Spring into Life
An At Home Retreat to Overcome Resistance
& Act On Your Dreams
This retreat is now over but you can still take part the replay if you would like to join in
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everthing better.” Albert Einstein
Many people feel a growing sense that something is ready to shift. You may know there’s more you want to bring into your life, yet feel held back by uncertainty, tiredness, or a lack of clarity or the steps we need to take.
We have the vision of where we want to go, but how do we begin?
How do we make our dreams come true?
How can we move through overwhelm, procrastination, and anxiety that are holding us back from stepping up and stepping forward?
Moving into action
Modern life rarely gives us clear points for beginning. Without them, it’s easy to overthink, hesitate, or wait for certainty that never quite arrives. The Wheel of the Year offers a different way of orienting ourselves, and spring brings a natural sense of momentum.
We are holding Spring into Life one week before the Spring Equinox, a key turning point in the Wheel of the Year when we tip towards the light and the days become longer than the nights. This is a threshold moment, one that has long been recognised as a time for taking action.
This is the perfect time to move on your vision and start taking steps to make it real. This is the perfect time to move from procrastination and overwhelm into action.
During this At Home Retreat you'll:
All alongside like-minded folk without needing to travel from home.
Spring into Life is not:
It’s designed to feel spacious, supportive, and workable, with time to step away, reflect, and let things land in their own way.
And don’t worry if you can’t make it on the day. You will receive the repay by Sunday morning, broken into three easily digestible videos of around 2-hours each to work through in your own time.
Here are some words from people who attended Spring into Life last year:
"Things feel lighter, clearer and possible. I'm blown away with how much nature has helped." Tracey
"I have gained a lot of clarity as I was feeling overwhelmed with everything I need to achieve. This helps me focus on one thing at a time. I am excited to tackle something I have been putting off." Jayne
"The whole day is coming together as a concrete plan for the next 6 months. Amazing." Pam
"Such a wonderful way to work and plan. I think I will actually get things done now without feeling overburdened." Sue
Working with resistance, so you can move forward
When it’s hard to act on what matters, it’s rarely a lack of motivation. More often, resistance is at play, showing up as uncertainty, self-doubt, overwhelm, or old patterns that once protected you and now hold you back.
Spring into Life creates space to meet this resistance. Through guided reflection, time in nature, and connection with the spirit realm, you’re invited to slow down and listen to what’s beneath the hesitation, rather than pushing through it.
Clarity will come from this process. Your next steps will become easier to see and feel more aligned and workable. In this way, Spring into Life supports you to move from resistance to taking action, in a way that respects your pace and works with the energy of the season: emergence.
Why we created Spring into Life
We created this retreat because we know how many people are feeling stretched right now, and because we’ve felt it ourselves. When life gets busy and uncertain, it’s easy to drift away from what really matters, even when there’s a clear sense that something needs to change.
We’ve both spent time in that in-between place, knowing a shift was needed but not quite sure how to move forward. What made the difference was recognising that timing matters, and that some moments are more supportive of action than others.
Working with the Wheel of the Year helped us understand this more clearly. The Spring Equinox is one of those moments, a point in the year that naturally supports decision-making and forward movement, when it becomes easier to place energy where it can grow.
This retreat brings all of that together, offering a chance to pause, get clear, and take practical steps forward, supported by the season and by connection with nature and the Otherworld.
Introducing Spring into Life
Spring into Life is our Spring Equinox At Home Retreat, created for this point in the year when the pace in nature begins to pick up. It’s a moment that supports moving out of procrastination and into action, and shifting from vision into planning the steps that will carry it forward.
The Spring Equinox is one of the eight festivals on the Wheel of the Year and marks a time of balance, when the sun rises and sets exactly 12-hours apart. We are about to tip into the light half of the year. In nature, this is when energy shifts from preparation into action.
Held at this turning point, Spring into Life offers a day to step back from the everyday demands look closely at want to give your energy to over the coming months. It’s a chance to look honestly at what’s been getting in the way, to work with procrastination rather than fight it, and to begin mapping out practical next steps.
This retreat is about meeting the Spring Equinox with intention, aligning yourself with the season, and taking responsibility for what’s ready to grow in your life now, and for the direction you want to move in from here.
A retreat held online, without being tied to your screen
This retreat is held on Zoom, using the webinar format, which means you are not spending the day watching rows of faces or feeling as if you need to be “on” in the way online spaces sometimes demand. You won’t be on camera.
Instead, you can settle in, listen, relax entirely, and let the experience meet you wherever you are at, without the pressure to perform or stay visually engaged, and without the slightly exhausting sense of being in a room full of heads on screens.
And although the retreat is online, it is not a day of being tethered to your laptop.
Far from it.
We build in extended time away from the screen, because this work needs space and contact with nature.
One of the most important parts of the day is your relationship with the land where you are.
That might be your garden or backyard, a local park, a stretch of nearby countryside, or simply a tree you know well and can return to, but the invitation is the same: step outside, slow down, and reconnect with nature as your teacher.
Throughout the day, there will be guided activities you do away from the screen, time for reflection and creativity, and plenty of breaks so you can integrate what you are receiving rather than trying to consume it all in one long sitting.
