Cacao | Wim Hof Method Breathwork | Ice Bath | Yin Yoga, Singing Bowl Therapy & Reiki Drumming
Prepare for Winter - Overnight Retreat at the Magical Acorn
Join us nestled in the rolling hills of the Nidderdale Valley, The Acorn is a sanctuary for deep replenishment and revitalisation. A place to inspire, nurture, and nourish your mind, body, and soul which is why we’re so excited to offer our Root2Rise Overnight Retreat in this truly idyllic setting.
As the days become shorter and the pace of modern life continues to accelerate, many of us enter winter already running on empty. We push through tiredness, ignore the signs of stress, and wait until our bodies force us to slow down. Yet according to both ancient wisdom traditions and modern science, the transition into winter is one of the most important times of year to pause, restore, and build resilience.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter is governed by the Water Element and the Kidney energy system, the foundation of our vitality, reserves, immunity, and capacity to navigate life's challenges. When these reserves become depleted, we may experience exhaustion, poor sleep, lowered immunity, anxiety, overwhelm, aches and pains, hormonal imbalances, and a feeling of simply having nothing left to give.
This overnight retreat has been carefully designed to help you prepare for the winter season rather than merely survive it. Through breathwork, cold therapy, yin yoga, sound healing, nature immersion, nourishing food, deep rest, and meaningful connection, you'll be invited to slow down, replenish your energy, calm your nervous system, and reconnect with what truly matters.
We will begin by setting our intentions and opening the space for connection and presence. Jim will then guide you through a powerful Wim Hof Method Breathwork session, accompanied by Singing Bowl Therapy and Gong Meditation, allowing you to journey inward and reset your nervous system.
After grounding and integration, we’ll move into the optional ice bath, using breath and mindset to meet the cold with clarity and calm. We’ll then warm the body with horse stance, leaving you feeling clearer, steadier, and recharged.
A delicious plant-based lunch will follow, lovingly prepared by Sarah Wheelhouse. Packed with nourishing, seasonal ingredients, this meal will offer inspiration and practical tips for supporting your body throughout the summer months ahead.
After lunch, you’re invited to deeply rest and relax on the Blossom Day Beds, enjoy the Sauna or Steam.
Once fully digested and rested, we’ll gather for our Yin Yoga, Singing Bowl Therapy, and Reiki Drumming signature session. We will be tuning into the Water element whilst working with the Kidney and Urinary organs and meridian pathways in order to improve energy (chi) stagnation and flow. According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, working with the kidney and Urinary Bladder meridian pathways in advance and at the beginning winter season is the most optimal time to start to protect these channels as they are likely to weaken over late autumn and towards winter.
A nourishing two course plant-based supper will follow.
And then bringing our day to a wonderful close with a Reiki Drumming Meditation Journey before drifting to bed
On Sunday, we will begin our morning at Brimham Rocks with Meditation and Movement before coming back for a delicious breakfast pot before a nourishing Cacaco Ceremony with connection, breathwork, chanting and setting winter intentions.
So lets gather to rebalance and ignite our inner fires before we transition to summer energy.
Date: Saturday 7th - Sunday 8th November 2026
Investment: From £333 per person
***only 8 places available***
SATURDAY - You are welcome to arrive from 9.30am to settle in
10.00am - 10.30am Welcome, Set Intentions for Winter
10.30am - 12.00pm - Wim Hof Method Breathwork with Gong Meditation
12.00pm - 13.00pm - Ice Bath and Warming Up with Horse Stance - Igniting our Inner Fires!
13.00pm - 14.00pm - Plant Based Lunch to support the Winter Season
14.00pm - 16.30pm - Rest, Digest & Chat in the Snug, Read a Book or use the Sauna in the Wellness Bud
16:30pm - 18:30pm - Yin Yoga, Singing Bowl Therapy and Reiki Drumming
18.30pm - 20.00pm - Plant Based Evening Meal & Digest by the Fire
20.00pm - 21.00pm - Reiki Drumming Journey before floating to bed
SUNDAY
7.30am - Morning Movement, Breathwork and Sound Meditation
8.30am - Breakfast Pot
9.30am - Morning Nature Meditation and Reflection at Brimham Rocks
11.00pm - 12.30pm - Cacao Ceremony, Chanting and Closing Intentions
12.30pm - Hugs and Goodbye for Now
WHAT TO EXPECT
WIM HOF METHOD
Wim Hof Method Breathwork, when practised correctly and consistently, can support reduced inflammation, a stronger immune response, improved lung capacity, and greater resilience to stress. Many people also experience benefits such as reduced anxiety, improved sleep, better digestion, enhanced mental wellbeing, and a natural uplift in mood.
Sound Healing complements the breathwork by helping to calm the nervous system and bring the body into a deeply relaxed state.
Together, these practices prepare both body and mind for the Ice Bath, allowing you to meet the cold with clarity, steadiness and intention as part of your summer Re-Charge experience.
