuck in a “routine” that feels more like a rut.

Sure, you’ve been using your superpower (spinning!) to help you manage the stress and anxiety of post-pandemic life and everything else we’ve been through lately.

But if you’re feeling the need to hit the reset button in a bigger way, read on, friend.

Join us for the Spinning for the Soul Retreat

What if you could spend an intimate fall weekend with fellow spinners, in a setting that rewards the eye with awe-inspiring beauty wherever one looks? Where the loudest sounds are the ocean’s waves, birdsong, and the baahs of sheep? Where you can breathe clean air that smells like the ocean and see so. many. stars when you look up at night? Where you can gather with new friends for wholesome, informal meals crafted from fresh local ingredients? Where you can refine your spinning technique with individual guidance tailored just for you?

Sheepspot’s Spinning for the Soul retreat will give you permission to unplug from a noisy world and spend a weekend in an intentional community of spinners committed to mindful making that feeds our souls. Enabled and inspired by the physical beauty of the site, you’ll revive your spirit as you renew your spinning practice and reconnect with nature. You’ll leave feeling relaxed, centered, clear-minded, and ready for whatever’s next.

THE LOCATION

There’s something about this place that brings out the best in people. Maybe it’s the proximity of the ocean (as a character in an Isak Dinesen story put it “I know a cure for everything. Salt water. . . sweat, or tears, or the salt sea.”). Maybe it’s being perched on the edge of the continent. Maybe it’s the quiet, or the star-filled sky.

Located in Mi'kma'ki, the traditional and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people, Shobac Farm is the home of internationally-acclaimed architect Brian MacKay-Lyons and his wife, Marilyn, and features a number of buildings of Brian’s design. The farm sits nestled in a valley overlooking the Atlantic in Upper Kingsburg, Nova Scotia. Boasting views of the Atlantic, Gaff Point, and rolling pastures, the site is breathtakingly beautiful. It even has sheep!

ACCOMMODATIONS

Retreat guests will stay in cottages at Shobac, each of which sleeps two people and has a full kitchen, and common areas indoors and out. Both single- and double-occupancy rooms will be available, and we’re happy to pair you with a roommate if you opt for a double. We’ll also do our best to honor requests if you’re coming with friends.

Each cabin lies within what MacKay-Lyons calls “a secluded ‘Lost Village at the End of the Earth.’” Retreat guests will have access to the 1.5-acre Shobac Farm site, surrounded by rolling pastures, hiking trails, a few private homes, and the Atlantic Ocean. Amenities include a fire-pit by a saltwater lake and the “sky-room,” a restored, centuries-old building foundation that now serves as an outdoor dining and lounge area, and more. Parking onsite is provided for guests.

All cabins are equipped with WiFi. Guests may use shared laundry facilities. Firewood, for the pit and the interior woodstove, is provided.

MEALS

Lunch and dinner are included in the retreat price and will be provided by our friends at Lincoln Street Food, a modern, coastal neighbourhood kitchen serving market-inspired fresh food featuring hyper-local ingredients sourced from nearby farms and purveyors. We will make every attempt to accommodate dietary restrictions.

All of the cottages have full kitchens, and you’ll be on your own for breakfast on Friday and Saturday, so grab your favorite breakfast foods on your way to Shobac, or make the short drive to the Rose Bay Store and Bistro for a delicious breakfast.

Schedule

I want you to leave Shobac feeling rested, rejuvenated, and that you’ve had the time and space to both get reacquainted with yourself and make meaningful connections with other participants. I do not want you to leave feeling exhausted, rushed, or if you’re an introvert like me, desperate for alone time. So I’ve deliberately created a schedule with lots of free time to take naps, enjoy some solitude, and explore these breathtaking surroundings.

We’ll start the retreat on Thursday with an opening gathering in which we’ll set our intentions for the weekend, followed by dinner.

On Friday and Saturday mornings, you’ll have breakfast on your own. Then you’ll have time to try some new forms of self-care though a somatics or meditation class, or to journal, hike Gaff Point, explore the beach, or commune with the sheep.

