Three days of slow, deliberate gathering, held by Lesanne and Jacob
Winter Retreat
Ritual of Belonging
27–29 November 2026 Château Cortils, Belgium
A three-day retreat with Lesanne & Jacob.
Three days in the quiet of the Ardennes, gathered around sound, voice, and one another.
This is a retreat to be truly seen — exactly as you already are — by people willing to do the same. To sound together. To sit in circle. To rest. To remember what the body already knows: that belonging is not something we earn. It is something we return to.
Lesanne and Jacob hold a slow, spacious room — equal parts ritual, sound, and stillness — where presence is the practice and being witnessed is what heals.
A note from us
There is a quality of attention that changes everything.
When we stop performing, stop explaining, stop arranging ourselves for the room — and simply allow ourselves to be heard — something settles. Something true comes forward.
This is the work we do together at this retreat. No big interventions. No breakthroughs on demand. A returning, instead, to a more honest frequency. A way of being with each other that feels older — the kind the old traditions never lost — where we listen beneath the words, find the places within ourselves that indicate truth, and trust what we find there.
When a circle holds that kind of attention, we make room. The rest happens.
This retreat is also built around ancient human tools: the circle, the voice, the ritual of being part of something larger than ourselves.
Some of you are coming back. Some are coming for the first time. The work of these three days is to make a space where neither matters — where each person, whatever they bring, can drop into the circle and be received.
We will sound together. We will sit in silence together. We will share meals at one table. And in the centre of it all, we will craft a ritual of belonging.
— Lesanne & Jacob
What we're making space for
This retreat may be for you if you recognise some of the following.
- A quiet sense that you are ready for a different pace
- A longing to be in a circle of people who are truly here
- A wish to feel like yourself again — in the body, not just in thought
- A quiet draw toward ritual, toward something with form and meaning
- Trust that your voice has more to offer you, even after years of practice
- The desire to deepen rather than start over
- A sense that your aliveness wants space to come back
- No experience needed — you don't need a good voice, you need an honest one
- Wanting to be seen as you are, without having to perform it
- A readiness to remember that you belong — to yourself, to a circle, to the season's quieter rhythm
What to expect
Three days, woven slowly.
Sound constellations and Somatic Vocal Healing, drawn from where the group actually is, rather than a fixed program
A central ritual of belonging, woven across the three days, that asks nothing of you except your presence
Walks in the winter woods and rest as part of the curriculum
Home-cooked vegetarian meals prepared by Muriel, Jacob's mother
Silence where it is needed, song where it is needed, and time to do neither
Not singing — sounding. One tone, the tone of what's there. You cannot do it wrong.
Your facilitators
Held by Lesanne & Jacob
Lesanne
Facilitator & space holder
Lesanne is a facilitator with decades of experience holding groups — steady, warm, and unhurried.
She holds the feeling and the body of the group with a quiet, practised way of listening.
Jacob
Founder of Somatic Vocal Healing
Jacob is an international Somatic Vocal Healing educator and musician, and the founder of the SVH method and Sound Constellations.
He holds space with the voice, the piano, and the circle — and keeps the room steady while you do the one thing only you can do.
Together, they create a space that is at once playful and deep, gentle and unwavering — a space where you can relax and be truly seen.
From past retreats at the castle
A few moments
What others have said
From the circle.
"Last year's retreat was a life-changing event for me — a time of deep healing and creative expression of my soul through word, sound, movement, and community. The masterful facilitation by Jacob and Lesanne created a container in which we could truly process our lives. The deepening, the opening, the vulnerability — it created a leap forward in my healing journey."
Rebecca, teacher "Last year's retreat was an absolute joy. Taking time out of my busy life to connect deeply with the heart through Somatic Vocal Healing had a profound effect on me — ripples that continue to resonate. The space, the accommodation, the food were all superb, and I loved being with people who shared the same commitment to live more from the heart. Both Jacob and Lesanne are stellar facilitators."
Caitríona, actor "Both Lesanne and Jacob are so present that you truly feel held. Together they create a brave and safe space, taking care of everyone with such attentiveness. Jacob guides through Somatic Vocal Healing into heart-centered connection; Lesanne's tender, loving energy brings an additional sense of peace and support. We slept in an old castle, the food was delicious, and deep relationships were formed. I plan to join again."
Minja, consultant 
Looking forward to meeting you in the Ardennes.
Our framework for this circle
A circle worth protecting
This retreat is a space for somatic regulation, for being met, and for the quiet work of returning to yourself in a held circle. The integrity of that circle is a shared responsibility — and we want it to truly serve you and the group as a whole.
If any of the following applies to you, please reach out to us before registering so we can talk about it together:
- You are currently navigating addiction in any form (the retreat is alcohol- and substance-free for the full three days)
- You are currently taking state-altering medication
- You are arriving from, or moving through, an especially intense moment in your life — a sudden loss, a raw and recent trauma, a time when you felt severely unsteady
- You are carrying unresolved, older trauma that may unsettle you when it surfaces in a group setting, and might be better held by a therapeutic professional in a 1:1 context
We would rather have an honest conversation beforehand than find it is not a good fit on the first evening — so please write to us if anything here raises a question.
Practical information
Everything you need to know
When
Arrival on Friday, 27 November 2026. You are welcome to explore the castle grounds from 14:00. The program begins at 15:00 with tea and cake, followed by time to settle into your room before the first session at 16:30.
The retreat concludes at 16:00 (4 p.m.) on Sunday, 29 November 2026.
Where
The retreat takes place in a historic castle dating back to 947, which has been renovated about every hundred years. Today it serves as a retreat and guest centre — a calm, peaceful place to gather with care.
Set in the green Ardennes, the castle is surrounded by a tranquil landscape with a picturesque pond and an enchanting forest, with plenty of room to walk, rest, and relax. The rustic, cozy rooms feel like home, while the workshop hall — wrapped in glass windows — opens onto stunning views of the grounds.
Château Cortils
Chemin des Cortils 5, 4670 Blegny, Belgium
www.chateaucortils.com
How to get there
If you are travelling from abroad by plane, we will help you arrange shared taxis or shuttles with other arrivals. Those coming from Belgium can drive and share a car with others.
Included
- 3 days, 2 nights at Château Cortils
- 16 hours of workshops with Lesanne and Jacob
- Delicious organic vegetarian meals lovingly prepared by Muriel, Jacob's mother
- Tea, cake, and snacks during breaks
- A beautiful workshop hall with panoramic views of the land
- Walks in the forest of the castle grounds
Contact & registration
Save your place
27–29 November 2026 Château Cortils, Belgium With Lesanne & Jacob
Spaces are limited. Choose the room that suits you — we'll hold your place, take you to a secure payment page, and follow up with the practical details and your specific room assignment.
Or email us directly at info@songdance.co
A home for your heart — 10% off every room, just for you.