July 2025
The third Collision gathered another bright and curious mix of people from different corners of life.
From the AI world came Anastasia and Alberto, co-founders of a thriving computer vision startup, who brought both entrepreneurial energy and a love for creative play. With them was Genny, also in tech, who nourished the group with her gift for cooking.
Laura arrived with a spirit of fire and spontaneity, introducing tuning forks, energy circles, and even discovering her own singing voice in a shared jam. Megan, a psychedelic therapist from the US, opened conversations about healing, substances, and the evolving landscape of therapy. Karola, a movement practitioner and masseuse, brought depth through a heart-opening dyad practice and the presence of her infant son, Orion.
The hosts—Alex, Matt, Dominic, and Arian—wove the week together through music, movement, saunas, circles, and conversations.
From journaling exercises that unfolded into heartfelt sharing, to hikes, hot springs, a full moon dance, and impromptu rituals, the days unfolded like chapters of a book written in real time.
What emerged was a sense of flow and trust: each person bringing their gifts, receiving what they needed, and co-creating a retreat that could not have been designed in advance. The July Collision revealed how quickly strangers can become a community when given the space to collide openly and playfully.
The April Collision carried a quieter, more inward and almost wintery rhythm (yes, in Spring). The group Alex, Arian, Dominic, Mat, Katie, Christina and Karola spent most of their time within the warmth of the Laughing Orchard, while the island outside lingered in its winter mood.
This was a gentle retreat into the subtler aspects of life and energy, activating and strengthening the threads of inward connection and sensitivity.
Days unfolded slowly, with long conversations that stretched into the night.
Meditation was a staple. As was sound and energy work. Dominic shared astrology and Qi Gong, Christina offered various Reiki styles, Mat offered movement. Punctuated by staples of the Laughing Orchard experience; nature adventures, sauna and ice bath sessions, hot spring walks, yoga.
Movement took many forms: Karola opened the body through dance, Qi Gong and yoga shaped the mornings, and Katie’s channelling invited another layer of exploration. There were hikes through nearby hills and visits to hot springs, yet the essence of April remained internal.
It was a winter retreat into subtlety — a time for gathering energy, listening to intuition, and deepening connection with one another.
November 2024
The very first Collision brought together people from seemingly very different walks of life.
Ana Maria and Špela came from Slovenia, where Špela has a retreat center and they create holistic healing and creativity programs. From the Azores came Alex, a Russian-American tech entrepreneur with experience in indigenous mystical traditions, alongside a London-born musician from Iran working with the music of his cultures. They were joined by Matt, a movement teacher and chessboxing coach from the US, and his friends Tom, an innovative entrepreneur, and Bryant, a breathwork and meditation guide and social media influencer.
Through various adventures, practices, music, 1 on 1s, movement, and reflection, the group discovered the common ground of being alive on this planet together. We witnessed and mirrored one another, explored new situations together, and sparked insights that might never have emerged alone.
The outcome was a sense of unity—an understanding that however different our stories may seem, they are all variations of the same human story. This first Collision revealed just how diverse paths can converge into one shared experience.
Multiple dates, 2023
HOSTS
Jérome Lesquillier & Ramón Stol
Central to these retreats are profound Qigong training sessions, a deep connection with others, and a strong bond with the natural surroundings.
The many Qigong practices and meditations are fully attuned to the elements and energies of nature, enabling the mind to become completely still and allowing you to experience a deeper state of being.
