HEART & HEARTH: FALL-WINTER RETREAT
a sometimes silent, almost solstice gathering
December 12-15, 2024
Peebles, Ohio
with Gwendolyn Ren, Libby Smith, Molly Andrews-Hinders, and Tecca Thompson
* an intergenerational gathering. all kind humans welcome *
Seasons turn. An invitation to linger: heart and hearth. Circle round, nestle in close, get quiet, listen deeply, find our voice again. We gather, make our offerings, kindle the flames.
Rest, Resource, Recalibrate.
Remember, Release, Reimagine.
A journey together, filled with poetry and light on the darkening days. A journey together, from breath to song to story.
Days of spaciousness, connection and care, the folkwork of being together. The gentle freedom, your own cadence. Where our attention (and our dreams) travel to. Autumn turns toward winter and we lay this year down to rest. The days shorten and we drip sweet honey into their corners, lead into grief and uncertainty with love, come to land and each other to practice and to pause.
In contemplation and in circle, in silence and in story, we remember who we’ve been and who we are becoming. Who we can be together. Honor the past. Dream new futures.
Come as you are, in your human-ness, your human-mess.
Give yourself a break, a breath. Walk in kindness.
This is space for whatever needs space.
This is embodied, permissive, liberatory practice in service of a life of connection.
Join us for:
. spaciousness and rest
. heartfelt offerings, seasonal and elemental blessings
. portals to self & spirit, a refinement of meaning
. sometimes silence: a dreamy, connective space for anyone seeking a quieter way to be with themselves + others
. experiences of imagination and intuition
. creative practice & play without expectation
. contemplative moments to stoke curiosity and inspiration
. unscripted and explorative opportunities for expression
. a sacred, intentionally held container for discovery and delight
. daily offerings, circle, and lots of poetry with Gwendolyn Ren
GUEST TEACHINGS + Community Practice:
. breathe with Libby Smith
. sing songs with Molly Andrews-Hinders
. gather in the storied space with Tecca Thompson
no experience needed. all offerings are crafted with care and offered with love, and are, of course, completely optional.
Sometimes Silence:
Our retreat time will be held in the loving structure of “Sometimes Silence”, a flow between quiet, spacious days interspersed with circle practice and opportunities for intentional connection.
Subject to whim and weather, here is what I’m dreaming for this Fall-Winter gathering:
Arrival Day - a nourishing, grounding dinner. a gentle practice together, settle our bodies and our breath. meet each other. meet ourselves. set the tone and spaces of our time together.
Day Two - wake to quiet. morning fire. do the dance of sometimes, mostly silent - all day and that night. practice trusting the spaciousness. connect in/with nature. breathe for vitality. breathe for release. lay this year down to rest. there will be song.
Day Three - wake to quiet, and then let it rattle loose. morning fire. spaces of circle, emergent connections. find yourself in conversation or preserve your silence. gather in the storied space, by the hearth, cozy blankets, good company.
Departure Day - gentle morning, gentle practice. decide what to take back with you.
Another way to be together, this format offers a shift from the habitual: the ways we communicate, connect, find belonging. An invitation to come together with the intention of quietude but without rigidity, expanses of time without pretense, small talk, or expectation.
This sort of structure is profoundly permissive, and allows for our time to be a healing bridge between the personal experience and the communal one. We are, and this is, held in the spirit of restful connection.
Hope Springs, our sacred gathering site, offers access to 30 acres of protected forest and prairie including:
Walking and hiking sauntering trails
Three ponds
11-circuit walking labyrinth
Outdoor fire pit
Hot tub
Indoor fire place
Endless hot tea
Nourishing heart crafted meals
You can learn more about Hope Springs here: www.hopespringsinstitute.org/about
Fall Retreat is a 4 day, 3 night retreat lovingly held in Appalachian Ohio, on the land of the Hope Springs Institute.
Hope Springs, in Southern Ohio, is situated just outside the Serpent Mound Crater, where an asteroid or comet impacted Earth between 256 and 330 million years ago. Nearby are the earthworks of Serpent Mound, a prehistoric indigenous effigy.
The Institute uplifts the convergence of spirituality and ecology, and holds space for transformational experiences. Cared for as sacred gathering place for almost three decades, it is a powerful container for our time together.
Our main gathering spaces include an old, well loved Farmhouse, a circular Spirit House for morning meditations over the fire, and the studio, suited for stretching out and cozy afternoon rests.
Register for HEART(H)
Guaranteed Single : $1500
Sliding Scale Registration (shared) : $1300 / $1100 / $900
Payment Plans available (2, 3, 4 months).
Notes on Sliding Scale.
Read the FAQ before booking.
Additional financial support may be available through The Circle Way grant program.
Scholarship funds may be available.
Includes four days and three nights at Hope Springs, all meals, offerings, special tokens and small delights. Travel to and from the retreat is not included. please read the FAQ before booking.
