A Week of Artistic Discovery

VISIONS OF SELF

DATES: August 9 – August 15, 2025

With acclaimed artist Rachel Russell (née Azzopardi Carbonese) as one of your creative guides, Visions of Self invites you to slow down, tune in, and express your truth in the serene countryside of central Portugal. Surrounded by forested hills, river trails, and quiet stone paths, this immersive retreat blends painting, drawing, sculpting, poetry, and reflection with deep connection to the land – helping you see yourself with fresh eyes and shape your story through your own hands.

Highlights

Create

Explore art through drawing, writing, clay, and more.

Learn

Refine portrait skills with artist Rachel Russell.

Connect

Walk, share, and reflect in community and nature.

Celebrate

Showcase your work in a final group exhibition.

What is VISIONS OF SELF?

Visions of Self – A Week of Artistic Discovery is a 7-day immersive retreat in Central Portugal, where artistic expression becomes a gateway to personal insight and growth.

Hosted in the serene landscapes of Terra Verde, this retreat blends guided workshops with the stillness of nature. Participants will explore identity and creativity through diverse mediums such as painting, poetry, experimental drawing, and sensory nature walks. Led by experienced facilitators, each session invites introspection and self-expression.

This program is designed to spark creativity, sharpen perception, and support you in telling your story through multiple artistic lenses—all within a nurturing and inspiring environment.

What You’ll Take Home

This is more than a week away—it’s a creative awakening.

Visions of Self offers a transformative journey into self-expression and artistic discovery. With skilled facilitation and a supportive community, you’ll move beyond surface impressions to engage with the depth and richness of your inner world.

You’ll leave not only inspired, but empowered to carry your creative practice forward with clarity and confidence.

Your Experience Will Give You

What’s included?

Meet Your Creative Guides

Rachel Russell

Lead Artist

Rachel Russell is a fine art portrait and figurative artist drawn to the emotional depth of the human experience. Her artistic journey began in childhood, guided by the late Charles Cassar, whose mentorship sparked a lasting fascination with the human form. Today, her work explores the subtle language of facial expression—capturing emotion, nuance, and story in every portrait.

Beyond her studio practice and commissioned works, Rachel has developed four successful online courses designed to help emerging artists refine their portrait skills and build their presence online. Her programs have reached over 500 students worldwide, and she has grown a vibrant community of more than 300000 followers and students on social media, fostering a growing and engaged creative community.

Working from her home studio, Rachel also leads dynamic workshops for both children and adults, encouraging creative growth and confidence at all levels. Whether teaching, coaching, or painting, she is dedicated to helping others forge a deeper, more expressive connection to art.

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Ladan Yalzadeh

Creative FACILITATOR

Ladan Yalzadeh is an Iranian artist, creative facilitator, and mindfulness educator whose work weaves together contemplative practice and artistic expression. With over two decades of experience across disciplines—including film, movement, sculpture, photography, and writing—her practice explores themes of migration, exile, memory, longing, beauty, and connection.

Since 2008, Ladan has cultivated a deep personal and professional relationship with mindfulness and meditation, seamlessly integrating these principles into her art and teaching. She is a certified Shambhala Art teacher and co-founder of the Contemplative Creativity Lab—a collaborative initiative inspired by the Dharma Art teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. This lab invites participants to explore the space where presence meets creativity, fostering compassionate awareness through the artistic process.

To learn more or view her work:

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Erin Needlands

DRAWING & SCULPTING Practice

Erin is an artist, educator, and musician who creates welcoming, reflective spaces for creative exploration. With a background in both secondary and adult education, she blends technical instruction with gentle encouragement—guiding participants to build confidence and reconnect with their creative instincts through drawing, painting, and sculpture.

Her sessions invite a calm, mindful approach to making art, where focus, play, and personal expression are equally valued. Erin’s teaching nurtures both skill and self-awareness, helping each participant find joy in the process of creating.

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ROSS NORMAN

NATURE GUIDE

Ross Norman is a seasoned guide with a passion for connecting people to the natural world and historical landscapes. As the founder of Out of the Norm Tours, he leads immersive hikes and urban explorations across Portugal—especially the Beira region—where participants discover ancient sites, ritual landscapes, and hidden stories

With extensive experience in both rural and urban settings, Ross designs journeys that are informative, engaging, and memorable. He blends storytelling, deep local knowledge, and genuine enthusiasm to bring each route to life—whether he’s guiding small groups on secluded trails or bringing history to life in city streets.

Each outing with Ross is more than a walk—it’s a curated experience, rich with insight into the land’s past and present, ensuring every participant leaves with a renewed appreciation for place, story, and the outdoors.

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Dee Shepherd

from Deeply Rooted

Breathwork Facilitator

Dee Shepherd is a certified Seven Directions Breathwork Facilitator devoted to guiding individuals and groups through the transformative journey of conscious breath. With a deep trust in the body’s innate wisdom, she creates safe, nurturing spaces where participants can explore healing, presence, and inner clarity.

Through both one-to-one sessions and intimate group circles, Dee helps people reconnect with themselves in a grounded, embodied way. She leads a regular breathwork community and collaborates with retreat centres to share her integrative approach to well-being—rooted in compassion, depth, and personal transformation.

For Dee, breathwork is more than a technique—it’s a path to self-discovery, emotional release, and lasting inner peace. Her work is shaped by a genuine passion for witnessing the powerful shifts that unfold when people return to the wisdom of their breath.

Laura Parr

Yoga Teacher

Laura Parr is a yoga teacher, therapist, and former nurse with a background in public health. She has practiced yoga for over 25 years and has been sharing her expertise as a teacher for more than a decade. Originating from the UK and now based in rural central Portugal for the past 12 years, Laura blends medical insight with holistic movement to support nervous system regulation and overall well-being.

