I lead retreat as a sacred ceremony beginning with a call from Spirit. I receive the inspiration months in advance as a direct message that asks me to hold this type of event in a certain region, where the ancestors of the land invite us to be. I then enter shamanic journey, to meet with the land, the ancestors, and my helping spirits to learn how to show up in service to this call. From there, the place and people start appearing.
Several days before the retreat, I am called into the world of non-ordinary reality to commune with Spirit. They will walk me through practices and gifts to impart to the participants coming to experience retreat. This specific retreat in Charlevoix, Michigan, began with an initiation in a long shamanic journey. That initiation was the culmination of a series of ascension challenges appearing within my path over this past year, to help me embody a new way of being and serving.

 

Numerous preparations are happening on numerous levels prior to the participants arrival. I am deep in shamanic work, collaborating with spirit to bring forth all that will serve the highest good of my group at this time. My shamanic assistant is gathering supplies and helping me create the space as the shamanic host of the event creates crystal grids, healing maps, copper pyramids and other essentials to support our process. Our cooks work shamanically too, to prepare organic, vegan, gluten free and other diverse meals and infuse them with loving energy to support a healthy mind, body and spirit for us all.

 

Each day of this retreat has brought forth beautiful awareness as we embrace the concepts of our innate beauty, power and value in the world. We walk with reverence for all nature, interacting with her as a powerful ally. A circle of women, who mostly did not know one another before, open their hearts and consciousness to embrace one another with reverence and compassion. We flow in and out of awareness, unpacking the painbody, discovering our joy body, releasing layers of shame and opening to our exquisiteness in all its beautiful messy perfection. We are dancing new ways of being into this world and nurturing one another in doing so.

 

The sunshine dances across Lake Michigan, as we gleefully find Petosky Stones, feather, claws, and other signs from spirit. Our drums roar with the force of truths being shared, wounds being healed and hearts expanding into loving connection. Our ceremony continues tonight, as the sun is beginning to set, and the stars light the vast sky surrounding us. We light the fires, beat the drum, dance to its rhythm and claim our rightful place in the world.

 

Retreat is a ceremony, and we are in the midst of it. I do not usually speak to the world while in the midst of ceremony but today, I am guided to do so. I too am healing, releasing, embracing learning and moving into the new stages of shamanic service. Tomorrow will be our closing and then I will return to shamanic journey, to alchemize the energies and honor all those who came in trust of me and my helping spirits. And slowly, I will re-enter ordinary reality, but in a new way, ready and willing to discover this path unfolding from within my heart.