Women of the Well: 5-Day Wellness Retreat for Christian Women
With Taylor Marie Daniels, Melanie O'Driscoll
Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:13-14
Join us in the beautiful garden of Ireland, Co. Wicklow, for a contemplative and experiential retreat on the feminine presence within Scripture and the Book of Nature.
We live in a cyclic world of seasons and moon phases. This life-death-life cycle is recognised by every woman instinctively. It is the great cycle of being and is most exceptionally exemplified by Jesus’ death and resurrection in the Gospels.
The dream of the Earth and the Resurrection-nature of our cosmos is deeply interconnected to the bone deep women’s wisdom and feminine power. As we learn to spiral inward with respect, reverence and courage we, as women of Earth, help to steward harmony with the cycles of nature and right relationship with all Life.
In this 5-day retreat, we’ll consider the feminine present in the Bible. Taylor and Mel will facilitate an experiential exploration guided by selected scripture, dream work, contemplative prayer and time in nature.
In our time together, we’ll explore the Creation Story of Genesis and Eve alongside the Woman at the Well, Mary Magdalene and Mother Mary. In these 5 days, each woman will be invited to journey with a biblical woman. Through our contemplation and sharing we’ll remain open and curious to each of these shimmering historic women and see where the Spirit guides us.
Throughout our time we’ll root into council with the community of gathered women. This is a circular space where we honour all the wisdom inherent in each woman’s lived experience, and all the seen and unseen, spoken and unspoken ways that it exists.
We live in a civilisation that critically needs to return, rebalance and reconnect with the Organic Intelligence of the Earth. This soulful, Spirit-led work has never been more important.
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:15
This late summer retreat will be a time to daydream with the earth, connect with like-minded women and to rest. Join us and take in the joy, beauty and abundance of our Organic Farm and gardens. After a week in our retreat centre, we know you will leave feeling rejuvenated, reinvigorated and deeply nourished.
Perhaps as we find the woman in the Bible, we’ll find more of ourselves too…
This retreat is suitable for women of all stages of life. Our programme is adaptive and will be tailored to suit the needs of each participant.
Details
DATES
August 25-29, 2026
LOCATION
An Tairseach
CATEGORY
5 Day Residential Retreat
FEE
Residential €750, Non Residential €475
Taylor Marie Daniels
Taylor Marie Daniels, RN-BSN, SEP; Founder, In Rooted Bloom LLC, is a trauma-informed Psychiatric Nurse and certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP™). With over a decade of study in diverse healing modalities, she provides a holistic, embodied approach to nervous system restoration.
She integrates the intersection of Christic faith—viewing the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit—with somatic practices, supporting individuals in expanding their capacity for personal relationship and encounter with God's loving presence as an ever-available extended nervous system. Approaching her work with awe and trust in the body's inherent intelligence and healing capacity, Taylor finds deep joy in holding ceremonial spaces, teaching, and serving at international retreats and online programs.
Key Qualifications and Trainings:
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), with 7+ years in pediatric mental health and trauma-informed care
• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, 3 year training through Somatic Experiencing® International;
• Experiential Dream Work with Leslie Ellis (nervous system healing through dreams)
• Bethel School of Supernatural Ministries
• Mayan Abdominal Massage, Abdominal Therapy Collective (Rosita Arvigo lineage)
• Holistic Pelvic Care with Tami Kent (pelvic health, womb embodiment, and energetic balance)
Melanie O'Driscoll
Melanie is a group facilitator with over 15 years’ experience working with groups in an engaging, dynamic way that encourages active participation and experiential learning.
Using a variety of team building and group dynamic techniques and practice Mel specialises in working with group to co-create safety were authenticity, honesty and courageous curiosity are allowed to flourish in the Veritas spirit of Truthfulness.
After a life changing encounter with Christ, Mel’s interfaith journey grew roots in the Celtic Christian tradition through rosary prayers in Irish and pilgrimages to holy wells and sacred sites across Ireland and Europe.
Using ceremony, storytelling and ritual, she helps people to meet the land – the body of Earth – well, cultivating right relationship with place, self and other. Mel is passionate about creating space for encounter with land-based wisdom that Celtic Christianity offers us and how it can help us engage with the polycrisis of our time.
Key Qualifications and Trainings:
• OneSpirit Interfaith Ministry Training (graduation 2022) which included a 2 year training on spiritual counselling skills (Rogerian), training in the art of ceremony and ritual, experiential learning of different faith paths and deep personal biography healing. Since then, she has spent 4 years facilitating group healing journeys with sound, prayer and nature.
• Facilitator of women’s work based on the Jungian lens of Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes book “The Women Who Run with Wolves” and “If Women Rose Rooted” by Dr. Sharon Blackie. Mel has facilitated several women’s groups and spend time offering in our post partum care, and womb healing experiences. She is at ease working with women of all ages as they reconnect to their innate feminine power and gifts.
• Foundational trainings in Non-violent communication and Restorative Practice.
• Bachelor of Science from UCC in Biological Earth and Environmental science majoring in Zoology (graduation in 2016) with 10+years in environmental educator and group facilitation.