Private Hekau Retreat at your venue, up to 10 people
The full three-day Hekau programme run privately for your own group, at a house, farm or venue you already have. One price for the whole retreat, up to ten people. You provide the place and the beds; we bring the programme and everything it needs.
About the journey
The same three days, run for your group alone, wherever you already have space. A family house, a farm, a rented place for the weekend. We plan the shape of it with you first, because a group that already knows each other wants something different from a room of strangers. One price covers the whole retreat for up to ten people, whether eight come or ten. The venue, the beds and the food are yours to arrange, and we can introduce partner venues if you would rather we found one. This is a complementary practice, not medical care.
What the price covers
- A private one to one Sekhem session for every guest, hands-on with tuning forks
- You stay fully clothed throughout, this is a group in a room together
- Three days and two nights for your group only, up to ten people
- The programme planned with you beforehand
- Every session led throughout, with all mats, cushions and kit
- At your own house, farm or venue
- One flat price for the retreat, not per person
- Accommodation, catering and venue hire are yours to arrange
- We can introduce partner venues if you would rather we found one
- Not medical care, and not a substitute for treatment
Your three days
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Day 1
Arrival and the Akhet
- Afternoon: Arrival, settling in, and the opening circle.
- Evening: A guided somatic breathwork session.
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Day 2
The Hekau and the Sekhem
- Morning: Sunrise vocal activation, outdoors.
- Afternoon: Deep guided work and the life force energy workshop.
- Evening: Fire circle and a group sound session.
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Day 3
Integration and departure
- Morning: Integration workshop and one to one time.
- Afternoon: Closing circle, and away by mid afternoon.
Where it comes from
In the Kemetic tradition of ancient Egypt, Sekhem means power, might, or vital force. The practice works with six named centres running up the body, and the session follows that map from the head down and then the length of the back. That is the tradition the work sits in. It is a complementary practice, not medicine, and nothing here is offered as a treatment for any condition.
- AkhThe lightCrown of the head
- Ar-tInner sightCentre of the forehead
- HekauThe voiceBase of the throat
- IbHeart and mindCentre of the chest
- SekhemPowerSolar plexus
- KaVitalityLower abdomen and hips
The forks, and what each one is for
Weighted forks are placed on the body and you feel them. Unweighted forks are swept through the air above you and you mostly hear them.
128 Hz
Weighted
Placed directly on muscle and along the spine. This is the one you feel most: a low, blunt hum that carries into the tissue for eight or ten seconds before it fades.
136.1 Hz
Weighted, the Om fork
Used at the chest, the forehead and the soles of the feet. Slightly higher and softer than the 128, and used to settle rather than to work.
256 & 512 Hz
Unweighted
Swept about six inches above the body rather than touching it, at the opening and again when you turn over. This is the part people describe as the room going quiet.
What you are asked before your private session
The group parts of the retreat need none of this: they are fully clothed and nobody touches you. This is said only before your own one to one hour.
Today we perform Sekhem, a vibrational practice based on ancient Kemetic principles. I will work down your body placing weighted tuning forks on your skin, so the vibration carries into the muscle. That includes your head, your hands, your chest and your lower abdomen. For the Ka centre I will do some gentle hip movement and work along the inner thigh with oil. You will be draped at all times. Do I have your permission to go ahead?
The hip and inner thigh work is asked about a second time when we reach it, and either answer is completely fine. Plenty of sessions skip it. You can stop anything at any point without explaining why, and you are welcome to have someone else in the room or in the house.
What is different about the three days
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Together · across all three days
The group work
- Headphone sessions: Everyone has their own set of Infinity D headphones running the same programme at the same level, lying down, usually in the dark. This is the part the one-day version is built entirely around.
- Voice and breath: The sunrise vocal work and the guided breathwork sessions, done as a group.
- The fire circle: The second evening, outdoors where the venue allows it.
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On your own · about an hour each
A private Sekhem session
- One to one: Every guest gets a full private Sekhem session during the retreat. This is the hands-on work: weighted tuning forks placed on the skin, head to feet, then the length of the back.
- Asked first, separately: The consent below is said to you privately before your session, not to the group. Saying no to any part of it changes nothing about the rest of your retreat.
- Draped throughout: You undress to your own comfort for that hour only. Disposable underwear is provided. Everything else across the three days is fully clothed.
About XLR8 Wellness: Sekhem & Hekau
Sekhem and sound sessions, and the Hekau retreat, offered by the team behind XLR8 Wellness. A Sekhem session is a one-to-one appointment of about 60 minutes, working with gentle touch and sound in a quiet setting. The Hekau retreat is a small-group day or weekend programme combining sound, breathwork and rest. Sessions are for adults and are complementary therapy, not medical care, and are not a substitute for treatment from your GP. Operated by XLR8 Wellness.
FHT / IPHM / other therapy body