Synthesis
Returning to the wisdom of body, breath & voice
With
Neil Pinnock (5-Rhythms)
Nathalia Westmacot (Breathwork)
& Ruana Xerri-West (Vocal Improvisation)
At Wildways Retreat Centre
An embodied weekend of movement, breath, voice and connection
Synthesis returns for another year at Wildways — a weekend of deep embodiment, creative expression and heartfelt community.
Rooted in the practices of 5Rhythms, breathwork and vocal improvisation, this immersive retreat invites you into a richer relationship with body, breath, voice, land and self.
For those joining us for the first time, you are warmly welcome exactly as you are. No previous experience is needed — only curiosity and a willingness to listen to your body and inner voice.
For those returning, this is an opportunity to continue deepening the journey — to expand on discoveries from previous years, reconnect with the group energy and explore new layers of expression and integration.
Together we will move, breathe, sound, rest, listen, create and reconnect with what feels most alive and authentic within us.
Synthesis — our invitation to you
At the heart of this weekend is embodiment.
As human beings we are gifted with breath, awareness, movement, sensation and voice — all woven together as part of one living whole. Yet many of us spend much of life disconnected from these deeper currents within ourselves.
Synthesis is an invitation to remember and reconnect.
Throughout the weekend you will be guided through practices that support:
- embodied movement and dance
- conscious connected breath
- vocal improvisation and authentic expression
- connection with the natural world
- creative ritual and community
Working in harmony with the energy of the Autumn Equinox and the beautiful Wildways land, we will explore balance, integration and presence through direct experience rather than performance or perfection.
This is not about “getting it right.”
It is about becoming more fully yourself.
What to expect over the weekend
The weekend will include:
- 5Rhythms sessions
- breathwork journeys
- vocal improvisation and intuitive voice practices
- collaborative facilitated sessions weaving all three modalities together
- time on the land and around the fire
- opportunities for reflection, connection and rest
Sessions will take place both in the yurt and outdoors within the woods and surrounding land.
As the weekend unfolds, we will gradually weave the practices together into a shared embodied experience — honouring both individual process and collective connection.
With a maximum of 16 participants, the space remains intimate, supportive and spacious.
Who is this workshop for?
This weekend may be for you if:
- you long to feel more embodied, expressive and alive
- you want to reconnect with creativity, spontaneity and authentic voice
- you are seeking meaningful community and genuine connection
- you love movement, sound, nature and inner exploration
- you are curious about integrating body, breath and voice
- you wish to deepen an existing practice or begin a new journey
Whether this is your first experience or you are returning to continue the unfolding, you are welcome.
Earlybird £233 if booked by the end of July
Standard £255 in August
Last chance £277 in September
Meet the facilitators
Neil Pinnock
After studying many years of embodied practice with Tai Chi and yoga, Neil had an ecstatic awaking to the pure delight of dance in India in 1999. By 2001 he had discovered the 5Rhythms and knew instantly that he had found his home and practice. Neil trained with the founder, Gabrielle Roth and was accredited in 2008, he has been rocking cities and forests ever since with his wild wisdom, magic facilitation and tender hearted teaching presence.
“Neil has an alchemical way of weaving magic with a solid psychotherapeutic holding. A great teacher and facilitator. Cheeky, talkative and insightfully pure. How lucky we are he’s on his path”
Nathalia Westmacott
Nathalia’s powerful journey from head to heart started through Rebirthing breathwork in 2000. This sparked a deep passion for breathing with conscious awareness, which led to training in a range of breathwork modalities including Integrative Breath Therapy and Holographic Breathing. Nathalia’s therapeutic approach is influenced by Jungian Archetypes and Shadow work and includes Shamanic practices that invite a deep connection and reverence for the earth, the animals and the elements.
“Nathalia is inspired to live, grow and dance from a place of soft presence, one breath at a time.”
Ruana Xerri-West
Ruana has a lifelong passion to sing with a love of the land and spirit. She runs The Song of Now which offers a variety of singing retreats, workshops and song circles that are fully inclusive, no experience required! Through Vocal Improvisation Ruana allows you to unleash your creativity, your bravery and your authentic voice in an embodied way. You will be guided in how to express the song of now through connection with your body and trusting your vocal intuition and impulses. Ruana creates a safe, caring and gentle space which allows you to feel confident to express yourself fully.
“This weekend was a magical symbiosis of improvised song! I felt like a particle in the collective consciousness, individual but interwoven by sounds and voice. The way that Ruana holds space is like no one else – the perfect balance of holding and sharing her skills, knowledge & passion for singing. Magic!”
