Behold, I will now allure her, and bring her into the wilderness
and speak tenderly to her -- Hosea 2:14
So I returned to the river, I returned to the mountains,
and I asked for their hand in marriage.
I begged, I begged to wed every object and every creature.
And when they accepted, God was ever present in my arms. -- Meister Eckhert
Listen! A wild and tender voice is calling you! Beyond the world of being always busy, there is another world. We enter that world when we step over the threshold into the world of nature and soul -- a world filled with mystery, enchantment, wisdom, and romance. In this world we seek a rendezvous with the wild and tender One who awaits us in the forest, by the river, on the mountain.
On this retreat we will wander, as each one is led, in search of a waiting lover. We will listen for the tender voices of the Sacred in every object, in every creature, summoning us to conversation, to encounter, to romance. We will let these voices stir up our inner world of image and dream, symbol and soul.
What poetry will flow from our fingers? What songs will emerge from our throats? What dreams will this romance with Earth evoke in us? What surprises lurk in the shadows?
When we return from our wandering we will gather together in sacred ceremony to share our stories, poems, songs, and dreams.
Leaders: Cheryl Hellner and Jim Hall, longtime members of Rolling Ridge Study Retreat, live at Dayspring Retreat Center where they try to live simple, soulful lives in communion with the rest of creation. In recent years they have been exploring the world of nature and soul with Bill Plotkin and other guides in programs of the Animas Valley Institute.
For more information contact Bob Sabath at community@rollingridge.net or 202.531.7572. Cost of the retreat is $125, and includes food, lodging, and retreat materials. Registration is limited to 16 people. To register, send $125 to Rolling Ridge Study Retreat Community, 120 Jubilee Lane, Harpers Ferry WV 25425 and mark the check for "Voices in the Wilderness of Soul."