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6 Eastview Avenue, Leura NSW 2780

signature retreats

Charlotte Skyla Westerlundh is a certified Shamanic Practitioner, a certified Death Doula and a Naturopath BhSC.

Charlotte is initiated into the Andean lineage of Q’ero Paqo Shamanism.

Our Signature Retreats, led by Charlotte, contain totally unique experiences and bring together the best that Brightlands has to offer.

Learn about a retreat:

Maiden Mother Crone ◆ Walking With Protection ◆ Inner Being ◆ Conscious Dying

An image of Charlotte Skyla, retreat facilitator. She has long brown hair and sits wrapped in a scarf on a chair by a window. She looks peaceful.

Maiden Mother Crone Retreat

‘What a beautiful, awakening retreat. I have learned such special skills and have been surrounded by other women where we shared our experiences. Charlotte is extremely knowledgeable, I have come away feeling recharged and ready to continue my journey.’ - Vee

‘My first retreat ever, but certainly not my last now. Charlotte does an amazing job hosting and making everyone comfortable. The ceremonies she holds truly make you feel the energy we tend to dismiss in our busy lives. She helps you comprehend the nature of a maiden, mother and crone, which makes you understand womanhood, our journey and life. I am definitely walking away feeing refreshed, energised and awake. Thank You so much Charlotte.’ - Antoinette

Gentrification and modernity have institutionalised our way of living in the West. As a result of modernity, our sociocultural adaptation has caused a generalisation or even tabooing of events in life that traditionally instigated initiation. The transformative role of initiation, is a requisite for the growth and evolution of the human mythology and psyche. As women, the lack of conscious initiation into, and the embodiment of, archetypal influences that inform our feminine essence, can leave us feeling lost and severed from the sense of unity and sisterhood we so deeply know is meant to be there for us in life. Initiations, such as the celebration of menarche, the honouring of the sense of loss mixed with joy women undoubtedly feel before the act of marriage, the death of identity after child rearing, and the celebration of menopause, to name a few, are crucial milestones for the welfare of the feminine that need to be recognised.
This retreat offers an opportunity to travel through the main archetypal influences of the feminine essence, and to get a deeper understanding of these influences and where oneself may be at, in terms of initiation and or the lack of it. In this retreat you will be taken through processes that will help you connect with the feminine, such as prayers and reciprocity with Earth Mother, connecting with water, wreath making, African drumming, story telling, Cacao ceremony, sound healing and the Rite of the Womb. The Rite of the Womb is a shamanic energy transmission, that helps women connect with their womb, their own suffering, and that of their matriarchal ancestral lineage. This Rite, offers the opportunity to do the sacred work of ancestral healing womb to womb, generations back, and to liberate oneself from limiting belief patterns and suffering. The Rite of the Womb is something participants will take with them home, and continue to work with for the following thirteen months. This is very sacred work. Once initiated, participants can themselves pass on the transmission to others.
In this retreat you will bond and make connections with the sisterhood who share this Earth and lifetime with you. We offer ongoing support and resources through the Maiden Mother Crone forum on WhatsApp.

’This retreat was an amazing opportunity to reflect and learn more about our journey as woman in an environment of love, support and sharing. It gave me the opportunity to sot with like minded women and share our stories.’ - Vicki

’This is an amazing opportunity to recognise, welcome and integrate the wild woman within you. To honour the scared space the your womb is and to connect everything the is involved about being a Woman. Thank You from the bottom of my Womb!’ - Gabby

’So much fun, connection, creation and revelation. Thank You for holding space and sharing your wisdom,’ - Taru

