Kinship with the Source of all Life
A five day retreat attuning to
water as a sacred, living being
Sat 25th April - Wed 29th April
Gutshaus Groß Markow, North Germany
An invitation to connect with water and the wider web of life
Water is the foundation of life. It makes our existence on Earth possible, and binds us together - to each other and to our planetary home. As ancient as the Earth herself, water carries memory and is imprinted with stories of infinite cycles, states, and journeys across time and terrain. This five day immersive gathering is an invitation to attune to the essence, centrality and mystery of water - and an opportunity to deepen in kinship with the whole web of life - as animate, intelligent, communicative and cocreative.
Together, we will explore some of the following streams and tributaries:
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Water through the lens of Kincentric Leadership''s 8 principles
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Water as substance, as matter, as cocreator and connector
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The origins of water, deep time, water as past, present, future
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The mystery and magic of water, water as sacred or Divine
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The spiritual symbolism of ‘source’ or the ‘pure waters of life’ and why our connection with this inner reality is critical to ecological and social regeneration
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Rivers and their place in human identity and belonging
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Nature governance, water’s right to flow freely, to be honoured as a being with agency and personhood
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Water, polycrisis and an unravelling world
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Water and memory, water and prayer
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Water, and the vast family of more-than-human kin with whom we share our breath and being.
A confluence of many ways of knowing
The science of more-than-human sentience, teachings from Indigenous knowledge holders, and systems thinking will all flow together to help us reimagine our place within Earth’s living waterscapes. We will flow with Kincentric Leadership’s unique system of principles and practices for cocreation with a living Earth, draw on bioregionalism, biomimicry, nature-based solutions, and the rights of nature movement. And be watered by the living stream of Sufism and other wisdom traditions, always guided by silence, listening and the intimations of our more-than-human kin.
We will weave together…
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Experiential learning; storytelling; myth; map-making
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Embodied and somatic practices for sensing into a knowing beyond the mind
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‘Interspecies activations’ - playful attempts to embody the intelligence of the more-than-human world
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Silent morning meditation
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The practice of land/water vigil or extended sit spot (potentially on an uninhabited island on Teterower See which is close by)
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Simple, accessible ritual, ceremony and song
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Experiments with art, poetry, music and dance, cocreated with the more-than-human world
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The collective knowledge and experience of the group, including some peer-led and collaborative sessions
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Practical tools and frameworks to enable you to embed kinship and cocreation with Earth into your life, community or organisation.
Contributors & Facilitators
The retreat is an in-person gathering in North Germany, co-facilitated by
Justine Huxley and Ebru Nilo, with two guest speakers joining online.
Rutendro Ngara (Guest speaker, joining online)
Rutendo Lerato Ngara is an African Indigenous Knowledge Systems practitioner, transdisciplinary researcher and speaker from Southern Africa, whose professional interests include the interface between science, culture, cosmology and paradigms of healing. She is Founder of Rooted In Soul; Co-Founder of Ancient Wisdom Africa and Ancient Wisdom Foundation; and a member of a number of interdisciplinary organisations dedicated to indigenous knowledge and the protection ofsacred sites and bio-cultural regions, such as, the Earth Elders and Earthrise Collective. She has served on a number of boards, and committees, including the Credo Mutwa Foundation, the South African Wushu Federation, the Future of Work Foundation, the People’s World Commission on Drought and Floods, and Project Biome. Holding an MSc in Medicine)in Biomedical Engineering, Rutendo’s transdisciplinary focus centres on bridging Western and Indigenous paradigms. She has an interest and afffinity with the theme of kinship with water.
Anna Kovasna (Guest speaker, joining online)
Justine Huxley (Lead Facilitator)
Justine is a writer, facilitator, and spiritual ecologist. She co-founded Kincentric Leadership with Anna Kovasna and leads workshops, retreats, and trainings on aligning leadership and decision-making with Earth-based wisdom. She is also a Development and Outreach Consultant for the Bushman Heritage Museum in South Africa, and Director at a US foundation that supports regenerative work. Previously, Justine was CEO at St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace in London, where she worked for 18 years, and pioneered programmes at the intersection of ecology, spirituality, and peace-making. She is the author of 'Generation Y, Spirituality and Social Change', and co-author of 'Cocreating with a Living, Intelligent Earth',. Justine holds a PhD in psychology, and belongs to a Sufi tradition which has consistently oriented towards a living, sacred Earth, and has led retreats, meditation groups and dreamwork for more than two decades within this lineage. She lives close to River Lea in Hertfordshire UK and is in love with all things River.
