Hello. This document is intended to give you enough to go on, without giving away the splendor of surprise. Enjoy!
Why do this?
It's a busy world. One that defines you by your job, your relationships and your outputs. It's easy to lose site of what is you in all that. This adventure-retreat is about disconnecting the filters that the world puts over you - how you are perceived or required to be - and rediscovering yourself through play in two natural, compelling enviroments - art and nature.
The Organizing Principle:
Our organizing principle for this retreat is trees.
Who doesn't love trees?? When was the last time you really looked at them, or listened to what they have to say? Imagine if you took the time to do that. What could that reveal?
Herman Hesse took that kind of time, and we used a of his few quotes about trees to guide us in creating this retreat.
“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth….A tree says: A kernel is hidden in me, a spark, a thought,…unique the form and veins of my skin, unique the smallest play of leaves in my branches and the smallest scar on my bark. I was made to form and reveal the eternal in my smallest special detail.”
What can we learn from the trees about our own unique, “special details”?
This is your adventure.
In order to discover that spark hidden within and expose the uniqueness of your own profound expression, we offer you the time and space to engage in artistic play over 5 days.
Led by your master guides, you will explore a different artistic form each day.
NOTE (BIG NOTE): YOU DO NOT NEED TO HAVE ANY ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE OR ABILITY TO ENTER INTO THIS RETREAT. That’s not what this is about. This is about finding your own creative, unique expression and knowing more about it.
Day 1: Shake it off! The day will begin with an extraordinary witnessing event. Think interactive, immersive, magical and moving. This event is offered to you as the seed for your week of exploration. Then for the rest of the day you’ll be given a chance to free up your internal space and just “be” through a series of invigorating, grounding exercises that make you feel good to be alive and in your skin.
Day 2: Free your mind! The rest of Day 2 explores the poetry of what you have witnessed. (No worries here about your creative writing abilities. Trust the exercise – we got you covered!).
Day 3: Hello body! Like a tree, your body has its own undeniable physical vocabulary and you’re going to get a chance to discover what yours is saying. Building on Day 2, you will engage in natural and achievable movement exercises to connect to your unique physical expression.
Day 4: Find your voice! Not your singing voice. Not the one you use for work. Not the one that you put on at family gatherings. Your actual voice. The one you use when no one is watching. Who are you? Who aren’t you? What are you communicating? What is the sound you make when you allow yourself to just be?
Day 5: A show called YOU! Today you create a visual representation of your experience over the last 4 days. Then, you pull all the elements you’ve created together to “form and reveal the eternal in your smallest special detail.”
Other details to note:
About the location. The exact location of your retreat is a secret. But please trust that it is perfect for your explorations. It’s located in the heart of Picton, Prince Edward County, Ontario.
Midday Meal is provided. Plant Based food expert, Chef Chris Byrne, will be hand delivering us his rejuvenating plant-based offerings over lunch each day.
Accommodations are not included. How you experience your time outside the retreat will greatly enhance your experience. Your choice of where to stay during the retreat will be a big part of that. We want to leave that choice up to you. Prince Edward County is an airbnb MECCA! You can stay in a church, you can stay in a schoolhouse, glamp in a vineyard, stay in a cozy cottage – you can soak in hot tubs, swim every morning, wander galleries or desert sand dunes over a glassy lake - the choice is yours! Check it out: airbnb.ca
Spots in the retreat are limited. Register using the link below.
You can download a pdf of this information here.