WATERSWAYS
A LIVING ARTS IMMERSION
23rd — 26th Oct 2025 in Odemira, Portugal
IMAGINE THIS …
A vast landscape embraced by a river
that changes with the rhythms of the sea,
waking up with the early sun, the mist of the river rising,
and the birds voices in our ears.
An intimate circle coming together,
in a place to breath deeply
for four days in devotional creative practice.
A gathering by Waters, listening to the songs of the river,
our fluid nature, and letting currents move through us.
A being present together,
through the mirror of Waters
to fall back into love and recognition
with this fluid intelligence,
beyond intellect,
yet deeply known in our bones,
to be alive, and be in movement, in stillness,
in direct relationship with Waters ways
“Within the container that they so gently set and sensitively held, I intuitively met the waters in a more embodied way than I ever had before.”
OUR STORY — HOW WE, HELENA & YAMINA MET
You could say the WATERS brought us together. You could say we each caught a wave at some point, each following the wave with loving intent.
Somewhere, on a beach by the WATERS in Portugal, those waves met. A place where a river meets the sea — the place where WATERS meet. We say “brought together” as it was so synchronous. At key points of the wheel of the year we would be passing paths (no small feat when not living in the same country). So we met by the WATERS in Portugal, then Wales and then Scotland. When brought together again we didn’t speak about our personal practices, we just took a walk to a body of Water and began to practice together. Through song, movement and meeting this Lake we were transported. Journeying on the back of sound and in the arms of movement. Merging.
Here, the WATERS teach.
In each of our individual commitment to WATERS there was a recognition of another who listens with depth, who gives their body fully, who is devoted to learn the watery ways from the WATERS themself. It was as if meeting a fractal — where two practises met and were amplified. Where multiple bodies meet — the energy intensifies. Wordless, we smiled and laughed, experiencing a profound encounter.
After facilitating our initial experience in the UK this summer, we are now inviting you into our second gathering in Portugal.
This is an evolving project, so we would love to continuously meet you by the WATERS. Come meet the WATERS through your body, your heart, your deep knowing, and open yourself to learn your direct relationship with their ways. A gift that can ripple through your life too
An excerpt of our practice with Loch Hourn, Isle of Skye, Scotland
OUR WHY
We are deeply committed to rekindling the innate wisdom held within our untamed, intuitive bodies—— An ancient knowing that pulses through us, wanting to be remembered.
This work places Nature’s principles at its heart, honoring cycles, seasons, relationship and communal care as foundational aspects of the creative process, encouraging deep listening to the body and the territory of the lands we encounter, allowing movement to emerge from inner impulses rather than imposed structures. By foregrounding these values, we aim to reignite a profound sense of kinship between ourselves and the natural and unseen worlds, fostering a renewed awareness of the interconnectedness that binds all living things. In doing so, we inquire into and cultivate a visceral knowing of our place within this vast, interconnected whole, fostering reverence, reciprocity, and a renewed commitment to live in harmony with the world that breathes both around us and within us.
OUR PRACTICE
Through movement, voice, and rituals of presence, we continuously practice to connect with our unique and wild expressions, finding belonging in the profound and intricate relationship between our human experience and the elemental forces of nature. Our practice is alive, circular, evolving, and deeply rooted in collaboration with the natural world. It is both a ritual and an art form, a way of being and creating that invites us to deepen our embodiment in the now. It’s an orientation where performance becomes a living, breathing exchange with all that we are in relationship with.
REFLECTIONS FROM PAST PARTICIPANTS
“It brings a smile to me as I reflect upon the afternoon I spent with The Waters. The way Helena and Yamina welcomed us to the experience was gentle and thoughtful, with much depth. Their knowing of how deep waters can run in us beings enables wonder, curiosity, play and pure expression. Their sensitivity to all the elements made me feel held and excited to be with my friend, the sea, the water, her vast depths. I would love to join them again. Thank you for creating this space for watery connection.” — Mina
“The way you facilitated these two days was with space. Time to really be with yourself. That space was reinforced by really encouraging the connection with the Waters. I really felt the amplification and magic of multiple women; who’s nurturing and holding of me allowed me to open up. It was really beautiful, introspective and inspiring. I still take my learnings from the water experiencing into my creative practice and beyond.” — Edna
”The Waters experience with Yamina & Helena was exquisite. Within the container that they so gently set and sensitively held, I intuitively met the waters in a more embodied way than I ever had before.
Time generously expanded as we met beside the river, and together we dropped into a quality of presence that truly felt beyond all time. It was so touching to be trusted and invited into witnessing and sharing their practice; it felt like a portal into relating with the waters in a deeply attuned, intimate and reciprocal way. The council that we shared was also very special, allowing each of us to express our ways of being with the waters. It was also meaningful to be witnessed in my own practice by everyone, to have that resonance met and amplified.