Some Kind Words…
CACAO
Ceremonial Grade Cacao has been used for centuries by indigenous cultures as a sacred plant medicine, valued for both its nutritional properties and its ability to support emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Rich in nutrients, ceremonial cacao contains significantly higher levels of antioxidants than many common foods and is a natural source of magnesium, riboflavin and essential fatty acids, which can support heart health, circulation and overall vitality.
Cacao is also known as a natural mood enhancer, helping to stimulate the release of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins the body’s “feel good” chemicals encouraging feelings of openness, connection and wellbeing.
YIN YOGA & SOUND
Yin Yoga is a slow, meditative style of yoga that gently targets the deeper connective tissues of the body, including ligaments, joints and fascia - areas that are often harder to reach in more dynamic (yang) styles of practice.
In this session we will focus on stimulating the meridian pathways associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine, helping to support organ health and encourage the smooth flow of energy throughout the body. This practice is designed to harmonise your energetic system and bring balance on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level.
The practice will be accompanied by the soothing sounds of our Nepalese singing bowl therapy and reiki drumming allowing the vibrations to resonate through the body and calm the nervous system, guiding you into a deeply restorative state.
“Thank you so much for a wonderful experience. I am currently facing my own challenges and this gave me the power to take control and help move forward. This experience gave me the tools to be able to start my day with a clear mindset and help reduce the anxiety I wake with everyday. The venue was magical and filled with pure tranquility. I will 100% be booking next time you are in the area. Thank you both 🙏 x”
“Having been on multiple Wim Hof Method workshops and an Autumn retreat, I can honestly say these guys are bloody brilliant! Jim & Natalie are incredibly knowledgeable, powerful and encouraging. My life has changed for the better as a direct output from the magical experiences they provide.”
MORE ABOUT US
You will have the care and attention from a level 3, 1000 hours, yin yoga teacher and sound healer/reiki master who will take you on a wonderful healing journey sure to leave you feeling fully refreshed, deeply relaxed and rejuvenated.
YIN YOGA | SOUND | TCM SPECIALITY
NATALIE BRADSHAW
Ancient Wisdom has changed my life. For years I suffered with Adrenal Fatigue and an Autoimmune Disease, that combined with being a workaholic in the corporate world often meant choosing to work 13-hour days and using all my energy up at work that often meant that I had nothing left for me, let alone time for my family or friends. After becoming dependent on steroid injections, western medication and coffee just to get through the day I decided to come back to Yoga and explore a more holistic lifestyle. Rather than continue to book holidays in a desperate attempt to recharge, I started to go on Healing retreats which inspired me to train to become a Yoga teacher and this soon became a huge turning point in my life because it gave me the space to rest, spend time with like minded people and also learn tools that I needed to make changes in my life. Very quickly I found that a more regular practice offered me much more than the physical benefits and as I continued to dig deeper, not only did I become stronger and more mobile in my body but I had reduced pain, raised energy levels, improved mental health and my whole perspective significantly changed. I said goodbye to my corporate life and set out on a new path find a solution other than a lifetime on western medication and guess what - I haven't taken western medication for over 7 years and have managed to keep my autoimmune issues at bay (unless I fall into old habits!) Even now with over 1000 study hours with many global master teachers and reading hundreds of books, I continue to search for and experience alternative ways to live at optimal health in this modern world. Going deeper into the layers is my passion, specifically in conjunction with traditional Chinese medicine, organ health, the energetic body and breath work. Sound and Reiki has also been a huge influence in my healing path which is why James (my husband) and I love to work together and create healing and transformational experiences which we can offer on a private basis, group classes, workshops or retreats.
REIKI | SOUND | BREATHWORK
JAMES BRADSHAW
Working in the fire and rescue service was my dream job and after making the difficult decision to leave after 10 years service I lost my way a little. I missed helping other people and felt something was missing. I proceeded to spend another 10 years building up my own renovations and maintenance company and whilst really enjoying meeting new people, the practical side of working with my hands and being creative I still felt I had more to offer. In 2011 I injured my spine in a car accident and the doctors said that I would need to start saving for a £20k operation to remove some of my spine which would manage the pain. The injury was affecting my life and somedays I couldn’t walk – this is where my journey started in looking for alternative ways to heal. I started regular yoga classes and very soon I regained strength, mobility and reduced pain. It was actually in the yoga studio that I saw a leaflet for Reiki and became very curious in how I could tap into my own healing potential. In the back of my mind I knew this was the tool I could use to help myself and others. It has been quite a journey working towards my Reiki master degree and digging deeper into the potentials of Sound Therapy. My journey continued to the Wim Hof Method and after very quickly seeing the huge shift in my mental health and physical strength especially through my cancer recovery in 2020, I knew I had to become a certified Wim Hof Instructor and take this method out to help people gain tools to put YOU in control and therefore Rise and Thrive. We continue to research, experience and explore ways to help ourselves and others live at optimal health in this modern world.
And guess what… I no longer need the spinal operation!
BOOK YOUR SPOT HERE !
Shared Room Investment: £333 per person
Private Room Investment: £444 if sole occupancy king suite or £333per person if shared
Non-refundable £133 deposit link below and remainder due by 30th September 2026 [or contact for payment plan]