Ebru Nilo (Host and Supporting Facilitator)
Ebru is a Kincentric Leadership Associate Facilitator and graduate of the first kincentric leadership programme. She deepened her experience of kinship working on the biodynamic farm in North Germany. Through the practice of deep listening and co-dreaming, Ebru developed a relationship with the essence of water and felt moved to convey this living dialogue to others. Born and raised in Germany, her family roots come from Turkey, Greece and Bulgaria. In her teenage years, she felt a heartfelt connection to the teachings of Rumi and followed an Islamic Sufi path, until 20 years ago, she met her teacher, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee and became part of the Golden Sufi line. Originally pursuing a career in nursing, Ebru is a trainer for nonviolent communication, and Co-founder of the Hamburg Association for Nonviolent Communication, where she organises and facilitates retreats and seminars, including programmes on radical self-acceptance and spiritual ecology for activists. Now she is the head of a special residential facility for people with cognitive impairments.
“When the water of life fills the riverbed,every dry reed becomes a flute.”
Jalaluddin Rumi (The Masnavi)
Location and venue
The retreat will be hosted at the manor house, Gutshaus Groß Markow, a rambling old manor house, built in 1829. Set within a park of mature trees and open lawns, it offers a generous and quiet green space for the group. Groß Markow village is in the Mecklenburgische Schweiz landscape of gentle hills and woodlands. The interior of the manor house combines historic character with practical space. There are multiple communal spaces for groupwork, meals, and downtime. The bedrooms are large with high ceilings, large windows, and wooden floors. All rooms are single with a mix of shared and private bathrooms.
Proximity to Water
The grounds offer a fish pond or small lake, and fairly close by are the Teterower See and River Peene. However, we will not necessarily be travelling to large bodies of water within the retreat as water is found everywhere including within our own bodies.
Travel
Gutshaus Groß Markow is approximately 200 km north of Berlin. The nearest train station is in Teterow, about 12 km from the estate. The nearest major airport is in Berlin Neubrandenburg Airport (50 km away). We will send full travel details and arrange lift-sharing for those who book.
Retreat Timings
The retreat runs from lunchtime on Saturday 25th April 2026 to 10am on Wednesday 29 April.
Practicalities & Cost
Food
Food will be simple vegetarian fare with vegan and gluten free options for those who need it. Our chef is Mehtap Erdogan. For Mehtap, cooking isn’t just about making food; it’s about sharing joy, and a bit of love in every meal. Her table is always about balance, flavor, and warmth—because for her, food is the sweetest way to bring people together.
Language
The main language of the retreat will be English, so please only attend if you are comfortable with that. The guest speakers and lead facilitator will speak in English and there will not be German translation. Ebru (our supporting facilitator) will speak in German, with English translation where needed.
Cost
The retreat costs:
750 Eur for a single room
There are also a small number of lower cost tickets at 595 Eur that you can apply for if the full price is difficult for you (please fill out the relevant section on the booking form and we will let you know).
Empower
Growth
Explore water through the lens of the 8 kincentric principles
Join us!
The group size will be 18 participants. If more people apply than we have places, we will select participants based on creating a balanced and diverse group.
We will let you know if you have a place at the latest by 31 January 2026, and send you bank details to transfer your fee. To confirm your place, full payment will then be required by 28th Feb 2026. We will then send you a participant pack with more information about how to prepare.
If you cannot access the form email ebruoezuruk@hotmail.de
“To enter water is, of course, to cross a border. You pass the lake’s edge, the sea’s shore, the river’s brink – and in so doing you arrive at a different realm..."
Robert MacFarlane (Landmarks)