SOLD OUT Transform Loss into Light Retreat

We invite you to tend to and transform your grief at this gentle day on the farm as you participate in soul-healing activities designed to help add some lightness to daily living after suffering the loss of a loved one. Explore finding peace and joy and let your light and your loved one’s light shine through this day of self-care.

Your retreat co-creators and Certified Grief Support Specialists, Michelle Kullmann, founder of Shining Light Grief Support and Kate Bast, founder of Shinrin-Yoku Madison, together with site host Annette Kruschek, owner of Sunset Acres Farm, and journaling presenter LaDonna Radel, felt called to offer a nurturing day spent practicing and sharing the transformative experiences that have helped on their own personal grief healing journeys.

This is an intimate gathering limited to 18 people for those who find themselves wanting to move forward and connect with others on their grief journey.  You will experience several healing practices and activities such as Grief Yoga®, Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing and nature connection), creative projects including journaling (you will be provided a journal) and the Japanese art of Kintsugi, and laughter - yes, laughter.

All of these practices and experiences are designed to help let the light shine through the pain. Conversation, reflection and new connections with others who understand what you bear are important elements of the day, as we all hold space for each other. A healthy lunch and snacks will sustain and nourish you during this retreat, and a tea ceremony will close the day. A resource and memorial table will both celebrate our loved ones and provide you with additional information to help you on your healing journey.

Our location is in the Lake Mills area. An address, directions and map will be sent to you, along with a health awareness and participant waiver, after you are registered.

What to bring:

• Layers of clothing, as we will being moving from indoor and outdoor experiences
• Yoga mat or blanket: Note we will be moving from standing to sitting – please let us know if your mobility is limited as all movements can be done from a provided chair.
• Full water bottle
• Rain gear if the forecast is calling for rain.  All events will be moved indoors except for the Forest Bathing experience, which will take place rain or shine.

Note: you will have the opportunity to interact with farm animals, such as goats, chickens and the new baby donkey!  If you have allergies to farm animals, please bring appropriate medication.

In advance:

• After you register please email a photo of your lost loved one, their name, their relationship to you and their forever age before to: michelle.shininglight.com
• Also please email the name of your favorite song that helps you in healing or reminds you of your loved one, before September 6. We will create an event playlist and share with all. 
• You will receive two forms to fill out: Participant Awareness, and Health Awarenss. Please also provide and Emergency Contact name and number. 

Questions: Please contact us!

• Michelle Kullmann: michelle.shininglight.com
• Kate Bast: katebast@gmail.com

Retreat Cost: 

Early Bird pricing through August 24, 2024: $119 per person

Starting August 25- September 9, pricing is: $129 per person

If the registration fee is a burden, please reach out to us via email and share your situation. We have a limited number of scholarships at a discounted rate available.

Schedule: morning

8:30-9 am: Arrival, Registration and Resource Table Exploration

9 – 10 am: Welcome, Introductions and Annette Kruschek Sharing Circle

10 – 11:15 am: Creative Journaling with Ladonna Radel

11:15 am – 12:30 pm: Grief Yoga® with Michelle Kullmann

We will use movement, breath and sound to release pain and suffering and create space to connect with love and empowerment.  You will be led through a cycle of compassionate transformation to help move tension and anxiety through your body and embrace hope through heart-healing meditative movements.  No yoga experience is necessary. Grief Yoga® can be practiced from a yoga mat, blanket or a chair.

Schedule: afternoon

12:30-2 pm: Lunch, Finding Meaning Discussion and Kintsugi Take Home Art Project

2 -3:30 pm: Nature Therapy and Tea Ceremony with Kate Bast: We will immerse ourselves in the atsmosphere of nature, engage our senses, get grounded, and find stillness and connection. 

3:30 – 4:00 Closing Sharing Circle and Laughter Yoga Meditation

BIOS OF RETREAT HOSTS

Co-Creator and Grief Yoga® Instructor

Michelle Kullmann

After losing her beloved 18-year-old son, Cade, in November 2021, Michelle has been turning her pain into purpose.  She started immediately with advocacy and awareness about fentanyl poisonings to help save lives from the same fate as her son. Over the past year, she has evolved her passion to help others on their grief healing journey work through the pain of loss and experience joy in their lives again.  Michelle received a Grief Support Specialist Certificate from UW-Madison Continuing Studies, completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Thailand, completed an additional 100-hour training in Grief Yoga®, achieved her Grief Educator Certification through David Kessler, trained to be a Laughter Yoga Leader and has launched her new business, Shining Light Grief Support.

Co-Creator and Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide

Kate Bast

Knowing it was time to try something new that offered direct support to individuals and groups, Kate chose to step away from her stressful deadline-driven and consuming 25-year publishing career. Realizing that nature has always been her balm, she more deeply embraced her personal nature-connection practice and committed to becoming a forest and nature therapy guide in 2018. The timing was apt, as she then experienced the loss of several dear ones and was able to tend her grief with her Shinrin-Yoku pratice. Her mission is to help people find calm, a balm, meaning  and  connection with Nature.  Kate received a Grief Support Specialist Certificate from UW-Madison Continuing Studies, and is CPR and Wilderness First Aid certified. Kate is founder of Shinrin-Yoku Madison, through which she guides people on therapeutic walks in nature, and speaks. Nature simply makes us feel good; science tells us why.

Journaling Presenter

LaDonna Radel

LaDonna is earthly mom to Eric, and angel-mom to Spencer, forever 26. Spencer was taken by the opioid epidemic on October 6, 2016. LaDonna embraced journaling as a way of calming her mind and healing her heart. Her goal is to help others who have experienced great grief, sharing her experiences so that they may find their lost smile and joy once again.

Location Host

Annette Kruschek

Annette is a mother to eight children and a wife to a husband of 26 years. Annette

resides on a hobby farm in Lake Mills, Wisconsin. Annette recently co-authored a book which

shares her personal story of losing a child at the young age of four. Annette’s hope is to bring

hope to the hopeless and inspire others to live a life that is meaningful no matter what the

circumstances.