VITA is back for it’s 5th Edition!
This time our home for the day will be beautiful Quinta Do Rio, in the stunning area of Arrabida.
It will be a day of celebration: motherhood, our children and the preciousness of the small simple things, being together in nature.
VITA is born out of the dream to celebrate and share motherhood.
A bubble where our precious time can stop and we can truly focus on connecting deeply to ourselves and our children.
Where there is nothing to do, except to enjoy the present moment. The giggles, the creativity, the imagination, the play, the joy of our child. The beauty of sharing motherhood with other mothers, to inspire each other, ignite new lifelong friendships, find support and simply be seen in this intimate role.
A day that reminds us that we aren't meant to be doing it alone.
To rekindle the wonder of seeing the world for the first time, over and over again, through our children’s eyes.
A space to come with your own mother, to heal and nourish. For her to see you and for you to see her, women, mothers.
A day that will nourish you deeply - emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically.
The invitation is towards any woman who’d like to join the celebration. Creating a group of women that extends through the whole lineage. Mothers, Mothers to be, Grandmothers, Sisters, Aunts, Caregivers, Friends - you are all welcomed to join to celebrate the sacredness of women and their children gathering together in nature.
The Story
Join us for a full day of dreamy programming at Quinta do Rio (Arrabida, 50 min from Lisbon).
Quinta do Rio's nature will provide a backdrop to a heartfelt program of child-led seasonal sensory nature play, earthy creativity and nature craft, created by Nature Play Collective.
Together we will play, explore and create, connecting to the Earth and each other in a heart centred and playful way, surrounded by community and the beauty of this special land.
We will then rest, relax and delight ourselves with a delicious buffet lunch - with fish, vegetables and more. Quinta Do Rio offers a beautiful pool, where we will have time to play, dip and swim, for our delight and that of our children!
We will then gather in circle, to invite ritual into our day. By letting our children see what it is to gather together, create moments of presence, beauty and care we are teaching them something invaluable: what true self-care and nurture feel like to body, mind, soul.
The Program
09.30 Arrival
9.30 - 10.30 Opening Circle
10.30 - 12.30 Holistic Nature Play
by Nature Play Collective
12.30 - 14.30 Lunch & Pool Time
A beautiful buffet of fresh fish and vegetables, as well as a nourishing pasta for the little ones
14.30 - 16 Mother Circle & Downtempo
16 - 16.30 Closing Celebration
Limited spaces available!
FAQ:
What ages are welcomed?
Children of all ages are welcomed to join. The programming is designed for children from ages 1-12.
My child naps. Will there be a space where we can rest?
Quinta do Rio is immersed in nature so there is space for you to go on a little walk if your child naps on a sling/pram. There is also some cosy space in the inside area with couches and armchairs.
What will our children be doing during the Mother Circle?
Our children are welcome to stay with us during the sharing, or play in nature if old enough. There will be creative invitations to play in the space where we will be gathering for the little ones to be able to have their own entertainment. The idea is simply to be mindful of the rest of the tribe - if for some reason our little one needs our full attention and needs a break from the room we can just pop out with them! If joining with mother, sister, friend even better - we can have our tribe support us so that we can share the load <3
Can my partner/husband join?
For this edition it will be women only - we are cooking something different for 2025. Stay tuned!
Is it worth it to join if I’m pregnant?
100%. You are a mother already! It will be very special for you to join and breathe the energy of a gathering like this. As a source of inspiration, learning, connection, reflection, observation and to set the roots for a mothering community around you.
Is it worth it to join if I don’t have children?
100%. Watching children play, being in nature, meeting other women, reflecting on motherhood, gathering in circle, participating in ritual, chanting, dancing...come enjoy. And maybe take your own mother for some bonding mother - daughter time: it can be very healing and nourishing, regardless of age, space and time.
If you have any other question, you can reach out directly here:
Want to read about other Mothers’ experiences with VITA?
More about..
To learn more about Lehua and previous editions of VITA: A Retreat For Mother & Child
I support women find and recover an intimate connection with themselves through a deep exploration of their emotional, mental, physical and spiritual health. When I became a mother I started to feel the need to create community around myself to share this incredible journey, called by the deepest conviction that we are not meant to be doing this alone. I needed a place where I could be surrounded by other mothers and their children to have a space to explore how each of us felt, to get inspired by each other, and to really enjoy the pure presence of watching our children be together, play, be free in nature, without any pressure to fit in a world so adult oriented. This is how VITA began, a project to celebrate motherhood with a programme that can embrace mothers, children and the whole feminine lineage.
To learn more about Nature Play Collective
Nature Play Collective, a magical dive into the wondrous world of nature!
Forest school and holistic nature play group based in Cascais, Nature Play Collective offers mindfully curated nature play gatherings, programs and holiday camps that revolve around earth inspired craft, sensory development, holistic play, mindfulness and conscious connection to the land and farm animals.