The Hidden Place
A Day-Long Retreat with The Elderberry & Kat Maier
None of us (unless you’re reading this atop a mountain in a secluded cave where you meditate 8 hours a day) are immune to the stress of today’s world. From environmental damage to wars to a loneliness epidemic, on top of just trying to make it day by day…it’s a lot.
But since you’re probably not planning to retreat to an isolated cave anytime soon, you have to move forward regardless of what Life throws your way.
Why not do so with a calm nervous system and a joyful heart?
The path forward to challenging enough without feelings of dread, fear, and overwhelm.
At The Hidden Place, you’ll be brought back to your center so you can live your life with more clarity and peace. How exactly?
Via the heart.
Perceiving your world through your mind has been so deeply engrained in you that it’s easy to forget, or not even know, that it’s possible to perceive through the heart (and the gut, but that’s a story for another time…). But it’s precisely this engrained habit of on living solely in your monkey mind that causes most of your stress.
When you drop into your heart, you can engage with the world without being consumed by it.
You can take your next step in life, not from fear or overanalyzing, but from self trust and coherence.
Knowing how to drop from the consciousness of your mind to heart consciousness is one of the most important skills you can cultivate for these times.
We can think of no better way to spend Valentine’s Day than to create the world we want to see — a world with more love, more peace, more freedom — by letting our hearts lead the way.
Drop into your Heart through:
Ceremony with Sydney Batson and Meg Madden
A special talk on The Heart as an Organ of Perception with beloved herbalist Kat Maier
An exploration of the astrological, tarot, and herbal themes for this winter and spring season with Sydney and Meg
A nourishing seasonal lunch (with gluten-free, vegan, and omnivore options)
A plant-spirit journey to anchor in your 2026 dreams and visions
This gathering also serves as our second fundraiser event. Your purchase helps us fund our next project: a meaningful rebrand featuring the work of Lara Call Gastinger + updated labels and packaging for our in-house products. Read more about our Fundraiser here.
Saturday, February 14th, we come together at Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, VA to experience deep heart medicine.
Ceremony
Bring an item for the altar that represents what you are stepping into this year. We will have an opening and closing ceremony to offer gratitude to the land and all its inhabitants as they help us plant the seeds of our becoming.
The Heart as an Organ of Perception with Kat Maier
Renowned herbalist Kat Maier will lead a discussion on perceiving from the heart and how important heart consciousness is for us during these turbulent times.
Tarot, Astrology, and Herbs for this Season
Sydney and Meg will present the themes for this Winter and Spring season by weaving astrology, tarot, and herbalism. Two special plants will join us throughout the day to help you drop into your heart so you can manifest from this space.
Plant Journey
You’ll be guided through a plant journey — a somatic exploration of energetic plant medicine. Plants affect not just our physical body, but your subtle bodies as well. You’ll get to experience just what this feels like during this practice.
Nourishing Seasonal Lunch
Enjoy herb-inspired fare appropriate for the winter season. Expect gluten-free, vegan, and omnivore options.
The Hidden Place, The Elderberry’s seasonal retreat, is an invitation to mirror the energy of each season and remember that you are a part of nature. We observe each of the distinct seasons that Virginia offers us, along with the astrological weather, to host a day-long retreat that allows you to feel both fully present to your unique experience AND immersed in the larger energies that are moving through the collective and through the earth.
The Winter season is the best time to prioritize rest in the Wheel of the Year, and the way you winter sets up everything you want to birth in 2026.
Just like how the quality of your sleep determines the quality of your day, the way you engage with winter imbues all of your actions throughout the year.
The combination of deep rest, community, and heart centered awareness you’ll drop into at The Hidden Place will allow you to manifest, not from fear or urgency, but from your heart, from your true nature.
Saturday, February 14th 10am - 4pm
Sacred Plant Traditions, Charlottesville, VA
Exchange: $190
What Previous Retreat Participants Had to Say:
FAQs
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Where: Sacred Plant Traditions in Charlottesville, VA
When: Saturday, February 14th 2026 from 10am - 4pm
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We ask that you join us for the entire day.
We want to create a container where nourishment and rest can deepen over the course of the day.
We are not offering half-day passes.
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Kids 14 - 17 are welcome with a parent or guardian. Both the parent and the teen need to purchase a ticket.
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You’ll be creating a nest that will be your home base for the day. Bring a cushion, a blanket, warm clothing, and anything you’ll need to make yourself feel cozy.
Bring a covered vessel for tea.
Bring a notebook to capture those little “Aha!” moments
Optional: something for the altar (you can either leave it or take it back at the end of the day)
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If you can no longer join us, please email us as soon as you can. We are not offering full refunds for this event. If you cancel by February 11th at 11:59 pm, we will refund you half of your event ticket price. If you cancel on February 12th or later, we are unable to refund you, but you are welcome to give your spot to someone else.
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Yes, we will provide materials for all of the days activities. You’ll go home with some herbal gifts as well :)
