Water is life. We are made of water. We are grown in and breathe water before we emerge into this world. Water is connection. Waterways have connected peoples from across continents and throughout the world. Water represents restoration and cleansing. Water also manifest incredible strength and resilience to shape landscapes, polish stone, and carve out new paths when necessary. Throughout the weekend you will have opportunities to explore the lessons the waters have to teach. Reflect on your own adaptation and resilience as you float down the Sugar River. Water can teach us to nurture ourselves, restore our spirits and find flow in everything we do.
Retreat Overview:
This retreat is a deeply connective experience in the rolling hills outside of Mount Horeb, Wisconsin.
Preparation:
In preparation for the retreat, Elizabeth or Angele will send you a detailed itinerary, release forms and other paperwork that will help you prepare for your weekend.
Your Retreat Time:
Please arrive between 4:00 and 4:30 pm Friday evening. We will help you get your things to your tents if you are planning to stay on the land. We will begin the time together with a communal meal. Vegetarian and Gluten Free options will be available. Please be sure to specify dietary requirements on the registration forms. You will have time to arrive, settle in and meet other guests. After dinner we will spend time connecting with the land, each other, and setting intentions for retreat. There will be a bonfire prepped for your enjoyment. Choice is integral to healing and well-being. Therefore, all activities are available to you but you can choose to participate in as much or as little as you’d like.
We will have a breakfast prepared for you, complete with tea and coffee to greet you first day. We will then begin a more intimate introduction to the land. We will take a walk, while Elizabeth, a native plant expert, helps you learn to identify native plants and invasive species. You will explore the ways that water shapes and adapts to the environment as we experiment with water in a nature-themed art project. In the afternoon, you can explore the adorable town of New Glarus when you pass through on your way to the included water excursion. Spend the afternoon kayaking or tubing down the Sugar River. This self-paced, self-guided activity will allow you explore the river eco-system or just lay back, relax, and allow yourself to be moved by the wisdom of the water.
On our final day together, you will have breakfast prepared by a local private chef who will talk with you, if you are interested, about the local ingredients and how earth elements are woven into the meal. We will then embark on a morning of mindfulness, meditation, massage and other restorative practices that will fill you up as you prepare to wrap up your retreat stay.
Sunday morning massages will be offered in private screen tents on the retreat property to allow you to connect with the natural elements while connecting into your body. Massages are provided by local certified professional massage therapists from Divine Healing. You will have a 45 minute massage slot and can then spend the rest of your Sunday morning participating in mindfulness and meditation activities or however you wish.
We will have a closing water ceremony where you will be invited to consider how to incorporate the gifts and insights from your retreat time into your daily life. We will close our ceremonial time together at 1:00 Sunday afternoon, having cultivated a deeper understanding of the ways in which you, like the waters, are adaptable and resilient; able to shift and flow or carve your own path.