This retreat is designed as an inter-generational experience of nature, including: campfire stories and songs, nature arts and crafts, discovery hikes and guided adventures, a closing ceremonial time to celebrate our discoveries
Standing tall in majesty and wildness, the trees beckon. Moving in rhythm with wind and rain, these strong and pliable pillars ;low with a song of life that offers wisdom and joy. In this place where language fails, music invites us into an ever-‐deeper relationship with all beings – and with our heart’s longing. Join us as we sing and chant, listen to the music around us, and walk in the companionship of trees. You need not consider yourself a singer nor even feel that you can carry a tune; all are welcome to join in!
“How can I stay present to this world – the light and the dark – while still keeping an open loving heart: Who ever promised me the world would be perfect… I need to set a different course by reminding myself that humankind has always been flawed…and Love and light continue to exist anyway.” ~ Ann O’Shaughnessy, former co-editor of “Heron Dance,” founder of soulflares.org
When things fall apart or become polarized in the extreme,
it's soul that's missing...
If we want the world to change,
the healing of culture and greater balance in nature,
it has to start inside the human soul.
-- Michael Meade
We live at a time of intense upheaval within the natural and human world. This has given rise to a deep yearning within us to find the ground of our being, to be renewed in heart and soul, to find light in the darkness. The season of Advent and the days surrounding the Winter Solstice invite us to enter another realm, a place where we can deepen our sense of wonder and nurture our souls. It is a realm steeped in story and rich with possibility.
This retreat is for all those who hunger for such solace and soulful transformation.
Wend your way through the corridors of time,
not as passengers on a free ride
watching the seasons pass;
Rather, steady mindfulness quickens
the spirit, awakens the soul,
and opens the Inner Gate that leads
to the great Work so needed in these times.
LUMEN CHRISTI, HOLY WISDOM
Nan Merrill
"I've learned to love and to trust the Mystery....My essential course of action is simply to be in the Eternal Now, ready to follow the small, still voice heard in the Silence.” — Nan Merrill
I too was a stranger at first in this dark dripping forest perched at the edge of the sea, but I sought out an elder, my Sitka Spruce grandmother with a lap wide enough for many grandchildren. I introduced muyself, told her my name and why I had come. -- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
We live in a time of intense turmoil — social, political, and planetary. But the deeper conflict is at the level of soul. We have lost the ancient wisdom of soul and nature, and so we have lost our way in the world. How can we recover this wisdom for our people?
In this retreat we return to ancient ways: through wandering on the land, ceremony and council, listening to dreams and stories, we will seek the wisdom of our earth elders and our ancestors. May they grant us these gifts:
“After silence, that which comes closest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
— Aldous Huxley
"Do we know, each one of us, that we are bearers of the sacred beat of life? Do we know that we can honor that beat in one another and in all things? And do we know that it is this combination - of knowing that we are bearers of Presence and choosing to honor Presence in one another - that holds the key to transformation in our lives and world?"
— John Philip Newell
Music & Movement ... Drumming & Chant ... Listening & Silence .... embodiments of prayer allowing us to experience the sacred beat of life connecting us to ourselves, to one another, and to God.
More to come.
Retreat to the Ridge and bring your art with you. If you draw, dance, sing, write, play a musical instrument, sculpt, sew, or otherwise create—this retreat is for you! Practice in an inspiring mountain setting; share creative experiences with one another; explore the connection between silence, spirit, and creativity; try something new in sampler sessions with guest artists. Parents and younger sibs welcome.
Retreat fee is $425. Register and pay by May 1 for $400. Scholarships are available, as well as family/sibling discounts, and discounts for girls of parent staff/artists.
Features:
"Women must begin to forge alliances that will add strength to their individual voices. Women must rediscover and share their wisdom to ensure the healing of the entire planet and humanity by tapping into the vast reservoir of energy that runs beneath our common ground and is creating a new wave of women's power."
--Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers