How We Celebrate at Nissa Retreats

On a Nissa retreat, some of the most meaningful moments of growth happen when no one is actively trying to “develop” anything.

One evening in Punta Monterrey reminded me of this in the most beautiful way.

After a full day of immersive psychic and mediumship work, we gathered for dinner as the light softened and the ocean air cooled. People changed clothes, lingered longer at the table, laughed more easily. The depth of the day was still present, but it had relaxed. That transition matters. I design retreats with this rhythm intentionally, because integration doesn’t happen only in workshops. It happens when we let ourselves be human together.

As night fell, indigenous musicians arrived carrying traditional instruments made from wood, shell, and hide. These instruments aren’t meant to be “performed at” people. They are meant to be shared. Their sounds are grounding and rhythmic, calling awareness back into the body and into the present moment. You can feel the vibration before you understand it intellectually.

Then came the fire throwers.

Fire has been used across cultures for centuries as a symbol of transformation, protection, and renewal. Fire consumes what no longer serves and clears space for what’s next. In Punta Monterrey, the fire was reverent. Focused. Alive. It illuminated faces, movement, and emotion, reminding us that growth requires courage and trust.

And then something wonderful happened.

People started dancing.

Not because they were told to. Not because it was part of a “process.” But because the environment made it feel safe. Guests learned simple dances together, laughing when they missed a step, encouraging one another without self-consciousness. Some learned to play the instruments, discovering how sound moves through the hands, chest, and breath. Others joined the musicians, finding their own rhythm inside the music.

An indigenous elder began chanting, his voice steady and grounded, carrying across the open space beneath a luminous moon. Chanting is not entertainment. It is a way of honoring lineage, land, and presence. In that moment, it anchored us. It reminded us that we were not just visitors, but guests, held by the land itself.

This is why these moments exist at Nissa retreats.

Cultural immersion is not decorative. It’s about respect. Every location has its own traditions, its own ways of gathering and honoring community. When we acknowledge that, when we listen, participate, and learn, we deepen our connection to the place and to each other.

Just as importantly, these experiences build community in a way nothing else can.

When people share meals, music, movement, and laughter, walls come down. Trust forms naturally. Conversations soften. The group becomes a true community. That sense of safety and belonging directly supports the psychic and mediumship work. People take more risks. They listen more clearly. They practice with greater confidence.

And this is where fun and play come in.

Fun is not a distraction from the work. It is the work.

Play opens the nervous system. Laughter grounds us in the body. Joy reminds us that learning doesn’t have to be heavy to be profound. Some of the biggest breakthroughs I see happen after moments like these, after dancing, after shared laughter, after people remember how to be curious and unguarded.

Joy is part of the curriculum.

Every Nissa retreat is intentionally designed to be interactive, embodied, and alive. And no two retreats are ever the same. Each location brings its own energy, traditions, and opportunities for connection.

Punta Monterrey offered fire, ocean air, indigenous music, and moonlit celebration.

Our next retreat, in March 2026, will unfold at The Horseshoe Farm in Asheville, North Carolina, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains and surrounded by quiet beauty. This retreat offers a different rhythm: farm-to-table dining at The Silo Cookhouse, walks in nature, breathwork to release anxiety and stress, yoga, live music, luxurious accommodations, and deep space for reflection.

As always, the retreat is open to individuals at any stage of their psychic journey. Whether you’re newly curious or deeply experienced, the environment is designed to support growth without pressure, seriousness without heaviness, and learning that feels both grounded and expansive.

This balance, depth and delight, structure and spontaneity, focus and play, is how I teach. It’s how communities form. And it’s why so many guests leave feeling not just more connected to their abilities, but more connected to themselves.

If you’re drawn to a retreat that honors growth and joy, learning and celebration, I invite you to explore what’s next.

Learn more about the upcoming North Carolina retreat here:
https://www.nissaretreats.com/north-carolina-25