The Art of Stepping Away: Creating Space for Clarity and Joy

The Vitae Team
Aug 29
5 min read

By Christine Sagan, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

I’ve always enjoyed going on retreats. Once I realized I was an empath, I committed to take myself on a yearly retreat. I quickly recognized that travel and family trips had different purposes and did not always leave me refreshed upon return. I’m glad I made that commitment years ago, because some of my fondest memories and magical “ah-hahs” took place in those moments. Books waiting to be read were read, making space to really meditate, try new things, and lean in to self. I learned the art of doing nothing and having no agenda. I crossed paths with lovely people, some of whom left me with words that changed the whole trajectory of my life.

My first retreat was while I attended Catholic high school. We drove to Iowa and stayed at a silent monastery. Growing up with a family of seven, this was my first experience of silence. Silence at age 15. This was an opportunity to go inward and listen to my voice.

Thirty-two years later, I am still going on adventures and retreats. The experiences keep me curious– what don’t I know? What can I uncover, discover, or discard in life that no longer serves me? What is my purpose, and what brings me joy? Questions we should keep asking.

I dreamt that some day I would open and live at a retreat center. Instead, I choose to start with leading retreats. It gives me the flexibility to travel the world and stay open to new experiences. Leading a retreat is such a gift. Holding sacred space for women, inviting them to tap into their authentic selves, watching them tap into their magic. Eyes open. The ripple effect of reciprocity- their healing inspires me to keep working with people. Their strength and peace allow them to show up as better wives, mothers, sisters, and community members.

Taking a retreat in life is about creating the space to return to it with greater clarity, energy, and intention. In the constant rush of responsibilities, technology, and noise, we often lose touch with ourselves and what truly matters. A retreat offers a pause, a chance to step out of routine and reconnect with inner wisdom, nature, and community. It allows the nervous system to reset, creativity to spark, and perspective to shift. Whether it’s for healing, self-discovery, or simply rest, retreating gives us permission to slow down, breathe deeply, and realign with our values—so that when we step back into daily life, we do so with renewed strength and purpose.

Reflections on my most recent retreat

Our first EVOLV retreat unfolded last weekend beneath the embrace of the New Moon in Palmer, AK—a perfect symbol of fresh beginnings. As intentional space was created for women to gather, synchronicities aligned: the right people arrived, and the healing was ready to be done.

The magic of the weekend was held not only in the circle itself but also in all that made it possible—the people who took care of our homes to make it possible for us to attend, the long drive, the trust placed in the process, the dreamer who birthed the vision of the Apiary (and those who supported her along the way), and the ceremonies already held in the space before our arrival. Each unseen thread of effort and intention wove together to create the sacred container.

The setting itself became medicine. Katey’s music wrapped the group in love. Overhead, birds flew as clouds shifted into sacred formations. Sunsets painted the sky, while the fields—with their horses, goat, steer, bees, and green grass—reflected back calm and presence. Nourishing meals, shared laughter, quiet reflection, and the freedom for each woman to tend to her own needs created a living tapestry of healing.

Heartbreak was held tenderly, with the recognition that time and presence allow deep repair. A trinity of three women—each bringing unique gifts—trusted Source to guide the circle. The retreat became a reminder that when we do the inner work, the greater good is served. Reciprocity; each woman showed up fully, not only for herself but for the circle. Every gesture—listening deeply, holding silence, sharing laughter, creating space—became an offering that allowed others to arrive as they were. This was the heartbeat of the weekend: giving and receiving, healing and being healed, loving and being loved.

The timing of this gathering carried its own rare significance. On August 23rd, 2025, we sat under a Black Moon, the second new moon within a single month. New Moons always call us into beginnings, intention-setting, and planting seeds, but a Black Moon amplifies this energy into something rarer, deeper, and more transformative. Because it occurs only every two to three years, it is seen as a kind of cosmic reset, a charged threshold for letting go of the old and stepping fully into the new. Its darkness carries us inward, asking us to pause and reflect, to honor the mystery, to listen to what has been hidden or unspoken. Long tied to the cycles of the feminine—birth, release, renewal—the Black Moon echoes the unseen labor of women and the ancestral lines that ripple through us, inviting healing not just for ourselves, but for those who came before and those yet to come.

How fitting, then, that our inaugural retreat was held beneath this rare lunar phase, aligning our circle with the themes of rebirth, renewal, and collective transformation. The timing itself felt like a blessing, a reminder that sacred work unfolds exactly when it is meant to.

This was more than a weekend. It was a living ritual—women coming together in peace, curiosity, and trust, honoring the importance of the work, not only for themselves but for one another, and for the wider world. May the intentions set and the seeds planted under this Black Moon take root, grow strong, and bear fruit in the form of growth, healing, and needed change. The healing begun here will ripple outward—into our lives, our communities, and the world.

As Viktor Frankl reminds us: “The light of a match once lit changes the darkness forever.”

Before closing this reflection, I invite you into a simple practice of writing a two-way prayer. Begin with the words, “Dear Spirit of Unconditional Love, what would you have me know?” Then sit quietly and listen for what arises. Allow your pen to answer. For inspiration, you may wish to hear how Elizabeth Gilbert shares her own letters in her Substack community.