THE SACRED CRY
A Retreat in Voice, Ritual & Lament
A four-day retreat exploring voice, ritual, lament, nature, and community.
22–25 October 2026 · Podlasie, Poland
About The Retreat
There is a cry that belongs to no language,
a voice that rises from the bones,
the sound of grief, longing, and love too great to be contained.
Across time and cultures, lament has been our way of carrying sorrow, calling to those who have gone before us, and giving voice to what the heart cannot hold in silence.
Lamentation, the ritualized vocal expression of grief, appears in nearly every traditional culture in the world. For centuries it was a sacred communal practice — a way to shape grief, honor the dead, accompany life’s great transitions, and remember that no one carries sorrow alone.
Today, many of these traditions have disappeared. Yet grief itself has not. Many of us carry sorrow in isolation — for loved ones, for relationships, for the earth, for changing identities, for unrealized dreams, or simply for the quiet ache of being human.
The need to grieve has not disappeared. Only the spaces where we are allowed to do so together.
THE LAND AS WITNESS
The landscape itself becomes part of our practice.
Throughout the retreat, we may sing in the forest and open meadow, gather around the evening fire, work with earth through simple rituals of burying, releasing, and remembrance, and explore voice in relationship with the elements.
There will also be an optional sauna ritual as a practice of cleansing and renewal, alongside shared meals, silence, and conversation.
Rather than separating our voices from the natural world, we allow the land itself to witness and accompany our songs.
The Rhythm
Thursday Evening
Arrival, shared dinner, an opening circle, an introduction to lament traditions, embodied voice practice, and the setting of intentions for the days ahead.
Friday & Saturday
Immersive days of embodied voice work, traditional lament, vocal exploration, movement, ritual, improvisation, and nature-based practice.
The rhythm of the retreat is designed to support both deep exploration and quiet integration. Structured sessions are balanced with generous time for reflection, rest, conversation, and simply being with the landscape.
Bring your grief.
Bring your love.
Bring your voice.
Sunday
Together we enter ritual space. Guided by Julianna, each participant will be invited to create and offer a personal lament, witnessed and held by the community, before we close the retreat together.
Is This Retreat For You?
This retreat is for anyone who longs to explore the voice as a pathway toward grief, love, memory, ritual, and connection.
No previous singing or vocal experience is required. This work asks only for curiosity, presence, and a willingness to meet yourself honestly.
Because of the depth of the process, this retreat is not recommended for those currently experiencing acute grief or a recent traumatic loss.
If you are unsure whether this retreat is appropriate for you, please contact Julianna before registering.
What Awaits You
- Three nights’ accommodation
- Three nourishing vegetarian meals each day, plus homemade dessert
- Unlimited tea, coffee, and herbal infusions
- Full participation in the Sacred Cry retreat
- Eight guided sessions
- Fire ritual
- Singing in the forest and meadow
- Ritual practices throughout the retreat
- One communal sauna ritual
- Full use of the retreat grounds, forest, and natural swimming pond
Accommodation
Participants will stay in shared rooms in beautifully restored wooden buildings.
The rooms are simple, warm, and comfortable, designed to support rest, community, and a slower rhythm of living.
If you have specific accommodation needs, please get in touch before registering and we will do our best to accommodate them.
Facilitator
Julianna Bloodgood (USA/Poland) is a vocalist, performer, researcher, and creator of Embodied Voice Practices and The Polyphonic Body — interdisciplinary methodologies that weave together song, voice, movement, ritual, improvisation, and somatic awareness.
Through workshops, retreats, performances, and artistic research, she creates immersive spaces where participants explore the expressive, relational, and transformative capacities of the human voice.
At the heart of Julianna’s work is the belief that the voice is not separate from the body. Her practice invites participants to experience voice as a living relationship with themselves, with others, with ancestry, and with the living world.
Lamentation has become a central thread within her artistic and pedagogical work. Through years of research into traditional mourning practices, including Irish keening and other ritual vocal traditions, she developed Sacred Cry, an immersive practice that reimagines lament as a communal and deeply contemporary act of remembrance, release, and connection.
From 2009–2019, Julianna was a leading actress with the internationally acclaimed Song of the Goat Theatre in Poland. She is also an associate artist with Brú Theatre in Ireland, where her work has centred on lamentation, ritual performance, and contemporary vocal theatre.
Julianna leads workshops, retreats, and intensive trainings internationally, guiding participants through experiences that cultivate deep listening, authentic expression, creative courage, and communal presence.
RETREAT DETAILS
Dates
22–25 October 2026
Schedule
Thursday, 16:00 – Sunday after lunch
Location
Cuda Niewidy Retreat Centre
Smarklice 66, near Drohiczyn, Podlasie, Poland
Language
English
Nestled among forests, meadows, and a natural swimming pond, Cuda Niewidy offers a beautiful setting for deep rest, reflection, and creative practice.
During our four days together we will gather in a spacious wooden workshop hall, share nourishing vegetarian meals, walk and sing through the surrounding landscape, and spend our evenings around the fire.
INVESTMENT
Early Bird
1,700 PLN
Available until September 9, 2026
Regular Price
1,850 PLN
Approximately 395 EUR (early bird) and 430 EUR (regular price), based on the current exchange rate.
Your investment includes accommodation, meals, sauna, workshop facilities, and all retreat activities.
REGISTRATION
Registration is now open.
To reserve your place, please complete the registration form.
Participation is limited to 15 people to maintain an intimate and supportive atmosphere.
Once your registration has been received, you will receive payment details along with further practical information about preparing for the retreat.