The Art of
Sacred Listening

A Mindful Facilitation & Presence Retreat

November 21–23, 2025 | The StarHouse, Boulder, CO

 Come home to the kind of presence that heals—personally, relationally, and professionally.
A somatic training for those who hold space—and want to do so with more clarity, care, and resilience.

There’s a quiet revolution unfolding in how we support one another.
It begins not with the right words, but with presence.
Not with knowing what to say, but with the willingness to stay.

Whether you lead groups, tend to others in grief, or simply want to be more present in your relationships, the way you listen matters.

The Art of Sacred Listening is a mindful facilitation and presence retreat for those ready to meet others—and themselves—with greater clarity, compassion, and groundedness.

Rooted in somatic awareness, trauma-informed care, and sacred ritual, this immersive experience will help you attune to your body as a guide, witness without overwhelm, and offer care without losing yourself.

Through deep listening, community, and the healing container of The StarHouse, you’ll reconnect with your own inner wisdom—and remember how to hold space in a way that nourishes rather than depletes.

Held at The StarHouse

This sacred space—nestled in the foothills just outside of Boulder, Colorado—was built on the principles of sacred geometry. It holds a field that supports presence, alignment, and attunement with something greater.

Over our three days together, you’ll move through a rhythm that invites the nervous system to soften, the heart to open, and the soul to speak.

Each day includes:

  • Morning meditation and mindful movement

  • Somatic listening practices and co-regulation

  • Teachings on space-holding and sacred witnessing

  • Paired and group reflection

  • Time for silence, integration, and ritual in nature

You’ll be guided to witness your own patterns—judgment, over-giving, the urge to fix or perform—not to get rid of them, but to welcome them with compassion. Presence deepens when we turn toward, not away.

What You’ll Learn

This retreat supports both personal and professional evolution.
Whether you’re here as a caregiver, a practitioner, or someone who longs to listen more deeply in your relationships, you will receive tools and embodied understanding to:

  • Stay present without becoming overwhelmed

  • Reflect others’ experiences without taking them on

  • Hold silence and complexity with confidence

  • Create safe, compassionate space for others to be seen

  • Listen from the body, not the mind

  • Offer connection without rescuing or absorbing

You’ll be invited to gently explore the hidden places—your unconscious patterns, projections, and internalized beliefs—so you can hold others with greater clarity and care.

While not exclusively grief-focused, many who attend bring their own stories of loss—or feel called to support others through grief with presence, embodiment, and compassion.

These are the foundations of sacred listening—skills that ripple through every aspect of life.

Two Paths of Participation

The Retreat Experience

This path is for those attending for personal growth, relational depth, and embodied awareness. You may be a therapist, healer, leader, or caregiver—or simply someone seeking to deepen the way you show up in the world.

You do not need to “be” anything other than human.

This experience includes:

  • Full participation in the three-day retreat

  • Daily yoga, meditation, and somatic practices

  • Hands-on learning in listening, attunement, and presence

  • Spacious time for rest, journaling, integration, and connection

  • Ritual and nature-based practices to reconnect you to the sacred

You’ll leave with practical tools for daily life—how to remain grounded while holding space, how to listen to yourself and others without burnout, and how to stay present in difficult conversations.

This path is for you if you are ready to be nourished, to be seen, and to reclaim the healing power of deep presence in your own life.

Facilitation Path with Mentorship (Optional)

If you feel called to bring this work forward in your practice or community—leading circles, integrating presence-based facilitation into your work, or guiding others through transformation—this path supports that evolution.

Includes:

✔️ Six live group mentorship sessions with Wendy (virtual)
✔️ A guided practicum where you offer and receive feedback on your space-holding
✔️ One-on-one mentorship session for reflection and integration
✔️ Optional professional endorsement upon completion

This is an intimate, guided experience for those who want to move from being a student of this work to someone who can carry it responsibly into the world. You do not need to decide before the retreat. If you feel called after experiencing the work, you’ll have the opportunity to step into mentorship.

This Experience Is for You If:

Many who attend are:

  • Therapists, coaches, and bodyworkers

  • Yoga and meditation teachers

  • Chaplains, doulas, or community leaders

  • Space-holders who are seeking to listen more deeply, without depletion

  • People who have journeyed through grief or healing and are ready to show up differently

You may also be here simply because something in your heart is leaning toward this.
You don’t have to know why.
Your body knows.

This work is open to all identities, all faiths, all bodies. Everyone is welcome in this space.

Retreat Details

Facilitator: Wendy Black Stern

Dates: November 21–23, 2025
Location: The StarHouse | Boulder, Colorado
Retreat Tuition: $1,199–$1,499 (Sliding Scale)

Includes:

✔️ Three full days of somatic training, community, and sacred space
✔️ Daily yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices
✔️ Rituals for integration and reflection
✔️ Snacks and tea (lodging not included)
✔️ A supportive community and intentional container

MEET YOUR GUIDE

Wendy Black Stern

Wendy is the heart and soul behind the Center for Somatic Grieving, where her mission is to support individuals through the transformative process of grief. Her journey into this profound work began with a personal tragedy—the loss of her son Noah—which led her to a path of self-discovery and a deepened commitment to helping others.

With over 25 years of experience as a yoga student and teacher, Wendy's expertise lies in integrating yoga with grief support. She is a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist and instructor, with additional qualifications in yoga teacher training and Reiki.

Wendy's approach combines personal reflection, group sharing, and a grief-focused, somatic curriculum to guide others in their healing journeys​​.

PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIAL

I have found the virtual community circle surprisingly potent for grief support.

The format is simple and supports embodied participation and deep reflection. Often participants say that their friends and family no longer wish to hear about their loss; in this circle, it is well understood that grief has no timeframe, and tears of love spring often and unbidden.

Here we practice bearing witness to one another's experience and life force, and healing takes root.”
— Julie Dolin, MA, LPC, Mindful Grieving Facilitator

Your Journey Begins Here

Starting Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025 we gather every Wednesday from 5:45 to 7:45pm in a nurturing, virtual space.

This is an invitation to move through grief with tenderness, to listen deeply to your own heart, and to heal in the presence of others who walk a similar path.

Schedule Your Complimentary Discovery Session

If you're still wondering whether this is the right step, we encourage you to book a free 30-minute call.