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ENJOY A SOULFUL RESPITE
at the Barred Owl Retreat
Tap into the Beauty of Nature and the Wisdom of Your Soul
Host or Attend a Retreat or Workshop at the Barred Owl in Leicester, MA
Barred Owl 2026 Summer-Fall Retreat Series:
Rooted & Rising: A Guided Journey Home to Self in Community
Rediscover your truth, trust your inner wisdom, and create a life that feels deeply aligned.
It’s summer—treat yourself to sunshine from the inside out and let your soul garden grow!
You can attend a single retreat or experience the full journey in this three-part retreat experience designed to help you:- experience the peace of presence and grounding
- reconnect with your intuition and inner knowing, and
- create a meaningful vision for the next season of your aligned and flourishing life.
July 25-26: Mind-Body, Grounding: Practicing the Tools for Inner Peace
August 22-23: Mind-Body, Intuition: Finding Self-Trust and Inner Wisdom
October 2-4: Coming Home to Your New Season: Mind-Body & Vision
Three retreats. Three opportunities to step away from the noise and demands of everyday life to reconnect with yourself. To hear your own voice again. To remember what matters. And to intentionally create the next chapter of your life.
Each retreat can stand alone or combine to build greater meaning and transformation for you. Early bird and special pricing apply for these intimate, 6-person retreats.
Coming Home to Your New Season:
Mind-Body & Vision
The Barred Owl’s Signature All-Inclusive 3-Day Women’s Retreat
October 2-4, 2026
5 p.m. Friday to - 11:30 a.m. Sunday
The next season of life is not about becoming more. It's about becoming more fully yourself—rooted, rising, and flourishing.
This celebratory three-day retreat is an opportunity to integrate everything you've discovered about yourself and turn that wisdom into manifesting a meaningful, hopeful vision for what's next.
What desires have been waiting beneath the responsibilities, fears, and expectations?
What wants your attention now?
What would it look like to live in greater alignment with your values, your gifts, and what brings you fully alive?
Through mindfulness, reflection, and visioning practices, you'll gain clarity about what you want to carry forward, what you're ready to release, and how you want to step into your next chapter.
This isn't about forcing outcomes or chasing goals. It's about honoring who you are becoming and taking inspired action from a place of authenticity.
Leave feeling hopeful, energized, and deeply connected to yourself—with a clear vision, renewed confidence, and a personal roadmap for the season ahead.
Your all-inclusive experience includes:
- Private accommodations
- Nourishing meals
- Expert facilitation: sound healing, yoga, expressive arts
- Gifts & surprises
- Optional Hiking, paddling, spa
- Massage (additional, can be arranged for you)
Your investment: $711.00
Early Registration $639 (Must Register by Sept. 11)
“So great! I don't have enough superlatives to explain it…You were honestly the perfect retreat leader. Not too intrusive but gently pushing us forward. The venue was magical! I loved it so much. All in all, it was a magical, spiritual, rejuvenating experience that made me seriously rethink my life and what I want out of it. Thank you!"
Deb
About the Barred Owl Retreat
This historic home was formerly the Wyman Estate, built in 1920.
The sprawling 16-room cottage sits on land which was formerly a 1750’s farm and before that sacred Nipmuc Indian grounds. The property is home to much nature—river otters, beavers, deer—with its two ponds and a stream, and it is surrounded by Greater Worcester Land Trust conservation land.
SACRED GROUNDS
There are knolls, orchards, and woods to wander. You can sit by the pond or in the meditation gardens and watch the chickens or ducks. Our guests love finding all the quiet spots hidden throughout the grounds to journal, write, and reflect. You can also take a paddle in Southwick Pond, walk on many nearby nature trails, or visit world-class museums, concert halls, and restaurants in Worcester, Massachusetts second largest city.
SOULFUL INTENTION
When we purchased this historic space in 2011, we knew it needed to be shared as a nourishing and sacred place for retreat and workshop attendees to come home to themselves.
Since opening the house and grounds as a retreat center in 2012, we’ve been blessed to host facilitated retreats for local colleges, organizations, small groups, and individuals wishing to have personal retreats in Central Massachusetts, in Worcester’s backyard. Many award-winning poets, including Patricia Smith and Ilya Kaminsky, and spiritual teachers have joined us.
One of the rooms that our guests love is the beautiful 15 x 35-foot sunroom, aka, The Gathering Room. Here sound healings, workshops, and retreats take place. Retreat guests can stay in one of the six guest rooms or in our seasonal, rustic tiny house.
“The retreat far exceeded my expectations. All I can say is that I can’t wait for your next one! And you have set the bar very high for me should I participate in any retreats other than at Barred Owl Retreat.” - El C.
