Creative Compassion through the Labyrinth

A Swedish Midsummer Retreat

June 14-20, 2026

Embark on a transformative midsummer journey to Gotland, Sweden, with Valarie Budayr and Lars Howlett. This year, we invite you to explore the labyrinth as a gateway to creative compassion amidst the island’s breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage.

A Journey of Inspiration and Connection

his retreat is a celebration of midsummer magic, where the ancient labyrinths of Gotland become pathways to unlock your creative potential. Through reflective walks, artistic exploration, and meaningful rituals, you’ll discover how the labyrinth can inspire new perspectives and awaken your symbolic imagination.

We'll visit inspiring art studios, savor the beauty of Swedish midsummer traditions, and find the keys to the transformative power of art. Each day offers a unique blend of exploration, creativity, and connection, designed to nurture your spirit and ignite your imagination.

Join the Interest List

Interest Meeting

November 16, 2025

8:00 p.m. EST | 5:00 p.m. PST

Highlights of the Journey

Open grassy labyrinth with scattered rocks, surrounded by green trees and bushes, under a partly cloudy sky.

Explore Gotland’s Labyrinths and Sacred Sites
Step into the ancient Trojaborg labyrinths and other sacred spaces, where myths and stories are etched into the stones. These meditative walks will guide you inward, offering moments of clarity, inspiration, and transformation.
Creative Mandala and Collage Sessions
Engage in hands-on creative practices, including mandala drawing, coloring and collage. These sessions will help you channel your inner wisdom into tangible, meaningful art, reflecting the sacred geometry of nature.
Celebrate Swedish Midsummer
Experience the joy of midsummer traditions, from dancing around the maypole to walking the labyrinth under the solstice sun. This celebration of light and life will deepen your connection to the rhythms of nature and the spirit of Gotland.
A Historic and Inspiring Setting
Stay in a charming 12th-century hotel in the heart of Visby, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Our gatherings will take place in an ethereal Gothic cathedral ruin, blending history, creativity, and inspiration in a truly magical setting.
Labyrinth Soul Songs and Reflections
Let the meditative melodies of Labyrinth Soul Songs guide your journey. These reflective tunes, inspired by Gotland’s traditions, will resonate deeply as you explore the labyrinth’s mysteries and your own creative potential.

Why Attend?

A large outdoor labyrinth maze with a tree symbol at its center, surrounded by grass and trees under a sunny sky.

Whether you are drawn to the labyrinth’s mysteries, looking to connect with sacred spaces, or seeking a deeper creative practice, this retreat will offer an unforgettable midsummer experience, rich with wonder, reflection, and connection. Step into the magic of Gotland and join us on this soulful journey!

During our stay, we’ll have the pleasure of calling Visby, Gotland’s ancient and UNESCO-listed city, our home base. Here, cobbled streets and medieval history meet a warm and welcoming atmosphere. We’ll stay at the lovely Hotel St. Clemens, a charming and peaceful retreat that combines comfort with character, offering the perfect place to rest and rejuvenate. Our classroom at the Hotel St. Clemens is a 12th-century Gothic Cathedral Ruin.

Meet Your Guides

Valarie Budayr

Through her diverse expertise and heartfelt dedication, Valarie creates empowering experiences that support personal growth, self-discovery, and the honoring of sacred traditions. Whether leading labyrinth journeys, facilitating breathwork sessions, or curating retreats, she invites others to step into deeper alignment with their true selves and the world’s cherished stories.

Valarie’s ancestral roots run deep in Gotland, her family’s homeland, where she spends nearly every summer immersed in the island’s stunning beauty and timeless traditions. It is here that she finds inspiration, sharing and preserving Gotland’s unique customs and heritage. Her deep love for cultural traditions extends beyond Gotland to include the songs and stories of Karelia and the Baltic Region, which she has studied extensively.

Fluent in nine languages, Valarie embodies a global perspective that informs her work and her teachings. Since 2012, she has had the privilege of guiding Sacred Site Retreats in Scotland, France, Spain, Iceland, Norway, New Mexico, Alaska, and many other destinations in the United States, helping participants connect with the living landscape, the spiritual, and historical significance of these extraordinary places.

Valarie Budayr is a dedicated Teacher/Guide, celebrated Author, Board Certified Sound Therapist, Clinical Musician, Trauma-Certified Breathwork Facilitator, Veriditas Labyrinth Facilitator, SoulCollage® Facilitator, Transformational Human Design Coach, and Labyrinth Builder. With a deep passion for weaving together ancient wisdom and modern practices, she helps others explore transformation, healing, and connection to self and the world around them.

Valarie outdoors, with green foliage and a blue sky in the background.

A man with glasses, a beard, and a brown cap standing outdoors in a wooded area, smiling, next to a sign about Trojaborg, holding the top of the sign with his right hand. He is wearing a gray jacket, green pants, and a backpack.

Lars Howlett

is a leading expert in the design and creation of sacred space for walking meditation, centering prayer, personal healing, conflict resolution and community building. Lars is a practitioner of mindfulness and student of sacred geometry since 2003, experimenting with a wide variety of designs, materials, intentions and settings in his personal and professional projects. Universities, churches, health centers, retirement communities, mental health centers, retreats, and individuals find Lars for inspiration and insight in creating exact replicas of historical patterns or one-of-a-kind artistic installations.

Lars was a three year apprentice to Robert Ferré, inheriting the tools, techniques, and teaching curriculum of a master builder. Lars is a Veriditas Faculty Member and Certified Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator trained by the Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress at Grace and Chartres Cathedrals. He was the Chairperson of World Labyrinth Day from 2013-18.

Lars is an inspiring teacher and passionate speaker on the history, spirituality, and practice of walking labyrinths, leading workshops to cultivate inner wisdom for personal transformation with slideshows of personal projects and visits to sacred sites on four continents.