Grief Retreats - "Finding Hope In Your World of Grief "

This five-day retreat is for persons who are grieving the loss of a loved one and who are journeying towards healing and personal transformation.

The death of a loved one can have a profound effect on your life and changes you forever. Grief is real. It is a natural response to the death of someone who is dear to you. It is unique to each individual.

The exploration of the grief process is not always recognized in our society, often leaving the person experiencing loss alone and nowhere to turn for support.

We recognize grief is deeply personal, however it can also be a collective experience. The Grief Retreat at Mara Station will allow you to share your grief with others in a way that provides opportunities to encourage and inspire one another. The retreat is held in a supportive and nurturing environment and respects the comfort zone of each individual.

The Society does not promote any type of religious belief; instead, participants spend time exploring what spirituality means to them.

Retreats are held at Mara Station Retreat Centre. In this "home away from home", our team provides a selection of professional complementary therapies depending on need and availability:

• Small Group Discussion and One-to-One Counselling
• Reiki, Therapeutic and Healing Touch
• Massage and Aromatherapy
• Yoga and Qigong
• Meditation and Relaxation
• Visualization
• Music and Art Therapy Techniques

The team members of Mara Station Retreat Society recognize and honour your grief process. Through education, ceremony, writing, sharing, self-care and rest, we will provide you with the opportunity to reconnect with your inner voice, which is often silenced by a profound death. This will enable you to take a safe and guided path toward healing and personal transformation.

• Discovering strengths and inner resources
• Overall feeling of well-being
• Connection with others with similar challenges
• Learning a variety of relaxation techniques
• Identifying resources to continue improved quality of life
• Finding one’s own capacity for transformation

• A maximum of 6 to 8 participants will be accepted for each retreat
• The retreats are for persons who have lost a loved one through death regardless of the timing or circumstances.
• Healthy (and where possible organic) meals will be provided. The participant is welcome to bring any special diet items he/she requires.
• Participants must have the ability to look after their daily needs, such as use of medication.
• Bedrooms at Mara Station have ensuite bathrooms with a shower. For more details on the facilities at Mara Station please see www.marastation.com
• Each 5-day retreat begins on Thursday lunchtime and ends on Tuesday morning.
• For those with allergies, please note that we have two cats - Tigger and Tat II.

Registration requires completion of a confidential application form that can be e-mailed, faxed or mailed to you. The application gives us detailed information about your specific loss and social history, and provides you an opportunity to express what you hope to achieve at the Retreat Centre. Every effort will be made to individualize your experience.

After review, we will contact you by telephone to provide opportunities for discussion and clarification.

The cost of your stay for a five-day retreat is $550 per person or $900 per couple. Financial assistance may be available for anyone unable to afford the entire cost of the retreat.

• March 12th to 16th, 2010