With a ethos rooted in curiosity and joy, Laura believes that a joyful yoga practice is the most effective one. She offers both in-person and online classes and workshops that help students cultivate awareness, release tension, and reconnect with their bodies through mindful movement .

Her training is extensive and diverse, including:

• Nursing diploma and postgraduate qualification in public health
• 250‑hour Yoga Teacher Training (Yoga Point)
• 600‑hour Yoga Therapy training (Dru Yoga)
• Specialized training in anatomy, women’s health, trauma-aware yoga, Ayurveda, and more

When she’s not on the mat or teaching, Laura starts her day walking to the nearby river with her dog, cats, and chickens—finding inspiration and grounding in the serenity of her Portuguese village life

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Where You’ll Stay

Tucked between forested hills and river beaches in central Portugal, Terra Verde is more than a venue — it’s a living sanctuary where creativity, stillness, and nature converge.

This beautifully restored 19th-century manor house in the historic village of Côja offers an intimate space for reflection and artistic growth. With elegant rooms, indoor and outdoor studios, and gardens designed for pause and presence, Terra Verde supports the rhythm of the Earth Lines retreat in every detail.

Here, mornings begin with movement among trees, days unfold in shaded corners or sunlit art spaces, and evenings settle into firelight, sound, and story. You’ll find meditation nooks, shared meals in the communal dining room, and trails leading directly into untouched landscapes. Bicycles are available for peaceful rides through village paths or forest tracks.

Everything at Terra Verde is curated with care — from the handcrafted furniture to the fresh meals from the chef’s garden. It’s a space that holds you, gently inviting reconnection with self, others, and the land.

For the Earth Lines retreat, Terra Verde becomes both canvas and cocoon — a place where inspiration flows naturally, and transformation feels like coming home.

VISIONS OF SELF – Day-by-Day Flow

Dates: August 9 – 15, 2025 | Group Size: max 14 participants

Each day offers a thoughtful blend of focused creative sessions, personal reflection time, and shared communal experiences. The schedule is designed to support your individual pace and foster deep creative exploration in a welcoming and nurturing environment.

Day 1 – Awakening the Creative Self | August 9

• 14:00 – Arrival, check-in, explore Terra Verde
• 16:00 – Welcome gathering & introduction
• 17:00–20:00 – Making Visible: A Lab for Creative Emergence (Ladan Yalzadeh)
• 20:00–21:00 – Welcome dinner

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Day 2 – Writing Your Inner Journey | August 10

• 08:30–10:00 – Breakfast
• 10:00–12:30 – Writing the Unexpected (Ladan Yalzadeh)
• 12:30–13:30 – Lunch
• 14:00–17:00 – Whispers of the Forest: Hike to Fraga da Pena & Mata da Margaraça (Ross Norman)
• 17:00–18:30 – Free time
• 20:00 – Dinner at a local restaurant

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Day 3 – Fragments of Me | August 11

• 08:30–10:00 – Breakfast
• 10:00–13:00 – Experimental Drawing in the Wild (Erin Needlands)
• 13:00–14:00 – Lunch
• 14:30–17:30 – Clay Craft: Sculpting Emotion (Erin Needlands)
• 19:30 – Dinner
• 20:30–22:30 – Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformation (Laura Parr)

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Day 4 – Capturing the Inner Landscape | August 12

• 08:30–09:30 – Breakfast
• 09:30–12:30 – From Lens to Canvas: Creating Photo References (Rachel Russell)
• 12:30–13:30 – Lunch
• 13:30–16:30 – Sensory Walk: Trilho dos Gaios (Laura Parr)
• 16:30–20:30 – Portraits of the Soul (Rachel Russell)
• 20:30 – Dinner

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Day 5 – Through the Artist’s Eye | August 13

• 08:30–10:00 – Breakfast
• 09:30–13:30 – Portraits of the Soul (Rachel Russell)
• 13:30–14:30 – Lunch
• 14:30–16:00 – Free time for journaling and relaxation
• 16:00–20:00 – Portraits of the Soul (Rachel Russell)
• 20:00 – Dinner

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Day 6 – The Art of Transformation | August 14

• 08:30–10:00 – Breakfast
• 10:00–12:00 – Open studio time (Rachel Russell)
• 12:30–13:30 – Lunch
• 13:00–16:30 – Free time
• 16:30–18:30 – Exhibition set-up
• 18:00–21:00 – Final Showcase & Farewell Dinner

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Day 7 – Departure | August 15

• 08:00–09:30 – Morning breathing session (Dee Shepherd, Deeply Rooted)
• 09:30–11:00 – Breakfast
• From 11:00 – Departures

Pricing & Booking

We offer three pricing options to suit your comfort and travel style — whether you’re joining solo, with a friend, or as a couple. Every option includes the full Earth Lines experience: creative workshops, guided practices, delicious meals, and six nights of restful accommodation.

Spaces are limited to ensure an intimate, high-quality retreat. Early booking is highly recommended.

To make it easier, you can choose to pay in full or reserve your place with a deposit. Just select the option that feels right for you.

How to get to Terra Verde?

Reaching Terra Verde is easier than you might think. While nestled in a peaceful, rural corner of central Portugal, the journey is straightforward — and we’re here to help.

Most guests fly into Lisbon (LIS) or Porto (OPO), both of which are well connected to Coimbra, the nearest major city by train or bus. From Coimbra, we offer a free group transfer to Terra Verde, timed to match common arrival times.

You’ll receive detailed travel suggestions and timing guidance upon registration. For now, we’ve prepared a simple guide to help you plan your route: