Retreats - The Aliveness Project

Re-wilding

Re-Wild Yourself

A nice kick start to your path to feeling more alive can be a nature retreat.

Bringing you back to your true nature. Regaining the feeling of freedom, consciousness, physical strength, mental power, emotional connection and creating headspace. Simply by being in nature, supported by life changing experiences (breathwork, hiking, vision quest, sweat lodge, digital detox and more) in truly unique settings around the world.

The experience can be tailored to each group. Adding or leaving out certain experiences. But always with the intention for a Re-Wilding experience.

Always good quality, local and seasonal food. I do not facilitate boozy trips. But I'm open to incorporate the occasional good food and a glass of wine combination. However I advise for the total detox.

I bring a wealth of experience in facilitating nature retreats. Being a certified coaching, facilitating and breath instructor in combination with my general human skills. People generally feel very much at ease and comfortable with me.

Each retreat can vary from 4 to 7 days. Depending on the location and the needs of the group.

Breathwork Hiking Vision quest Sweat lodge Digital detox

Re-wild yourself to regain the sensation of feeling fully alive again.

The reason

Why

I was asked to come on my first retreat in 2017 by a group of entrepreneurs. Not knowing this would change my life for good. My goal is to transform and inspire as many people as possible and help them feel alive again.

Modern day society is not a very healthy place. We are not naturally equipped to handle life's fast pace, to perform under continuous pressure and the influence of its extreme information density. In these times people can be restless, stuck in their mind, feeling controlled etc.

Therefore it is absolutely crucial to be mindful and work on your own mental and physical health. These retreats are a great kick start for a change of lifestyle, it gives you tools for different perspective on life. Potential follow up guidance and an annual checkup would help you stay on track.

Are you ready to feel alive again?

The destinations

Truly unique settings

Austrian Alps

Lungau

A hidden valley of pure beauty in the Austrian Alps. I have been coming here all my life as a part of my family is from here.

This valley is far away from civilisation and therefore still wild and quiet. Even though it's only 1,5 hours drive from Salzburg. There are several peaks to climb and breathtaking lakes to dive into.

This area inhabits a nice variety of wildlife that can be spotted with our knowledgeable guide. Deer, chamois along with thousands types of birds make this a unique place.

We will be sleeping in very basic wooden cabins with no one else but us around. The food is local and fresh and the water we drink and bathe in comes right from the stream.

Not many places in central Europe that are this unspoilt and beautiful as this area.

Lungau, a hidden valley in the Austrian Alps

Spanish mountains

Muga Valley

The Muga Valley lies in the Spanish mountain range just below the Pyrenees. The visionair, Stef van Dongen, behind this project is a true inspirator. I visited him during Covid before opening and immediately understood that he is the real deal.

Enjoy the endless views of nothingness. It's a private piece of land, which is part of a restoration program for nature, animals and the local community. A comfortable hilltop lodge with lap pool will be our base, surrounded by a string of mountains and a vast stretch of forest. This is what it feels like to be far far away from society.

The Muga Valley in the Spanish mountains below the Pyrenees

South Africa

Marataba

Marataba, a 21,000-hectare (52,000-acre), privately managed section of the Marakele National Park, is uniquely situated where lush bushveld gives way to the Kalahari sands, in South Africa's Limpopo Province. I have been fortunate to visit this place many times with my family. This is big 5 territory. Hiking through this beautiful nature, setting up camp along the river and sleeping under the stars, will make you feel one again with nature in no time.

Italian Alps

Alpe Selvaccia

They also call it the healing mountain. My heart lies here, as Otro was my first…

Alpe Selvaccia features four rustic huts on 22 hectares of meadow and forest, a central campfire, traditional tipi, and a yoga platform with panoramic Monte Rosa views.

You'll be looked after by our local hosts, whose genuine hospitality creates a homely atmosphere amid towering mountain peaks.

Alpe Selvaccia in the Italian Alps with Monte Rosa views

Patagonia

El Condor

5 hours over a dirt road with the most beautiful nature I have ever seen, before arriving at El Condor. Visited this place in 2019 and immediately fell in love.

The basic wooden lodge is surrounded by mountains and the vast expanse of Lago San Martin, expect breathtaking views from all over the property. With soaring condors overhead, a rich history and a strong focus on riding, the estancia is a sanctuary for nature lovers and adventurers.

El Condor estancia in Patagonia by Lago San Martin

People feeling alive

What others experienced

"Nothing less than transformational.

I would never have guessed I would use the word transformational. It's often overused and frequently shallow in usage. Still, it's the best fitting word for the week we spent as a group with Michiel at the Mira Lunga. To truly learn something new, I have learned that one of your existing assumptions needs to go. I assumed that a week in a "retreat" is not for my kind. It's not easy to admit, but I was wrong in every possible way.

Michiel is the perfect host; it comes naturally. The splendid organized location and the genuine felt welcome and care you sense, creates the ideal setting for some time off and guided reflection.

It's hard to describe what it did for me as I find it hard to put down in words. One of the things i realized, or better felt, was that the happiness of our lives depends upon the nature of our thoughts. And that we get a new opportunity to guide these thoughts every day. With that, I came to realize that in certain areas in my life, I had to return to love.

I would never have believed I would write something like this. And for that, and much more, I thank Michiel and crew. The experience has been the greatest gift and luxury in my life."

- Coen

"I had the privilege to go on trail facilitated by Michiel in the Apennines, an amazing experience. Michiel is a briljant facilitator and he contributed a lot to this experience. He has a natural talent to feel what a group or an individual needs during a trail. He masters the art of listening extremely well, but also takes the lead and intervenes when needed. In our trail, Michiel found the perfect balance between letting the process flow by itself and adding things to that process at the right moment. And finally, he is just a great guy to spend a few days with. With his sense of humor he creates an atmosphere that allows participants to enjoy and feel comfortable to open-up, and discover more about themselves. I am grateful that I've been on a trail with Michiel and would highly recommend anybody to do so!"

- David

"Michiel is a gentle host who makes you feel truly at home. He knows how to bring balance in a group and is able to create a safe and open atmosphere in which people can share their inner world."

- Bram

"Set and setting. Michiel is een super facilitator die het proces laat onstaan zonder je in een bepaalde richting te drukken. Hierdoor voelt het echt als je eigen proces en weet hij snel een super goede en ontspannen flow te creeren. Qua programma en setting maakt Michiel er echt iets unieks van. Avontuurlijke programmas op een unieke lokatie. Mijn week in Italie met Michiel in de zomer van 2019 was er een om nooit meer te vergeten!"

- Mathieu

"Michiel is a detail-oriented person who can see the big picture. He knows how to create a plan that breathes naturally during a retreat, by sensing what the moment calls for and flowing with it. He is holding the space."

- Francis

Ready to begin?

Feel the calling?

Feel free to reach out if you feel the calling to go on an adventure like this and regain the sensation of feeling alive again with a group or just you joining a group.

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