SLOW UNFOLDING
A retreat for women seeking space, clarity, and reconnection to selfÂ
A three-day immersive, residential experience on Waiheke Island
22nd - 24th May
Life can feel full… yet something is calling for your attention.
You crave the space to go inward, but the fullness of life keeps you feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure how to move forward.
Slow Unfolding is a space to come back into your body,
reconnect with yourself, and find clarity in what is next.
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About the experience
Slow Unfolding is a small, in-person experience for those feeling called to soften, regulate, and unfold into their whole Self through nature, nourishment, ceremony, self-inquiry, and embodied presence.
The intention is not to add more, to fix, or to strive for another level of improvement.
It is to arrive more fully in yourself, to trust the next step and to feel your aliveness.
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Why this experience
It is an invitation to unsaturate, to honour your nervous system, and to allow what is already alive within you to emerge without force.
This gathering is held in relationship with the natural world, the autumn season and the elements.
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How the experience unfolds
We connect. We listen. We tend.
Held from Friday to Sunday, this immersive experience invites you to step out of everyday life and into a slower, more reflective and embodied rhythm.
The work unfolds through shared time and nourishing food, guided practice, time in nature, ceremony, and simple rituals that support presence, integration, and connection to self and others.
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Why this work, now
Many women arrive at this stage of life having achieved a lot.
Yet beneath the full calendar and constant doing, something begins to shift.
You might recognise some of this:
• Feeling mentally saturated from constantly thinking, managing, and holding everything together
• Living mostly in your head, disconnected from your body
• A quiet sense that the way you have been living no longer quite fits
• Feeling tired of pushing, striving, or over-deliveringÂ
• Longing for space, clarity, and a deeper connection to yourself
Slow Unfolding offers a rare pause from the noise and pace of everyday life.
A space to regulate your nervous system, reconnect with yourself, and allow what is next in you to gently emerge.
It is in the spaciousness of ourselves that we discover what is true for us now; we learn to trust our knowing and follow a path that was always meant for us.
Throughout the weekend, we move between guided practice, nature immersion, and spacious reflection to help you reconnect with your inner clarity and vitality.
What the experience includes
- Parts work (IFS) to access Self energy and navigate inner clarity, connection and compassion
- Tea ceremony (Gonfu Cha) as a practice of presence and attunement
- Breath, yoga and body practices that support regulation and shift energy
- Forest bathing (shinrin yoku) for sensing, visioning, and quiet inquiry
- Autumn Campfire reflection and releaseÂ
- Night sky and star-gazing as a mirror for perspective and spaciousness (weather permitting)Â
- Nourishing food to awaken the senses and connect the mind and body
Throughout the weekend, we move between guided practice, nature immersion, and spacious reflection to help you reconnect with your inner clarity and vitality.
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Nourishment & Mindful Practice
Megan May will guide a nourishing culinary experience designed to help you slow down, unwind, and reconnect with nature. We will create a seasonal menu highlighting ingredients from Waiheke Island, thoughtfully crafted to reflect the rhythms of the land and the time of year.
Each dish is designed not only to nourish, but to offer moments to learn more about yourself - inviting you to be fully present with the experience of nourishing your body and mind. Through gentle mindfulness practices, you’ll have the opportunity to explore your relationship with nature through food, tuning into your body’s signals and reconnecting with your own intuition.
This is a chance to slow down, listen deeply, and cultivate a more intuitive, grounded way of eating. Expect a menu that is playful, unique, and deeply satisfying - awakening the senses and igniting vitality from the inside out.
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Why Waiheke Island
Waiheke Island's abundant nature, quieter rhythm and natural separation from the mainland creates the ideal conditions to slow down and immerse yourself in the stunning natural environment.
This experience is shaped in relationship with place, season, and the elements, allowing nature to support the work alongside guided embodied practice actively.
The Format
Friday 10 am to Sunday 12 noon
Two nights, residential
In person on Waiheke Island
Accommodation is self-arranged to create integration space (walking distance studio suggestions provided on booking)
All experiences and meals are included.
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Investment
$1,750 NZD
Early bird: $1,595 NZD (available until April 20th)
Only a small number of spaces are available to keep the experience intimate.
Past participants have shared
“If you ever have the opportunity to come to one of Simone’s retreat or workshops - DO IT! Her incredible wealth of knowledge of so many modalities as well as her wisdom and love, are the basis for a truly transformational and enlivening experience."
Jen Sieves
“Simone’s workshop exceeded my expectations. It was all things I needed, relaxation, connection, growth, joy, fun, learning, and acceptance. I could go on. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your incredible gift of knowledge with us, Simone. This has been a life highlight for me. ”
Kim Cupis
“A one-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reflect, grow, and heal with an amazing group of women. Didn't know what to expect, but I got so much more than I imagined. Simone creates the most incredible, supportive, fun, open space to experience ”
Penny Theed
Your Hosts
Simone Denny
Simone Denny is an trauma-informed IFS practitioner and coach, mindfulness facilitator, and experienced space holder. Her work integrates parts work, embodied self-inquiry, nervous system awareness, nature-based practices, and tea ceremony to support presence, aliveness, and relational depth.
Megan May
Megan May is a New Zealand chef, author, entrepreneur, and TEDx speaker, best known as the founder of Little Bird Organics. She specialises in whole foods plant-based cuisine, creating organic dishes that nourish both body and mind. With a degree in environmental sciences and a background in holistic nutrition, Megan is passionate about connecting people with themselves and the environment through food, and has helped bring wholefoods plant-based dining into the mainstream in New Zealand through her restaurants, products, cooking classes and advocacy.