Colleen from @dotsoflovecanada is hosting Canada's second annual in-person mandala retreat taking place in October of 2026. Co-founder Lauren Saunders @loveanddots will be joining us in a supportive role this year as a featured masterclass facilitator, sharing her expertise through two exclusive sessions. Her presence brings a beautiful layer of connection, mentorship, and creative energy to the weekend.
"More Than Mandalas" will be a community and growth-focused 3-day in-person retreat. While we'll spend the majority of our time painting together, we also want participants to come away feeling more present to possibility in themselves, their lives, and their painting practices, accessing new levels of potential in any area of life, art and even business. This immersive weekend weaves together painting workshops, guided breath work, a live henna experience, and a closing mandala altar experience using natural and floral elements.
The retreat is open to and welcoming of participants anywhere in the world, but please note that you are responsible for your travels plans and costs required to get to Vancouver Island.
This page contains all necessary information on the retreat, so that you have ample time to make plans and decide whether you'd like to secure one of the 22 available spots. Registration opens on Saturday, March 14th at 10AM CST for 24 hours to those on the WAITLIST ONLY, with remaining spots being made available to the public on Sunday, March 15th.
To ensure you get earliest access, join the retreat waitlist here.
Victoria, British Columbia
When envisioning the setting for our second annual More Than Mandalas Retreat, we knew it needed to feel just as expansive and inspiring as the experience itself — but in a new way.
This year, we’re gathering on the breathtaking shores of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Surrounded by ocean air, towering evergreens, and the quiet rhythm of the West Coast, this location offers a different kind of magic — one that feels grounding, spacious, and deeply restorative.
Just 20–30 minutes outside of Victoria, our retreat setting allows you to step away from the noise of everyday life while still remaining accessible and easy to reach.
Our home for the retreat will be The Summit House — a family-run venue nestled on a striking 200-acre off-grid Malahat property, with sweeping views of world-class mountains and the stunning Finlayson Arm below. It’s the kind of place that immediately invites you to exhale. Expansive skies, forested surroundings, and panoramic vistas create a sense of space that feels both intimate and infinite.
Victoria, the charming coastal capital of British Columbia, is known for its stunning Inner Harbour, mild year-round climate, and beautiful blend of old-world elegance and modern West Coast vibrancy. With blooming gardens, walkable streets, cozy cafés, whale watching tours, and oceanfront views, it’s a destination that encourages you to slow down and soften.
We also chose this location with accessibility in mind. Direct domestic and international flights arrive into Victoria International Airport, making travel simple and seamless. For those wanting to extend their adventure, you can also fly into Vancouver and enjoy the scenic ferry ride across to the island — a journey that sets the tone for the retreat before you even arrive.
Just like last year, this location was chosen with deep intention — not only for its beauty, but for the way it invites you to breathe deeper, create freely, and reconnect with yourself in a meaningful way.
The Retreat Space
While the views are expansive, the retreat space itself feels grounded, intimate, and deeply welcoming. Large windows flood the main gathering area with natural light — an essential element for our mandala painting sessions — creating a bright, inspiring atmosphere that supports both focus and flow.
The layout allows us to seamlessly move between structured creative workshops, quiet painting time, and restorative wellness offerings such as sound and gentle movement. Whether we’re gathered around our painting tables, stepping outside for fresh ocean air on the deck, or sharing meaningful conversation between sessions, the space supports every rhythm of the retreat.
One of the most special aspects of this venue is the connection between indoors and outdoors. Just steps away, you’ll find panoramic deck views, open sky, and forested stillness — a setting that naturally invites grounding, reflection, and creative expansion.
Every element of this space has been chosen intentionally — to hold our creativity, our conversations, and the transformative moments that unfold when women gather to create.
The Experience
More Than Mandalas is an immersive, heart-led retreat experience spanning from Thursday evening to Sunday morning.
Our time together is intentionally designed to blend creative expansion, meaningful connection, and restorative wellness — all held within 200 acres of breathtaking West Coast landscape. Between painting sessions, you’ll be able to step outside, breathe in the ocean air, wander the property, or pause on the deck overlooking sweeping mountain and Finlayson Arm views.
This isn’t just about learning technique. It’s about slowing down enough to hear yourself again. It’s about creating in community while still having space to reflect. It’s about letting inspiration come not from pressure — but from presence.
You’ll spend your days immersed in painting, supported by grounding practices that help you settle in, soften, and fully arrive.
Below is an overview of our time together (exact details and timing are subject to gentle refinement):
THURSDAY
7:00 – 9:00 PM
Opening Ceremony
We begin our weekend by gathering in circle.
Breath work Master Kyla Gagnon will guide us through a grounding breathwork experience to help us arrive fully and set powerful intentions for the days ahead.
We’ll share welcome drinks and light refreshments, open the space with introductions, and begin building the connection that makes this retreat so special.
FRIDAY
8:30 AM
Live Brushstrokes Class with Lauren Saunders from @loveanddots
9:30 AM
Begin painting your 18" mandala design with guided instruction
12:30 PM
Break for complimentary catered lunch
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Floral MasterClass with Lauren Saunders @loveanddots
2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Open studio painting time
Evening
Group dinner (location to be announced)
Friday is about immersion — learning, creating, and settling into your painting rhythm.
SATURDAY
8:30 am
Q&A led by Colleen (open format — ask anything about mandala art, business, creativity, or process, all are invited to join the conversation and share)
Open studio painting time
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Special Guest Experience:
Victoria's own Henna Artist, Esha will be joining us to mandalify your hands — a beautiful, creative expression woven into our weekend together.
