Hive Alchemy – General Information

Annelieke and Ulrike reside in the rural landscape of South-West Alentejo, just 5 km from the village of Colos, Odemira district. Unlike conventional beekeepers with dedicated apiaries, our relationship with bees is more expansive and integrated. The bee colonies we care for are distributed across approximately 1000 hectares in our watershed “Vale da Gema”. They reside in a variety of habitats: some in traditional beehives, others in trees or natural cavities of their choosing. We have established agreements with local landowners to ensure the protection and care of these colonies. Additionally, we support fellow bee enthusiasts in the region with advice and education to receive bees on their lands. You will be introduced to our network of bee colonies, their habitats, and the BeeLovers who care for them. Through hive visits, storytelling, and an overview of our work and practices, we aim to provide you with valuable insights and experiences that will inspire your own journey with bees.

Our Spring Hive Alchemy Immersion happens in the season when swarming is in the air. Each year, the bees surprise us with their swarming behaviour, and we will incorporate swarm calls and related activities into the program if they arise.

We spend more time on the practicalities of hive design and hive placement.

Our Autumn Hive Alchemy Immersion coincides with an important transition season in our climate: from the dry summer months into the periods of first rains and budding of new flowers. We will be deepening our connection to the cycle of life and death, and the dynamic of transitions. Both with the bees and in our own lives and culture.

Throughout the Hive Alchemy Immersions, we will cultivate a state of “BeeTime,” where our actions, words, and thoughts are attuned to the hum of life. We will strive to become a super-organism, much like a hive, spending ample time in the presence of bee colonies. This experience will help us connect with the bees’ rhythm and foster a sense of harmony within ourselves and among each other.

As messengers of love and bridgers of worlds, bees embody unity consciousness and serve as caretakers of the Earth. They inspire us to recognize our role in the Symphony of Life. Throughout our time together in the Hive Alchemy Immersion, we will explore a range of topics that traverse both the physical and the subtle realms:

• Bees in their essence and ways: The Deva of the Bees, the Hive Being, the dynamics of life within the hive, and supportive conditions for thriving. We will delve into what supports bees in transition periods, and observe bees both at the hive and in their natural landscape.
• Exploring hive substances: Engage with the substances of the hive—wax, honey, pollen, and venom. We will be with their physical, vibrational, and devic qualities through all our senses, receiving their healing properties and other teachings. This includes hands-on experiences in creating products and participating in a venom ceremony.
• Teachings from the “enemies” of the bees: Understand the roles of varroa mites, hornets, wax moths, and wasps in maintaining ecosystem balance. We will explore how these beings reflect our own actions and invite us to cultivate a new culture of interconnectedness.
• Field Consciousness: Learn about working with morphic resonance, establishing and sustaining a power place, and exploring associated benefits.

Nature devas are open to contact and collaboration with humans. Learning to communicate with them requires creating a receptive space, be patient and humble. We will provide tools and practices that help you receive and “translate” information, along with suggestions for deepening this intimate connection beyond the Hive Alchemy experience.

We provide the basic framework for our time together, incorporating content elements and practices that foster both individual and collective learning. We start from the personal intentions and aspirations of each member of our hive. From the moment we gather, the alchemy of co-learning, co-healing, and co-creation naturally unfolds in its own hum.

As facilitators, we take care of the “golden thread” of clarity, direction, and a safe space in which you can fully immerse yourself. As participants, we encourage you to tend to your own needs, remain open to new experiences, embrace opportunities for growth, and share your unique presence and gifts with our collective community.