Writing
With the
Whales
A Story Catching Retreat
Feb 1 -7, 2026
Maui
Swim through the song of whales
We begin by gathering at our beautiful retreat center nestled in the jungle, where you will find plenty of space to adjust by catching the sunset from the hot tub, adventuring to the water falls, and enjoying untamed nature.
Personal, shared rooms, and dorm style is available based on your preference.
Organic, locally sourced, delicious meals created Kyra and her team with love and care will nourish you.
Each day we will move with the rhythm of the ocean, entering the waters where humpbacks sing—where mothers are birthing their calves, males are courting, and the song carriers are practicing the melodies they will carry across vast seas.
Our pace will be slow and intentional, with space to connect, listen, and integrate the beauty and healing energy of Maui.
This is an invitation to return to your true nature while deepening your connection with the living nature of this place. Together, we will nurture practices of deep listening, opening the way for you to enter into relationship with the whales and the wisdom they offer
Intimate connection in the waters during peak whale season
Our focus is on cultivating relationships with water and whales as we swim, kayak, and snorkel in the resonance of humpback songs. We will be gathering during peak season, when the ocean is filled with their voices—Each day offers opportunities to engage in connective practices that deepen your relationship with the whales, the waters, and yourself.
Not Just Another Group Tour:
The emphasis of Story Catching retreat is connection: to self, to the natural world, to each other, and to creative expression.
Our retreat will begin with a ceremony with WHAIA, known as a “Whaledreaming woman,” she channels ancestral songlines and works at the intersection of art, ritual, and ocean advocacy.
Each day you will have opportunities to connect in meaningful ways with the natural world with your fellow travelers, and have time to align with your own deep listening as we pause to listen to the living mythos that lives in this land and in these waters-- while remaining true to yourself.
Writing and storytelling skills are not required, and will be gently integrated for those who want to experience integrate their experiences through a creative process.
LOGISTICS
February 1 - 7, 2025
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Get in Touch
Meet Your Guides
Sonic Guide
Whaia Sonic Weaver is a transcendent vocalist, alchemical performer, and First Nations multi-instrumentalist of Ngāti Kahungunu, Māori descent. Raised from the age of six on Yindjibarndi country in the Pilbara desert of northwestern Australia, the arid, red earth and the presence of her Aboriginal grandmother shaped her early path — grounding her in the deep listening and elemental kinship that now defines her work. She is a singer, designer, cultural producer, and facilitator, whose haunting vocals are drawn from her original mother tongue — the language of Te Rā, the Sun. Walking with Taonga Pūoro (traditional Māori instruments) and crystal singing bowls, Whaia blends vocals with melodies made of wood, bone, clay and stone, weaving the voices of mother nature.
In 2011, she carved out a four-year Australian tour with the band WHALEDREAMERS, featuring Mirning elder and Senior Lore Man Bunna Lawrie, singing the ancient Aboriginal whale songlines at festivals across the continent. As an artist, activist, and elemental voice for the waters, Whaia is also an ambassador for the ocean. She serves on the board of Oceanic Global, the Kia’i Moana Foundation in Hawai’i, and is a member of the Wisdom Keeper Delegation, a global collective walking ancestral wisdom into policy spaces, including within the United Nations.
