DEEP CONNECTION day-long retreat

in partnership with Temenos Rising

Gather with us for a day of being with the emergent energy of Spring as we pause to connect with nature, to engage in beloved community, and to nourish ourselves.

april 22, 2023

10am - 4pm

Oxbow Park: Troutdale, OR

The emergent energy of spring is often felt internally as a quickening or a restlessness, a surge of doing after the slower, darker winter months. When we take a moment to pause in the midst of this energy—to be with the natural world, one another, and the quieter parts of ourselves—it can allow us access to deep wells of nourishment and well-being.

Our hope and intention is that you will come away from our time together feeling inspired, grounded, and connected to sources of wisdom and joy.

this one-day workshop will include:

  • Cultivating beloved community through intentional play and deep conversation

  • Connecting to the natural world with guided forest therapy practices (See “What is Forest Therapy?” below)

  • Inner reflection and contemplation through meditation, journaling, and deep listening

more Info

  • “Forest Therapy is a research-based framework for supporting healing and wellness through immersion in forests and other natural environments. Forest Therapy is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, which translates to "forest bathing." Studies have demonstrated a wide array of health benefits, especially in the cardiovascular and immune systems, and for stabilizing and improving mood and cognition. We build on those benefits and look beyond, to what happens when people remember that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, and are related to all other beings in fundamental ways.” - Association for Nature and Forest Therapy

  • This workshop will take place (rain or shine!) outdoors in a secluded area in Oxbow Park. In addition to the workshop cost, access to the park requires a $5 fee.

    We will be standing, sitting, and playing during our time together. This event will also involve walking on dirt paths with some tree roots and also on uneven terrain. Please let us know if you have any physical mobility limitations that might affect your ability to participate and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

    Enrollment is limited to 16 participants.

  • Upon registration, we will send out a complete list of items to bring for this event. This will include weather-appropriate clothing and shoes, a sack lunch (we will not be nearby any restaurants), water, journal + pen, a chair and/or meditation cushion.

  • We are asking that all participants attending this workshop are vaccinated for COVID. We will not be checking vaccination cards and trust folks to act in good faith. Masks will not be required, but are definitely welcome!

We ask that our participants be committed to the ongoing learning and awareness of how white supremacy negatively impacts all life, especially black and brown people. In an effort to support an inclusive space, we know this work, this dismantling of systemic oppression, is essential to sharing healing spaces and to supporting the collective liberation for all beings.

Workshop cost: $160

For payment information, refund and cancellation policy, and scholarship information, click here.

Scholarships are available. Click here for more information and to apply.

Facilitators

  • Jo is an educator, facilitator, writer, and naturalist who has been working with diverse groups for over a decade. She crafts experiences and creates spaces that meet the deep human need for connection and belonging and that help to heal the wounds of disconnection that are so pervasive in our world. She holds a Master’s of Science in Education, is a certified mindfulness teacher, and has studied impacts of and responses to developmental trauma through Dr. Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model.

  • Irene has been designing and facilitating experiences that connect people more deeply to themselves, their community, and the natural world for over fifteen years. She is a certified guide with The Association for Nature and Forest Therapy, has trained with the Sati Center as a Buddhist eco-Chaplain, and holds a MS in Leadership for Sustainability Education from Portland State. Irene believes wholeheartedly in the transformation and deep healing that is possible when we allow the more than human world to be our wise teacher and cultivate a felt sense of interbeing.