Soul-Stirring Enneagram Retreat California, A Redwood Sanctuary
If you’re craving profound self-discovery amidst awe-inspiring natural surroundings, look no further than retreats in the redwoods. SHINE: Remember Your Brilliance, Reclaim Your Vitality is a women’s-only Enneagram gathering held from April 23–28, 2025, at Spirit Camp in Mendocino County. Here, you’ll explore the Enneagram’s insights under the shelter of towering Redwoods—an experience that merges personal transformation with nature’s own potent energy. If you’re curious about other upcoming programs, check the Spirit Camp retreat calendar for more details.
Step Under the Tall Canopy: Overview of SHINE
Wednesday through Monday, this Women’s Redwood retreat in California unites participants in daily Enneagram sessions, healing movement, and group sharing. Because it’s set in a sober environment, you can anticipate a clear, supportive field for introspection and connection. Embodying Redwood synergy, SHINE weaves together spiritual exploration, creative expression, and communal breakthroughs in a setting that naturally fosters deeper self-awareness.
Time & Place
Hosted in Northern California, SHINE situates you in one of the most captivating landscapes in the country. Mendocino’s redwood groves offer quiet walking trails, sun-drenched meadows, and star-filled night skies. These environmental factors alone can induce a sense of calm and presence, making it easier to integrate new knowledge from daily Enneagram workshops.
What It Entails
Enneagram Circles: Uncover your core type, unearth hidden gifts, and challenge limiting patterns.
Healing Movement: Engage in somatic dance or gentle yoga sessions to help embody your Enneagram insights on a physical level.
Shared Meals & Community: Plant-based feasts foster a sense of sisterhood and collective nourishment.
Join Us
If the Redwood canopy is calling you, register for SHINE. Or if you’d like to see a variety of other Redwood gatherings, browse all the upcoming retreats here.
A Brief History: The Enneagram in Redwood Context
In this section, we explore both the ancient origins of the Redwood region and the timeless wisdom of the Enneagram, tying the two together for a forest-based personal transformation experience.
Origins of the Redwood Region
Northern California’s redwood forests have stood for centuries, long revered by Indigenous peoples for their grandeur and life-giving energy. Today, areas like Mendocino County are prized destinations for nature lovers and spiritual explorers. The Redwood National and State Parks highlight these giants as symbols of resilience and interconnectedness. Their expansive root systems mirror human relationships—each tree relying on communal links for growth and stability. Learn more.
Enneagram’s Universal Language
While the Redwoods have captivated humans for millennia, the Enneagram’s formalization dates back only a few decades. However, the system’s psychological and spiritual roots trace to ancient wisdom traditions across Asia and the Middle East. In the 20th century, teachers like Oscar Ichazo and Claudio Naranjo refined the Enneagram into a tool for self-understanding, showing how each of the nine personality types illuminates unique motivations, fears, and potentials. Learn more.
Forest-Focused Reflection
Placing Enneagram work within a Redwood forest setting amplifies its impact. Here, the towering trees prompt humility, gently reminding you of your role in the larger ecosystem of life. Reflecting on your Enneagram type beneath these canopies grounds theoretical insights in tangible reality. The forest’s quiet presence encourages you to listen more intently to your inner voice, fostering breakthroughs that might remain elusive in a busy urban environment.
Modern Approach
At Spirit Camp, we combine the wisdom of Redwood forests with Enneagram teachings to create a deeply integrative experience. This synergy invites participants to confront hidden patterns with compassion. Somatic exploration methods—like breathwork, movement, or journaling—solidify those insights, allowing you to embody the transformation rather than merely intellectualize it.
Photo of Deer Haven, one of the our many unique cabin spaces. This cabin has three beds. Cabins have between 1 to 8 beds each and provide several different sleeping arrangements for retreats in the redwoods. All cabin spaces are included in Women’s Redwood retreat in California.
Photo of Group Glamping Tents Setup in Sunset Meadow. We have 10 Glamping Structures that can be added with 1to 3 beds each. This can increase bed capacity of campus to 50 guests across 20 unique accommodation spaces.
Meet Ashlie Woods: Redwood-Enneagram Specialist
Ashlie Woods, the retreat’s lead facilitator, has immersed herself in Enneagram study and somatic healing for over 15 years. Her passion lies in guiding women beyond mere personality labels, encouraging them to embrace the lived experience of their Enneagram type.
Why Enneagram?
Ashlie was first drawn to the Enneagram because it provided a nuanced language for self-inquiry, one that addressed not just behaviors but also core motivations. Over time, she discovered that insight alone wasn’t enough to create lasting change. Physical embodiment—through movement, stillness, or creative expression—was the missing link that helped participants fully integrate newfound wisdom.
