Essencia: The Nature of Our Selves Retreat
May 26th - May 30th, 2026 • Deià, Mallorca, Spain
Set on a historic fourteenth-century home and terraced gardens above Deià, Mallorca, Essencia is a four-day, four night immersion in the art of paying attention. You inhabit a place where stone terraces warm in the sun, rosemary brushes your legs and evening light spills down the ridges, until paying attention becomes an art. The retreat offers a way of being in conversation with the world again. Through contemplative practice, guided with care, listening becomes your way home to yourself, and creativity a natural path to aliveness and joy. Essencia is an invitation to slow down and rediscover the wonder of living.
What to expect:
Contemplative sessions informed by the study and practice of compassion and mindfulness, offered in a way that is sensory, poetic and intelligent
Creative immersions in hand-built ceramics and floral expression with local makers, exploring beauty as a pathway to vitality
Morning movement practices with unhurried time to walk, rest, write or simply notice the world around you
Four nights in a privately held fourteenth-century home and gardens with uninterrupted mountain and sea views
A gentle daily rhythm that lets landscape, food and community deepen your sense of belonging, as the self comes into quieter conversation with the world
Deepen Your Connection in One of Mallorca's Rarest Settings
“At Son Rullan, beauty reveals itself in its simplest forms: the soft glow of mountains as day unhusks itself from night, the salt‑hazed azure where sea meets sky, the long inhale of juniper after rain”
- Dr. Amy Finlay-Jones
Your Daily Experience
Daily rhythm: attention as practice
This retreat’s daily rhythm follows a gentle arc: Each morning opens with sessions led by Dr Amy Finlay‑Jones, a therapist, researcher and meditation teacher whose work bridges the creative world and contemplative tradition. Through meditation, gentle movement, writing and poetry, you are invited to arrive in yourself, open your senses and notice the quieter layers of your life. These practices are grounded in compassion and neuroscience, yet they make space for mystery and emotion—creating a steady ground from which to meet the day.
Late mornings and early afternoons are devoted to creative exploration with a small collective of Mallorcan makers. Ceramicist Maria Roca guides you to work slowly and by hand, exploring essence and symbolism through the art of clay painting. Floral artist Mar Garcia brings Mediterranean flora into conversation with colour and form, inviting you to experience the raw, fleeting beauty of flowers as an intimate act of expression.
Afternoons offer spaciousness to wander, explore the library, rest beside the pool, walk through olive groves or journal in the shade. Gentle yoga or somatic practices support integration, and there is time for optional individual sessions. Evenings gather us around long tables for Mediterranean meals prepared with local, sustainable ingredients, followed by optional sound healing or contemplative practice. Shared nourishment and conversation help carry the day’s insights into embodied experience.
“The place is stunning but the real magic was how intentional it all was. I felt seen, emotionally nourished and creatively reignited.”
ESSENCIA is for the woman who longs for spaciousness, for beauty, for the distinct feeling of being quietly restored to herself. It offers compassionate, evidence-informed ways of being with your own experience, alongside creative practices that become forms of listening and falling in love with the world again.
No prior experience of contemplative or creative practices is expected. Essencia, and the home and gardens we share, are your space. Creativity and contemplation here are less about what you produce or and more about what you notice; each exercise becomes a doorway back to who you are.
Who this is for
Son Rullan’s Unique Heritage
Once a 14th‑century Templar monastery, Son Rullan sits high above the Mediterranean within Mallorca’s UNESCO‑listed Serra de Tramuntana. Whitewashed lime walls, timber beams and chambers connected by ancient staircases recall its history.
The estate has long been a refuge for artists and thinkers, and its terraced gardens, library, pool and uninterrupted views across mountain and sea create a space where contemplation feels natural.
The village of Deià spreads across olive‑planted hillsides that descend toward the sea, carrying its own story of artists, poets and musicians. Just thirty minutes’ drive from Palma de Mallorca your visit can be the beginning or extension of your relationship with this poetic Island.
Nourishment and community
Meals at Essencia are an extension of creative practice. Henrietta Balnaves, a Paris‑based chef and food stylist, weaves people, place and creativity together through the ritual of cooking. Dishes centre on whole, organic ingredients from the island—think figs and almonds, local fish, vegetables grown in terraced gardens—and are presented as invitations to taste the landscape. Meals are shared and unhurried; the table becomes another place to listen and be heard.
Generous time for individual reflection allows personal integration of insights, all supported by the rare setting and warm company. There is space to read, to sit with the view, to return to your spot next to the pool, to let questions arise and settle. As a small group, you can deepen existing relationships, explore new friendships or simply experience the safety and support of the retreat community.
Your experience and accommodation
Essencia pairs your retreat experience with your stay at Son Rullan and its estate. Accommodations can be adapted for individuals, couples, or small groups, with rooms varying in scale and amenities to suit different preferences and budgets.
All rooms offer either ocean or mountain views (in some cases both), and guests enjoy access to shared spaces including the library, lounging areas, gardens, and terraced grounds that invite contemplation and connection.
