A hub for the soul

Henriette Lamprecht – The aim was to create a safe space, open dialogue, and a platform for connections with like-minded individuals on a journey to tap into their power and find their authenticity and sense of self. All while surrounded by people who want to support you on that journey.Both creators of the Soul Hub, Gwen Swart and Kerry Roberts, followed a unique path that led to the creation of this magical platform, with one of the common denominators being the untimely arrival of Covid-19. They share their stories: Gwen: I have always been spiritually curious and intrigued by anything that makes the world around us just a bit more magical. As I got older with real-time responsibilities, the magic started disappearing. Then, as most life-changing stories start these days, Covid-19 hit. There I was with nowhere to run from the fear and insecurities stemming from trauma swept under the rug for decades. The carpet toppled and I had to gather tools to start cleaning. Kerry: Most recent self-discovery stories begin with, “Covid-19 happened and then...” Mine started just four months prior when we welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world. We had a new-born, 'lockdown' was suddenly a word in our vocabulary, and we were informed our sweet baby girl was neurodivergent. There have been so many big decisions made in the two and half years since Isla was born, and it was in those moments of having to trust and listen to my gut that facing some of my biggest fears has given me immense strength. Not every day - let’s be real. We’re all just human here. But when it really counts, I can tap into that trust. That’s where this all started for me.Gwen: As humans, we are biologically wired to seek out certainty, which was a big motivator for me living in an extremely uncertain time during the pandemic. One day, I came across an article that caught my attention, telling me “you are more than just my Sun sign". As someone who always felt it was impossible to categorize and profile the entire world population with just 12 zodiac signs, I jumped straight into the article. This is where I learned that on the most basic of basics - we have three main zodiac signs, namely your Sun sign (ego and motivations), your Moon sign (emotions), and your Rising aka Ascending sign (the energy you put into the world). Together, they offer up a brief blueprint of your personality. Shortly after this discovery, I started a 6-month beginners’ course in astrology with South African astrologer Annorien Roos. Slowly, the magic started returning to my life. Astrology is a vast subject and covers the physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual self. Essentially, astrology is the study of cycles. Understanding life cycles helps us plan day-to-day activities. In the long run, it gives the gift of foresight (not necessarily prediction) to help us prepare for long-term goals during times of uncertainty and global change. It is always fate versus free will, nothing is ever set in stone, and no prediction is ever 100% guaranteed. Astrology directs one to one’s truth and knowledge by giving insight into how everything and everyone is connected. Studying astrology has helped me better understand myself, giving me the power of self-care and kindness. Gwen: Namibia, without a doubt, has the stillness that connects us to ourselves. As quoted on our website: “As we settle into the stillness, we notice the stirrings of our souls, our deeper longings, and the quiet whisper of our higher selves."Kerry: The vast open spaces here beg for reflection and connection. I dare anyone to say they don’t ponder or reflect at all when they’re under that beautiful blanket of stars. Your connection to whatever beliefs you hold is so much stronger out there.Gwen: Staying true to the values of Soul Hub, the You’re written in the Stars-retreat is all about empowerment - taking your personal power back to create a world of your choosing. It is about understanding your personal road map for life and acquiring the tools to make decisions based on these universal forces in your life. You will come to realize astrology is more than just your zodiac sign - it is a tool that helps us understand the cycles of life, as well as describe you in all your facets. In return, it allows you to live up to your highest potential. It uses the birth chart - which is unique to you and only you - to describe you in all your facets. A beautiful way to think of your birth chart is as a snapshot of the planets and stars at the exact moment you came into this world. Astrology, if used wisely, can build a bridge between the lower and higher self. Living with greater awareness of your higher self empowers the individual to transcend karma. You will gain an understanding of how to integrate astrology into your life experiences to empower yourself to move beyond ego-based desires. Self-awareness is a prerequisite to self-actualization. Astrology supports both. With this specific retreat, we create an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the stars to nourish our souls, re-inspire our spirits, and reconnect with our authentic selves. Knowledge and increased awareness are things no one can ever take away from you. Gwen: I am completely obsessed with the moon and live by the moon. With me having a Pisces Moon in my birth chart, you can call me the ‘crazy moon lady’. Part of the retreat is introspective evening rituals with a combination of stargazing, storytelling, breathwork, sound bath, movement, and dance. Kerry: The Covid-era thrust us into an alternate reality overnight. We suddenly had the stark realization that we had taken so many simple things for granted. It reminded us how vital connections are to our survival and how powerful we are because of them. The power of communication and, at the end of the day, allowing ourselves the time and space to create those connections, is one of the single kindest things you can do for yourself and the people around you. We just want to create an environment where we can hold that space for others. We’re still very much in the grit of this journey ourselves and so it’s really just an invitation to join us for the ride. I scribbled in a notebook “due to personal reasons, I will be shining brightly and unapologetically for the foreseeable future". Don’t you think we could all use a little more of this kind of energy? – soulhub@soulhubretreats.com; www.soulhubretreats.com *ASTROLOGY*CONNECTIONS

A hub for the soul

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-29

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A hub for the soul

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Namibian Sun 2025-01-29

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