Redwood Connection
Living and working among the Redwoods profoundly shaped Ashlie’s facilitation style. She credits the forest for teaching her about patience, grounding, and natural cycles of growth. She often jokes that the Redwoods are the co-facilitators of each session, offering their silent steadiness to participants struggling with self-doubt or anxiety.
Our Redwood Haven: Spirit Camp’s Unique Ambience
Spirit Camp is more than just a retreat center—it’s a community space designed to harmonize with Redwood ecology and support transformative experiences.
Quiet Mornings
Imagine waking up to the filtered dawn light slicing through majestic tree trunks. Mornings at Spirit Camp often begin with sunrise meditations in the Sanctuary, a warm space framed by wood floors and softened by an array of cushions. The gentle crackle of a wood-burning stove sets a tranquil mood for breathwork or journaling. As your mind quiets, you might notice birdsong and the scent of damp earth.
Enneagram Workshops
Afternoons bring interactive sessions on the Enneagram, where Ashlie—or occasionally guest facilitators—lead explorations of the nine personality types. Participants might break into small circles to discuss type-specific challenges and epiphanies. Or, you could practice somatic exploration that encourages you to sense how your body responds to Enneagram revelations. The Redwood synergy enhances these exercises, reminding you that genuine self-discovery thrives in harmony with nature.
Evening Gatherings
Once the sun dips behind the trees, evenings transform into star-lit opportunities for reflection, laughter, and communal bonding. Many nights, the group gathers in Magic Meadow around a fire pit, exchanging stories, singing, or simply sitting quietly under a canopy of starlight. This is also where the Redwood synergy seems strongest, as flames flicker against towering trunks, reminding everyone of life’s enduring mysteries.
Northern California Location Details
Because the retreat is only about a three-hour drive from San Francisco or Oakland airports, you don’t have to travel far to find this forest haven. Mendocino County rests along the Northern California coast, known for its rugged cliffs, tranquil beaches, and eclectic art scene in towns like Mendocino and Fort Bragg.
Proximity
This prime location makes it easy for participants who want a Spring Redwood gatherings USA experience without leaving the country. Commuting from major hubs like San Francisco feels effortless, and once you arrive, you’ll realize you’ve entered a slower, more contemplative rhythm.
Why Here?
The Redwood forests serve as a profound metaphor for personal growth—rooted, interconnected, and ever-reaching toward the sun. By choosing Spirit Camp, you immerse yourself in an environment inherently conducive to deep self-inquiry.
Discover More
For detailed directions, lodging specifics, or upcoming event announcements, check out Spirit Camp Retreats. You’ll find comprehensive instructions on how to plan your travel, plus a snapshot of other Redwood-based programs throughout the year.
FAQs About Retreats in the Redwoods
Are Redwood retreats cold?
Nights can indeed be cool, especially in the spring. The region’s coastal climate means foggy mornings and mild afternoons. Pack layers—like a light jacket and cozy sweater—to stay warm during sunrise meditations or late-night gatherings around the fire.
Is there Wi-Fi?
While limited Wi-Fi is available in parts of Spirit Camp, we encourage participants to explore a digital detox. The Redwood forest’s ambiance often invites deeper presence when screens are put aside.
Can I explore outside scheduled sessions?
Yes. Spirit Camp borders private trails that wind through fern-lined gullies. You’re free to roam the property, practicing quiet reflection or journaling. Just be mindful of posted schedules so you don’t miss planned workshops or group activities.
While You’re Here: Two Redwood Highlights
If you have a bit of extra time before or after the retreat, consider exploring more of Mendocino County’s Redwoods.
Fern Canyon Exploration
A short drive north, Fern Canyon captivates visitors with mossy walls and a meandering creek, transporting you into a near-fairytale setting. The lush vegetation and trickling streams create an immersive sensory experience perfect for grounding your energy or conducting a walking meditation.
Pygmy Forest
Tucked away in Van Damme State Park near Mendocino, the Pygmy Forest reveals an otherworldly ecosystem where stunted pine and cypress trees, some decades old, remain adorably small due to poor soil conditions. The boardwalk trail offers a fascinating window into nature’s diversity and resilience—an apt reflection for anyone diving deep into Enneagram growth.
Final Call to Action
Ready to deepen your self-understanding under the towering grace of Redwoods? Register now for the “SHINE: Remember Your Brilliance, Reclaim Your Vitality” Enneagram retreat and witness how retreats in the redwoods can spark profound growth. For a full listing of Redwood-based sessions and other transformative programs, browse the Spirit Camp retreat calendar. Step into the forest, breathe in the stillness, and let the Enneagram illuminate your path.
TOPICS:
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