Upcoming Retreats

Inner Being Retreat

This Retreat offers a deep and beautiful experience that touches on the reality of being both a human and a spiritual being, in this busy and possibly over-populated and over-informed World. How do we cultivate and nurture a relationship with our Self and our truth, if we can scarcely hear the whispers of our inner world, in contrast to the booming reality that we live in? In this retreat, you will be taken through various shamanic processes of liberation and purification, to prepare you for contact with the numinous world, through traditional Inkan meditation as practised by the Altomesayoqs of the Andes. This retreat is for those who are ready to lovingly see them selves, who need an instigation to start making changes in their life, so that they can live more in harmony with who they truly are, as opposed to who they ‘ought’ to be.
Charlotte says ‘Whilst this retreat may seem like a ‘relaxing’ retreat, do not be fooled by the cliché concept of ‘love, light, rainbows & unicorns’ so often related to when it comes to mainstream spiritual activities. I am all for love and light, and I happen to be a Rainbow Walker, however when we go through processes of purification and cleansing, such as the ones offered in this retreat to prepare for the deep Inkan meditation which this retreat centres around…one can unexpectedly come across sticky patches of resistance within Self. This often plays out as a feeling of being uncomfortable and maybe even wanting to escape. However, sticking with the processes this retreat offers, may well result in the attainment of some of your own spiritual gold at the end of the allegorical ‘tunnel’. This retreat is transformational & well worth the commitment.’

’Thank you and a deep appreciation for the gift that was last weekend at Brightlands. It left me floating yet grounded. Feeling nourished and very grateful. Thank You.'

Upcoming Retreats

Conscious Dying Retreat

A Certified End of Life Doula by ‘Preparing the Way’ and Member of NDAN, Charlotte facilitates this life changing retreat using her Shamanic practises and personal experiences with Death.
“The Elders have told me that in the West people have forgotten how to die, that the dead are walking among us…and this rings true to me in so many ways, dying is a human initiation that has of late been brushed aside and placed in a dusty corner, only to become a taboo if ever brought up. In the modernised world, the very sacred and intimate act of dying has become hospitalised, severed or estranged even from the actual person who is dying. It is my desire, alongside with many other people in the death advocacy industry and Elders across this world, to bring active dying back into the consciousness of our community. Dying is an important initiation of the human Life experience, and when done consciously it eases the bereavement of our loved ones who are left behind.” ~ Charlotte Skyla Westerlundh
During four days, this retreat will offer you the opportunity to truly reflect upon the reality of Death, the mortal body and the immortal Soul. In this retreat, you will be taken through shamanic processes supporting release, journey to past lives for recapitulation, and reflect upon and hopefully embody what it means to befriend Death, and how this embodiment can change how you live your Life henceforth. You will come away with an understanding of how to create your own Death Plan, which is equally important as a Birth Plan, and how planning your own death and funeral prior to dying will help the grieving process of your loved ones left behind.
This retreat will offer a safe place for our stories to be shared, for personal legacies to be created, and can help you in your journey of conscious dying.
Upcoming Retreats

Walking With Protection Retreat

As humans living in the modernised world, we become increasingly susceptible to picking up and accumulating heavy energy. In Quechua this heavy energy is known as Hucha.

Too much hucha in our being, can stop us from living our truth as it affects our energy levels, our physical health, our emotional and mental well-being, and the perceiving of our World.

In general, we don’t think much about brushing our teeth, having daily showers, or combing our hair, because these activities are common sense and normal daily habits when it comes to personal hygiene. Whilst many of us are not particularly aware of our energetic body, or if so perhaps a bit thoughtless of it, we should essentially be taking equal care of our energetic body, as we do our physical body. The level of ‘hygiene’ of our energetic body has a crucial affect on our mental, emotional and physical health and well-being, and so our Life.

In the beautiful and nurturing environment that Brightland’s Retreat has to offer, you will learn about various tools of purification and protection which you can use in your daily life for yourself, your family and your home. You will also be taken through various shamanic processes to support your own understanding of the energetic body and its importance to your well-being. During this weekend, you will enjoy the company of like minded retreat goers, healthy food lovingly prepared by our Chef, morning Yoga, Fire Ceremony, Sound Healing, a place for meditation, contemplation and connection and other shamanic processes such as the Chumpi Transmission, also known as Bands of Protection. The Chumpi Transmission is an energetic transmission based on the Munay Ki Rites, which installs a protective field in your luminous body, expressing the energetic imprints of the Elements, essentially helping you digest and compost heavy energies on a daily basis. This retreat will gift you tools to take home and use in your every day life, and guarantees a spring clean of your luminous body.

Packages available including all teaching, accomodation and meals. A Retreat pass is available including teaching and meals (no accomodation)

Upcoming Retreats