Wandering in Spain Retreat

A Spring Awakening & Celebration

Dates to be announced

A retreat for women ready to step out of life and return to themselves in the wild unknown.

Are you exhausted and know something has to change?

Are you done with “good” because you know you want more?

Are you ready to kickstart your life?

Are you ready to peel back layers and meet your most alive self?

Are you ready to live your most beautiful life yet?

What is Wandering in Spain?

It’s time to awaken what already lives inside of you.

In this intimate gathering for 5 nights and 6 days, we will step out of daily life and into spacious retreat time. Together, we’ll wander in the beauty of this magical place to listen deeply and explore the unexplored.

A Spring Awakening. We will tap into the abundant, fertile energies of Spring. What a juicy and rich time to celebrate beauty and life and experience the blooming season; where everything is alive and there is so much dynamic growth and change.

We will attune to ourselves and the energies of nature. Facilitated activities and individual exploration will spark curiosity, cultivate inner wisdom, and facilitate embodiment.

Group gatherings will offer opportunities for deepening our connections through sharing, witnessing, and celebrating each other.

The energy of this retreat is not about striving or overworking. This retreat will be a time to celebrate what is and intentionally plant seeds for the seasons to come that reflect your deepest and truest desires for yourself and your life.

This time is an invitation to turn your energy towards yourself and get curious in the space of the unknown with support of the natural world. This is where the juicy goodness happens.

With intention and attention, you will be guided and supported as you move through your own personal experience.

Wandering in Spain is a psychological, emotional, and energetic, reset. A lifeline of joy and reclamation of your aliveness.

You will leave leave the retreat with:

  • More joy, more vitality, more confidence, and more self-trust.

  • Connection to your authentic self and personal power.

  • Clarity, focus, and new perspectives.

  • Renewed energy and readiness to re-engage with life.

  • Tools for personal growth and compassionate self-reflection.

  • Practices to support being human in a modern world.

  • Strengthened relationship with nature and your own wild nature.

  • Supportive community who is rooting for you!

You will return home feeling nourished, cared for, alive, celebrated, and ready to go after the life you want for yourself.

One week can’t change everything, but it can start something that changes the trajectory of your life.

“Wandering rekindles the fire in the soul and reignites the spark of purpose.”

The Will of the Wanderer

Wandering in Spain Retreat Details

Our group will have exclusive use of Mariola Secreta during our retreat time. So aside from our fabulous hosts Andrea and Ben, we will have the spacious house and grounds to ourselves. Our group will be a maximum of 10 people.

Aside from our half day excursion to the local medieval village, Bocairent, we will be spending our days on property. You are welcome to wander and enjoy the wide open spaces for rest and restoration. Each day will include:

  • 3 delicious meals and snacks, meals prepared with love, and served in the main house. Most of the ingredients are sourced locally and many are grown on property.

  • group sessions facilitated by Ali that include experiential, nature-based mindfulness activities.

  • nightly group gathering facilitated by Ali for personal sharing, witnessing and celebration.

  • unstructured time for you to relax, swim in the pool, sweat in the sauna, rest, nap, connect with each other, and practice mindfulness activities.

This experience is for YOU to come home to yourself in a circle of powerful women.

Our Retreat Home

We’ll be staying at Mariola Secreta, a contemporary rustic estate in the Sierra de Mariola natural park. Our home for the retreat has been lovingly designed and renovated by the owners, Andrea and Ben Dillistone. Their attention to detail is seen and felt throughout the stunning property.

The home features a saltwater pool, outdoor sauna, cozy indoor spaces for relaxing and is surrounded by the old growth forest and trails for exploration and wandering. There are beautiful spaces for watching the sunrise and sunset, gathering or simply sitting in quiet.

Additional photos of our retreat home and wandering places

Meet Your Wandering in Spain Creator and Guide

Ali Schaffer

Hi, I’m Ali. A deeply curious wandering soul with a passion for exploration, often with a camera in my hand. A lover of words, with a heart for beauty, and a deep reverence for the mystery of the unseen. I come alive in wild places.

For years I have been learning to slow down, make my own rules, and fall in love with my own wild nature.

I’ve been willing to tell the truth and say “good is no longer good enough” and do the work of bringing my desires to life without shrinking.

A gifted healer with over 20 years’ experience, I skillfully facilitate transformative experiences that help people feel equipped and empowered to navigate their life, including seasons of expansion and initiation.

I love seeing people grow and help create the conditions for growth. I help people help people remember, (re)connect with, and (re)discover their authentic self through exploration, play, and intentional engagement with nature and the natural world.

With presence, humor, and compassion, I invite people to get curious about themselves, feel deeply seen, and know they matter.

