Merek

Merak

Join Our Retreat

Merak is the soul’s whisper- means curiosity ..

Everything began with the energy of a curious mind. Let’s guide this!

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October 7–12, 2025

A Women’s Retreat, Merak In Azerbaijan

We invite you to go on a transformative retreat for a complete reset and a new outlook on life in Azerbaijan

a quiet joy

a longing gaze

a love poured into the simplest act

It Lou is curiosity wrapped in grace

and the art of being fully, softly alive

What is Merak

– Introduction

Merak Sacred Circles is a women’s retreat designed to awaken, remember, and reconnect. Held in the mystical lands of Azerbaijan, this six-day experience brings together ancient symbolism, nature, storytelling, movement, and ritual.

From the storied alleys of Baku to the soul-soothing mountains of Ismayilli, this journey honors both the individual and the collective. Through the guidance of Zahra Gozal and Ayten Aliyeva, participants will engage with powerful practices that reflect, transform, and integrate.

Overview

Dates:
October 7–12, 2025

Location:

Baku & Ismayilli Region, Azerbaijan

Group Size:
Women only, intimate circle

Language:

English

A sober

retreat

Airport Transfers:
Included (arrival & departure)

Meals:

All meals included, with vegetarian options

Price:
2500 $ for inauguration (details below)

Early Bird:

Available until

 August 31

Retreat Flow

Arrival & Ancient Echoes

  • Airport pickup and hotel check-in in Baku’s Old City
  • 3 PM: We begin; Opening circle with some tea or coffee and guided tour with professional guide through Icherisheher to get to know history of the land.
  • 8 PM: Welcome dinner at a local restaurant (included)
  • Free time to walk and explore and rest as you wish

Journey to the Mountains

  • 9 AM: Scenic drive to Ismayilli Region
  • Field lunch in nature
  • Arrival & surprise bonding activities
  • Integration circle and rest
  • Be ready to be bored in nature and it’s yourself and eart kissing you under your feet

Mandala & Meditation

  • Every morning we start with short meditation and qi qong movements to activate the energy.
  • Mandala creation & guided interpretation
  • Creative expression, journaling, and art
  • Nature walk and stillness
  • Deep rest and group integration
  • We will gather every night around fire to reflect or just observe the dance of fire.

The Hidden Tale & Fire Ceremony

  • Surprise symbolic folktale, thematic games & activities
  • Light local sightseeing- couple of hours of vipassana…
  • Fire ceremony, dance, music & Azerbaijani tea under the stars. We may sing, chant, play music and dance for the movement.
A hand holds a potted plant with large, veined leaves.

Feminine Ritual & Closure

  • Return to Baku
  • Russian Hammam cleansing ritual and restoration of feminine energy- not mandotary but highly recommended
  • Closing ceremony dinner to pray for grace.

Departure

  • Airport transfers provided
  • Optional breakfast connection or silent farewell 

Price - for the inauguration of Merak, the first round of the retreat is 2500$ and early bird till end of August is 2200$

Included

  • All transport within retreat (including airport)
  • 5 nights accommodation (Baku & Ismayilli)
  • All meals (vegetarian option available)
  • Guided tour, field lunch, fire ceremony, and hammam entry
  • All workshops, materials, and group sessions

Optional Add-Ons (Pre-booking Required)

  • Numerology Session with Ayten ($100)
  • Emotional Bodywork Session with Zahra ($200)

Runaway stay

in mountains

Gifts with Meaning

Participants will receive intentional symbolic gifts designed to accompany their transformation—not just souvenirs, but sacred companions of the journey.

Essence

This retreat is for women who wish to listen deeply, express freely, and remember joyfully. It honors union and individuality, movement and stillness, silence and story. Let the land of fire guide you back to yourself.

Contact & Registration

To reserve your spot and receive full pricing details, contact Zahra directly. Early bird reservations open until August 31.

Facilitators

Zahra 

Zahra Gozal is a Jungian Transformational Coach, Emotional Bodywork Therapist, and facilitator of symbolic and archetypal journeys. With a background in psychology and over a decade of experience in the field of human consciousness, she integrates mandala therapy, storytelling, and ancient healing techniques to guide others through deep inner work.

Zahra is an ICF-accredited coach and certified in Anma Ampuku bodywork—an ancient practice rooted in the primal order of mind and body connection. Her approach bridges analytical insight with somatic wisdom, creating spaces where reflection, movement, and transformation unfold naturally.

Ayten

Ayten is a master Numerologist and certified Leela game guide with a background in philosophy. With over 10 years of personal practice in Kundalini Yoga, she integrates deep inner exploration with practical insight.

As an experienced entrepreneur and former contributor to Azerbaijan’s tourism and development sector, Ayten brings a grounded and visionary approach to her work. Her unique combination of symbolic wisdom and strategic experience makes her a powerful presence in any transformative space.

Real people.

Real stories.

Ivana Martinovic

Dear Zahra, yesterday you did such a wonderful world. I want to thank you again. It was life transformative. A minute after our session one of the member of organisation time from Expressive art therapy conference sand me the message: one participant can’t come to the conference, would you like to the workshop instead of him. I couldn’t believe. I said obviously just Yes :).
I didn’t have opportunity to tell you that yesterday. You are my Merlin in my Hero quest. You inspired me yesterday to realise how magical this couching is, and how it can be profound.  You were my therapist yesterday :). Now I just want to learn and practice. Thank you again. I think I come back just for this experience. ❤️ so grateful

Vinay Jain

I had a beautiful life changing experience during my session with Zahra. She showed me a completely new perspective to life and to myself. She believes in talking straight, gets you to the core issues and address them head on. She has helped me start on a new path and I am eagerly looking forward to this journey. Big thanks to her and hope many more can benefit from her sessions. 🙏🏼

Ali

Most healer’s touch the surface but don’t reach the roots, and this is where the actual transformation has to happen. What makes Zahra remarkable is her ability to reach the roots and trigger healing. I walked into the session not knowing what to expect but walked out amazed by the depth of the insight and change, and to my surprise I started noticing many things getting unblocked in my life right after the session, things we didn’t even talk about during the session, the change was almost instantaneous.

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