On QII, A Queen in Community: Returning to the farm a year after our first retreat was heartwarming, expanding, and strengthening. What a privilege to be with my Queen sisters again and with Leslie and Zanna, who guided our time and connection with skill, grace, and love. I cherished the time to connect more deeply with my Queen sisters and to reconnect with the Queen in myself. I left feeling recentered and committed to living more fully as a Queen with sovereignty and in community. Thank you. 🙏 Once again, the farm (and Leslie’s thoughtful hosting) provided a peaceful, opening, and nurturing environment - with the welcome chance to be both inside and out. And again, food was A+!
Leslie - I can’t imagine anyone else being able to do what you do. You combine so much - openness, authenticity, deep knowledge and skill, intuition, care, and guts. On my way home, I reflected that you must have to really trust yourself and the group in trying new things that require vulnerability and people ‘going with it.’ Thank you for being brave! You’re contributing something quite meaningful and special - with many cascading ripples in the world. 💜 Nancy L, DC Executive Coach
QII: A Queen in Community. I am still glowing from an incredible weekend of sisterhood and self-care. I so appreciate the gift of a space where it feels not only safe, but joyful to step beyond my usual boundaries and investigate the depths of my being. These spaces are all too rare in modern (American) life and your home, your embrace, is the rarest of gifts. I was able to access and "sit with" parts of myself I haven't seen in quite some time. The love and healing I found inside myself are truly awesome, and this from someone who is no stranger to "doing the work". I was particularly struck by the power of our somatic work in concert with our exploration of Sovereignty. Zanna really helped turn on the light in my soul. I can feel the power of my energy ball still today. Thank you for a gorgeous, deep, once in a lifetime experience. Colleen B, MD Tech Sales and Executive Coach
I’ve had the best experience of my life this weekend. I walked in not knowing who I was anymore, and stuck in every aspect of my life. I’m walking away completely cleared out, and released from my body what it was carrying from my past. I’ve opened myself to spirit again, and opened my heart and learned how to love myself. I know now that I have a completely open future and am very consciously taking steps to figure out what I want to do with this most precious life. I’ve never felt such balance and peace in my life; I’m dressing up more and flowing more! Everything has changed …. For our whole family because it’s had a tremendous effect on each of us. I love myself, I am one with all, and I am so very grateful. Heather Sanford, MSW, mom of special needs kids. Raleigh, NC I found my place among my Queen 11 sisters. This type of sisterhood, formed in the second half of our lives, is unlike any I've had before. I will forever treasure the gift of feminine energy so present and powerful this weekend. I feel ready to live life with abandon. I’m ready to honor the creative notions in my head, and throw away expectation. My queen sisters helped me see that i need to allow that part of me to flourish and that I will be ok. So watch out!” Janice Capon Bridge, WV Bakery owner
I arrived in a hurry with an agenda, with the pressure of needing to get somewhere and make decisions. Having a space where I could acknowledge and see everyone else acknowledging the pain and pressure that are in so many of our lives, and recognizing how much I need space and connection and an ally, was really important to me. It was a multi-tissue event. I so appreciate it. R, Founder/Executive Maryland
The weekend was an incredible journey with an awakening of souls of beautiful women who have come together in a safe place to explore where they’ve been, where they are and a vision of where they want to be, surrounded by so much love and joy. It fills me up! Lisa C. David, retired Global HR Director from Accenture, Austin, TX
I went to Leslie’s retreat to reflect on the “me” is who feels genuine and true to my heart. I saw a place inside of me where I can be calm and step away from the everyday go go go. I’m trying to use my insights to experience more intimacy in my relationships with family and friends, and myself. Leslie created a space of safety and total acceptance I’ve never experienced so authentically. We all shared experiences, perspectives and our hearts. What moved me the most was how each of us left with the desire to move forward with love and compassion. I thank everyone for their friendship, and the safety you gave me to sit with myself was profound. KMG, Charlottesville VA
Most of us have done the leg-work to see a retirement planner, and pulled together tons of information and answered a battery of questions about what we want our post-retirement life to look like, financially…So why not engage in a similar level of guidance and effort and preparation for retirement? And to do it within a circle of fellow travelers and witnesses, it is a beautiful gift. The chance to evaluate what ;s really essential, who we really are, what we truly have to offer this world when we come from a place of wisdom and confidence and freedom to BE ourselves. And to see this reflected back to us from the facilitators, and all the amazing women in the circle. The weekend was a wake up call that I am sure I will look back on with gratitude in the years to come. Janneke Ratcliffe, NC Non-profit executive