HOW WANDERING IN SPAIN BEGAN…

“Wandering in Spain was born after I returned home from a retreat at Mariola Secreta. During my time at Mariola Secreta, I was changed by the beauty, the silence, and the stillness of this place. Instead of the weight of the world, I felt the weight of my soul.

I remembered my wholeness and my goodness. I remembered life can be better and I am allowed to want more.

And I want that FOR YOU.

I want you to feel the weight of your own soul, to hear the beat of your own heart, and to feel the fire of your being. To feel alive and reclaim YOUR OWN WILD NATURE.

This retreat brings together years of experience, passion, and practice to offer a truly unique experience.

Wandering in Spain is an invitation for women who know it is time to return to nature and themselves. For women who are ready to tap into the magic, beauty, & electricity of life.”

My first sunset at Mariola Secreta, October 2023

Meet Your Wandering in Spain Yoga Guide

Breathe Deeply. Move Freely. Live Fully.

I teach yoga because I want to share the experiences I've had learning from yoga to fully notice my body. Yoga helps me be fully embodied. The four pillars of my teaching and practice are: joyful movement, the everyday magic of life, introspective self-inquiry, and embodied presence.”

Joyel Marie brings a unique blend of intellect, creativity, and heart to everything she does. An aeronautical engineer by training, an author of The Babe with the Power, and a triathlete and an avid adventurer who finds joy in anything that connects her to her body and to nature. She is Kripalu 200 hour Yoga Certified as well as Yoga Renew Restorative Yoga and Yin Yoga trained.

Joyel knows the magic and wonder of Mariola Secreta and believes in the power of retreat for reconnection and remembering.

Joyel Marie at Mariola Secreta, 2023

Our Retreat Group

Due to the intimate nature of this retreat experience, the group is important. To support a loving, committed group of women in our circle, I am asking everyone interested to complete a brief application. This application is a way for me to get to know more about you and your intentions for your retreat experience. This helps me consider whether your intentions are aligned with what this retreat offers. I will be thoughtfully reviewing all applications.

Once I receive your completed application, I will review it and reach out to you if I have additional questions. I will let you know within 1 week of receiving your completed application if you have been accepted to attend Wandering in Spain.

I’m so excited to welcome this incredible group of women who are ready to say “Yes.” to this one of a kind experience.

When women gather, magic happens.

Wandering in Spain Itinerary*

*The retreat itinerary will be adapted to support energies, themes and intentions of the group.

Some additional activities you may enjoy during your retreat:

  • Sunrise and sunset gatherings

  • Lounging in the pool

  • Outdoor sauna

  • Napping in one of the many cozy spots in the common areas and on the property.

Inspired by the energies of this group and the natural beauty of this land, you will receive thoughtfully selected gifts and created items to support your unique Wandering in Spain retreat experience.

Transformation in Nature.

In nature we awaken. In nature we discover. In nature we remember.

Because we are nature.

Nature-based Mindfulness Activities

Daily group sessions will include teaching as well as opportunities to practice experiential activities informed by Earth-based and Shamanic wisdom, science, and personal experience. These activities Wandering, Journaling, The Art of Noticing, Meditation, and Movement are key components of the retreat experience and a catalyst for your personal exploration. Attendees will be guided through the powerful 4 Element Activation, a custom created meditation to invoke your own wild nature and help you tap into your authentic essence.

You will have additional time every day to practice and play with these activities to facilitate personal reflection, promote creative expressive, and allow your inner wisdom to emerge.

No previous experience is required for any of these activities; simply a willingness to try them. Smart phones will be used for mindful photography.

  • Wandering

    Gentle walking exploration to engage your senses, cultivate embodiment, and spark your curiosity. Structured and unstructured exercises to build relationship with the elements and yourself.

  • Journaling

    Writing prompts and invitations for personal processing and reflection through writing. We’ll use writing activities to help you explore aspects of you, your life, and your personal experience.

  • The Art of Noticing

    Slow down, get curious, and notice. Learn and practice mindful photography to engage beauty, play with perspective, and care for yourself. Helps you access your inner wisdom in connection with the natural world.

  • Meditation

    We will combine the power of meditation with the energies of nature. This dynamic combination allows us to access our deep inner worlds and play with possibility and potential.

  • Movement

    Daily gentle yoga sessions led with love and intention will support arrival, grounding, and embodiment. Play with physical movement to move energy, create clarity, and awaken your life force.

go where you can

stretch out and reach

wide and high

and bloom wild and untamed

and be unapologetic in your essence

and reckless in your fire

and golden in your skin

and so. easy. in your breathing...

just. go.

go where you breathe free.

-butterflies rising

What’s Included and What’s Not Included?

