Why is working with horses something so unique?
- They respond to what is actually happening inside you, not to the face you show to the world.
- In their presence, the masks drop. You stop performing and start feeling.
- Their electromagnetic field, instantly connects with ours, allowing our nervous system regulate.
Horses have no agenda, no judgment, and no interest in who you think you should be. They simply respond to who you are. And for most people, that kind of honesty is something they have not felt in a very long time.
presence
A 5-day retreat in the heart of Diani, Kenya,
where presence is the practice and the horses are your guides,
so you leave feeling seen, grounded, and with clarity.
The days here have a rhythm that your nervous system will thank you for
You start with the horses in the morning, when everything is still quiet and you are not yet in your head. Then you rest, journal, eat together. In the afternoon you go back. The horses show you something different every time.
In between there is yoga, meditation, breathwork, holistic and creative workshops, cultural experiences and private sessions with the three facilitators.
And the place holds all of it. The garden, the ocean a few steps away, meals cooked fresh every day, evenings around the table with a group of people ready to embrace their authentic self.
In Kenya, where the connection to Mother Earth is almost impossible to ignore, our retreat “Presence” invites you to discover, together with the horses, how to step into a more coherent and free version of yourself.
The horse does not know your job title, your story, or the version of you that you have gotten good at showing people. It only knows what is true right now. That is what gets reflected back.
Maybe the fears you are trying to hide. Maybe the way you try to control instead of lead. Maybe how much tension you are carrying just to look calm in your daily life.
There is something almost magical about an animal showing you a part of yourself, just as it is. And, as that becomes visible, you feel the relief of letting go of something that felt so heavy. The thing you thought mattered most was not always the most important thing in your life.
You will also feel what it is like to be around people who live in close relationship with nature, the local community, the land, the rhythm of the coast. It changes something in you just to be near it
You will leave feeling more free, with clarity and more connected to yourself
At its heart, this journey is about presence, and the horses are your teachers. They have always known how to be fully here, fully honest, fully themselves, and they will show you what that actually feels like in your own body.
And in Diani, with the horses guiding you and the ocean holding the whole experience, the shift will not come only from what you do (the sessions, the movement, the practices), but from what you finally let go of, the performing, the forcing, the noise, the overthinking, the lack of clarity, so you can embrace who you really are.
What You Can Expect From This Retreat
Release what no longer serves you
Free yourself from fears, patterns, guilt, and expectations that may be keeping you stuck.
Reconnect with your authentic self
Rediscover who you are beneath roles, responsibilities, and masks and enjoy the real you again.
Find clarity and direction
Gain new perspectives on your challenges and the confidence to make choices aligned with you.
Restore inner balance
Calm your mind, release stress, and feel at home in your body through horse-guided sessions.
LEARN TO BE FULLY PRESENT
Practice presence the way the horses do, with your whole body, not just with your mind.
Experience the power of community
Share circles with like-minded souls and feel seen, supported, and understood.
You will leave having embodied what you came for
Leave with practical tools, a calmer mind and body, and a clarity that stays with you once you are back home.
A JOURNEY TO PRESENCE
Each experience is designed to help you let go of what no longer serves you and feel safe being fully present.
These are some of the practices that will guide your path in Kenya:
- Daily Yoga Practices: gentle, grounding flows to reconnect with your body.
- Cultural Experiences: a variety of local experiences that connect you to the rhythm of Kenya.
- Guided Meditations & Mindfulness: practices to calm the mind and come back to the present moment.
- Sunset Canoe Trip: quiet time on the water to let everything settle.
- Horse-Guided Sessions: the heart of the retreat, where presence and coherence are just natural.
- Sharing Circles & Community Gatherings: safe spaces to be heard, supported, and seen.
- Time by the Ocean & in Nature: moments of stillness and connection with the land of Diani Beach.
- Integration Practices: techniques to carry your transformation back into daily life.
Diani: A Sacred Land of Connection
The name Diani comes from the Digo people, one of Kenya’s coastal Mijikenda communities. In their language, it means a sacred place, often linked to ancestral lands and forests used for rituals and community gatherings.
