CATHARSIS:
Ceremonial Art Retreat in Cape Town, South Africa
3 November - 9 November, 2025
At GAIA Centre For Healing Arts, Constantia
Cape Town, South Africa
A curated, holistic container to
UNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL
& HEAL THROUGH ART.
This is your Catharsis, what have you been holding in for too long?
Join us in alchemising the ‘uglier’ and denser emotions
that are buried inside you into beautiful works of art.
The space, facilitators & artists ☟
Audio by Yasmin Ezzideen & Pedro Carvalho.
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WHAT WE HOLD ONTO END UP MAKING OUR MIND, BODY AND SOUL SICK.
WHAT DOESN’T FLOW WITH EASE THROUGH YOUR SYSTEM, CREATES DISEASE.
Why join the retreat?
Transform pain into expression.
The opposite of depression is expression. Come cry with us, rage with us, feel with us.
A safe space to unravel your pain and wounds out into the light and then onto a canvas.
Release energetic blocks.
Clear the blocks limiting your creativity—and your life.
We combine mindfulness practices, psychology, ceremony, and somatic work, we tap into those hidden spaces in the psyche - and storage spaces in the body,
bringing light to what's really going on underneath the noise of the world.
Deep dive into your inner world.
With a certified traditional healer, a guided psilocybin (the “pattern breaker”) micro-dosing journey, you'll access deeper layers of healing.
Join a community of creators.
Connect with others on similar journeys in a judgement-free space for deep thinkers and deep feelers.
Together we heal through vulnerability, deep feeling and sharing our stories - which is medicine.
Feel supported and held.
As Julia Cameron says, “Art requires a safe hatchery.”
You’ll be guided by skilled facilitators in a nurturing space—held with warmth as you process, heal, and rediscover yourself.
A HATCHERY TO REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE BOTH THE ARTIST OF YOUR LIFE, AND THE MUSE.
YOU ARE BOTH THE AUTHOR OF YOUR LIFE, AND THE MAIN CHARACTER.
ART ALSO EXISTS IN THE MESSY.
THIS IS FOR YOU IF YOU…
Are in deep transition and want assistance in an energetic rebirth and refresh.
Have been holding onto deep resentment, anger or rage, unable to find a healthy expression for such an intense emotion.
Have unresolved grief, sadness or abandonment stuck in your chest and middle back that won't shake off.
Find yourself longing for deeper exhales and moments of mental quietness.
Long for a compassionate, deep feeling and wise community - healing together.
Wish for a transformative experience on your travels.
Want to alchemise something that feels ugly and dense, into something truly beautiful, profound and yours.
Feel you have deeply profound art waiting inside of you, waiting for a moment to unleash onto canvas.
Feel the ache of unexpressed poetry and medicine stories wanting to be shared.
Feel dull, bored and uninspired with life, ready to become both the artist of your life and the muse.
The author of your story and the main character.
Open for all levels of art experience.
THREE RETREAT OPTIONS
4 Day Warrior (Root to heart)
(Join only the first 4 days || 3 - 6 November)
Ground in and create a strong, clear foundation to soar from.
The first four days we move through;
Creative art healing workshops for self discovery,
releasing blockages and practicing
building the muscle of creativity.
Workshop and talk by artist Atang Tshikare.
3 Day Weekender (Throat to crown)
(Join only the last 3 days || 7 - 9 November)
The last three days we move through;
A looser schedule, focusing on expression of your voice,
your story, your he(art).
Getting your personal story, pain and healing
into a bigger art piece that you can take home.
Workshop and talk by artist Yasmin Ezzideen.
7 Day Full Journeyer (Root to crown)
(We recommend this full experience for those seeking deep, lasting transformation. || 3 - 9 November)
Immerse yourself in seven powerful days of creative exploration, healing, and ceremony—
moving through each energy center from root to crown.
Release blockages, engage in all ceremonies and holistic practices,
and experience a complete rebirth through art and mindful integration.
See more about the schedule below.
Two healing practitioners and two professional artists weaving wisdom, healing modalities, sacred ceremony, and artistry into a 7-day container in South Africa, designed to guide journeyers through deep insight, inner exploration, and lasting transformation.
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Co-founder of Catharsis
Jaimie is a conduit for healing, using energy work, psychic channeling, breathwork, tarot, and creativity as tools for personal and collective transformation.
Rooted in lived experience, these modalities first guided her own awakening and now form a tapestry of support she offers through workshops, one-on-one sessions, and immersive artistic retreats. Each space invites psychological exploration, somatic release, and soulful expression.
With deep reverence for light amid life’s heaviness, Jaimie champions joy as a revolutionary act. She believes art born from truth frees the self and radiates healing into the collective.
Whether guiding breathwork, channeling insight, or holding space for creative catharsis, Jaimie leads others into deeper connection with themselves, their bodies, their stories, and the unseen support around them.
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Professional Guest Artist.
Yasmin is a multi disciplinary artist with experience in a variety of mediums. In 2013 – she graduated with a distinction from Michaelis School of Fine Art majoring in sculpture. She draws inspiration from mysticism, mythology and holistic shamanic healing practices.
As a multi-disciplinary artist, she creates sensual figurative drawings of the female form. Through her work, she aims to explore the concept of the goddess and the rising power of the Divine Feminine, drawing from her own multi-cultural diaspora. Her artistic process is a deeply personal ritual of healing, wherein she connects to the earth and embraces a sense of oneness with the universe.
