Date & Time
9:00am CDT - 3:30pm CDT
Price
About This Event
The Examined Life: A Women’s Retreat
The Art & Science of Surrendering the Ego
When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9am-3:30pm
Where: Gratitude House, the specfic location will be provided after registration.
Description: The Examined Life Retreat for Women is designed for women to take a day of reflection to examine The Twelve Steps in a more contemplative way. Even after working the steps, have you wondered what prevents you from improving your self-esteem and your relationships with others? Or why anxiety and insecurity still loom over you? So often, it is our ego that stands in the way of the peace and self-confidence we seek. Our fears, ambitions, defenses, and the stories we are attached to perpetuate our blind spots.
Modern neuroscience affirms what philosophers and spiritual teachers have understood for centuries. The brain naturally protects familiar identities through the need to be right, appearing successful, controlling outcomes, earning approval, or protecting ourselves from vulnerability. Special attention will be on how our ego interferes with steps four through seven, and how steps two, three, and eleven can be used to reduce that interference. Together we will explore the art and science of surrender.
Through lecture, readings, discussion, journaling, movement, and meditation, this retreat invites participants to get to know themselves better and become someone they love and cherish.
Facilitators
Arrah Karigan, Best-Selling Author, Meditation Consultant, and CEO of Higher State Meditations, teaches meditation as a practical, science-informed practice that helps calm the mind, reduce burnout, and expand awareness. Her very presence will calm your nervous system.
Dr. Maggie Sullivan, is the Executive Director of Gratitude House. She holds a doctorate in learning psychology, specializing in how cognition and neural pathways shape behavior. Her work bridges science and spirituality, bringing academic insight and experiential tools to the work of recovery.
Becca Kannapell, a licensed Occupational Therapist, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Somatic Movement Therapist, brings more than two decades of clinical experience integrating body, mind, and spirit. Her holistic approach blends astrology, movement, and breathwork to strengthen mobility, emotional well-being, and connection to the body.
Why You Should Attend
Taking time for self-reflection often falls to the bottom of the priority list. Yet, as Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Across traditions, Catholics practice the Examen, Jews engage in Cheshbon HaNefesh (soul-accounting), and Twelve-Step programs emphasize personal inventory—each recognizing that reflection is essential for enlightenment. Research shows that self-awareness is critical for both our personal and professional relationships as well. Psychologist Daniel Goleman asserts that emotional intelligence—rooted in self-reflection—is a key predictor of professional success, while Brené Brown reminds us that true leadership comes from the courage to examine ourselves, embrace vulnerability, and grow with intention. Each perspective recognizes that reflection and connection are not indulgent, they are transformative.
What to Expect
The Examined Ego
The greatest obstacle to transformation is rarely what happens around us, but what we refuse to see within ourselves. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, this session explores how the ego protects familiar identities through fear, control, perfectionism, and self-reliance. Together we will examine how the Twelve Steps invite us to move from self-protection toward self-love.
Meditation & the Eleventh Step
Higher State Mediations will guide participants through meditation practices rooted in the Eleventh Step: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God.” Learn to quiet the mind, deepen intuition, and experience serenity as a spiritual discipline.
Oh The People You Will Meet
Every person we meet has something to teach us. Connect with other women who have faced fear, ego, separation, perfectionism, or addiction—and found grace, gratitude, and God. All of our stories remind us that recovery is not about perfection.
The Setting
Set in a beautifully restored three-story Victorian home with a wraparound porch and space heaters for comfort, this retreat takes place on a peaceful one-acre lot in a quiet suburb. Inside, the atmosphere is like being at your home in the country—couches replace conference chairs, and the dining room becomes a place for connection, with a prayer and meditation room to immerse yourself in conscious contact with God…Wear what feels authentic and comfortable—even your favorite sweats.
Gourmet Organic Lunch
Enjoy a thoughtfully prepared, farm-to-table lunch served with real plates and silverware—because self-care deserves more than a to-go box.