Attend or host a retreat
At the Barred Owl, you can attend one of Jessica’s weekend mindfulness retreats or join her for a mini-retreat or workshop. Additionally, you may host your own retreat or workshop at the Barred Owl.
With over a decade of retreat and mindfulness facilitation experience, Jesica will help you curate a memorable and meaningful experience for your group, or you can handle all the details yourself.
Use the beautiful natural setting at the Barred Owl to your advantage and allow Jessica to help you choose activities and exercises to create a personalized experience from a menu of Barred Owl Retreat offerings, including: guided meditations, sound healing, yoga, Reiki, massage, creative arts, reflective writing, and outdoor exploration. Some past retreat themes include self-love and care, self-awakening, memoir writing, arts exploration, mindfulness sampler, nature play and forest bathing, mindfulness and gardening, and more.
The Barred Owl Retreat provides a serene and intimate setting for small groups (up to 16 people comfortably and lodging on-site for up to 6-8 people). The space is ideal for workshops, circles, team retreats, or personal gatherings that honor connection, creativity, and well-being.
Want to Join Jessica for an upcoming retreat, workshop, or virtual offering?
Join my email community today and as a thank you, you’ll receive the
Mindful Awakening: Guided Visualizations & Journal Prompts for Daily Peace & Clarity Gift Set
Host Your Retreat or Workshop at the Barred Owl Retreat.
RENTAL FEES:
Full-Day Rental: (up to 8 hours total) $495.00
Half-Day (up to 4 hours total) $300.00
Weekend Rental for Retreats: I work with retreat hosts to create a custom package that can include lodging for up to 6-8, meals, and more.
Catered Food Per Person:
Breakfast $25
Lunch $30
Dinner $35
Drinks and snacks $5.00
extra Add Ons:
Overnight Lodging (up to 6). Contact for pricing.
Want to personalize your own retreat at the Barred Owl for a select group of friends and family?
Host a book club? Host a painting or writing group? Or a girls’ weekend getaway?
Reach out to Jessica for details.
“Barred Owl Retreat is a place of great natural beauty, domestic charm, creativity and reflection. As its founder, Jessica Bane Robert has for many years guided and developed programs there and elsewhere that encourage and support deepening practice, both mindful and creative. She also invites a range of retreats and activities to Barred Owl. The grace of this place – and Jess’ wise guidance – are truly ground for transformative experiences!”
Sarah Buie | Lead Convener -Council on the Uncertain Human Future
Host a Workshop
Along with being available for multi-day retreats, the Barred Owl Retreat is also available for half and full day workshop rentals. Our light-filled Gathering Room accommodates up to 16 people comfortably with chairs and up to 12 with yoga mats.
Your workshop space rental also includes use of the grounds and the entire downstairs for breakout sessions. Let’s connect to bring your vision to life.
Additional services are available as add-ons including:
- Healthy Meals, farm fresh eggs & produce
- Fun expressive arts activities
- Yoga
- Journaling and reflective writing
- Guided visualizations and meditation
- Forest bathing
- Massage and Energy Healing
- Sound healing
Let’s connect about bringing your workshop vision to life.
Address:
Barred Owl Retreat
88 Marshall Street
Leicester, MA 01524
508.963.3133
Retreat & workshop testimonials
The Barred Owl Retreat is exactly what the poets in my group needed—gorgeous surroundings outside and peaceful, gracious rooms inside for thinking and creating.
“The Barred Owl Retreat is exactly what the poets in my group needed—gorgeous surroundings outside and peaceful, gracious rooms inside for thinking and creating. The glassed-in porch with its view of the grounds is especially wonderful for group discussions, and the hosting and food provided increased our enjoyment. Looking forward to returning!"
Jane Houlihan | The Colrain Poetry Manuscript Conference
The Barred Owl Retreat is such a sacred, grounding place to create, and we could not have been more pleased or at peace. This beautiful spot, nestled into the woods, is a hidden gem.
“My friends and I spent a long weekend at the Barred Owl Retreat. Jessica is the most pleasant, accommodating host, and the apartment was just perfect. We wrote, read, hiked nearby trails, lounged in hammocks on the grounds, and ate delicious, homemade meals in the most beautiful sunroom I’ve ever seen. The Barred Owl Retreat is such a sacred, grounding place to create, and we could not have been more pleased or at peace. This beautiful spot, nestled into the woods, is a hidden gem.”
Gina Troisi | Author of The Angle of Flickering Light
“Jess is a remarkable facilitator and an incredibly generous person…her beautiful home is a special place, and she gives off amazingly good vibes. All the women I have met at the Barred Owl have been filled with grace and shared so beautifully with Jess guiding us in journaling, flower arranging, meditation and playing.”
Jeannine
READY TO HOST YOUR RETREAT OR WORKSHOP?
Let’s connect and start the planning process!