  • What's included:

    • Individual or shared room at Mariola Secreta

    • Daily group experiential nature sessions and mindfulness practices facilitated by Ali

    • Nightly group gathering facilitated by Ali for personal sharing, witnessing and celebration

    • Airport transfers on designated days

    • 3 delicious meals per day prepared with love and local ingredients, many grown on property, plus snacks and coffee, tea, water

    • Gentle movement session

    • Access to outdoor pool and sauna

    • A half day excursion to Wander in the local medieval village, Bocairent; transportation included

    • Morning excursion to swim and play at Pou Clar; transportation included

    • Lots of time & space to rest, play and hang out

    • Gifts and goodies to support your retreat experience

    • One hour individual video call with Ali for post-retreat sharing, processing, and celebrating

  • What's not included:

    • International flights

    • Transportation to/from retreat center outside of designated dates. I can provide you with recommendations to arrange your own transportation if needed.

    • Travel insurance

    • Alcohol (beer, wine, spirits) and soft drinks; these are available for you to purchase at reasonably priced honesty bar on property

Words from past Wandering in Spain retreat attendees

Private King Room and Shared Twin Room options available.

*Rates are per person (not per room) and in US dollars.

*Price does not include airfare.

Your Retreat Investment:

Payment Options:

Payment plans are available.

Due to the nature of this program, ALL payments are non-refundable.

  • you come alive in nature.

  • you are a wanderer.

  • you are longing for connection and community.

  • you are navigating some big things and need to fill yourself up to help you keep moving forward.

  • you are at a crossroad in your life want want some space and time out of your life to get clear on your next step(s).

  • you have lost your spark and want to light your inner fire.

  • you want to experience the benefits of nature and are curious to learn more about yourself in relationship with the natural world.

  • you are ready to slow down and turn your energy and attention to yourself.

  • you are ready and willing to explore the unknown.

  • you are ready for an intentional reset.

  • you are ready to commit to yourself.

  • you are ready to see what happens when you allow yourself to slow down, be cared for, and nourish yourself in a beautiful place.

  • you are ready to remember who you are.

  • you are ready to experience a life changing soul journey in Spain.

This is for you if:

  • you want a sightseeing travel experience.

  • you are not open to meeting new people and having new experiences.

  • you do not want to be a part of a group experience which includes group activities and personal sharing. (*You do have choice about what activities you engage in and what you share with the group.)

  • you are not open to engaging with nature and the natural world.

  • you don’t want to travel to Spain.

This is not for you if:

You’ve read all the Information and…

  • You are ready to say “Yes.”

    • here’s the brief application to complete. Once I receive your completed application, I will review it and reach out to you if I have additional questions. I will let you know within 1 week of receiving your completed application if you have been accepted to attend Wandering in Spain. If you are accepted, I will send you detailed information of next steps and you’ll get to choose your room preference (individual or shared) and your payment plan.

  • You have more questions.

    • email me your questions or to schedule a video call I am here to answer your questions and provide you as much information as I can to support you in deciding whether this is right for YOU.

  • You are clear that this isn’t the right experience for you at this time.

    • Great, no problem, I know this retreat is not for everyone. Maybe you’ll join me for a future retreat?

  • Have someone in mind who would LOVE to say “Yes.” to this experience…please share this website with them. Thank you!

On Working With Ali…

“Ali not only holds space, she recognizes that the space -- the earth, the land, the natural rhythms of the universe -- is always holding us. Her practices gently remind me that my connection to nature is always an opening to connect more deeply with myself. These loving invitations feel like a breath of fresh air in today's chaotic world. I am grateful for the gifts she shares."

-Katie Parker, LMT & SourcePoint Therapy Practitioner

“Ali moves through the world with a light in her that enters any space she occupies. Her kindness, humor, and respect for others emanates from her. Her clients benefit from her spirit as well as her wisdom.”

-Cynthia P. Lucas, Psychologist, PhD

Because sometimes, the only thing to do is say “Yes.”

Yes to stepping out of life and into the spacious unknown.

Yes to getting on a plane and traveling to a new place.

Yes to adventure and possibility.

Yes to new experiences & seeing with fresh eyes.

Yes to wandering in wide open spaces.

Yes to community and connection.

Yes to the long conversation.

Yes to the “extra” cup of coffee.

Yes to restorative time in nature.

Yes to play, laughter and rest.

Yes to being cared for with love and kindness.

Yes to leaving room for magic and the unexpected.

Yes to simply being.

YES to YOU.

“Not all those who wander are lost.

— J.R.R. Tolkien

 Wandering in Spain FAQs

Isn’t it time to answer the call of your wild nature?