Each space has been thoughtfully restored to honour the estate's 14th-century character while providing modern comfort for your retreat experience. The retreat pricing allows guests to adapt their experience to their needs.
Your Expert Facilitators and Hosts
Dr. Amy Finlay-Jones
Amy is a therapist, Associate Professor and meditation teacher whose work sits at the tender meeting point between science and the sacred. For two decades she has explored what helps human beings feel held, connected, and alive — not only through research, but through the lived, unrepeatable moments of practice, relationship, and attention. Her work is an ongoing enquiry into how we meet the holy in the everyday: how we honour our interbeing, how creativity becomes a way of listening, and how compassion allows us to inhabit our lives with more truth and less armour.
Maria Roca
Mallorcan designer and ceramicist, teaches hand‑built ceramics as meditation, cultivating patience, trust & joy while shaping clay.
Mar Garcia
Floral artist behind HUMO, fuses fashion, art and Mediterranean landscapes; her work invites participants to slow down and create with flowers.
Henrietta Balnaves
Chef and food stylist, brings connection through food and leads you in appreciating whole ingredients and their relationship to body and place.
An invitation
Securing your place
This special retreat is for women who sense a spark they haven’t tended in some time. We invite you to let your heart be moved by simple beauty; to listen to what stirs in you as the land reveals itself; to feel the joy inherent in attentive living. When the soul is alive to beauty, life is seen with fresh eyes and the world meets you with greater depth and vitality.
Your fee includes four nights of exclusive access to Son Rullan, daily guided movement and contemplative practices, and three creative workshops with local makers, held within the rhythm of shared Mediterranean meals. Throughout the retreat you’ll also receive simple, evidence-informed resources to support your contemplative practice when you return home.
Early booking discounts apply to reservations finalized by January 10, 2026. A small deposit secures your place. Once registered, your hosts will be in touch to learn more about your needs, confirm your room preference and share a welcome pack with further details. Your deposit is fully credited toward your fee, with the balance due three months before the retreat.
Location
Son Rullán • Mallorca, Spain
Premium Private Suites
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by January 10, 2026
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Ultimate comfort in this expansive private suite with ocean and sweeping mountain views, and king bed, sofa bed, desk, and large ensuite bathroom with bathtub
Single: $4,000 | Double: $3,100
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
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Sophisticated private room with king bed and intimate ensuite bathroom, designed for restful nights and serene mornings with its with ocean, garden and mountain views.
Single: $3,800 | Double: $3,000
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
Deluxe Private Suites
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Habitació dels Convidats
Perfect for couples or friends, with queen bed and double bed, mediterranean and mountain views, and private bathroom with bathtub
Double: $3,000 | Triple: $2,600
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by Jan 10, 2026.
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Habitació del Balcó
Elegant and spacious private room with king bed, charming private balcony with garden and mountain views, and shared bathroom
Single $3,700 | Double: $2,900
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by Jan 10, 2026.
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Habitació de la Capella
Inviting private room with queen bed, private balcony overlooking peaceful surroundings and an aspect of the mountain and sea, and shared bathroom
Single: $3,400 | Double: $2,700
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by Jan 10, 2026.
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Habitació Blanca
Bright, large shared room with queen bed and single bed, sharing bathroom with nearby rooms and with views of Tramuntana
Double: $2,900 | Triple: $2,500
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by Jan 10, 2026.
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Habitació dels Nins
Private twin room with an intimate private bathroom, with mountain and olive grove views and two single beds, ideal for friends or family.
Double: $2,700
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by Jan 10, 2026.
Shared Accommodation
Habitació del Tigre
Spacious group room with ocean views for up to four guests with single beds and shared bathroom, complete with the company of Son Rullan's iconic tiger mural. Reserve with friends or meet new ones: this room allows you to book a bed, rather than the whole room, and you will be sharing with 2-3 others.
Quadruple: $2,400
Rates are per person, in USD and include four nights of accommodation, meals, and all retreat activities and materials.
An early booking discount of 10% applies to all bookings finalized by January 10, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
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This retreat is for anyone who seeks time to reconnect with themselves, explore compassion, creativity, and landscape, and experience renewal in community.
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Each day blends contemplative practice, creative workshops with local artists, gentle movement, nourishing shared meals, and generous time for rest and reflection.
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Yes — programs are paced with spaciousness so you can integrate insights, journal, or simply enjoy the surroundings.
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Not at all. While prior experience can be helpful, it is absolutely not required. The retreat is designed to welcome both beginners and those with existing practices.
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There will be between 10 and 16 participants, ensuring an intimate and supportive group environment.
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This retreat is not a therapeutic intervention and does not replace therapy or mental health care. Participants are responsible for their own wellbeing and mental health during the retreat.
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The retreat and materials will be conducted in English. However, we welcome the expression of all languages during our retreats.
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The group will be diverse, inclusive, and welcoming — participants range in background, profession, age, and identity, united by curiosity and openness to self-growth.
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Before the retreat, you will be provided with information, materials, and the hosts are available for questions. After the retreat, they will share follow-up resources to help you continue your practice and integration at home.