Even though we are each in our own homes, there’s a deep sense of shared field in these retreats, because everyone who arrives is there for the same reason. There is something profoundly supportive about spending the day in practice alongside like-minded people, all choosing to create space for what matters.
A retreat held online, without being tied to your screen
This retreat is held on Zoom, using the webinar format, which means you are not spending the day watching rows of faces or feeling as if you need to be “on” in the way online spaces sometimes demand. You won’t be on camera.
Instead, you can settle in, listen, relax entirely, and let the experience meet you wherever you are at, without the pressure to perform or stay visually engaged, and without the slightly exhausting sense of being in a room full of heads on screens.
And although the retreat is online, it is not a day of being tethered to your laptop.
Far from it.
We build in extended time away from the screen, because this work needs space and contact with nature.
One of the most important parts of the day is your relationship with the land where you are.
That might be your garden or backyard, a local park, a stretch of nearby countryside, or simply a tree you know well and can return to, but the invitation is the same: step outside, slow down, and reconnect with nature as your teacher.
Throughout the day, there will be guided activities you do away from the screen, time for reflection and creativity, and plenty of breaks so you can integrate what you are receiving rather than trying to consume it all in one long sitting.
Even though we are each in our own homes, there’s a deep sense of shared field in these retreats, because everyone who arrives is there for the same reason. There is something profoundly supportive about spending the day in practice alongside like-minded people, all choosing to create space for what matters.
Plus, you will receive this Bonus: Create Your Vision
Not sure of your vision? Uncertain what you want to work to achieving this year and beyond?
We have designed this bonus just for you. Working through a series of prompts, you will be able to reflect on what it is that you want to focus on this year, setting you up perfectly for this At Home Retreat.
What others say
Here are some reflections from participants who have attended previous At Home retreats:
I had an amazing time and thoroughly enjoyed every single minute
“Before the online retreat, I felt stuck and unable to move. The weekend sounded really interesting and something that I wanted to do. I had an amazing time and thoroughly enjoyed every single minute, having re-discovered me, thank you!
I have loved learning all about animal and plant medicine, journeying to faraway lands, and exploring my inner creativity, which has now burst forth and wants to be acknowledged at last."
Hilary
I feel so glad to have a place where I can go to plug in and recharge
“I have been feeling very up and down emotionally, and I wanted some time for me to receive.
After the weekend, I felt peaceful, restored, stronger, grateful, creative and ready to face the week of work again.
Thank you so much. I have been feeling gratitude throughout this week for the special space that you held/hold for so many of us. I feel so glad to have a place where I can go to plug in and recharge.”
Emma
The weekend was magical
"Your online event looked interesting, and I liked the idea of a shamanic approach based on our own traditions, myth and landscape and not one that has been imported from another culture.
I was excited to come along and, at the same time, a little nervous as generally I am used to "going" to events rather than online, and so I was unsure what it would be like.
The weekend was magical, and the space was held well with kindness and care. Despite it being online, it worked and had depth. I am very moved and grateful to have been a part of it."
Rijusiddha
Meet your guides - Nicola and Jason
Spring into Life is created and led by us, Nicola & Jason Smalley, through our Mystery School.
We’re shamanic practitioners who live in the northwest of England, in the Arnside and Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Lancashire."
Why we created the Mystery School.
We both grew up in religions that told us what to believe and how to live.
Stepping away brought freedom but also uncertainty, leaving us searching for a path that truly resonated. It was daunting: there were so many options to choose from and so many paths to explore with limited time in our busy lives to get it right.
Independently, we sought teachers, made mistakes, and navigated false starts before finding mentors who guided us without agenda or judgment.
Through years of learning, refining, and deepening our practice, we discovered the wisdom of shamanic tools, journeying, and deep nature connection. These practices empowered us to shape a life aligned with our deepest desires.
From this journey, The Mystery School was born. A space where fellow seekers can explore their unique path, supported by a like-minded community. We share what we’ve learned so you, too, can reconnect with ancient wisdom, align with your soul’s calling, and walk a path that is truly yours.
The Mystery School is where we hold most of our deeper work, but every so often, we open the doors and invite the wider community in. This retreat is one of those times.
You don’t need to be a member to join us, but there are additional benefits, and there is no fixed time commitment to stay.
Here are some of the words people shared about how they were affected by our previous online retreat:
Lighter, joyful, blown away, happy, uplifted, positive, energised, thankful, blessed, fulfilled, enlightened, elated, creative, relaxed, inspired, revitalised, hopeful, rejuvenated, connected, relaxed, confident, reconnected, focused, whole, balanced, compassionate, peaceful, restored, stronger, grateful, nurtured, belonging, amazing, exhilarated
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the question to see our answer
Do I need any shamanic experience?
Will this be recorded?
Can I attend for just the morning live?
Can I attend part way through the day?
What if I can't get outdoors?
What are the timings for the day?
Is it even possible to have an online retreat at home?
If you would like any point clarifying, or have any questions you'd like answered please don't hesitate to get in touch. Email us at help@thewayofthebuzzard.co.uk
© 2026, The Way of The Buzzard