Phoenix City Retreat
A full weekend of breathwork, nervous system regulation, somatic practice, and deep integration at Core Clapton, London.
The Weekend
This is not just a workshop. It is a full nervous system immersion designed to help you understand the patterns you repeat under stress, regulate your body from the inside out, and create space for a deeper emotional reset.
Across the weekend, you will move through breathwork, somatic practices, nervous system education, partner exercises, reflection, and two deep Phoenix breathwork journeys.
What You'll Experience
The weekend combines practical nervous system tools with deep experiential work, so the shift is felt in the body rather than just understood in the head.
Understand why certain loops repeat under stress and how your nervous system drives protection, avoidance, shutdown, overgiving, and emotional reactions.
Experience deep Phoenix Breathwork journeys designed to move stuck energy, release emotional tension, and create lasting nervous system shifts.
Learn to work with your body using functional breathwork, grounding tools, movement, sound, and embodied nervous system practices.
A human, connected, grounded weekend with time to reflect, share, journal, connect with others, and integrate what opens during the work.
Retreat Schedule
The deepest breathwork journeys begin earlier in the afternoon, leaving proper space to ground, integrate, and close the day cleanly.
Registration, safety framing, nervous system check-in, and intention setting.
A short Wim Hof-style breathing circle to energise the body and settle the group.
A practical teaching on stress responses, emotional loops, and why insight alone often does not change behaviour.
A guided mapping process to identify one repeated pattern and the cost of continuing it.
Simple breathing and grounding tools for moments when the nervous system is activated.
Rest, nourish, connect, and integrate the morning work.
Gentle movement, body awareness, grounding, and preparation for the deeper journey.
A 90-minute immersive transformational breathwork experience with music, sound, and facilitation.
Nervous system settling, journaling, and integration after the breathwork journey.
Group reflection, practical integration, and a simple evening practice.
End of the first retreat day.
Gentle arrival, reflection from Day One, nervous system check-in, and grounding.
Understand fight, flight, freeze, and fawn patterns in behaviour, emotion, people-pleasing, shutdown, and control.
Create space between trigger and response using the body as the entry point.
Safe, optional connection exercises for trust, attunement, and embodied regulation.
Rest, nourish, connect, and integrate.
Breath priming, intention setting, grounding, and nervous system preparation.
A final 90-minute Phoenix journey focused on emotional release, nervous system reset, and integration.
Reflection, journaling, and integration of the weekend's work into real life.
Group sharing, gratitude, post-retreat guidance, and next steps.
Completion of the weekend.
The Venue
Core Clapton is a restored Edwardian parish hall in Hackney, East London, with beautiful natural light, period features, and a spacious first-floor main hall.
The main hall is approximately 220 sqm with a 6 metre barrel-vaulted ceiling, giving the weekend the scale and atmosphere needed for breathwork, movement, nervous system work, and community connection.
The retreat ticket covers the daytime programme. Optional evening Phoenix Fire Night experiences may also run at the venue during the weekend and should be booked separately unless stated otherwise.
Your Facilitator
James McCauley is the founder of Phoenix Breathwork and creator of the Phoenix Method. He has facilitated large-scale breathwork experiences across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and beyond, supporting thousands of people through nervous system education, transformational breathwork, and deep integration practices.
Real Experiences
★★★★★"I was amazed at the help it has given me and the clarity it has brought to so many things in my life."
Dermot
★★★★★"The facilitators are incredibly knowledgeable and built such a safe and welcoming space."
Martina
★★★★★"From beginning to end, such a powerful release. Coming together like this is so important now more than ever."
Karina F.
Questions
The retreat runs from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM on both days. We recommend arriving 15-20 minutes early.
No. This is a non-residential city retreat, so accommodation and overnight stay are not included.
Light refreshments, tea, water, and snacks may be provided. Full meals are not included, and there will be time during lunch.
Yes. Everything is guided step by step by the Phoenix team, whether this is your first breathwork experience or you have practised before.
The retreat includes functional breathwork, transformational breathwork journeys, Pattern Break workshops, somatic practice, optional partner exercises, reflection, and integration.
Some exercises may involve optional partner interaction or supportive touch. Consent and personal boundaries are respected throughout.
No. This is an educational and experiential wellness event and should not be considered therapy or medical treatment.
If you have significant cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, or mental health conditions, or if you are pregnant, consult a qualified medical professional before attending.
November 28-29 - Core Clapton, London
Two days. One full nervous system reset. Step out of the old loop and into a deeper connection with your body, your breath, and yourself.