Jun22596 24 | LUXlife Magazine The Dreaming’s journey started in November 2020 when singersongwriter Charlotte Church first visited Rhydoldog House in mid-Wales. As the former home of designer Laura Ashley, Rhydoldog House is a breath-taking place to unwind and enjoy the natural surroundings while feeling held by the beauty of the building itself. 2021 came around and Charlotte decided to take the plunge and purchase the house to truly transform lives through her offering of a hub for peace, relaxation, and self-exploration. Charlotte embarked on a renovation journey to create the most perfect spaces to suit The Dreaming’s guests. Working with a plethora of collaborators, Charlotte carefully crafted each room, and the house’s surroundings, to be a place of rest deep in the natural world. With a different rooms to choose from, and a selection of diverse retreats, guests can select the environment they would like to experience throughout their stay. From ‘The Womb’, a celebration of womanhood to ‘The Dawn’, a south-facing room offering gorgeous views and plenty of sun, ‘The Moon’, a way to honour the moon goddess herself, and more, Rhydoldog House provides a sacred space for all of its guests. Every retreat offers a chance to be enveloped by nature, whether you’re looking at the Signature Retreat, Song of the Soul, Samhain retreat, Belonging Family retreat, or others. Leading her tribe, who also aid others on their journey with The Dreaming, Charlotte is dedicated to being a “faithful steward and guardian of the land” who brings people together and gifts them a deeper connection with themselves. Charlotte told us, “I have been instructed by the land, which holds an incredibly powerful energy that is so abundant. This is where the elements come together. Within my own life and history there is a lot of trauma, and I’m deeply involved in the world. I really care about humans and recognise the trauma in humans with mental health, separation, loneliness, or disconnection from nature and themselves.” She continues, “I’m invested in helping and doing my small part to help to change that paradigm which causes havoc in our society, I can feel in my bones that there is a way through. I believe in coming back into a symbiotic relationship with nature, coming back into the sacred feminine ideas around nurture and gentleness, but also fierceness, as this is desperately important.” A Nourishing Gift: The Dreaming Retreat Offering the chance to slow down, unwind, and reconnect through sound healing, rewilding, crafts, ceremonies, stargazing, wild swimming, and so much more, The Dreaming is a full body, mind, and soul experience. We spoke to Founder Charlotte Church to find out more about the magic of The Dreaming in the heart of the Elan Valley, Powys. Providing a minimum of three nights – fully catered for – at Rhydoldog House, The Dreaming’s retreats guarantee a step back from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives – especially as our minds, bodies, and souls crave a myriad of experiences not limited to instant gratification, rushing around, the pressure of deadlines, and responsibilities of all kinds. We’re invited to slow down, experience true awe and wonder, nourish our bodies, and connect with other humans who have their own lives, traumas, and dreams. The Dreaming’s retreats aid us in recognising the strengths, beauty, and struggles of others, helping us to connect, empathise, and relate – and fully eradicate any feelings of the ‘other’. Charlotte shared, “This is about the depth of connections that people make witnessing other people’s pain, creativity, and connection. They become awe-struck by each other and this is deeply healing for everyone within the group. What I’ve learnt is how quickly and deeply people can connect and inspire each other.” Gently encouraging people to connect with nature, themselves, and others through sound, play, music, crafts, and open communication, the team at The Dreaming show us a way to experience pure human delight, joy, and beauty. Charlotte believes that relaxation shouldn’t be on a to-do list, and that it is an “endlessly patient area of life and existence.” Inspired by Dacher Keltner’s book, Awe, Charlotte added, “We shouldn’t be trying to cultivate happiness we should be trying to cultivate moments of awe, which nature does. Other humans give us this too.” With regards to what you’ll leave the retreat with, Charlotte commented, “Everybody is different but we’re very similar in our wants and in our pain. We aren’t that different and I’ve seen people come away with what they needed. Sometimes people come from high pressure environments for rest, relaxation, and nurturing, and other people are lonely in their context and they benefit from the deep connection and communality of being with other people.” As an example, the deeper retreats such as the Dreams of Ananda invite individuals to really delve into themselves to find what they need and what they want to accept or let go of. Although The Dreaming is not a mental health facility, many people have experienced incredible breakthroughs when it comes to the trauma they carry. Zaffire, a retreat guest in 2023, enthused, “I embraced being solitary in nature and felt completely held by the land. I wondered through the forests and sang to
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