Art of Relating | mini festival

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A summer gathering
in wild nature

Five days of Transformational Connection and Circling in community, in the wild beauty of the Semois Valley in southern Belgium. We slow down, practice deep and honest human connection, and let nature support and resource us.

Mornings by the river.
Workshops rooted in presence and relational practices.
Space to stay with what happens between us.
Evenings around the fire.

A space where we explore aliveness in our bodies and nourishment through connection, with each other and with the living land around us.

This is not a conventional retreat. It is a gathering: a temporary community in which participation matters. Meeting each other is not just a concept; it is something we practice in the ordinary moments: in how we listen, cook, swim, speak, and rest together.

A gentle structure holds the days, while leaving room to move at your own pace. You are invited to trust your experience, to notice what feels true, and to remember that you are not separate from nature, but part of it.

At the heart of this gathering are relational practices that take us to the inside of human connection. The focus is not on trying to get somewhere, but on discovering the essence of what is already here.

We hold whatever arises with curiosity, and meet it with a sense of innocence and wonder. In doing so, something begins to shift. Not because we force change, but because we are willing to be with what is present. This often cultivates a nourishing and far-reaching growth.

This practice can be confronting. It may reveal deep-seated relational patterns or struggles - the very places where connection feels difficult or blocked. It can also feel incredibly peaceful, like coming home to yourself and to others.

What we do

"A precious and memorable experience. Ben and Pieter carry such beautiful energy. Their genuine care and tenderness created a safe space for us to explore our true selves in relation to others and to nature. They are truly beautiful human beings whom I appreciate, and their gatherings have supported my growth in meaningful ways.

The warm, loving atmosphere lingered with me long after the experience ended. I miss the mesmerizing birdsongs at 5 a.m., the warmth of the campfire beneath the tipi in the rain, and the vibration of our singing hanging in the air."

Wenwei

No two experiences are ever the same.

Still, we notice certain patterns:

A shift from being in the head to feeling more present in the body.
A greater capacity to stay with your experience.
Clearer boundaries that arise naturally.
Discomfort reveals what stands in the way of connection.
Old relational habits softening through real-time contact.
Moments of warmth, aliveness, and genuine meeting.
A sense of feeling more yourself.
A renewed clarity about what truly matters and how you want to relate.

What tends to unfold

Orientation

This gathering will likely resonate with you if you are curious about what happens in real contact and willing to explore yourself in relationship with others. It is for people who appreciate shared responsibility and who are open to participating rather than consuming.

It may feel nourishing if you are drawn to spending several days close to nature, with simple facilities and a communal rhythm.

This is not a purely theoretical workshop, nor a high-comfort retreat where everything is arranged for you. It is also not a space where you can remain entirely in the background. While there is guidance and structure, your presence and participation matter.

"The workshop gave me a unique opportunity to deeply connect with people I didn’t know, sharing what was truly alive for us in the moment. It also brought me a chance to take the time and listen to what is within me in response to the stories and feelings of others as well as just my own inner voice.

Ben and Pieter bring a unique energy to the space. From the start, there is a sense of safety and no judgment, combined with a deep sensitivity to what is happening in the group. At the same time, they keep the process focused and grounded.

Circling feels like a rare pause in busy life; a chance to truly focus on the humans around us and on ourselves. For me, it was a transformative experience."

Eliel Benaroch

Program &
Contributors

The gathering is held within a clear yet flexible framework.

Each day follows a gentle rhythm:

Morning – two workshop options
Afternoon – two workshop options
Evening – gathering around the fire

Workshops are optional. There is time to swim, walk, rest, or sit by the river. You are free to move between participation and solitude.

The festival is guided by experienced facilitators rooted in transformational connection, circling, and surrendered leadership. Alongside these relational practices, sessions may include movement, music, constellation work, contact improvisation, breathwork & other forms of embodied exploration.

While the hosts hold the overall container, they are also part of the process. We remain responsive to what is alive in the group as the days unfold.

What happens between the sessions matters just as much. To keep the gathering communal and accessible, we share practical responsibilities. Meals are included and prepared together with a cook. Each participant contributes with two kitchen shifts and shared care for the land. (gathering wood, keeping the space clean, and tending the camp together).

PIETER LICHTERT

Pieter was first drawn to relational practices by their immediacy, by how quickly real contact and aliveness can emerge when people slow down together. What continues to inspire him is the simplicity of the work: meeting himself through others, discovering new layers of truth, and strengthening what he calls a relational muscle.

He has been facilitating circling since 2019 and works as a coach and trainer, bringing relational practice into leadership and organisational contexts. Alongside this, he works closely with horses, experiencing them as teachers in presence, attunement, and embodied leadership.

For Pieter, this festival is about creating a space where people take responsibility for their own experience while being supported by the group and the land itself. Nature is not a backdrop for him. The river, the trees, and the silence between conversations are part of the holding. They offer orientation, nourishment, and perspective.

During the festival, he will also invite moments of circling with the land, sensing what becomes available when nature is included as a participant rather than a setting.

BENJAMIN VANDEWALLE

For Benjamin, this gathering began with a beautiful place in nature he discovered by chance. A place that felt like an invitation to bring people together.

As a contemporary dancer, choreographer, and long-time meditator, he is drawn to embodied experience and shifts in perception. His artistic work explores how presence can alter the way we experience reality. In recent years, he has woven relational practices into his artistic world, training in Transformational Connection and hosting circles in his Brussels studio. He is particularly interested in the meeting point between movement and circling, and in how embodied awareness and relational depth can strengthen one another.

For Benjamin, the word “gathering” matters. This is not a fixed retreat, but a living container where something new can emerge. What happens when we fully inhabit ourselves in relationship? At this festival, he brings movement, music, sensing, and a willingness to let the field shape what happens.

THIS GATHERING IS INITIATED AND HOSTED BY:

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Throughout the week, friends and facilitators from our wider community will offer sessions and practices, each bringing their own experience and flavour. We are grateful to be joined by:

Anja Sofie Boorsma
Gerd Schoeters
Kathryn Piper
Milan Vujovic

More names and details will be shared as the festival approaches.

Practical

DATES: July 22 (Wednesday noon) – July 26 (Sunday afternoon)

LOCATION: Wild camping site in the Semois valley, South of Belgium. Exact details will be shared after registration.

ACCOMMODATION: Off-grid camping. Bring your own tent or camper.
Limited indoor sleeping spots available.
Simple facilities. Close contact with the elements.

SHARED RESPONSIBILITY: Meals are included and prepared together with a cook. Each participant contributes with two kitchen shifts and shared care for the land.

EXPIRIENCE LEVEL: No prior experience required. Introductory workshops will be offered for those new to relational practice.

CHILDREN
Children are welcome. Childcare available during workshop slots.