Like seeing a face across a crowd,
we are learning all the old things,
newly shined and numbered.
I’m always looking
for a place to lie down
and cry. Green, mossed, shaded.
Or rock-quiet, empty. Somewhere
to hush and start over.
I put on my antlers in the sun.
I walk through the dark gates of the trees.
Grief waters my footsteps, leaving
a trail that glistens.
Anne Haven McDonnell
Women, with all the planet, are experiencing the wildness of coming to an edge, a time when grief, despair, and possibility dance in the same holy darkness.
Now the power of the Sacred Feminine and our gifts as women are being called forth, the moment when we rise to remember that “once upon a time we sang with the tongues of seals and flew with the wings of swans, that we forged our own paths through the dark forest while creating a community of its many inhabitants ... women might indeed save not only ourselves, but the world.” (Sharon Blackie).
Rooted in the Sacred Feminine, we rise with the wisdom of the Earth Mother and with an agency beyond false hope and fixes.
The Sacred Feminine and Sacred Mystery reside among the more than human: tree and forest, hill and stream, fox and turtle, hawk and bramble.
What might be your thread to follow with others in the unwinding and widening circles of worlds to come?
Join us to:
- Wander the sacred land of Dayspring listening for the wisdom of the wild inhabitants of woods, stream, and fields.
- Listen to ancient stories rising out of the heart of the Sacred Feminine.
- Gather for council and ceremony woven with the heartbeats of our drums and the power of dancing in sacred circles.
Retreat leaders:
Lindsay McLaughlin, Julie Gabrielli, Lisa Bardack, and Katy Gaughan bring years of dedicated learning, practice, mentoring, and leadership in retreats, dance, and drumming.
The retreat will be held at Wellspring Retreat Center, on 200 wooded acres just north of Washington, DC in Germantown, MD. The center has a simple and beautiful gathering space and accommodates guests in three adjacent cabins; both the gathering space and cabins are designed in harmony with the wild land around them and feature window expanses connecting to the surrounding woods.
The retreat begins at 3 pm on Friday and ends at 12 pm on Sunday, followed by lunch. Please arrive between 1 and 2 pm on Friday to allow time to settle in before the program starts.
A note about fees:
The times are hard economically yet retreats like ours are vital. We are trying a modified sliding scale for retreat fees in an effort to keep the retreat affordable while meeting our costs. The scale applies to individual rooms. All options will cover our hard costs (venue and meals); the variable is with the amount available when hard costs are met for honorariums for the four leaders. Please select what you feel is right for you for this retreat.
If choosing a shared room, we request that you register with your roommate.
Fees include lodging, six meals, and program.
Single occupancy: $395, $425, $475, $495
Double occupancy: $375 – Register with a friend/roommate.
Space is limited for this retreat. Register early to secure your place. Non-refundable $75 deposit required.