“Wow. I could not have predicted the quite profound effect Alison's Purusha retreat was going to have upon me. After a difficult year due to some painful experiences, I had been getting through life a day at a time for some months, until I finally committed to this day of personal wellbeing in September.

Everything about the day was wonderful. The location; the themes and core messages of the day; the pace; the selected activities; the delicious food; the power of the surrounding nature and most of all an environment that facilitated connection and authentic communication with compassionate humans. 

Afterwards, I felt lighter. Something happened during that day and some of the heaviness I had been carrying lifted. It was a true reminder of the power of nature; time; space; breathing and of human connection. 

Huge thanks to Alison for creating such a positive and life affirming day.”

HW, General Practitioner

“This nourishing retreat was held in a truly magical place in the Lincolnshire countryside - tranquil, peaceful and beautiful. Alison held the space for us, beautifully. As a group we connected with nature, each other and ourselves. I loved being creative with the flowers in the afternoon session, many of them grown by Alison. Connecting to the texture and beauty of the flowers…. The whole day felt like a moment to step back, connect to our senses and think about what truly matters to us. Thank you for a wonderful day Alison.”

MP, Yoga Teacher and Coach

“To say I had a meaningful experience recently is an understatement. 

I’ve come to know Alison as a calming presence; someone who actively listens, in a way which makes you feel ‘held’. 

I was her guest at the beautiful venue of @purusha_retreats for a day connecting with nature, linking with myself and others. The light sparkled all day, amongst the reeds of the lake and on wild flowers in such a peaceful space, ideal for the connection and rejuvenation which became a theme of the day.

The view over the lily-pad decorated lake makes the tea hut one of the many  beautiful spaces to spend time in, and I also loved creating nature mandalas in amongst trees, and being gently guided to create a very free hand tie with Alison’s very own home grown beautiful flowers. I brought home a bunch of botanicals carefully selected from the grounds and local woodland including, wind dancing grasses and skeleton leaves which I’m always so drawn to forage for. 

Alison’s aim is to create a space that is free from rush or urgency where we can all do our best thinking and the day did just that. I spent time with welcoming women who knew the day was a confidential place to explore what was most meaningful to us. 

I saw a green woodpecker as I left the venue, after my day with Alison, which was an incredible end to a special day.”

SF

“Alison creates a calm and serene space for her joyful and restorative workshops – I felt at peace immediately and embraced the rare opportunity to listen and connect with everyone present, and of course, the stunning seasonal home-grown flowers, herbs and foliage. Everyday life was left at the door and these few hours were a real treat for my well-being.

Alison is naturally skilled at bringing together the connection between nature, creativity and exploring our own selves. She does this with great sensitivity and empathy. So much care is taken to choose a space that works in harmony with the workshop. Each stem felt like it had been individually selected with love.

The joy of being able to take time out to create my own floral display, reflect and connect among these stunning blooms is something very special. I came away feeling calm and rejuvenated.”

VK

Alison’s Quiet Beauty of Winter Workshop was a little bit of real life magic. She recreated the wild, untamed beauty of a winter woodland in a lovely old mill and brought together a group of women, many of whom had never met before, through a shared love of nature. Alison’s warmth and openness made everybody feel safe to share their thoughts and feelings, and to create freely; guided and inspired by nature. It was a true privilege to hear from each person and to see what everybody created. I found connection with likeminded women and left the day feeling soothed, restored and inspired.

NM, Doctor