This land was never just a beach. For centuries, the Digo people have lived here in close relationship with the ocean, the forest, and each other, a way of life built on presence long before presence became something the rest of the world had to relearn.
During the retreat, you will be hosted just steps from the Indian Ocean, in a space where nature and presence are the way things have always been.
Surrounded by this land and its history, the journey back to presence unfolds with ease, and with the wisdom of the horses showing you the way.
The Retreat Schedule
Day 1 - Sat, FEBRUARY 20th
- 10 am – 12 pm: Arrival and Check-in
- 1 pm: Welcome Lunch / Rest & Free Time
- 4 pm: Opening Ceremony
- 6 pm: Sunset Yin Yoga
- 7 pm: Dinner
DAY 2 - SUN, FEBRUARY 21TH
- 7 am: Breakfast
- 8:30 am: Meet the Horses / Group Horse-Guided Session
- 11:30 am: Back to Villa / Lunch / Free Time
- 3:30 pm: Group Horse-Guided Session
- 6 pm: Sunset Yoga
- 7:30 pm: Dinner
DAY 3 - MON, FEBRUARY 22TH
- 7 am: Breakfast
- 9 am: GROUP 1: Horseback Riding by the Beach (tide dependent) / GROUP 2: Yoga/Workshop & Free Time
- 11 am: Back to Villa / Lunch / Free Time
- 2 pm: GROUP 2: Horseback Riding by the Beach (tide dependent) / GROUP 1: Yoga/Workshop & Free Time
- 5 pm: Sunset Canoe Trip
- 7 pm: Dinner
DAY 4 - TUE, FEBRUARY 23TH
am: Breakfast
- 8:30 am: Horse-Guided 1:1 Sessions / Creative Activity
- 11:30 am: Back to Villa / Lunch / Free Time
- 3 pm: Horse-Guided 1:1 Sessions / Creative Activity
- 6 pm: Cultural Experience
- 7 pm: Dinner
DAY 5 - WED, FEBRUARY 24TH
- 6 am: Sunrise Walking Meditation on the beach
- 7 am: Breakfast
- 9 am – 11 am: Integration & Closing
- 11 am: Check out & Departure
- 1 pm: Drive to Taita Park (for those continuing to the safari)
- 7 pm: Dinner at the lodge
DAY 6 - THU, FEBRUARY 25TH (Optional Safari)
- 6 am: Sunrise Breakfast
- 7 am – 1 pm: Safari
- 1 pm: Lunch at the lodge and free time
- 4 pm: Safari
- 7 pm: Dinner at the lodge
DAY 7 - FRI, FEBRUARY 26TH (Optional Safari)
- 6 am: Sunrise Breakfast
- 7 am – Midday: Safari
- 1 pm: Lunch at the lodge
- 2 pm: Check out & Departure
Begin your journey back to Presence
Five days to reconnect with Presence and meet the authentic you. Return back home having more clarity, feeling empowered, and free.
ONLY 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE
Single room
Reserve your place at the retreat now for only AED 2,000 (approximately USD 500).
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shared Double room
Reserve your place at the retreat now for only AED 2,000 (approximately USD 500).
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SAFARI (optional)
2-night Safari Add-On, in Taita Hills, immersed in the wild, right after the retreat ends.
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Special rate available for couples or friends booking together. Prices are shown in United Arab Emirates Dirhams and USD.
Meet the team:
Katherine | Retreat Co-host
Holistic Therapist & yoga instructor
Katherine is a holistic therapist specializing in Systemic Therapy and Energy Healing. She offers guidance to others to reconnect with their essence, release inherited patterns and cultivate authentic harmony between body, mind and soul.
Shereen | Retreat Co-host
Holistic Health Coach and Horse-Guided Empowerment Facilitator
Shereen combines her corporate background with her passion for horses and holistic wellbeing. As a coach, her purpose is to inspire people to reconnect with themselves, find clarity, and live with greater authenticity.