The workshop was a loving, intimate and spirit-filled container for exploration, sharing, healing, and celebration. We were guided in a new way to understand our lives, past, present and future. For me, there may be nothing more powerful and vital than women getting together. I made friends there who are now a part of me. I felt totally seen, honored, supported and celebrated in this safe and gorgeous space. What added to the experience was the amazing food, the music and dancing, and the little breaks to relax and refresh between the creatively planned activities…I would do this workshop again and/or a follow up to it in a heartbeat and I think that each time would be a new experience, because I would be at a different place in my life’s journey. Mata Mandir Khalsa Kaur, VA Community Leader
A weekend with great women, near my age, at a beautiful location, with amazing food whats not to like? We shared rich, powerful and interesting conversations. The course provided new concepts and openings. I look forward to future gatherings. Pamela Burton Moore, NC Arts
What a fabulous time to sit in the sacred space of women, where we could share, be vulnerable, and be held by each other. Leslie and Sandy are amazing and gifted facilitators bringing the very best of their consummate facilitation and design skills to us on a journey that they experience as we do. They are a magical team together, and clearly took great care and attention to make this a powerful growth experience. You created an environment where we could love and care for each other and hold each other’s pain and joy. I hope other women have the opportunity to experience the retreat as they navigate the cross roads and transitions in women’s lives, relationships and search for new ways of being in the world. Thank you both for leveraging your wisdom, and your facilitation superpowers to create a powerful, rewiring experience for us. Dr Karyn Trader-Leigh. VA Global Leadership Development and DEI Consulting
I came to this retreat shortly after articulating an intention to use the next few years to plan for my next phase in life. I had thought about and planned for financial means, but I needed space and time to focus on what I wanted for myself. These three days of love, compassion, and support guided me through a process of stepping back to look at my past and what I can now let go of; looking at who I am beyond the many roles I played and continue to play in life; and formulating a vision for myself going forward which is bringing me unexpected joy, excitement and optimism. I left the three days with much greater clarity about my future and confidence in being able to make my new vision come to beautiful life. Nanette Alvey, MD International Development Consultant
Leslie and Sandy and the Rewiring retreat they created is Amazing! I am certain my friendship with the two of them intensified my positive experience. However, their grace, love for women's success and excellent design expertise was more than evident in the weekend workshop. Consequently, the retreat was a life changing program, and it will always be a memorable experience. From the welcoming, exercises; group sharing of values and beliefs, letting go of old messages in our minds that impact our perspective and rebuilding our self-worth and life vision - I was able to rid old emotions, received tools for dealing with the emotions that may resurface, regain strength, and define a new chapter. I feel Queenly. I am rewired, and the next chapter in my life is too!. Dr Tonya Hampton, MN Health Care Human Resources Executive The rewiring retreat served me in a number of wonderful ways. I was able to identify thoughts and behaviors that were no longer serving me, and tools to help me put them in the past. I found inspiration and hope for my future. I realized I'm more than just what I can do for others, and I now look forward to building a life that is abundant for me, and not just for those who depend on me. As a woman in my early 50's, I also was inspired by being with women who were closer to retiring or had retired; everyone was so vibrant, fun, and full of life! It gave me hope for how I can be in my 60's. After having been home so long during COVID, this retreat reminded me how rejuvenating it is to talk and celebrate with others, to get to know new people, and to enjoy life. And the food and beautiful setting made it all feel like a mini- vacation. I am so glad I went and enthusiastically encourage others to attend. I feel much more centered now and ready to take on the future. Jennifer Copeland, VA Executive Coach
When I saw the notice about this opportunity... it sounded like just what I needed. Now that I look back on the experience, I know I was right. It may not happen overnight, but I have a new plan and one that I would not have been able to arrive at anywhere else. The combination of passion, hope, and expertise coupled with a grounding in reality made it all work. Being surrounded by women in similar and different places was both comforting and enlightening. Sonia Aranza, VA Leadership Development and DEI Consultant
Leslie and Sandy brought creativity, warmth and depth to a variety of interactive exercises that reinforced our inner knowledge. The safe haven we co-created enabled profound connection with our values, as well as fun! My overwhelming insight was the sense of belonging, sharing a quest with women I respect, honor and adore. The welcome and entry ritual cleansing that Sandy and Leslie greeted each of us with in turn was potent, thank you. The human design exercise that relies on grounded body wisdom, free from frontal lobe interference, was challenging at first and yielded a few revelations. It’s one I can do on my own to inform decisions. Debbi Winsten, DC