The Nature of Magic: Odermir, Portugal

SYC is delighted to partner again with the wonderful Blue, from Dohm Shop & Clay Coven to create a multidisciplinary immersion celebrating the magic and mystery of nature through ancient yogic practices, clay and witchcraft.

For our week together, we have planned a nourishing and inspiring programme. Mornings will be spent exploring presence and poetry through yoga with contemporary movement and breath-work. The afternoons will be time for the exploration of magical methodologies.

Blue is an artist, designer, teacher and practising witch. She will introduce us to elemental witchcraft, tarot as a tool for self-enquiry and the power of ritual through creating clay vessels that will then be returned to the earth to seed our spells and dreams. We will look to the moon, to ourselves and to each other for joy, conversation and insight.

Many people join retreats for the practises and yoga, but after our first day retreat in London, we were reminded of the power in conversations and the poignancy of new connections.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to invite you to read Lolly Willowes so we can all discuss it in an afternoon of lazy sunshine.

Exploring themes of feminism, activism, magic, gender, and nature politics – it’s the perfect starting point for exploring how we integrate our personal practices and private mythologies (with joy!) into the ecosystem around us.

Monte Da Orada

This will be our second year at Monte Da Orada, it was so charming we decided to return. It’s easy to get to, on

The retreat centre is the perfect place to immerse into the elements and tune into the invisible and mysterious currents that carry us.

The skies are lucid and bright, the pocket of valley surrounding the centre is rich green, regardless of the season. There are two rivers, a biopool with beautiful lotus flowers and an estuary of fresh water. We can each find a little pockets of flowers and secret spots to nestle into and escape with a book

The centre is enchanting and comfortable, with a sense of warmth and community that is precious, and very unique to Orada. It is perhaps not for those seeking pure luxury. We wash our own plate after eating and we might have some little insect friends – it would be strange to be immersed in nature and not!

We are also near the sea, for those bodies thirsting for the ocean and perhaps a little surfing on the day off.

There is much to fall in love with, which is why are returning again.