Wisdom Seeds Women’s Retreat

The Serai – Moulay Bouzerktoune, Morocco.
1-9 October 2026

Good Women, come gather with us at The Serai, Morocco, to share in a deeply immersive and creative journey. This retreat offers an opportunity to slow down, to listen deeply, to feel and attune to our inner senses and the calling of our heart. It is an invitation to come home to ourselves as we collectively participate in daily rituals that guide us towards our inherent wisdom and inborn creativity.

Wisdom Seeds Ritual Practice will be the thread that weaves through our days. This practice is a pathway towards remembrance, attuning us to the subtle transformative qualities and wisdom within. We will also rekindle the flame of our creative, intuitive selves as we craft together ephemeral and intentional art inspired by land and sea.  

We’ll receive a healing sound bath with a traditional Sufi musician and have a self-directed day of silence. We will move mindfully and dance to the rhythms of our north African surrounds. We’ll sit around the fire under the northern starlit sky, share stories and sow seeds. All gently interwoven with plenty of rest, relaxation and regeneration.  True nourishment for the soul.

In amongst our retreat, we will experience the traditions, colours, sights and sounds of Moroccan culture. We will explore the sensory delights of the medina in the ancient walled citadel of Essaouira. A pedestrian-only labyrinth of colourful narrow streets, full of shops and restaurants and artisan workshops. We’ll visit the Hammam where we’ll be scrubbed clean and left with glowing skin.  We’ll be taught traditional breadmaking by the local women in the village near the Serai.

Breathe deeply …  Move gently … Be with the rhythm of the earth.

 

The Serai 

“Between the forest and a deserted beach lies the Serai, where nothing disturbs the silence, and nothing troubles the eye.”

Within the walls of The Serai, you’ll feel right at home as you are welcomed into the peace and calm that this incredible sanctuary offers. Here you’ll be removed from the busyness and pull of life. The Serai is imbued with a feeling of seclusion yet it is set amidst a tiny and very traditional fishing and farming community.

The Serai is situated 15km north of Essaouira. This beautiful oasis is held between ocean and wooded hillside. The Atlantic coastline is dramatic and vast, with sweeping deserted beaches waiting to be explored. Everything about this place calls for a slower pace.

The Serai is a uniquely designed, handcrafted dwelling made with natural materials from the surrounding area. A house that breathes, welcoming  guests to expand within its earthen walls.


The Ethos of The Serai Retreat

The principles of the Serai include the practices of permaculture, water efficiency, slow food, regenerative agriculture and plastic-free, all interwoven with a strong sense of community and a love of nature. This earth sanctuary was traditionally built with the help and skills of the local people.

The Serai supports the local community to practice sustainable farming, with 10% of revenue generated going to the Fertile Roots Foundation.

 

The Food

The inhouse chef is adept at serving up nourishing and medicinal traditional Moroccan dishes prepared from fresh, seasonal, farmer- sourced, locally grown ingredients.

Your tastebuds will be awakened and delighted as you enjoy 3 delicious meals per day at the Serai. Your body will be nourished by local traditional food made with care as you experience heartfelt Moroccan hospitality.

 

What’s Included 

  • 8 night’s accommodation at The Serai - single/twin share

  • 3 fresh locally sourced Moroccan meals a day at the retreat space (except for 2 meals on outings)

  • Daily ritual practices, ephemeral and intentional arts practices, materials

  • Healing sound bath with Sufi musician

  • Hammam treatment – steam /scrub

  • Traditional bread-making with village women

  • 2 hr walking tour exploring Essaouira Medina

  • Transport for return trips into Essaouira for outings as scheduled in itinerary.

  • Tipping at The Serai and outings

  • Arrival and departure transfers from and to Essaouira to The Serai

 

What’s Not Included

  • Airfare

  • Transport to the retreat if not able to come at the designated time.

  • Transport from the retreat (Can help with organising)

  • Laundry

  • Food on days when outings to Essaouira

  • Personal travel insurance

 

Cost

  •  Twin Share -AU$5680  

  •  Single - AU$6680 AUD

  •  AU$700 deposit to secure your place

  • Balance due by 1st July 2026

 *** We can advise you on transport and costs for travel from Marrakech Airport (2.5hr) and Essaouira Airports (35 mins) to Essaouira Medina via grande taxi.

Our retreat is open to women aged 45 – 70.  This is an intimate gathering, there are 10 places available.

A level of fitness is required as we will walk through sand dunes, forest paths, along beaches and uneven pavements.

 

This journey offers an incredible opportunity to be immersed in the landscape and ways of Northern Africa. Let yourself be shaped and informed by the rich and vibrant culture of Morocco while being held in the gentle and stunning container of the Serai.

We invite you to remember your adventurous spirit and come share in the journey with us and a wonderful circle of women.

Come … Be nourished … Be nurtured … Be still … Be creative … Be yourself

We look forward to sharing in this memorable journey with you

Cath & Col

 

ABOUT US

I’m a woman who walks a gentle path, a lover of the natural world. I’m a creative at heart, a writer of poetry, prose, prayers and practices. Art and dance are my medicine. I have travelled extensively, drawn to places of remoteness where one can hear the whisper of the land and the spirit of life speak. I’m at home in the stillness, serenity and presence of nature’s beauty.

I’m a Ritual Practitioner and have worked in many forms of the Healing Arts for 30 years. I offer Wisdom Seeds Ritual Practice gatherings, an experiential practice for women that encourages us to connect with our deeper transformative healing qualities and the wisdom that reside within us. I love bringing women together to share in our beauty, our wisdom, our creative passion and our joy.

Cath Schlyder

 

I am a maker. Mostly I build clothes, jewellery, gardens and beautiful adventures. Colour is my signature and medicine. I am inspired by heartfelt moments in my life, learning and realisations, nature, found objects, textiles and travel.

I mark occasions with intentional creations, whether wearable or ephemeral, always a quiet, meditative process. Giving form with amulets, sacred fabrics, assemblage and time worn beads feeds my curiosity and wonder for the journey these objects have previously taken and how they intercept with me. I love life and people and I love to hear what makes them.

Colleen Cassar

 

Testimonials

  • “Colleen was our vivacious ticket into Moroccan life, people and meaning. We felt privileged in what we experienced every day and are ever so grateful for her knowledge, care and sense of fun.”

  • “Colleen is a down to earth woman who has a love for people and their stories. Her willingness to share her knowledge of Morocco and what it offers comes naturally to her. She had our best interest in mind at all times. We had heaps of fun and always felt safe.”

  • Cath’s Wisdom Seeds Gatherings are truly unique and masterfully put together. What she has created is profound. Deep, beautiful, insightful and inspiring. And one that will continue to unfold its blessings as the days and months go on. Cath has brought all of her wisdom and understanding and love of beauty to this. I highly recommend such a unique experience – you won’t find this anywhere else.

    Deeply grateful.”

  • “My experience with Cath and her Wisdom Seeds Ritual Practice was exquisite. Cath’s loving attention to every detail of this day was obvious and a real pleasure to receive. Following on in my own time with her ritual cards has been a gift of light to my world.

    I highly recommend Cath and this divine offering.”

 

Bookings & further information

To book a place at our retreat, please email colleencassar@icloud.com

For more information on Wisdom Seeds Ritual Practice go to https://cathschlyder.com/wisdom-seeds

To discover more about The Serai go to https://theserai.org

For more information on Colleen’s travel business go to roamlikequeens.com.au