2026 Nature Reflecting in Italy: A week to reflect and create with nature
2026 Nature Reflecting in Italy: A week to reflect and create with nature
Regione Lochetto 4, Spigno Monferrato, Alessandria, IT, 15018
Up to 10 in group
Jul 26 - Aug 1, 2026
Retreat Highlights
- Daily two hour session of artistic invitation and guidance
- Time and space to further create in your own rhythm
- Evening session of sharing and visualisation
- Nobody’s Dance morning practice
- Two hour sessions of dream sharing & guided active and silent meditation
- Hiking, resting, journaling, enjoying the beauty of the place and of being together
About this Retreat
Your Guides
Writer, researcher, linguist, traveler, mother, initiator, friend, creator, admirer, lover, daughter, citizen of Belgium, facilitator, player, listener, sister, woman, speaker, practitioner, inhabitant of Italy …
Many labels I could use to describe myself, but I feel that these are not what I truly am. I believe our truest nature is underlying to all that, an essence that cannot be named. That essence, that unchangeable reality, is ultimately what my work is always about. Whether that is in creating a place like Amiglia, writing a book like De dans van niemand, or doing linguistic research that I call Moving Language. In many ways, I like to make room for questions - questions that open and free our contracted mind.
After extensive travels as a researcher, writer on truth, freedom, and love, and facilitator of self-realization retreats (Nobody’s Dance), I reached a point where I felt it was time to settle down, to find a place on this beautiful planet that I could call home. Although I didn’t initially plan for it to be a shared space, it naturally evolved that way. I don’t aspire to be the ‘owner’ of this place, and I don’t have a master plan; I simply follow what my heart guides me to do.
In the first year at Amiglia, I’ve been doing research on how language affects the way we experience reality. This has led to organising the first Moving Language events in October 2025. They have been even deeper and more powerful than I had imagined. They will be retaken in 2026.
Details of this retreat
In this week, we find time, space, and community to explore where we are — inside and outside. Through meditation and movement, we arrive at poetic expressions of ourselves. Using what we collect in nature, we create. This week explicitly offers room to make things, by hand and together.
❋ Serendipity
Sometimes we find what we were not looking for. We thought we were looking for something, but we find something else, an unexpected moving little treasure… That’s serendipity.
In this week we welcome moments of serendipity.
❋ Moving Meditation
The moving meditation sessions are led by Zoe Joncheere. She gently invites our bodies to move, to explore, to be quiet or wild, and listen. Through active meditation and guided conscious dancing we get to know ourselves a little further. We collect information and find how that is reflected by more-than-human nature surrounding Amiglia.
❋ The joy of making
Esther van Casteren will guide us with her expertise as a visual artist, first helping us attune to what nature offers us to create with, and then introducing techniques to bring those materials to life. We will sculpt, draw, print, sew…
What we create becomes a meditative and poetic reflection on ourselves, on life, and on nature. Picture a long table in the shade where we work together—while those who prefer their own rhythm can find a quiet corner somewhere at Amiglia and create there, too.
❋ A Supportive Space
We prioritize comfort, safety, and respect—so you can show up as you are and feel free to follow your own needs.
❋ Expert Facilitation
Led by experienced guides who know how to hold space, encourage participation, and keep things moving with purpose.
❋ Esther van Casteren: https://www.instagram.com/esthervcasteren - "What I love about Esther is her love of making things, her soft sparkling joy about creating, whether that is drawing, sculpting, or bringing together materials collected during walks in this world. I am moved by her humble being, her sense of gratitude, and her lively presence." from Zoe
❋ Zoë Joncheere: "She is. With an open heart and abundant trust, Zoë moves through life. She dances, she guides. She creates a space to be yourself and follow your senses, just by being her. I love her lightness and playfulness, her gentle strength, and her refined sensitivity to see beauty in simplicity." from Esther
❋ Serendipity
Sometimes we find what we were not looking for. We thought we were looking for something, but we find something else, an unexpected moving little treasure… That’s serendipity.
