A place to slow down and be with what is.
An invitation to witness and be witnessed in the fullness of our humanity.
24–30 July 2026
Ebbio, Tuscany
The Invitation
In a world that often asks us to move faster, know more, produce more and hold more, it can be difficult to find spaces where we are invited to simply stop.
Many of us are carrying so much. Personal transitions, grief, uncertainty about the future, questions about how to live well in a changing world. We consume endless information about what is happening around us, yet rarely have the opportunity to pause and ask: what do we do with all this knowing?
We live in a time where we have access to more information than ever before. We are constantly being told how to eat, how to move, how to sleep, how to heal, how to optimise ourselves, and yet for many of us there is a growing sense of disconnection, from our bodies, from one another, and from the natural world that sustains us.
There comes a point where the answer is not more information, but creating enough space to hear what is already there.
To hear the wisdom of our own bodies.
To remember what it feels like to move every day, to eat good food, to spend time on beautiful land, to swim, to rest, to have meaningful conversations, to laugh, to dance, and to be surrounded by people who are also trying to navigate what it means to be alive in these times.
Soft Landing is not an attempt to escape the world or transcend it. It is an invitation to spend a few days together slowing down enough to reconnect with ourselves, with each other, and with the land beneath our feet, trusting that some things can only be understood through experience, relationship and presence.
This gathering was born from a simple longing, a longing for a place where we could move our bodies every day, eat slowly and intentionally, spend time in nature, write, swim, rest, laugh, make new friends and remember what it feels like to be fully human.
A place where dance is not another thing to achieve, but a way of listening. A place where writing becomes a conversation with ourselves. A place where grief, joy, uncertainty and aliveness are all welcome.
Rather than asking how we can do more, become more, or know more, we are interested in what becomes possible when we strip things back to the essentials and remember what it means to be human.
[book]
What We’ll Explore
Through movement, dance, writing, grief tending, conversation and time spent in nature, we will create space to reconnect with ourselves and one another.
The retreat will weave together somatic movement, embodied dance, writing and reflection, meaningful conversation, grief tending practices, rest, community and spacious time to simply be.
There will also be opportunities to swim, walk, read, journal, explore the surrounding countryside, and enjoy the beauty and simplicity of life on the land.
Optional womb massage sessions and women's health treatments with Samara will be available during free time.
Dance as Medicine
Many of us know what it feels like to become stuck.
Stuck in our thoughts. Stuck in uncertainty. Stuck in old stories about who we are and who we should be. Stuck in the responsibilities and demands of everyday life.
Movement has long been one of the ways human beings have found their way back to themselves and to one another.
Before dance became performance, before movement became exercise, it was a way of celebrating, grieving, marking transitions, building community and expressing what could not always be put into words.
Throughout the retreat, movement will be woven through our days not as something to perfect or achieve, but as a practice of returning. A way of coming back into relationship with ourselves, with our bodies, with joy, with creativity and with the people around us.
Through somatic movement, dance, walking, swimming and embodied practices, we will explore how movement can help us soften what has become rigid, reconnect with our aliveness, and deepen our capacity to be with the many transitions, uncertainties and complexities of being human.
Movement has always been one of the ways we make meaning together. One of the ways we express ourselves, connect with others, and remember that we are alive.
Life at Soft Landing
A typical day may look something like this:
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7:00am
Tea, coffee and light snacks available before morning practice.
8:30am – 10:00am
Morning movement practice, dance or somatic session.
10:00am – 11:30am
Brunch.
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11:30am – 4:00pm
Free time to swim, rest, read, journal, walk, explore the surrounding area, book a treatment, or simply spend time enjoying the land.
4:00pm – 6:00pm
Workshop, writing session, grief tending practice or guided group inquiry.
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7:00pm
Dinner.
8:30pm
Evening gathering, conversation, dance, music, ritual or reflection.
Please note that this schedule is intended as a guide and may evolve as the retreat takes shape.
The Place
Ebbio is a restored 13th-century farmhouse nestled within an evergreen forest in the Tuscan countryside, overlooking the medieval walled town of Monteriggioni.
The farm is home to olive groves, vineyards, fruit trees, vegetable gardens and herbs, much of which is used in the preparation of meals served throughout the retreat. Ebbio is committed to organic cultivation and sustainable living, with a focus on renewable energy, permaculture, waste reduction and supporting the local community.
The property includes a swimming pool, communal dining spaces, gardens, walking trails, a dedicated practice space and a variety of indoor and outdoor areas for gathering, resting, reading and reflection.
The rooms are individually designed, drawing on the character and heritage of the farmhouse, with views across the surrounding Tuscan landscape.
Who This Is For
This retreat is for anyone longing to step out of the pace of everyday life and spend a few days moving more slowly, more intentionally, and more in tune with themselves.
Perhaps you're navigating a transition. Perhaps you're carrying questions about what comes next. Perhaps you're craving space to reflect, reconnect with your body, spend time in nature, meet new people, or simply take a breath.
You don't need any prior experience with dance, somatic practices, writing or grief tending. Your curiosity and willingness is enough!
This retreat is as much about joy, pleasure, beauty, friendship and aliveness as it is about making space for the more difficult parts of being human.
While much of our work has been shaped through women's experiences, embodiment and ways of knowing, this retreat is open to anyone who feels aligned with its intention and approach.
[book]
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Naomi Shimada is a writer, somatic coach and grief tending practitioner of Japanese and European descent. Her work explores how we remain connected to ourselves, our bodies and one another in times of transition, uncertainty and change.
Drawing on somatic coaching, grief tending, writing, ritual and years of exploring what it means to live meaningfully in a rapidly changing world, Naomi creates spaces that invite people to slow down, listen inward and reconnect with their own innate wisdom.
She is the founder of Soft Landing, a body-oriented coaching practice, and the writer behind Tender Contributions, a newsletter exploring grief, belonging, beauty, embodiment and the complexity of being human.
@naomishimada
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Naomi Shimada is a writer, somatic coach and grief tending practitioner of Japanese and European descent. Her work explores how we remain connected to ourselves, our bodies and one another in times of transition, uncertainty and change.
Drawing on somatic coaching, grief tending, writing, ritual and years of exploring what it means to live meaningfully in a rapidly changing world, Naomi creates spaces that invite people to slow down, listen inward and reconnect with their own innate wisdom.
She is the founder of Soft Landing, a body-oriented coaching practice, and the writer behind Tender Contributions, a newsletter exploring grief, belonging, beauty, embodiment and the complexity of being human.
@naomishimada
Meet Your Hosts
Accommodation and Pricing
Shared Triple Room
€1,800
Shared Triple Room
€1,800
Shared Triple Room
€1,800
Maximum group size: 10–16 guests.
Pricing includes accommodation, meals, workshops and retreat activities.
Getting There
Ebbio is approximately 60km from Florence Airport, 90km from Pisa Airport and close to Monteriggioni and Siena.
Guests can arrive via Florence or Pisa airports, or by train via Siena.
Closer to the retreat we will help connect guests who would like to share transfers, taxis or rental cars.
To reserve your place, please complete the booking form and submit your €500 deposit here.
Soft Landing requires a minimum of 10 participants to run. Should the retreat not go ahead, all deposits will be refunded in full.
Your deposit will be deducted from the total cost of your chosen room. Full payment details and timelines will be shared following your booking.
