The Wild Way Retreat
Inspired by Michael’s award-winning book...
You’ve outgrown a life that once fit. The roles, the expectations, the survival-self you crafted to get this far—they’re loosening. Something in you is stirring, asking for a shift you may not yet have words for. You’re not broken; you’re between stories. And that in-between can feel strange, disorienting, lonely, or quietly painful, especially when everything on the outside looks “fine.”
This retreat is created for that exact moment—the tender space where an old story ends and a new one begins.
From Thursday evening, April 9, through Sunday, April 12 at 11am, you’ll pause the performance of “okay,” breathe deeply, and reconnect with the truth of who you are now. Through guided story practices, embodied movement, nature-based reflection, and wide open quiet, you’ll shed the old with tenderness, reclaim a sense of belonging in your own body, and step toward the truer story waiting beneath your skin.
Is this for you?
Maybe you've outgrown a chapter and the next one hasn't arrived. Maybe you're good at your life but a little lost inside it. Maybe you just know, underneath all the doing, that you want to feel alive again—awake in your body, at home in your own voice, holding the pen of your own story.
This is for you if:
- You're between stories—one has ended, the next hasn't begun.
- You're tired of performing "okay."
- You want to go deep—but you want it to feel generative, not grim.
- You're curious what your body knows that your mind hasn't caught up to yet.
- You're longing to feel wild, held, and awake—maybe for the first time in a long while.
You don't need to be in crisis. You just need to be ready.
Come as an individual. Come as a couple and cross the threshold together. Either way—you'll be met, and you'll be held.
Hosted by Michael McRay & Lauren Russell
Michael McRay
Founder of Becoming Restoried and author of The Wild Way
Michael McRay is your storyteller and narrative guide for the weekend. Through folktales by firelight, guided storywork, and ritual, he helps you name the story you've been living, release what no longer fits, and imagine the truer one you're ready to step into.
Lauren Russell
Therapist, Somatic Practitioner, Dance Facilitator, & Ceremonialist
Lauren Russell is your body and movement guide for the weekend. Through contemplative and ecstatic dance, breath, ritual, and deep relational work, she helps you drop beneath the thinking mind and remember who you are beneath the stories you've carried.
What you’ll receive?
narrative clarity.
The one that’s ending.
And the one your life is asking you to write next.
a body that feels at home.
You will breathe differently here.
You will think more slowly.
Your body will remember what calm—and joy—feel like.
genuine connection.
Through beautifully facilitated story circles, you will be seen—the real you—with gentleness and respect.
Your own voice, back.
You’ll leave hearing your intuition again, not the noise of obligation, fear, or performance.
tools for the wild way forward.
Practices that help you live your next chapter: story excavation, narrative reframing, somatic grounding, ritual for transition and return.
Schedule & Pricing
Three days in the woods, shaped less like a schedule and more like a rite of passage.
You'll arrive Friday to a fire, a shared table, and a story told aloud in the old way—the kind that loosens something before you notice it loosening.
Saturday, you'll come home to your body: breath, sound, movement, until the thinking quiets and something older takes over. You'll dance (yes, dance). You'll be led into the story of your own life—and given the rare gift of being fully heard. And there will be time to wander, to sit by the creek, to sweat in the sauna, to do beautifully nothing.
Sunday, you'll gather what you found and carry it home—a clearer sense of who you're becoming, and a story worth living into.
For the ADHD skimmers among us, here is a bulleted list:
- Live myth and folktale, told aloud by firelight
- Somatic awakening—breath, sound, and movement to bring you home to your body
- Ecstatic dance and playful, wordless connection
- Guided storywork—telling the story of your life, and being deeply heard
- Ritual for releasing the old story and welcoming the new
- Unhurried time in nature—creek, trails, sauna, cold plunge
- Extraordinary, nourishing meals from a private chef
- Fireside conversation and real community
- Spaciousness—room to breathe, wander, and rest
How to Book
- Click the button on this page for Reserve Your Space
- This will take you to another website for your retreat leader
- Follow the instructions provided by your retreat leader
Your Turn To Receive
Your feet hit the floor, and the day begins before you have had a moment to breathe.
As a woman, you lead, nurture, and pour yourself into the world. With so many expectations and demands competing for your attention, it can become difficult to tune into you: your body, your inner voice, your joy, and the parts of your life that are quietly asking to be renewed. A timeless symbol of renewal and grace, the delicate white lily carries a gentle reminder: after seasons of giving everything to everyone else, it is finally your turn to bloom.
Over This Restorative Weekend, You Are Invited To:
- Rest deeply, entirely free of guilt.
- Reconnect with nature's quiet wisdom and return home with new insight and a renewed sense of self.
- Nourish your mind, body, and spirit through delicious meals, restorative yoga, reflection, and community.
- Celebrate the magic of womanhood within a soft, supportive sisterhood.
- Trade notifications, expectations, and constant motion for birdsong, creativity, and room to breathe.
The Invitation
Remember Your Magic
This is not about changing who you are. It is about remembering who you have always been.
The retreat will balance guided experiences with spacious personal time. You will be invited to participate at your own pace, listen to your body, and choose what feels supportive. No previous retreat, yoga, or meditation experience is required.
This Retreat Is For Women Who:
- Are ready to trade notifications for birdsong and make space for fresh creative energy.
- Miss the version of themselves that felt light, playful, and fully alive.
- Are ready to exhale the overwhelm and release the feeling of never being enough.
- Believe that slowing down does not mean falling behind.
- Are moving through a personal, professional, or relational transition.
- Long for deeper connection with themselves, the natural world, and other women.
- Want to attend alone, with a friend, or with someone they love.
Can I Attend Alone?
Led by Aylin Ozgener
"I am listening to my inner wisdom and the integrated energies of life to lead White Lilies. This is an 'invitation' and an 'initiation' for women seeking their purpose. This will empower you for your highest calling."
A Women's Nature Retreat Near Nashville
A Space To Come Home To Yourself
What's Included In White Lilies Retreat?
Schedule & Pricing
- Arrive Friday, November 13 at 3:00 PM
- Depart Sunday, November 15 at 11:00 AM
- Retreat fee is $960 per person
- Lodging is additional and booked separately
Beautiful Accommodations
White Lilies Journey FAQ