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Co-founder of Catharsis.
Phillippa has over 25 years of experience in Metaphysics and brings deep expertise as a Reiki master, quantum healer, hypnotherapist, soul plan reader, yoga teacher (CYT 700h) and ceremonialist. Through transformative ceremonies in South Africa and Egypt, she guides individuals on a path of healing, awakening, and embracing their fullest potential.
She integrates multiple modalities to facilitate deep energetic shifts, helping individuals dissolve blocks and step into their fullest creative expression. Believing deeply in the power of immersive experiences, she designs and co-facilitates retreats that blend healing practices, creative exploration, and sacred artistry together.
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Professional Guest Artist.
Atang Tshikare is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist based in Cape Town. Born in Bloemfontein in 1980, he was shaped early on by his father’s visual storytelling and graphic style—his father being an anti-apartheid activist and illustrator for various pan-African publications and art magazines.Over the past twenty years, Atang’s practice has evolved from street art and drawings to limited-edition collectible designs that blend narrative-rich sculptural furniture with functional art. Through a unique visual language, he expresses his distinct visionary African identity, weaving tradition and soul into his collections. For Peo e Atang, he gathered folklore, legends, traditional prayers, songs, and games in Setswana and Sesotho.
In 2010, Atang founded Zabalazaa Designs and has collaborated with local artists and global brands such as Chimurenga Magazine, Adidas Originals, BMW, MTV Base, Belvedere Vodka, and Nando’s.
He received the Future Found Award from the Southern Guild Design Foundation in 2014 and was named one of the M&G Top 200 Young South Africans in 2015. He also served as a judge for the Elle Décor Solve Competition (2015) and the Dezeen Awards (2019).
Atang’s intuitive creative process is central to his work: “My drawings sometimes come before the narratives or research because they stem from something in my mind I can’t yet put into words—a sketch that flows without much thought.” This allows him to create pieces that are both profound and unique.
More about the Cape Town creative retreat schedule;
We begin our time together at 7:45am to prepare for morning yoga, meditation and journaling
and leave the space before or around 7pm after the daily closing circle ends - depending on the day’s schedule.
Monday - ROOT
Opening circle & group hypnosis, Artist talk & workshop with Atang Tshikare.
Tuesday - SACRAL
Morning movement & inner dive, Earth altar ceremony, Art healing workshop, Tarot readings.
Wednesday - SOLAR PLEXUS
Morning movement & inner dive, 2x Art healing workshops.
Thursday - HEART
Morning movement & inner dive, Cacao and poetry ceremony, Poetry healing workshop, Swim and sauna.
Friday - THROAT
Morning movement & inner dive, Artist talk & vocal activation with Yasmin Ezzideen, Begin your grand art piece, Open mic.
Saturday - THIRD EYE
Blue lotus and breathwork, Keep working on your grand art piece.
Sunday - CROWN
Morning movement & inner dive, Finish your grand art piece, Closing ceremony.
More about the space;
This 7-day art healing and mindfulness retreat is designed as a daily immersion, with no overnight stay. Each morning, we gather together in Constantia at 7:45am to begin our opening practices and step into the creative container. After the sun sets, we close our day in circle and poetry, departing the villa around 6:30pm - 7:30pm.
The villa itself radiates a rare and stirring energy. Its walls are alive with the spectacular works of renowned artists, each room steeped in aesthetic soul.
For the foreigners coming through, there are fantastic Airbnb and hostel options around Cape Town.
We recommend choosing a place close to Constantia to avoid traffic in the mornings. Let us know if you need assistance with this.
The lush, inspiring sanctuary.
What’s the exchange?
Included: All movement and mindfulness classes, all group healings, individual tarot sessions, swimming and sauna, all ceremonies, all gentle plant medicines given in ceremony and psilocybin macrodosing given in the mornings.
A light breakfast and two nourishing meals a day.
Art supplies (graphites, acrylic paint, pens, art paper, journal, canvas). (Only for the days/ package you’ve chosen.)
Not included: Yoga mats, evening stay, transportation.
Our Payment Options
7 Day Full Journeyer
(Root to crown)
(Full exploration for an immersive and powerful experience.)
Early Bird Discount (Before May)
- R1 000
(- €50)
Once Off
Local, R11 500
(International, €600)
3 Month Plan
Local, R4 000 per month
(International, €250)
4 Day Warrior
(Root to heart)
(Join only the first 4 days.)
Early Bird Discount (Before May)
- R1 000
(- €50)
Once Off
Local, R8 000
(International, €450)
3 Month Plan
Local, R2 900 per month
(International, €170)
3 Day Weekender
(Throat to crown)
(Join only the last 3 days.)
Early Bird Discount (Before May)
- R1 000
(- €50)
Once Off
Local, R6 750
(International, €370)
3 Month Plan
R2 500 per month
(International, €150)
Fill out your information to join us!
Let us know
Any questions you have.
Which retreat package you’re interested in: 4-day warrior, 3-day weekender or 7-day journeyer.
Which payment plan option you choose: once off or 3 month payment.
Where you’re based: local or foreigner.
Art experience (all is welcome).
We will send you an email with the full information booklet and will guide you through the process of securing your space to journey with us!