RETURNING TO YOURSELF: A contemplative weekend for women in midlife longing to reconnect with themselves and God.
There comes a season...
when you've faithfully poured yourself into everyone else.
You've loved deeply.
Raised children.
Built a home.
Held people together.
And somewhere along the way...
you lost touch with your own inner life.
Not because you've failed.
Because you've been living.
Returning to Yourself is a gentle invitation to step away for one sacred weekend of silence, creativity, embodied prayer, and ancient Christian practices that help you notice God's presence—in your body, your story, and your everyday life. Explore the mind/body/spirit connection and listen deeply to the God who has been waiting for you all along.
Weekend Schedule: Spacious and restful
There will be...
Quiet mornings
Guided contemplative practices
Creative prayer
Conversation
Silence
Embodiment Practices
Nervous system regulation
Movement
Beautiful meals
Time outdoors
Rest
Laughter
Tea
Reflection
You'll leave with practices you can continue long after the weekend ends.
OCTOBER 16-19, 2026
Friday PM-Sunday AM
On the water in the PNW
Most retreats ask,
"What do I need to learn?"
Others ask,
"What do I need to do?"
This weekend asks something different.
Where is God already present?
In your breathing.
In your body.
In beauty.
In silence.
In grief.
In joy.
In your own belovedness.
We aren't coming to manufacture God's presence.
We're learning to notice the Presence already here.
What to Expect
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There comes a season...
...when you've spent years showing up for everyone else.
You've loved well.
Raised children.
Built a home.
Supported others.
Held everything together.
And one day you realize...
you've become a little disconnected from yourself.
Somewhere beneath all of the beautiful responsibilities you've carried...
you've begun wondering...
Who am I becoming now?
Not because you've done anything wrong.
Simply because life has been full.
Maybe your faith still matters deeply.
But you're longing for something more spacious.
More experiential.
More alive.
You're craving a place where no one expects anything from you.
Where silence isn't awkward.
Where beauty becomes prayer.
Where your body isn't something to ignore...
but one of the places God gently meets you.
This retreat is for you if...
✔ You love God but long for a more experiential faith.
✔ You're entering a new season of midlife.
✔ You've spent years caring for everyone else.
✔ You feel drawn toward silence, beauty, and slower rhythms.
✔ You're curious about contemplative spirituality.
✔ You want to reconnect with yourself without striving.
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walking beneath autumn trees near the water...
lingering over beautiful homemade meals...
slowing down and paying attention to the wisdom of your body…
painting or drawing what words cannot express...
breathing deeply...
sharing honest conversations...
resting without guilt...
learning to recognize God's presence in your own body...
exploring new ways to pray and listen…
and remembering the woman you've always been…
noticing God’s loving gaze upon you.
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Led by experienced guides who know how to hold space, foster deep listening, encourage participation, and keep things moving with purpose.
Renata McNeely and Jessica Uhler will be your hostesses and guides on this journey. They are both spiritual directors in the Pacific Northwest and are passionate about helping women find new ways to connect with themselves and with God.
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Our events prioritize comfort, safety, respect and confidentiality—so you can show up as you are and fully engage in the process. There are no expectations other than you bringing your whole self.
You are welcome exactly as you are. There’s no need to perform, put on airs, or feel like you need to have it all together.
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We often include optional check-ins, next steps, or community resources to help you keep the momentum going. You will have the opportunity to continue the journey through one-on-one spiritual direction or group contemplative circles.
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There are many wonderful Christian retreats.
Most focus on learning.
Or worship.
Or Bible study.
This weekend is different.
Instead of asking...
"What do I need to do?"
we'll gently explore...
"Where is God already present?"
We'll practice noticing.
Deep listening.
Receiving.
Experiencing.
Because contemplative spirituality isn't about achieving more.
It's about becoming present to the God who has always been present to us.
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This isn't a retreat about doing more for God, or studying more. It's an invitation to experience God's presence through your whole self—body, mind, heart, and spirit—using embodiment and ancient Christian practices that have sustained believers for centuries.
This is not...
❌ A weekend where you'll be asked to share more than you're comfortable sharing.
❌ A theology class.
❌ A silent retreat (although we'll experience meaningful periods of silence).
❌ An art retreat—you don't have to be creative.
❌ A place where you have to "get it right."
Instead...
It's a place to breathe.
To notice.
To pray.
To rest.
To explore.
To be gently accompanied in safe community.
A Weekend designed for you to Exhale
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Retreat participants ease into the weekend with creative prompts and a welcome circle to get grounded and set the tone.
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Our first session the what and the why of embodiment and how it connects to our spiritual life.
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After a nourishing breakfast we will learn about and practice some embodied prayer. There is ample time for reflection and integration.
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Take what you’re learning and experiencing to the next level with some creative prayer time engaging your senses. There is no need to feel like an artist, this is all about the process and not the outcome. You will be surprised at how freeing this is.
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To close the the weekend, we’ll explore embodied prayer through movement and Celtic practices, and help you integrate the retreat into your everyday life.
You will come away with simple practices that fit into ordinary life, and a renewed awareness of God’s presence in who you are becoming.
MEET YOUR HOSTESSES / GUIDES
ReNATA MCNEELY
My interest in spiritual direction was piqued in a class I took in 2016. Being a spiritual director was compared to the role of a midwife, someone creating safety and holding space for another person, being a witness and companion to the birth of something new. I felt a deep stirring within and still feel a particular joy at that memory. It drew me in. I knew that someday I would be invited into that role in others’ lives. Curiosity was awakened in me and revealed a path toward a deepening journey of a quiet faith in God that embraced more mystery, grace, and a stronger belief in my belovedness and belonging.
My contemplative journey continues, bringing healing and peace through a more expansive view of God.
Over several years I took classes in contemplative spirituality, participated in groups offered through Selah Center, and began to see a spiritual director monthly. I graduated with a certification in spiritual direction in the spring of 2023 through St. Placid Priory in Lacey, WA, and began to meet with directees as A Sacred Welcome, both in person in Tacoma and online.
Jessica Uhler
My spiritual path brought me to a place of feeling burnt- out and overburdened, emphasizing binary, intellectual, masculine way of understanding God, and Certainty over Mystery. I longed for a more experiential, formative, expansive way of interacting with God, beyond a focus on belief or dogma. I longed for deeper experience of my belovedness, not just deeper head knowledge.
Rediscovering Contemplative practices and the Christian mystical tradition which I had fallen in love with during college gave me a lifeline back to faith, a way for my whole self and creativity to be a part of my spiritual life, an embodied way to encounter God.
I believe understanding the mind/body/ soul connection is an essential path to wholeness and healing.
I completed my training as a spiritual director through St. Placid Priory in Olympia, WA 2025. I have also completed many courses through Selah, a contemplative Christian community, and serve on the board of directors there. In spring of 2026, I completed a cohort with the Center for Embodied Faith, focused on attachment, trauma and nervous-system work in the context of our relationship with God. I’m listed in the Christ-Centered Spiritual Direction Association website.
Still have questions? Reach out to either of us any time. If this resonates with you, we’d be honored to welcome you to a sacred weekend.
Your Questions, Answered-
Registering is simple. Send a message through the contact form and we’ll send you the payment information to make your deposit and save your space.
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A deposit of $112.50 saves your spot. The balance of $337.50 is due by September 9th. You are welcome to make payments until your balance is paid. After September 15th all deposits are non-refundable.
Some scholarships are available. Please reach out to inquire about them.