Looking to learn AND be inspired? The Holy Women Icons Project is proud to offer a variety of retreats, workshops, and worship tools at locations across Hawai'i and the U.S. mainland. All retreats can be interfaith in nature or focus specifically on the Christian tradition. Half-day, full-day, weekend, or 5-day retreats are available. Specific retreats are listed below. Please contact us if you or your group is interested in setting up a retreat.
HWIP’s Founder and Creative Director, Angela, "is one of the best retreat leaders because she knows that one size does not fill all. She can change her teaching style during her retreat based on the mood and personality types in the room.” -Steve, Atlanta, GA
Holy Women Icons Retreat, Workshop, or Conference
At a Holy Women Icons Retreat, participants learn about the revolutionary stories of holy women through reading, lecture, discussion, coloring, writing, meditation, embodied practices, and other spiritual exercises. This retreat can be tailored to specific contexts by focusing on specific Holy Women Icons that resonate most with the community. This retreat can also change focus slightly as a workshop for participants to paint their own holy woman icon.
“What makes the Holy Women Icons Project so powerful is that it engages so many senses. The vibrant colors of the art and the stories of the women inspire and remind you to work for justice. And hearing Dr. Yarber speak about them is inspiring, engaging, and even prophetic. She is a truly gifted speaker.” -Lauren, Boone, NC
Holy Women Icons Lecture, Sermon, or Worship Series
Holy Women Icons lectures or sermons can focus on the entire Holy Women Icons Project or specific holy women depending on the needs of the community. Holy Women Icons worship can stand alone as a one-time worship service, or as a series.
Queer Spirituality Retreat
It’s no secret that LGBTQs are excluded from many religious traditions. Yet queer people have something important to teach us about spirituality and faith. This retreat celebrates the beauty and diversity of the queer community by “queering,” subverting, and redeeming spiritual practices.
“As a queer person, I’ve usually been excluded from retreats that deal with spirituality. Attending this Queer Spirituality Retreat was actually life-changing because my body and soul were affirmed and celebrated for the first time in a ‘sacred space.’” -Carol, Winston-Salem, NC
Spirituality and the Arts Retreat
Also called Creativity and Spirituality, this retreat engages spirituality through the arts: painting, drawing, coloring, writing, poetry, music, dance, and the performing arts. Grounded in the histories, theories, and theologies associated with these practices, participates will learn with head, heart, and body.
“Movement, stretching, wisdom, teaching, spirituality, and discussion. I’ve never attended a retreat that engaged so much of myself—mind, heart, soul, and body—in such thoughtful and critical ways.” -Maria, Berkeley, CA
Feminist Spirituality Retreat
Also called a Women’s Spirituality Retreat depending on the context, this retreat seeks to inspire and empower women longing to connect more fully with their spirituality. Singing, meditation, drumming, embodied practices, reading, writing, lecture, discussion, and other spiritual practices merge for a powerful and life-giving retreat.
“Dr. Yarber made the Feminist Spirituality retreat a really engaging and inspiring event; even as someone with a degree in Women's Studies I learned quite a bit and emerged feeling spiritually refreshed and connected to myself and others in new ways.” -Aimee, Honolulu, HI
Embodied Spirituality Retreat
Oftentimes, the body is neglected in spiritual practices. This retreat seeks to remedy this absence by honoring, affirming, celebrating, and stretching the body with embodied practices, yoga, stretch meditation, and dance. Partnered with the histories, theories, and theologies related to specific embodied practices, this retreat is an opportunity to nurture your spirit, mind, and body.
“This retreat was inspiring in a holistic way. Angela got a group of very diverse people to move--mentally and/or physically--to be embodied in whatever way we were able. The retreat made the connections between theology and faith and social justice that continue to resonate and stir up new ideas and possibilities for me.” -Tina, Atlanta, GA
Coming Soon…
Feminist Fitness and Womanist Wellness
Need a body-positive approach to fitness and wellness that is empowering for women? Between Dr. Yarber’s training as an instructor in yoga, dance, and MMA and Dr. Lee’s health coaching, we’re developing a Feminist Fitness and Womanist Wellness Retreat that seeks to affirm, celebrate, stretch, and strengthen every body! Stay tuned!
Sustenance, Hawai’i Retreat Center
Yes, our retreats can come to you, but we’re also in the process of creating our own intersectionally ecofeminist retreat center with a large organic garden! On the Big Island of Hawai’i, only blocks from the crashing Pacific, we’re building off-grid tiny homes and a yoga/dance/gallery studio so that we can host land-based retreats that should begin in 2019. Can’t wait that long? Neither can we! If you have construction skills and you’re interested in a work-exchange—for individuals, families, or groups—contact us and we can offer some elements of retreats while partnering to build parts of the retreat center with you.