2024

Last year I was in the Azores for the first time. How beautiful and how good it felt to be there. I went back in April because it kept attracting me. An acquaintance told me about retreats in the Azores. That seemed absolutely fantastic to me! And it was..and more! It was in a place where I feel completely at home, but Carin creates a safe setting, allowing you to completely immerse yourself. Through the combination of what Carin offers with meditations, yoga, walks and her strong empathy and the magic of the place, I managed completely to ground myself (finally) and to fully connect with myself. Even now that I'm back home, I still manage to ground myself every time.
I feel enormous gratitude to you Carin, that you managed to create the right setting and circumstances for me. But I also feel great gratitude to myself for giving me this retreat as a gift. Thank you again Carin, it was a pleasure to be with you in the Azores.

 

Retreat on Sao Miguel. A retreat focused mainly on meditation and energetic experiences on a beautiful, green island. Almost everywhere you look you see the Atlantic Ocean. Nature and the ocean ensure that you are more in touch with yourself and the here and now. Carin's guidance was very nice. She has a keen eye for what concerns you. In addition, she is a warm person who has both feet on the ground and has the necessary sense of humor. She is very involved and it is never too much for her, she is always open to you. The (little outdated) house, with a beautiful large garden and a view of the ocean, was a nice place to return to every day. I did miss the yoga a bit. After several weeks at home, I still think otften about this retreat. I take the grounding, the feet in the earth, with me every day, where I can still evoke the wind and the (life) joyful feeling that came up in me.

 

Beautiful week, with a nice build-up program.Carin (a very nice and loving person by the way) has taught me a lot about staying in my own energy and has also given me new insights. Very grateful for that! The Azores are truly beautiful, what a hidden gem. In short: great week, highly recommended!

 

Wonderful days: Carin responded to my wishes during these 5 days, I felt very comfortable during these 5 days, my expectations were fulfilled, it was a wonderful time, thank you.

Grounding and growing at Faial. Building on my first experience of the group retreat on Sao Miguel, I started a individual retreat which once again exceeded my expectations. Under Carin's guidance, the breathtaking nature of Faial and Pico, I gained more control over my own life story. The retreat combines moments of tranquility with moments of personal reflection through meaningful conversations, effective meals and moments of serene style in the tranquil atmosphere of the Azores. Every day, the retreat carefully composed by Carin unfolds, inviting you to shed the burdens of the past and embrace the infinite possibilities of the present. If you are longing for nature, a call for a self-discovery, a call for a moment of peace in the chaos of everyday life, the Azores experience offers an experience that is an eye-opener . It is a story of fundamental and self-discovery that will stay with you for a long time after leaving the Azores. 💚🌷

After searching the internet for a week for myself in Portugal, I came across Carin. After telephone contact, which was the deciding factor for me to book because it immediately felt good, I went on a 1-on-1 retreat in the Azores. From the moment I saw Carin I immediately felt at ease. This made me tell my life story. Carin guided me for 5 days in a process of letting go, processing and using my strength in the right way. It was a special week. The Azores is a wonderful place to open up to personal development. This in combination with such a warm, empathetic and professional therapist like Carin has offered me insights that I can continue with at home. Thank you very much dear Carin!

 

We had a second retreat with Carin and it was once again so beautiful and intense.To being reunited with her after few months from our first retreat felt so right and so needed, like coming home to ourselves with her holding our hands.To pick up from where we left and to reflect back on what has happened in these months, it has been such an essential exercise as life pass by so fast and it is so easy to get lost in the grind and oversee the small, but significant, changes and steps within ourselves.To be in the dunes by the sea with the calm of the winter, allowed us to slow down and go inward and sit with our emotions.Carin’s warmth and groundedness is a true gift. She is able to create a safe space while challenging us to always go a little step further each time for our own good.Thank you Carin! Looking forward to our next retreat together.
Lucia & Alessandra

 

After an unexpected (self-determined) death in my family, I wanted to realize my dream: to visit the Azores and get help in processing what had happened and open up to new paths regarding my changed family. I had a strong feeling that Carin would be exactly the right person to step into this role - and she was! Talking, moving, meditating, discovering nature, working with what presents itself, what the world/island of Faial has so generously to offer. Taking breaks/time while walking to explore what can be processed with what is around me at the moment - gives me space... This was such a nurturing way to have a safe space - felt to me it's so much more connected to life than sitting in a room with a therapist. It is wonderful to work with Carin, who time and again expertly uses various tools to make change possible. Despite my history, I enjoyed the hours I shared with Carin - and that's what it's all about: appreciating the gift of life! (besides grounding...) Thank you for opening my view of the world!

 

2023

Now, after 2 years, I often think about the retreat on the Azores and what a positive effect it had on my life.

 

Dear Carin, I look back with great pleasure and pride on a particularly beautiful journey in search of my own self. Your approach has allowed me to regain some peace that I am now (trying to) apply at home. Thank you for taking me by the hand and showing me the fairytale island of Terceira. I have many beautiful and hilarious memories of it (thinking of the chickens, the backpack, the surprice, and the fun dinners)! No one can take that away from me anymore, thank you so much for everything!

 

The reason why you choose Azores Nature Retreats does not matter, ultimately you will be taken on your own journey of (paradise) enjoyment, becoming stronger and making choices with your feet on the ground. Let go while Carin takes you along to learn to look at yourself and nature. No hassle for a while, but spoiled with good food, conversations and silence in the beautiful Azores.

 

Carin is a very professional energetic therapist.
Conscious design of the program, guidance at group level and individually professional. The inner journey was intense. The combination with the powerful energy of the Azores and the impressive beauty of the island of Sao Miguel provides even more deeply felt depth. The choices in the program that allow you to experience nature support the process and theme of the week. The program unfolds for the participant of this journey. This meant that I could surrender to it and experience it without expectation. The focus of the trip is on the energetic work in combination with the experience of the beautiful island of Sao Miguel. Hospitality and care receive little attention. The group and each group member contribute to this themselves. Because I come from the services industry, I see opportunities to make the experience more intense at that level in a very simple way. I have made a wonderful and valuable journey. Enriching on multiple levels.

 

What a fantastic week in São Miguel!
Be immersed in the beauty of the nature of the Azores, the volcanoes, the Atlantic Ocean, among a wonderful group of like-minded people, with the loving guidance of Carin. What else do you want? An unexpectedly great gift for me was that I was able to experience an extra bit of recovery with regard to my acquired brain injury and overstimulation complaints. I didn't expect this trip to bring me this. I learned from Carin to be less in my head and to be better grounded. This allowed me to participate in the entire program at the end of the week and no longer had to rest in the afternoon. Thank you so much! 🙏🙏

 

The retreat with Carin on Faial island was wonderful and beyond any possible expectations. We immediately felt SEEN by her.
She is an amazing professional, very knowlegeadble and able to effectively explain and simplify complex and profound concepts. Most importantly: she is a kind, fun, warm and wonderful person. She welcomed us with warmth, kindness and patience as she brought us along on a journey to connect with ourself surrounded by the beautiful and unique landscapes of the Azores islands. The accommodation she reserved for us was simply perfect: a beautiful cocoon. Everyday was a surprise and a new discovery within ourselves and of the surroundings. Each place we visited got filled with so much meaning and magic thanks to the activities Carin prepared and organised for us. It is definitely not easy to summarise in few words the depth of what we have experienced and the gratitude that we feel. We have experienced so much and learnt so much and the impact of her work in such a short span of time is very real. We have now “our Carin voice” in the head every time the monkey mind takes over: “Feel the feet”. Needless to say we are already thinking about our next retreat with Carin.

 

Thank you Carin, for this wonderful week at São Miguel. Wonderful, letting go of everything, the silences during hiking in the mountains. The nice views, feeling the ocean. The alternation of meditation, sessions, yoga, dance and lots of laughter. The warm appearance and professional guidance of Carin has brought me a little further to myself. A beautiful week full of experiences that I look back on with joy.

I went to the Azores for the 4th time,  this time for the 2nd time on the largest island of São Miguel. The trips that Carin organizes are very special to me. This time it was very intensive, but in the end wonderful, gained many insights and wonderfully relaxed and rested back to the hectic pace of the Netherlands. Looking forward to booking another trip next year. Thanks Carin.

 

I joined Carin and the nice group on a trip to São Miguel in June. My experience is very positive. Carin is very friendly and has an eye for your personal part during the trip. She is clear in what to expect and the nice thing is that you often don't know what is coming. The idea is to be in the here and now and that works! Because of the rest that was offered, a lot of unrest from the previous period came up for me, and Carin's guidance helped to relax. In addition to coming to myself, I learned interesting new things, such as about my zodiac sign and I also had a very nice healing. I recommend the Azores Nature Retreats a 100%.

 

São Jorge is the 3rd island I experience under the guidance of Carin and the 4th trip I make. So now Im a big fan of the way in which Carin shapes and guides the travels in the Azores. I experience that every island inspires in a different way and supports the coaching that Carin gives on personal issues. Again I experienced the combination of yoga, meditation, coaching and nature experience as very nice. I'm coming to terms with myself and my feelings with this. A smile and a tear makes flow again what was stuck. Because of keeping the groups small, there is a lot of room for personal attention by Carin. All this in a very nice house, where there is room to be together but also enough opportunity to retreat. Thank you Carin! Muito obrigado!

 

I left for the Azores with peace of mind, something caught my attention to book this trip. Beautiful nature, peace, relaxation, sea, ... but I left with more than that. I have gained more knowledge about how I can make choices more with my feeling, instead of with my thinking. Everyday life takes you into its rut ​​and that is precisely why it is necessary to escape the daily cadence and to get more into our 'I am'- feeling. I always know very well what I don't want … and because of your coaching during the week, I know more what I definitely want. Your personal coaching in a small group also provides a lot of added value for each of us. Thank you for the fantastic week and I have a gut feeling that we will see each other again on one of the other islands :-).

The wonderful trip to São Miguel has exceeded my expectations! I was looking for a combination of discovering the beauty of the island and at the same time experiencing enough space for myself/rest. This was perfectly balanced on this trip! As a gift, the warm and skilled guidance of Carin was added, who observes very sharply in which you could grow even further if you want. I returned home with beautiful, striking insights, including tools on how I can further shape this in daily practice. The beautiful places we visited are also unforgettable! This trip will definitely have a special place in my heart! :)

Now almost a week back home thinking about my retreat trip on the island of Saõ Jorge. Can I say that this has been a beautiful but also an instructive week for me. Carin helped me on the right track by guiding me and offering support when needed. Having my own bedroom has been nice to be able to retreat to every now and then. I left stressed and came back relaxed and grounded with a lot of self knowledge. I am grateful to myself that I joined this retreat.

 

Discovered a beautiful island with its special landscape and beautiful nature in a special and beautiful way with and by Carin. Carin has beautifully incorporated "the" 4 elements that are clearly and strongly present on São Miguel into the activities in which she takes you with dedication and passion. A valuable week with many new insights and sensations that will help you further in your own process. The way in which Carin takes you into your awareness process and into the "now" in an accessible, safe and enthusiastic way is simply great. My first experience with a trip like this and I've come a big step closer to myself...that feels very good. Thank you so much Carin.. you are a winner!

 

Exactly what I needed to recharge myself, this 1-1 retreat. I loved absolutely everything about my stay at Azores with Carin. She is super attentive and supportive and gave me meditations according to my personal needs. We travelled around whole Faial island doing some breaks for energy practices/meditations and it was amazing and helped me a lot to reenergise. I would definitely recommend to stay at one of the Azores Islands with Carin to recharge your batteries and get back to your inner peace and balance.

 

2022

Azores retreat, São Miguel. Completely exhausted, I started this 1-on-1 retreat with Carin. I had no expectations which is remarkable to me. Just like letting go and staying in the moment itself. The latter turned out to be more difficult than expected at first. But the combination of personal attention with also time for myself and walks in the beautiful nature turned out to be a perfect solution for me. Carin made me see in a clear and simple way what I didn't see. She has ensured that I can focus better, that my energy has started to flow again. That I have been able to experience beautiful and strong feelings again for ages. Feelings that I had lost for a long time. The twinkling eyes of Carin, her patience and attention in combination with the beauty AND strength of the island are highly recommended for everyone.

 

Perfect! I really enjoyed the retreat and Im looking forward to attend another on in an other location at some point!

 

Wonderful experience in a wonderful place. The Azores is a beautiful and breathtaking backdrop to Carin's mediation retreat. Carin provides a beautiful home with private rooms, informative insights about the island, and great guidance during mediation. The trip includes a lot of the sights and Azore's amazing views! It's Mediation focused, very little yoga. Allergies and dietary restrictions cause a lot of limitations for the food provided.

 

My stay on Terceira has done me so much good. The meditations 'slid in' as we sat outside on the beach by the ocean. Insights became clear to me because Carin asked the right questions at the right time. The overwhelming pure nature of the island, where culture and agriculture go together beautifully, has contributed to making everything just right. The hotel was fine in its simplicity. And then the friendly and helpful inhabitants. Terceira, an island just in the middle of the distant ocean; what an experience. When I got home I have a sharper image (inside and out) and the colors seem more intense. Thank you Carin, for once again guiding me with your enthusiasm and humor to experience this and to continue.

 

The days were pure living: new insights, different points of view, beautiful poems and meditations, personal attention based on being able to fall back on and in the beautiful nature of the island, to wander, walk, swimming and looking at the endless ocean. It was easy to connect with the island, delicious food,  beautiful trips and a nice house and we as a group laugh together, share together. It was good.

I really enjoyed the very nice trip to the Azores. I still feel well grounded and powerful now Im at home. Feels good. I still keep my energy close to me and yes, it has brought me a lot again. Not only beautiful photos but also many insights. Big hug.

My five-day 1-on-1 retreat with Carin on Faial has brought me a lot: accepting what has been and trusting what is now. And what's to come! Carin has been a very nice supervisor of my process: professional, flexible and with the necessary humor. Together we went in depth, without it getting too heavy. All borders were well guarded, but with a skilled and gentle hand you ensured that what had to be discussed was also covered. Thanks for this, Carin. You are a special woman! cool too.

 

When I arrived on the beautiful island of São Miguel, I didn't know what to expect for a week. I booked this retreat because I knew I needed something like this. I am extremely grateful that I did it and got to meet Carin. She is a fantastic woman! Her energy and accessibility have helped me enormously to make an inner journey. Thanks to Carin I finally learned to FEEL. The trip is very well organized by her. From sleeping, eating, workshops, transport and activities. As a traveler you don't have to think about anything. In this way I would like to thank you again Carin. Thanks to you I have gained new insights that I can now apply in my daily life. Thanks for letting me talk to you when I needed to.

These days São Miguel are a combination of breathtaking nature, peace, quiet, pleasant conversations, going deeper into yourself and insights. The house where we stayed was also nice, spacious and clean with a view over the ocean and a large garden to relax under the starry sky or to enjoy the sun. You immediately feel at ease with Carin. Her nice, positive and calm energy has helped me enormously. This week was wonderful and in hindsight just what I needed. I was recharged and went home full of energy and new insights. I'm already looking forward to the next trip.

 

2021

How I enjoyed the Azoresretreat. I was with Carin before. Then we went to São Miguel. There was a nice small group and we decided very soon to go again.This time we went to Terceira and São Jorge. Overwhelming nature, beautiful walks and swimming in the ocean. And very nice how everything is arranged by Carin. Total relaxation!

 

In September I went to São Jorge with Carin. It was my 3rd trip and it was fantastic again. The trip was good organized and varies, I got a lot of insights and became relaxed. We had nice meals, made nice tours with the jeep, swam in the ocean. It is a recommended retreat, I always say: a gift for yourself. Carin, thanks fot the cozy and nice moments together.

 

Happy and satisfied going home: the 'backpack' a bit lighter and my heart more open. And also after the PIcotrip, it kept running: creativity and insights. A lot to continue with this year. Knowing: Next year: the next 'journey'.

 

It was a educacional stay at Pico with a lot of meditations. I liked the meditations and I can feel more in my body now. The climax for me was walking on the lavafields.

 

It was a wonderful week on a beautiful pure authentic island, São Jorge. A combination of relaxing and letting go. personal growth and also just enjoying. Highlights included swimming in the ocean near the house, insightful walks, grounding on the vulcano ground, and walking from high to low through the fajas among blue hydrangeas. The delicious food, very pure and locally prepared, was a surprise every night. This week had given me new energy and brouhgt me closer to myself. It has shown me who I really am and also wah t I want to explore in the future.

 

2020

Im still enjoying a wonderful week on São Miguel: the overwhelming nature with magical places, the program in which there was time and space to look and feel inside myself, experience the power of the here and now, and the silence .. Still enjoying the lovely people and especially  you, Carin. Your expertise, your attention and attunement to each groupmember, the stucture of the days and your love for the Azores. A beautiful gift for myself that I wish for everyone.

 

2019

Feel grounded is the first thing that occurs to me about this wonferful retreat. It was a week that is seldom experienced otherwise. I came to the Azores to take some time out, to get to know the islands, to practice yoga and to realize what I really want. At the end of my journey I can say that my expectations have been exceeded. Carin is a wonderful personality, very attached to the islands and a great guide. Besides yoga we also made trips to the most beautiful places on the island. Carin took good care of everything.  The special feature of the retreat is definitely the deep energywork that Carin offers. She leads many meditations, gives tips on how to stay balanced and grounded in everyday life and offers personal Energetic Treatments for everyone who wants to. Carin recognizes where you have blockages, feels the energy and brings back everything into the flow with her work. Personally, I think this retreat is much more than just yoga and trips. It is a mix of excursions, being together, inspiring conversations and energywork. It is like a journey to yourself. At the end of this journey I am deeply relaxed, grounded and full of positive energy. I now know which way I want to go in life and I owe this to the unique work of Carin. Tank you for everything! I will come back and hope that  many others will have the experience of sharing a week with Carin in the Azores. It is definitely the right decision.             L, private retreat.

 

2018

It was a special trip. I went on this journey in need of time for myself, to be free from home and work, to get a question clear that had been with me for a long time. Carin's guidance and coaching, the energetic session, being together and being alone in nature has brought me a lot. Like feeling more and thinking less, being less in my head, feeling space in my body and mind, more confidence in what I feel. And to know more about myself, and how to handle my question. Feeling relieved. And this on a beautiful island. In addition of being together, there was enough space for myself. I can recommend this trip for anyone who needs 'time for themselves'. A Fantastic experience ! 

R, private retreat.

 

If you want to make a present for yourself, have this wonderful retreat! You will get deep in contact with this amazing nature and yourself. We spent extraordinary beautiful days with Carin, with deepfeeling meditations in the garden and in amazing places on the island. We had Yoga together and made stunning trips with Carin. She is an absolute great and warmful person. Thank you for this great experience! We will defenitely come back. The next time with our baby, which already enjoyed the special vibes in the stomach.   

Daniel&Verena (Austria).

2017

The retreat was great. Everything was taken care of with a beautiful location overlooking the ocean. The large garden around the house, the stunning nature, the delicious food, fun, yoga, meditations, geysers, whales, dolphins. A week all for yourself on this beautiful island, to never forget again.

 

Traveling under the guidance of Carin. We enjoyed the fantastic nature, meditations, good food, beautiful house and garden, nice people. A complete experience. Carin, thank you very much for letting me experience 'your' Sao Miguel. To taste, to smell, to watch, but especially..  to Feel it!

 

My first time traveling with a group. I like to travel alone, but this was a great experience: I felt so much space, being totaly myself, not to adjust all the time, a lot of equality. I felt stress before the trip, and went back relaxed and 'me'!

 

It was great to experience the energetic session. A lot became clear, I can see things different now. I feel more open, more relaxed and more stable. Together with all the meditations and being in nature, this week was a big, beautiful experience.

 

I like to thank you again for the great time and personal development that I have experienced. Grateful. The whole week, activities, meditations, walks, coaching, free time, in tune to everyone's needs and wishes.

 

The personal coaching I liked very much. To talk about my personal things helped me in my personal development

 

Your fantastic trip that makes me feel total human.

 

Total taken care of. Curious, openness, radiant, shining, freedom, NOW, in the present. This meditation and nature experience in the Azores.

 

Time for myself! Me-time!  Rest, relaxation, a smile and a tear, to be myself. And knowing more about myself going home. Next year I will join again!