Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides, Scotland

Three retreats in 2026

• May 23rd - 30th

• July 18th - 25th

• August 15th - 22nd

The Cailleachs Cauldron - The Whirlpool of Corryvrecken

Join us on the Isle of the Big Women (the old sea kenning name for the Isle of Eigg) where we will journey into the powerful stories of serveral ‘Big’ women. From the legendary warriror women of the Queen of Moidart, the Holy Women who tended the well, and the women who keened the dead. We tap into

Keening Woman

We will take aspects of the indigenous grief rituals from the keening women of both Ireland and Scotland, using motifs to explore within our keening circles. Such as:

• Speaking our grief

• Salutation of the dead

• Psychopomp

• Divine madness / surrendering to grief

• Walking the coffin road

The Eye of the Cailleach - a great eye shaped opening in the cliff face

Cailleach

The Cailleach is the oldest figure in Gaelic belief, we will explore the transformational motifs of her stories drawing in elements of the land as we explore our grief. Taking inspiration from:

• The Cailleach’s Cauldron (the Whirlpool of Corryvrecken)

• The Shrine of the Cailleach - The women who tended to the stones

• Her great renewal - submersion under the water

Sacred Sites

We will visit sacred sites such as the Hill of the Cailleach and the Eye of the Cailleach (above photo), bringing in our own elements of ritual and intention.

You will create a Cailleach doll, with ritualistic elements including:

• Creating a symbol

• An anointment of 3 drops of water

• Bringing her into being

• Listening for her story

• Guided meditation to meet your doll