12:30 PM
Break for complimentary catered lunch
1:00 – 6:00 PM
Open studio continues
Evening 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Choice Dinner - head into Victoria to explore the city.
Saturday is expansive — creative flow, connection, conversation, and expression.
SUNDAY
9:00am
Final painting touches & packing up
Closing Circle - Mandala Altar Experience
A reflective experience incorporating natural and floral elements to honour our creative journey and intentions moving forward.
Group reflection & good-byes
We close our time together intentionally — celebrating what we created, what we learned, and what we’re carrying home with us.
🌿 What Past Participants Experienced
Last year’s retreat left women feeling restored, connected, and deeply inspired. Here’s what they shared:
“Welcome. Accepted. Supported. Peaceful. Joyful. Inspired.”
“What meant the most wasn’t just painting — it was the connection with people I had only known online and those I had just met.”
“I am going home with so much more than just a great mandala and a polished brushstroke technique.”
✨ A Participant Reflection
“I arrived to the retreat empty and exhausted, desperately needing the weekend to be for me. No stress. Just time to refill my tank. I spent half of day one simply doing brush strokes — and loved every second of moving at my own pace.
The most important message of the weekend was: ‘This is YOUR retreat. This is YOUR time.’ That gave me permission to do exactly what my mind, heart, and soul needed. I left feeling restored, connected, and inspired.”
Included in Your Experience
In addition to our immersive weekend together, your retreat experience also includes:
→ A recorded masterclass of the 18" mandala design
So you can revisit the process or complete your piece at your own pace after the retreat, if needed.
→ A pre-recorded Colour & Palette Masterclass
Delivered approximately one month before the retreat. This optional training allows you to arrive with a stronger understanding of colour theory and palette building — so our in-person time can focus on refinement, technique, and deeper creative flow.
→ All tools, paint, and supplies
Everything you need to complete your 18" mandala design will be provided. Simply arrive ready to create.
→ A thoughtfully curated retreat gift bag
Filled with beautiful, hand-selected items to support your creativity and extend the experience beyond the weekend.
Accommodations
*Please Read*
The price of overnight accommodations is not included in the cost of the retreat, and retreat-goers will be responsible for booking their hotel or AirBNB stay for the duration of the retreat.
Our retreat location is approximately 20 minutes outside of Victoria, British Columbia, conveniently located just off the Trans-Canada Highway. This makes it easy to stay either in downtown Victoria or along the highway corridor between the city and the retreat property.
There are a wide variety of hotels, inns, and Airbnbs available at multiple price points. Upon securing your retreat spot, you'll also be added to our private retreat group space. Here is where you can connect with fellow attendees prior to the retreat. Many participants use this space to coordinate shared accommodations or airport transportation if desired.
Getting To Victoria
Victoria is easily accessible for both domestic and international travelers.
You can fly directly into Victoria International Airport (YYJ), which is approximately 35–40 minutes from the retreat location.
Another option is to fly into Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and enjoy the scenic ferry ride across to Vancouver Island — a beautiful way to begin your retreat experience.
Rental cars are recommended for ease and flexibility during the weekend, though ride-sharing and taxi services are also available.
Explore Beyond the Retreat
If you’re planning to arrive early or stay a little longer, Vancouver Island offers a breathtaking backdrop for an extended autumn escape.
Just minutes from our retreat property, you can wander the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, where fall colour and seasonal displays create a rich, immersive experience. Take in sweeping ocean and mountain views from the iconic Malahat SkyWalk, perched high above the forest canopy — especially magical in the crisp October air.
October is also a great time for whale watching along the southern island. It’s common to spot humpback whales and resident orcas (killer whales) during this season, making for a truly unforgettable coastal experience.
Further north near Nanaimo, you’ll find scenic waterfront walking paths and easy access to forested trails and ocean lookouts — perfect for grounding nature walks before or after the retreat.
On the west coast of the island, Tofino offers dramatic shorelines, rainforest trails, and the wild beauty of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. Late October brings moody skies, powerful ocean views, and quiet hiking experiences — ideal for those wanting to fully embrace the West Coast atmosphere.
Whether you’re craving gardens in autumn bloom, panoramic forest views, or the awe of whales migrating along the coastline, Vancouver Island offers a stunning extension to your retreat experience.
Registration
Retreat Investment:
$1,500 CAD + 5% GST
(Overnight accommodations and travel are not included.)
Spots are intentionally limited to 22 participants to preserve the intimacy and depth of our experience.
Your Registration Includes
- Full participation in all retreat workshops, ceremonies, and creative sessions
- Opening night breathwork experience + welcome refreshments
- Two catered lunches (Friday & Saturday)
- One group dinner (Friday evening)
- Complimentary coffee, tea, pop, bubly/water and snacks throughout the weekend
- All painting supplies required to complete your 18" mandala (paint, brushes, dotting tools, and wood round)
- Two Masterclasses with Lauren Saunders @loveanddots Brushstrokes and Florals
- A special henna mandala experience with Victoria artist Esha, adding a meaningful, hand-crafted layer of art to your retreat weekend.
- Closing Circle + Mandala Altar Experience
A reflective experience incorporating natural and floral elements to honour our creative journey and intentions moving forward. - A pre-recorded Colour & Palette Masterclass delivered prior to the retreat
- A recorded masterclass of the 18" mandala design for continued learning after the retreat
- A curated retreat gift bag
Questions?
If you have any questions about the retreat experience, feel free to reach out directly.
Message Colleen on Instagram @dotsoflovecanada or email dotsoflovecanada@outlooklcom and we'll be happy to support you.