Retreats in Italy
Wellness and Writing Retreat
Join us on a two-week fulfillment retreat at Casa della Pace, a hidden, organic, Italian estate centered around a renovated stone church (now a yoga studio). We will spend the weeks feasting on spiritually rich experiences and delicious local vegetarian cuisine prepared with great care.
We encourage our participants to take this time in your life to live the way 
you deserve to, set your goals, and — with our help, and the support of your fellow retreat members, achieve them. We will practice yoga and breath work each day as well as spend the afternoons in the garden writing our life’s purpose and setting goals. The evening will begin with sound healing and the Alexander technique and end in the most heart warming, local organic vegetarian dinner.
Send in your application today to apply@writingimmersion.com
Far greater than a vacation is the special kind of retreat that reminds you that your life is a treat, and that the precursor to the vacation was a treat as well. When you return home, you will take back strategies for reaching fulfillment that are both flexible and motivating.
Each day at the retreat begins with empowering yoga and breath work to expand your feeling of aliveness.
_______________________________________________________
“This was the best choice to make… it feels so powerful and free to be in this beautiful place.”
-Isabelle, Casa Della Pace retreat member 2010
_______________________________________________________
Every meal at Casa Della Pace is a masterpiece. Santi, the owner and chef, considers health and vegetarian cooking an art. He makes his own yogurt, granola and breakfast cakes which we feast on each morning during our silent meditative breakfast, as well as incredible vegetarian cuisine at each and every meal.
For those interested in self-development writing, we will spend at least an hour following breakfast focusing on life goals and transformative self-assessment writing exercises. All of our participants find a new expression of their life’s purpose.
_______________________________________________________
“If you are thinking of coming on a retreat with Jade and 
Stephen, I would just say to you: Do it.
It’s been just a fabulous experience for me. . .Really we joke that they are mythological creatures come down to help us all live our purpose and share our gifts with the world. And they have shared theirs so generously and so lovingly and so supportively. I just would encourage anyone to do this.”
-Lisa, 2010 retreat member
_______________________________________________________
The Instructors:
Stephen Lloyd Webber earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Many of his poems, short fiction, and essays have been published in numerous literary journals including Yellow Medicine Review, Free Verse and Black Magnolias. He has exhibited a musical installation in Oklahoma, several sculptures in New Mexico, and has given poetry readings as well as exhibited paintings in New Mexico and Italy. He is a teacher of poetry and composition at New Mexico State University, a certified personal trainer, and an activist for Population Connection and many environmental organizations. 2010 was his fourth summer in Italy.
Jade Webber is an artist who has painted, exhibited and sold work in Italy and New Mexico for the last four years. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer and an intuitive massage practitioner who devotes herself to serving the individual needs of each client.
Stephen and Jade were happily wed in Spannocchia, Italy on May 30, 2010.
Annette Cantor is a phenomenal singer and instructor. We are honored to host her as a special guest this year. She has been trained in the Alexander Technique and has been giving workshops and individual sessions since 1989. The Alexander Technique is a gentle hands on method of teaching body alignment. Annette is also a performer of improvised vocal music and an established recording artist. In her performances she creates at once ethereal and passionate vocals, fusing East Indian flavors with classical European musical traditions, and particularly Gregorian Chants. Her voice is soothing and expressive, and she accompanies herself with the East Indian tambura and the violin.
_______________________________________________________
“Annette Cantor’s voice is literally divine. She brings song and music to a realm of beauty that is like none other I have ever experienced. Whether singing to a thousand listeners or one, you cannot help but be moved and healed by her presence and voice.”
Roshi Joan Halifax
_______________________________________________________
Our instructors believe deeply in gratitude, compassion, whole-hearted giving and abundance. We do our best to reach each individual on their personal discovery of the art of fulfillment.
Our Philosophy on the Art of Fulfillment
Anthony Robbins says that achievement is a science, but fulfillment is an art. We believe that this art has three elements to it:
1. Awareness: By maximizing how fully we “show up,” we open ourselves to an unlimited abundance of bliss in every moment
2. Holistic Well-Being: We experience the world with our physical bodies. Transcending our physical limitations enables us to break through mental and spiritual barriers
3. Creativity and Giving Your Unique Gift: Each one of us feels a deep need to contribute to others and the world as a whole. This retreat will give you the gift of finding a new and unique expression of your life’s purpose
Successful people are well-rounded, active, and they embody total wellness.
Send in your application today to apply@writingimmersion.com
The afternoons at our retreat are dedicated to creativity (which includes creative writing and painting), sound healing and the Alexander Technique.
_______________________________________________________
“Thank you, Jade and Stephen, for your kind and super-supportive words about me and my writing. I can only say that being around you two was a real joy for me and that whenever I am seen and appreciated the way I was at the retreat it frees me to express the very best parts of myself. There was so much love and acceptance emanating from you and Stephen that anything seemed possible during those two weeks in Umbria. And, it was so much fun! Even though we did a lot of serious and useful work, we also spent a lot of time laughing, and everyone knows there is nothing better for healing than humor. Jade, you have the most delightful and infectious laugh! The group was amazing–I don’t know how you did it, but it felt like everyone was chosen to complement everyone else. For those two weeks in Umbria we all belonged together–and I know the friendships begun there will continue. For me personally, the goal writing and creative exercises helped me to find my writing voice again; it had been buried for a few years and now I’ve got it back. That is one of the greatest gifts I took home with me from the retreat. Thank you, Stephen, and Jade for the painting and yoga, which were equally crucial for my development.”
-Sharon, Casa Della Pace retreat member 2010
_______________________________________________________
Some may attend the retreat for the sole purpose of the creative goal writing, others for the wellness classes which range from yoga, sound healing and the Alexander Technique, to nature walks, others for the poetry craft talks and painting instruction amidst beautiful natural scenery. Think of the retreat as a re-balancing act for becoming centered.
There are only twelve spots available. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.
We do have scholarships available. For those of you in financial need—please specify your interest for receiving a scholarship and we will be happy to consider you for one.
Send your application to: apply@writingimmersion.com
Your application should include:
• an informal 2-10 page writing sample
• a brief, informal bio
• a brief paragraph on what you are looking forward to in the retreat, including your tentative writing goals
We hope to see you in Italy soon!