In this week we welcome moments of serendipity.
❋ Moving Meditation
The moving meditation sessions are led by Zoe Joncheere. She gently invites our bodies to move, to explore, to be quiet or wild, and listen. Through active meditation and guided conscious dancing we get to know ourselves a little further. We collect information and find how that is reflected by more-than-human nature surrounding Amiglia.
❋ The joy of making
Esther van Casteren will guide us with her expertise as a visual artist, first helping us attune to what nature offers us to create with, and then introducing techniques to bring those materials to life. We will sculpt, draw, print, sew…
What we create becomes a meditative and poetic reflection on ourselves, on life, and on nature. Picture a long table in the shade where we work together—while those who prefer their own rhythm can find a quiet corner somewhere at Amiglia and create there, too.
❋ A Supportive Space
We prioritize comfort, safety, and respect—so you can show up as you are and feel free to follow your own needs.
❋ Expert Facilitation
Led by experienced guides who know how to hold space, encourage participation, and keep things moving with purpose.
❋ Esther van Casteren: https://www.instagram.com/esthervcasteren - "What I love about Esther is her love of making things, her soft sparkling joy about creating, whether that is drawing, sculpting, or bringing together materials collected during walks in this world. I am moved by her humble being, her sense of gratitude, and her lively presence." from Zoe
❋ Zoë Joncheere: "She is. With an open heart and abundant trust, Zoë moves through life. She dances, she guides. She creates a space to be yourself and follow your senses, just by being her. I love her lightness and playfulness, her gentle strength, and her refined sensitivity to see beauty in simplicity." from Esther
Schedule
Nobody’s Dance morning practice
Two hour sessions of dream sharing & guided active and silent meditation
Daily two hour session of artistic invitation and guidance
Time and space to further create in your own rhythm
Evening session of sharing and visualisation
Two hour sessions of dream sharing & guided active and silent meditation
Daily two hour session of artistic invitation and guidance
Time and space to further create in your own rhythm
Evening session of sharing and visualisation
Note: Schedule is approximate and may change
Getting Here
Amiglia, Regione Lochetto 4, Spigno Monferrato, Alessandria, IT, 15018
Directions
Amiglia is situated in Piemonte, near the Liguria border, in the village of Spigno Monferrato. It’s located roughly between Turin and Genoa, surrounded by the Apennines mountains. A railway station is just 3 km from Amiglia, with trains running between Savona (50 minutes away and by the sea) and Alessandria, making it convenient to reach by train. The nearest airport is in Genoa, though you may also find good connections via Turin or Milan.
If you’re traveling with a van or camper van, we recommend setting the Spigno Monferrato railway station as your initial destination to avoid small and steep roads before continuing to Amiglia.
If you’re traveling with a van or camper van, we recommend setting the Spigno Monferrato railway station as your initial destination to avoid small and steep roads before continuing to Amiglia.
Accommodation
Full board: 3 vegetarian meals/day included. Vegan/gluten-free options possible
Private room (with bathroom) - 6 nights
Shared room (with bathroom) - 6 nights
Venue & Amenities
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
At Amiglia Retreat, stillness becomes a doorway to renewal. In peaceful surroundings, compassionate teachers and soulful practices invite gentle reflection, healing, and deep connection. Here you remember your true self, breathe more freely, and open to heart-led clarity. Carry this calm outward—step forward with courage, purpose, and the quiet wisdom found in each present moment.
Meals
Menu Types
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
At Amiglia, we value an open-minded approach, also when it comes to eating. We don’t judge any diet, but as a baseline, we choose to cook vegetarian meals - three a day - and use organic products when
What's Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- Private or shared room, always with bathroom
- Sheets and towels
- Three home-cooked vegetarian meals a day (where possible with vegetables from the garden)
What's Not Included
- Airfare
- Transport to Amiglia
- Additional activities
- Personal expenses
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