Linda | Retreat Co-host
coach & horse-guided EMPOWERMENT
Linda is a certified Life and Leadership Coach and Horse-Guided Empowerment practitioner based in Nairobi, with Lebanese roots and an international background .
She works with individuals and groups, creating safe and grounded spaces where real transformation becomes possible, through powerful coaching conversations and the unique mirror that only horses can offer.
What participants experienced
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is for people who love nature and feel something alive in them when they are around animals. People who have been doing inner work for a while and feel ready to go deeper. People who know there is a gap between who they are in their daily life and who they actually are underneath, and want to close that gap. People who want to reconnect with being Present.
DO I NEED EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES OR ANY OTHER PRACTICE?
No experience is needed at all. Almost all the work with the horses happens from the ground, there is no riding involved in the Horse-Guided Sessions.
What practices are included in the retreat?
The heart of the retreat is the Horse-Guided Sessions, where the horses act as mirrors reflecting your inner world. Alongside that, the week includes yin and vinyasa yoga, mindfulness practices, personal development workshops, ecstatic dance and handcraft workshops.
Do I have to participate in everything?
The Horse-Guided Sessions are the core of the retreat and we encourage full participation. Some activities like the optional horseback ride on the beach are flexible. The retreat is designed to support you, and if you need rest or time alone at any point, that is always respected.
WHAT IS THE SAFARI ADD-ON?
After the retreat closes on February 24th, those who wish to continue travel together to Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary for two nights. The two days include morning and afternoon game drives through the sanctuary, meals at the lodge, and plenty of time to just sit with the wildlife and the open landscape.
What is included in the price?
Accommodation for 4 nights at a private beach villa in Diani Beach, all meals prepared by a personal chef, all Horse-Guided Sessions and retreat activities including the sunset canoe trip, cultural dance, horse-riding by the beach, weaving workshop, and ground transfers during the retreat. A welcome package is also included.
What is not included in the price?
International flights to and from Kenya, visa fees, travel insurance. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance before your trip.
What kind of food will be served?
Fresh, locally sourced meals prepared daily by a personal chef at the villa. Please let us know in advance of any dietary requirements, allergies, or preferences and we will make sure you are taken care of.
How many people will attend the retreat?
The group is kept to a maximum of 12 participants. This is intentional. A small group means everyone gets real time with the facilitators and with the horses, and the container stays intimate enough for people to actually open up.
How do I know if this retreat is right for me?
If you are reading this and something in you is responding to it, that is probably your answer. If you are still unsure, reach out to us directly. We are happy to have a conversation and help you figure out if this is the right fit for where you are right now.
Payment Terms and Disclaimer
By completing your payment, you confirm your participation in the Blissful Balance Retreat taking place from Feb 20th to Oct 24th, 2027. Spaces are limited, so your spot will be fully secured once the payment is processed.
All participants are responsible for their own travel arrangements including flights, visas, travel insurance and any additional expenses not specified in the retreat package. Blissful Balance is not responsible for personal injuries, delays, cancellations or any unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.
If you have any medical condition, dietary requirement or special need, please inform us in advance so we can support you in the best possible way.
We have also partnered with an external travel company that can assist with your flight bookings.
Refund & Cancellation Policy
If you cancel 120 days or more before the retreat start date.
You will receive a full refund including the deposit, minus any transaction fees.
If you cancel between 90 and 119 days before the retreat.
You will receive a full refund of any amount paid, minus the deposit and any transaction fees.
If you cancel between 60 and 89 days before the retreat.
You will receive a 50% refund of the total amount paid, minus the deposit.
If you cancel 59 days or less before the retreat.
No refunds are available as all arrangements have been confirmed on our side. However, you are welcome to transfer your spot to someone else with prior approval from the Blissful Balance team, at no extra charge.
Retreat Cancellation by Blissful Balance
If the retreat is canceled by Blissful Balance for any reason, all payments including the deposit will be fully refunded. We are not responsible for any travel expenses already booked, so we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance.