Singing from the Well:
A Day Retreat for Women
Saturday, January 23, 2027
10:00 am - 4:30 pm
Shadow Lake Centre
Stouffville, Ontario
(45 minutes from Toronto)
A day to nourish your heart, body, and soul.
Singing from the Well is an invitation to slow down, replenish your well, and reconnect with yourself and others through the simple, ancient practice of singing together.
We'll gather in the heart of winter at the beautiful Shadow Lake Centre, just 45 minutes north of Toronto. Between our morning and afternoon song circles, you’ll have time to explore acres of woodland trails, enjoy a home-cooked organic lunch, or curl up by the fireplace with a cup of tea.
Together we’ll sing simple, soulful harmony songs learned by ear. No sheet music, no pressure, and no singing experience is required.
A day to replenish your well.
We spend much of our lives giving, doing, caring, and keeping things moving. Sometimes, we need a little space to simply receive. A space to breathe more deeply. To let our voices rise alongside others. To feel the quiet magic of belonging to something bigger than ourselves.
At Singing from the Well, you’ll have a whole day to slow down and reconnect with what nourishes you. Through song, nature, food, and community, you'll have space to:
Reconnect with your voice. Discover the joy of singing simple, uplifting harmonies, without worrying about how you sound.
Rest and replenish. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings, wander the woodland trails, or curl up by the fireplace with a cup of tea.
Experience the magic of singing together. Find connection, laughter, and moments of unexpected beauty in a circle of women.
Take something home with you. Learn a collection of nourishing songs you can return to whenever you need a little grounding, courage, or joy.
This retreat welcomes all those with lived experience as a woman, including non-binary femmes who feel comfortable in a woman-centred space. Because of the length and focus of the day, this retreat is intended for adults.
Schedule of our Day
10:00 am - 10:30 am: Arrival, settle in, walk the land, and drink some tea
10:30 am - 12:30 pm: Opening Circle and Singing
12:30 pm - 2:30 pm: Home-cooked organic lunch, hiking, relaxing, and connecting
2:30 pm - 4:30 pm: Singing and Closing Circle
Meet Your Retreat Host
Mila Redwood is a Community Song Leader, mother, and the founder of Sing for Joy in Toronto, where she has spent more than a decade creating spaces for people to experience the joy, belonging, and connection that come from singing together. Her approach is rooted in the oral tradition — simple, inclusive, participatory singing that requires no musical training and invites everyone into the circle. As your host, Mila will be guiding the group throughout the day, leading the singing, creating the rhythm, and helping to hold the space for connection, joy, and rest.
Location
We are fortunate to hold this retreat at the stunning Shadow Lake Centre, a short 45 minute drive north of Toronto. The address is: 15041 9th Line, Stouffville, Ontario. Between our morning and afternoon programming, you'll have time to explore 300 acres of woodland trails, enjoy a home-cooked organic lunch, or curl up by the fireplace with a cup of tea.
Our gathering room at the Shadow Lake Centre is wheelchair accessible. Please let us know if you have any additional accessibility needs for the day.
Cost & Registration
Price per person: $175 + HST ($197.75 total)
Your day includes:
Four hours of facilitated Community Singing
A delicious, home-cooked organic lunch
Tea, coffee, and a home-baked afternoon treat
Time to explore 300 acres of beautiful woodland trails
Space to rest, reflect, and connect with other women
A collection of nourishing songs to carry into your everyday life
Terms & Conditions:
Please review the full Terms & Conditions for this retreat, before booking your spot. It includes important information on the Cancellation & Refund Policy, Health & Wellness Agreements, and more. Click here to read the Terms & Conditions.
Words from past participants…
“Singing from the Well was so uplifting, full of passion and connection. My heart opened and my spirit soared in song. I've found myself humming the songs we learned together all week. Little musical ear worms of hope, joy and caring.” – Amy Gourley
“I am so delighted to have discovered Mila's retreats. We sang all day and it wasn't enough. Mila has such a clear, positive and down-to-earth energy. Grounded and uplifting all at once. She made it all feel so simple – I'm still marvelling that we learned those beautiful harmonies together in a way that seemed so effortless.” – Kate Keenan
“Thank you a thousand times for creating a space where I felt safe, seen, heard, honoured, respected and valued. I felt that I belonged in the most beautiful way in the circle of women that you invited on this journey. Every song resonated in its own unique way and felt like a balm to a different part of my soul, one I did not even realize needed soothing.” – Sacha Salenik
“Mila's retreats have profoundly shifted my relationship with my voice. I highly, highly recommend Mila's work to any woman who wants to experience Community Singing that nourishes deeply while allowing space for grief, joy, and everything in between.” – Maya Nadeem
“Mila draws you in with authenticity and opens you up with her joy. Then, you remember parts of who you really are, and you come home to yourself. Connection and healing happen in the safe, thoughtful, exuberant song-scape that Mila creates. As she moves our group, I experience myself as an essential part of an essential whole, and I know that singing is everyone’s birthright.” – Sarah Vandenberg
Come fill up your well with us.
We respectfully acknowledge that this gathering will take place on the traditional territory of the Wendat, Haudenosaunee, and Anishinaabe First Nations. We also acknowledge the presence of the Chippewas of Georgina Island to the north of Stouffville, and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island to the east of Stouffville. We strive to learn to recognize our part in the ongoing history of colonization, and to understand how our community can work towards reconciliation, repair, and uplifting indigenous values and traditions.