I arrived feeling rather scattered and depleted after several days of work and travel. I left feeling deeply connected, resourced, encouraged and inspired to continue my listening journey with the waters.” — Laura
THE IMMERSION;
23rd — 26th Oct 2025 in Odemira, South West Portugal
This shared four day experience is about entering and cultivating a creative and attuned space where we collectively delve into the mystical experience of relating guided and informed by the Waters. It’s about being in direct experience, to explore a field of deep intimacy with the living world, with our bodies as the primary instrument. It’s about the depths, sensitivities and subtleties. It’s about elemental and sensual presence. About the conversations with the sacred and its creative openings.
Through this practice our art becomes an ongoing dialogue with nature.
The gathering unfolds through dance, sound, ritual, council, and spaciousness to listen — each person will be given dedicated space and guidance to be with the Waters individually and simply be nourished by the vastness of the land we gather on. We include creative practice as a continuous thread through the immersion, offering the body pathways to translate its encounters into form. This may emerge through drawing, writing, movement, voice, or spontaneous collaborations that arise in the moment.
DATES & OUR PROGRAM
Day 1 — October 23
Opening Ritual
10 — 12pm Collective Morning Practice
12 — 4pm Break and Individual practice
4 — 8pm Creative Group and Sunset Practice
Day 2 — October 24
10 — 12pm Collective Morning Practice
12 — 4pm Break and Individual Practice
4 — 8pm Creative Group and Sunset Practice
Day 3 — October 25
10 — 12pm Collective Morning Practice
12 — 2pm Break and Individual Practice
2 — 8pm Excursion to Atlantic Coast and Sunset Practice by the Sea
Day 4 — October 26
10 — 12pm Collective Morning Practice
12 — 4pm Break and Individual Practice
4 — 7pm Land based Exhibition and Intimate Sharings
Closing Ritual
Our schedule will adapt to weather and is in relationship to our needs; it might change according to what aligns with our shared intentions and in response to what is alive in our processes.
CONTRIBUTION
Early Bird: £450 (before 30th September)
Full Price: £520 (after 30th September)
Installments are available.
If costs are a barrier, please reach out—concessions are available, especially for local residents.
NOT INCLUDEDTransportation
Food will be organised individually. There is a shared kitchen available. You can either cook for yourself or share. If desired, we can organise a food shopping for your arrival, this will be for an additional cost, contact us if you’d like this.
PRACTICALITIES FOR PARTICIPATION
-
We gather on a private land in the river valley about 15min from Odemira.
For privacy reasons, the exact location will only be shared with those who participate and confirm their spot.
You are welcome to arrive the day before from 5pm to settle on the land before we begin on the 23rd. The closing will be on the 26th after sunset.From Faro Airport: approx. 2 hours by car
From Lisbon Airport: approx. 2.5 hours by car
Having a car is ideal to access the land and explore the surrounding area. For those travelling without a car, pick-ups from local towns such as Odemira can be arranged — please let us know in advance if you’d like support with this.
-
This is an outdoor experience to invite us into deeper connection with Nature’s rhythms so our accomodation is camping on the land. Please bring your own tent/camping setup. There are plenty of beautiful places to pitch, close to the river and a star filled night sky.
-
This is an outdoor experience which means we’ll work with whatever weather condition will be present, which is why it’s important to come prepared. At this time of the year temperatures can go as low as 12*C in the night and still up to 25*C during the day.
-
All-weather camping gear
Warm sleeping bag, hot water bottle or extra blankets as personally needed
Rainproof coat and trousers
Comfortable clothes for movement, plus layers for warmth
Headlamp
Swimsuit and/or light clothes if you wish to enter the water
Journal/notebook for reflections
Towel and personal items
-
Wildcrafted herbal tea will be provided throughout the days — bring your own thermos or bottle to refill.
-
No prior experience is needed. All that’s required is curiosity and willingness to be in the wild.
TO CONFIRM YOUR PLACE
BOOK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE BY PAYING YOUR DEPOSIT
ABOUT THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT
The land we will gather on is nestled in the rolling hills of South Alentejo, a region where cork oaks stretch their spiraling branches toward the sun, and the air carries the scent of esteva and wild lavender. Wild geese glide across the sky, herons lift from the shore of the river and sparrows flight catching the rays of the setting sun. A place where life is simple and time moves slow.
To the west, only 15 km distance, the rugged and wild cliffs and dunes of the Costa Vicentina meet the Atlantic, where waves crash against rocky shores, sculpting the cliffs over time, where seabirds wheel above windswept beaches, a landscape where raw natural forces reign. This is a coast of intensity, evoking awe and reverence, as its untamed beauty remains untouched and intact, a refuge for wildlife and a haven for the senses.
From here, the surrounding landscape unfolds in gentle hills, cork forests, and patches of pasture, connecting inland biodiversity with the dynamic coastal environment. The Atlantic breeze carries salt and oceanic memory inland, mingling with the earthy aroma of the Alentejo hills. Here, land, sea, and sky converge—a living ecosystem of resilience and abundance, where every breath connects us to the enduring pulse of this wild, sacred corner of Portugal.
Helena Sophia Equinox and the River Gara www.helenasophiaequinox.com
Yamina Lyara and the River Amoreira
www.yaminalyara.com