Lunch will be served Friday and Saturday from 12-1:30 in the School House, followed by afternoon spinning classes in the Troop Barn. Our theme for the 2024 retreat will be color in spinning.

On Friday, in Color Theory for Spinners, you’ll develop an intimate working knowledge of the color wheel by creating one of your own from primary-colored fiber, using hand cards or combs. You’ll explore color blending by creating tints, tones, and shades, as well as learning techniques to intensify or quiet colors. In addition, you’ll learn how to use color harmonies to create rich, complex colors that will give your future projects depth and interest.

On Saturday, you’ll use what you’ve learned in Color Theory For Spinners to analyze the colors in a multicolored braid and predict how they will interact with one another in various yarn structures. By the end of the class you’ll thoroughly understand how singles diameter, ply structure, fiber preparation choices, and pre-drafting play a role in color management. You’ll also learn and have the opportunity to practice a wide variety of techniques to manage color by spinning the same colorway multiple ways.

After classes you can hang out and spin in the barn or head to your room for a break before dinner at 6:30. After dinner, you can spin and chat with others—or retire to your room with a good book!

Sunday morning we’ll gather in the Troop Barn for breakfast and goodbyes.

Pricing

The retreat price includes onsite lodging for three nights. The price for single rooms is $2450. The price for shared double rooms will be $1950, per person. Space is extremely limited.

Also included are:

• dinner Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights

• lunch on Friday and Saturday

• wellness and spinning classes (materials included)

• access to all of Shobac’s amenities

• closing breakfast on Sunday

A non-refundable deposit of $500 USD is required to secure your place.

Testimonials

I hosted my first retreat this past October with an intimate group of spinners. Here’s what they have to say about that experience:

I don't think I can express how marvelous this retreat was.  Someone asked me what my favourite part was and my answer was: Everything! From the location. The beach, the air, the sheep. The spinning was amazing. We practiced cool things and having Sasha there to demonstrate was awesome (We all spun silk, very successfully!). Creating colour ways was so very fun too. And starting the retreat with mindfulness was truly very centring and set such a great intension for the rest of our learning. But the most fantastic thing was connecting and reconnecting with everyone. We will have a friendship for a long time. —Chelsea M.

My experience at Shobac was one I will never, ever forget. Thank you ALL for our most wonderful time together and making me feel so cared for! Remember: You did your best today, tomorrow is another day and let it go! (a little poetic license here). —Stephanie S.

I’m a person who has never attended a group spinning gathering or had an in-person lesson, so I was a little nervous about how this might all go. But I needn’t have been. Not only was it the most supportive and encouraging experience, but the time spent sitting with others, watching and listening to Sasha (she is even better in person than she is online), learning from each other, laughing, getting frustrated and then being gently encouraged by Sasha to “let go”  of whatever it was that was holding each of us back, was both rich and transformative. Sasha wove together a combination of spinning and design lessons and wellness sessions that really hit home for all of us and I can honestly say that I left Nova Scotia, not only better equipped to spin wonderful things, but better equipped to tackle the next chapter of my life.—Dianne C.

Is Spinning for the Soul right for you?

I think you’ll love it if:

• You want to take some time just for you and you’re up for an adventure on the eastern edge of North America. Getting here takes some doing; on the way you will feel as though you are going to the back of beyond—because you are. The weather is famously unpredictable; locals joke that we can experience all four seasons in a single day here. So pack some layers and good walking shoes. I promise it will be worth it.

You should sit this one out if:

• You have limited mobility. The site is hilly and the cottages are not accessible.

• You want an experience that’s narrowly focused on spinning. If that’s what you’re looking for, Spinning for the Soul’s spinning + wellness focus may not work for you.

Not Sure? Have Questions?

You can book a one-on-one call with me to talk about the details and ensure the retreat is a good fit here.

Getting Here

Shobac Farm is about 90 minutes from the Robert L. Stanfield International Airport in Halifax. In our rural area, cabs are hard to get and expensive, so the best option for ground transportation is to rent a car at the airport. There will be a private discussion space available in The Flock where you can coordinate car rentals with other participants if you wish.

Note that if you are not a resident of Canada you will need a valid passport for entry.