12th may to 17th may 2025

BEATS As One Immersive Research Retreat: Expanding Collective Consciousness in a Fragmented World

In a world that often pulls us into fragmentation—between self and other, doing and being, ego and eco—the BEATSASONE Immersive Research Retreat offers a space for deep reconnection. Over five transformative days in Senegal, supported by one pre-retreat and three post-retreat integration sessions and an interactive AI platform, we embark on a journey of releasing what no longer serves us and attuning to the greater rhythm of life. Rooted in the BEATS framework—Breath, Energy, Agency, Trust, and Soul—this retreat invites participants to shift from Me to We, and experience the power of collective transformation. West Africa, a land rich in ancestral wisdom, provides the sacred ground for this work, where the Earth itself pulses off the coast with a steady heartbeat every 26 seconds—a rhythmic reminder of our interconnectedness. Through immersive practices, indigenous teachings, and intentional ceremonies of letting go and giving back to Mother Earth, we seek to cultivate the trust, energy, and shared agency needed to co-create a future that honors both humanity and the planet. Join us as we move beyond individualism into a collective awakening—where business, leadership, and well-being align with the deeper pulse of life itself.

Pre-trip group call: Meet your guides and fellow adventurers in an interactive Zoom session 25.4.25, 18h to 19h30 CET.

All accommodations in Senegal.

All transportation in Senegal (including Ziguinchor to Dakar flight on 17.5.25).

Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner.

All tickets for activities and excursions.

Materials for 2 custom garments made in the village of Abene.

Follow up calls and diagnostics to contribute to research, 23.5.25, 6.6.25, 20.6.25 from 18h to 19h30 CET

Susan Goldsworthy OLY

THE CO-AUTHORS AND YOUR GUIDES

Inspired by the mantra ‘What did we do once we knew?’ Susan views our current way of working and living as unsustainable – not only for ourselves, but for other species that share this planet. There is a critical need for an awakening – where we see the world with ‘new eyes’ and change from a ‘power over’ to ‘power with’ leadership style. We can then use our agency to cultivate the conditions where people can flourish in uncertaintyand co-create solutions to the challenges we face. Focusing on mind, body and spirit, her work takes a holistic approach combining the spiritual with the scientific. Her PhD research in organizational change explored the role of hope amidst system collapse. In 2024 she was ordained as a OneSpirit Interfaith Minister and also became certified as a Breathwork facilitator. In 2016, she was one of the first people awarded an Executive Masters in the Neuroscience of Leadership where her research focused on the effectiveness of mindfulness. An Olympic Finalist, lifelong vegan and a mutliple award-winning author, Susan is a professor in leadership, communications and organizational change at IMD Business School. She is currently participating in a three-year journey exploring shamanic practices.

Doug Manuel is a globally sought-after speaker, workshop leader, and performer, specializing in fostering engagement, collaboration, belonging, and togetherness. His dynamic keynotes and interactive experiences have been delivered to Fortune 500 companies, leading business schools, and global organizations, including Google, Microsoft, L’Oréal, Novartis, the World Economic Forum, and institutions such as IMD, CEIBS, and Harvard Business School. He has also performed at TED Global and with Oprah.

A Master Practitioner of NLP, a Transformational Breath trainer, and a Vocal Awareness certified practitioner, Doug actively practices the modalities he has studied, integrating them into his work to unlock potential and deepen human connection.

For over 25 years, Doug has lived, worked, and traveled extensively across Africa as a filmmaker and humanitarian, passionately exploring West African music and culture. An ex-BBC documentary producer, he created Do You Speak Djembe?, an award-nominated stage show, and is producing Beats As One, a documentary about the cure to the loneliness and isolation epidemic.

Through his nonprofit, Lighting Up Lives, he partners with rural West African communities, empowering local action to solve local problems.

Doug Manuel

A day in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, and the Island of Gorée with visits to the “Cradle of Humankind” exhibition, The House of Slaves and its Door of No Return.

Daily activities ensuring total immersion in the BEATS As One framework learning directly from it’s origins.

Immersion into village life of rural Abéné where you will meet village elders and explore their values, visit spiritual sites, and engage in a traditional ritual.

The essence of true community and how it can be embodied into daily life.

A scenic, overnight ferry journey from Dakar to Ziguinchor up the Casamance river.

Retreat activities include daily breath work, drumming, individual reflection and group sharing.

*If you need to pay against an invoice, please complete the form below.

Abéne is the rural village where we will spend most of the retreat. It is the backdrop of Doug Manuel’s Beats as One documentary about the cure to the loneliness and isolation epidemic.

*There is a possibility that this retreat will be featured in the documentary.

Please contact Doug if you require more information.

We will take care of all travel/transportation within Senegal. You just need to book your flights to and from Dakar, Senegal.

Arrival in Dakar (DSS Airport) on Monday, 12th May 2025 no later than 9:00 PM local time

Depart from Dakar (DSS Airport) on Saturday 17th May 2025 no earlier than 9:00 PM local time

Royal Air Maroc: 4:25 PM arrival

Brussels Airlines: 4:40 PM arrival

Air Senegal: 1:15 PM arrival (from CDG)

Iberia Airlines: 8:40 PM arrival

Air France: 8:40 PM arrival

Vaccinations are a personal choice. We encourage you to consult your healthcare provider for recommendations prior to traveling.

This insurance should cover medical emergencies, accidents, trip cancellations, and personal liability.

*If you need to pay against an invoice, please complete the form below.

*If you need to pay against an invoice, please complete the form below.

  • “A unique opportunity for me to reconsider my views of the world, to reassess my values and to question my own purpose. I came back deeply moved and better connected with our shared humanity.

    - Christian Petit, CEO

  • “The children there are desperate to learn, and I just found them magical.”

    - Lesley Angus, retreat participant

  • “I came back so happy. Despite all their hardships I came back full of energy as if I stayed in a 7* hotel!”

    – Ana Yudine, retreat participant

  • “The thing that I enjoyed the most about this trip was the sense of community. The people there were so welcoming, and we became a part of their lives so easily.”

    – Madelyne Shilliday