Pauline Caswell is the owner of Love Pilates Wirral, and this is her latest column for West Kirby Today…
The Deep Rest Retreat was born from a real personal experience. A few years ago, I found myself moving through an extended period of difficulty. A cluster of family traumas all seemed to gather and linger in the darkest part of the year, Winter.
This season also carries Christmas, and while it can be joyful, it can also be pressured, emotional and relentlessly busy. The days are short, the nights long, and for many people it feels hectic and heavy rather than hopeful. You keep going because that is what we do, especially as women. We are often the organisers, the shoppers, carers, cooks and perhaps career earners too. We carry responsibility well, but rest poorly, and eventually it takes a toll.
A season that invites renewal
Spring is on its way, with its first warmth and lengthening light. Nature, along with rest, offers its own kind of reset. Taking things slowly and spending time outdoors was the path that carried me, and this is the perfect moment to share the same with you.
Stepping away to see more clearly
Clarity rarely arrives when we are rushing between responsibilities. It comes when we step away and allow space for reflection, support and shared knowledge. That is why I have designed this long weekend in the most stunning of settings. Held within the solid walls of a spectacular Grade II listed chapel, St. Curig’s Church is a safe space to retreat and transform. With views of Snowdon in every direction, your body and mind can give way to the awe of being part of something bigger than yourself.
The retreat takes place Friday 13 March to Monday 16 March. You can share a room with a friend, mother or daughter, or treat yourself and go solo. You will still be in good company. If you’ve started this year tired, or if Easter or summer break feels too far away, or if you’re carrying the weight of family, work, caring responsibilities, or simply the pace and confusion of 21st-century life, this retreat is for you. Deep rest isn’t indulgent; it’s essential.
Unravelling before strengthening
Across more than a decade of studying and teaching Pilates, the fundamental lesson most often forgotten is this: “the body should only hold enough tension for the task at hand.” A relaxed body and mind are the starting point. This weekend is where we focus on that unravelling, releasing the tightness we store in our backs, shoulders and breath so that genuine strength has space to return.
You will learn simple, repeatable stretches you can use every day, and you will experience sound therapy sessions that quieten the mind and support your nervous system to settle. This is not about doing ‘exercises’, but about understanding the philosophy and true intention of the Pilates concept, and how ease rather than strain can guide the way you move long after the retreat ends.
Joseph Pilates created his method to help people feel lighter, clearer, almost weightless in body and mind. That is the experience I want for you. Having lost it myself, and slowly learned how to find my way back, I am ready to share it with you.
Join the retreat
Going on your first retreat can feel daunting, but it does not have to be. You can read more and book your place at https://gem.godaddy.com/p/c7a5fd1. There are only six places left. You can also visit my website for more information and contact: www.lovepilateswirral.co.uk.
This article is sponsored and has been paid for by Love Pilates Wirral