Voices of the Turning Leaves:
A Women's Retreat for Voice, Renewal & Belonging
September 18 to 20 2026
Sign up now for Early Bird AND
receive $50 off for the first 3 who join!
As summer gives way to autumn and the full moon rises over the mountains of Crestone, women gather for three days and three nights of sacred song, ritual, nature, sisterhood, and deep reconnection.
Voices of the Turning Leaves is an intimate women's retreat for those moving through life's transitions and longing to reconnect with their authentic voice, inner wisdom, and sense of belonging. If you are feeling called toward a more vibrant and meaningful expressive life, this retreat offers space to pause, listen deeply, and remember who you are becoming.
At the heart of this experience is the power of voice—not performance, but expression. Through song, drumming, movement, ritual, and shared presence, we create a space where women can be seen, heard, and celebrated exactly as they are. Together we unplug from technology and return to the wisdom of the body, the rhythms of nature, and the healing power of authentic community. This is not a performance-based retreat. There is nothing to achieve. No pressure to be spiritual, polished, or perfect.
Instead, this is a space for:
• Reclaiming your voice and self-expression
• Meaningful connection and sisterhood
• Sacred song, drumming, and ceremony
• Emotional honesty and heartfelt sharing
• Rest from constant stimulation
• Wild beauty, laughter, movement, and joy
• Reconnecting with your inner knowing
During our time together we will share:
• Sacred women's song and drum circles including lyrics with guided instruction
• A sweat lodge ceremony or women's sacred pipe ceremony (weather dependent)
• Healthy, nourishing meals
• Optional hiking and creek time
• Fun times and emotional release
Women will stay at Rayah's uniquely designed rock and earth home, with additional nearby lodging options available if needed. The retreat setting is intentionally simple, intimate, and nature-connected, offering a chance to step away from the demands of daily life and into a more grounded and authentic rhythm. There are various options available and overnight accommodations with bedding are on a first come first to receive basis.
Airbnb’s are reasonably priced and abundant in Crestone! Here are some options in the neighborhood:
Tranquil Lighthouse, Serenity Mountain Home, Crestone Mountain Paradise with Views
Retreat Flow
Friday, September 18
Arrival between 4–6 PM, dinner followed by opening circle, voice and song activation and evening connection.
Saturday, September 19
Light breakfast, 11 am Ceremony - sweat lodge or sacred pipe ceremony (depending on weather), main nourishing feast around 2 pm, rest, followed by a deeper dive into sound healing expressions with instruments and earth based songs. And we’ll enjoy more healthy, yummy snacks/beverages! This retreat will focus on women’s songs both traditional North American and Contemporary English.
Sunday, September 20
Breakfast, closing circle, and departure by 11 AM.
Participation is intentionally limited to 15 to 20 women to foster depth, trust, and genuine connection - up to 10 with overnight accommodations in house, shared bathroom for campers.
For women ready to reclaim their voice, celebrate their becoming, and step into the next season of life surrounded by song, beauty, ritual, and sisterhood—welcome.
About your Retreat Artisans
Rayah Sunshine
Voices of the Turning Leaves was born from a lifelong love of song, ceremony, and the transformative power of women gathering in community.
For more than twenty years, I have studied and shared sacred songs from diverse traditions, witnessing how singing together can open the heart, awaken the spirit, and reconnect us to something ancient within ourselves. Again and again, I have watched women discover that the voice they long to reclaim is not just their singing voice—it is their truth, their creativity, their intuition, and their place within the greater song of life.
As the leaves begin to turn and autumn arrives in the mountains of Crestone, we gather for three days of shared song, ritual, nature, and sisterhood. Together we explore voice as a pathway to healing, self-expression, courage, and connection. No musical experience is necessary. This retreat is not about performance or perfection—it is about participation, presence, and discovering the joy of singing in community.
My own life has been shaped by the medicine of song. Through seasons of grief, transition, motherhood, loss, celebration, and renewal, singing has offered a way home to myself and a bridge to others.
Voices of the Turning Leaves is an invitation to remember the song that lives within you and to add your voice to a circle of women doing the same. Whether you come seeking healing, inspiration, belonging, or simply the joy of singing beneath the autumn sky, you are welcome here.
Rayah Sunshine is a song carrier, ceremonial artist, and guide devoted to helping people reclaim the power of their authentic voice. For more than two decades she has explored the transformative potential of song, rhythm, prayer, and earth-based practice as pathways to connection, healing, and belonging. Through community singing, drumming, and sound-based experiences, Rayah creates welcoming spaces where people can rediscover the joy, freedom, and medicine of their own voice. Learn more about Rayah
Tiana Rivera
Tiana will be our Sacred Food Artisan for this retreat. She is an earthy solo mama to two teens and has been passionate about whipping up magic in the kitchen since she was a young child. She has been a student of the wild wise woman ways for five years, which Rayah has been a supportive influence and guide. Whether she’s climbing mountains, navigating teenage attitudes, or crunching numbers at her day job; she weaves prayers into form to honor the sacredness that all our ancestors whisper for us to remember.