$100 per person | Half of the proceeds support Gratitude House
About This Event
The Examined Life: A Women’s Retreat
The Art & Science of Surrendering the Ego
When: Saturday, October 17, 2026, 9am-3:30pm
Where: Gratitude House, the specfic location will be provided after registration.
Description: The Examined Life Retreat for Women is designed for women to take a day of reflection to examine The Twelve Steps in a more contemplative way. Even after working the steps, have you wondered what prevents you from improving your self-esteem and your relationships with others? Or why anxiety and insecurity still loom over you? So often, it is our ego that stands in the way of the peace and self-confidence we seek. Our fears, ambitions, defenses, and the stories we are attached to perpetuate our blind spots.
Modern neuroscience affirms what philosophers and spiritual teachers have understood for centuries. The brain naturally protects familiar identities through the need to be right, appearing successful, controlling outcomes, earning approval, or protecting ourselves from vulnerability. Special attention will be on how our ego interferes with steps four through seven, and how steps two, three, and eleven can be used to reduce that interference. Together we will explore the art and science of surrender.
Through lecture, readings, discussion, journaling, movement, and meditation, this retreat invites participants to get to know themselves better and become someone they love and cherish.
Facilitators
Arrah Karigan, Best-Selling Author, Meditation Consultant, and CEO of Higher State Meditations, teaches meditation as a practical, science-informed practice that helps calm the mind, reduce burnout, and expand awareness. Her very presence will calm your nervous system.
Dr. Maggie Sullivan, is the Executive Director of Gratitude House. She holds a doctorate in learning psychology, specializing in how cognition and neural pathways shape behavior. Her work bridges science and spirituality, bringing academic insight and experiential tools to the work of recovery.
Becca Kannapell, a licensed Occupational Therapist, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Somatic Movement Therapist, brings more than two decades of clinical experience integrating body, mind, and spirit. Her holistic approach blends astrology, movement, and breathwork to strengthen mobility, emotional well-being, and connection to the body.
Why You Should Attend
Taking time for self-reflection often falls to the bottom of the priority list. Yet, as Socrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Across traditions, Catholics practice the Examen, Jews engage in Cheshbon HaNefesh (soul-accounting), and Twelve-Step programs emphasize personal inventory—each recognizing that reflection is essential for enlightenment. Research shows that self-awareness is critical for both our personal and professional relationships as well. Psychologist Daniel Goleman asserts that emotional intelligence—rooted in self-reflection—is a key predictor of professional success, while Brené Brown reminds us that true leadership comes from the courage to examine ourselves, embrace vulnerability, and grow with intention. Each perspective recognizes that reflection and connection are not indulgent, they are transformative.
What to Expect
The Examined Ego
The greatest obstacle to transformation is rarely what happens around us, but what we refuse to see within ourselves. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy, this session explores how the ego protects familiar identities through fear, control, perfectionism, and self-reliance. Together we will examine how the Twelve Steps invite us to move from self-protection toward self-love.
Meditation & the Eleventh Step
Higher State Mediations will guide participants through meditation practices rooted in the Eleventh Step: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God.” Learn to quiet the mind, deepen intuition, and experience serenity as a spiritual discipline.
Oh The People You Will Meet
Every person we meet has something to teach us. Connect with other women who have faced fear, ego, separation, perfectionism, or addiction—and found grace, gratitude, and God. All of our stories remind us that recovery is not about perfection.
The Setting
Set in a beautifully restored three-story Victorian home with a wraparound porch and space heaters for comfort, this retreat takes place on a peaceful one-acre lot in a quiet suburb. Inside, the atmosphere is like being at your home in the country—couches replace conference chairs, and the dining room becomes a place for connection, with a prayer and meditation room to immerse yourself in conscious contact with God…Wear what feels authentic and comfortable—even your favorite sweats.
Gourmet Organic Lunch
Enjoy a thoughtfully prepared, farm-to-table lunch served with real plates and silverware—because self-care deserves more than a to-go box.
$100 per person | Half of the proceeds support Gratitude House
Date & Time
9:00am CDT - 3:30pm CDT