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Somatic Ecology: Embodying Sustainability

Name: Somatic Ecology: Embodying Sustainability
Start: 2024-07-19
End: 2024-07-21
Location: Menla
Rating: 4.5

4.502 reviews

July 19 - 21, 2024

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Iquwah

Aaron

Iquwah Bezuyen

Iquwah Bezuyen is a naturalist, herbalist, Master Gardener, long time community builder, and equal housing activist. She’s been caring for plants and animals her whole life. Iquwah has been running greenhouses for over 20 years. She was an outdoor education and farm specialist at Camp Oh-Neh-tah in Windham NY, where she maintained and planted a biodynamic education garden, taught camping, hiking, foraging skills, and was the leadership trainer for 150 participants, parents, and staff, creating the camp’s farm program. She is a ginseng, native ephemerals, and food forest grower and was a farm manager at the American Ginseng Pharm. She mentored with the late ginseng master Bob Beyfuss, planting and caretaking over 300 acres of wild simulated ginseng cultivation in the Catskills. She owns and operates her own greenhouse where she starts plants from seed, clones and propogates plants, studies the best plant genetics for the mountain garden, and grows edible and medicinal mushrooms. Iquwah is also a certified welder, and has her level 1 chainsaw certification from Soren Eriksson's school "The Game of Logging". Iquwah has worked on multiple ecological cleanup sites, including in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina, planting mangroves, and after hurricane Irene in Prattsville, NY. She is currently the head of horticulture at Menla. Iquwah is a member of the Matrium of Cybele in Palenville, NY, studying Goddess religion and Magic for over a decade.

Aaron 'Water' Piepszny

Aaron Piepszny teaches Chi Gung, Buddhism, and somatic embodiment studies online as well as at Menla Mountain retreat where he is the head of horticulture. He received his Permaculture Design Certificate in 2016 at the Paititi institute in Peru. Aaron has studied, supported, and enacted a wide variety of integrative food production methods with locals and First Nations in Spain, California, NY state, Peru, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Germany, and Poland. He received his BA in Cultural Anthropology from SUNY Buffalo. He started his farming career in 2001. Aaron has been a professional dancer for over 15 years. A naturalist, farmer, and Gaian steward, Aaron has been wildcrafting food and medicine plants and foraging mushrooms for 25 years. He brings great excitement, reverence, and joy to sharing wisdom, learning, and concepts regarding nature, health, and mindfulness.

Details of this retreat

Your whole being is invited to open and hear the Earth speak. Utilizing the principles of sustainability as a guide, this weekend immersion will explore how our physical and energetic bodies can interface with the Earth, Self, and Other in a balanced, connected, and regenerative way. Forest bathing, mindfulness practices, and nature walks will accompany learning basic and intermediate gardening/permaculture skills, including starting plants from seed, transplanting, propagating perennials, and identifying wild plants/foraging for food and medicine to align our beings with the cycles of Earth’s abundance.

We will practice Qi Gong to attune our whole beings in receptivity to the nourishing energy of and profound messages from nature. Supporting an increase in our vitality while reducing stress in our bodies and minds, simple Qi Gong concepts will be taught for you to easily weave into your life after returning home.

Plant identification and uses, eating directly from mother Earth, mindful breathing, ecosystem education, and presencing in nature will foster a deeper sense of centered stewardship of ourselves and our environment. We will recharge, empower, and connect with the core of our natural selves and our living planet with a renewed sense of direct support of and from Nature.

Schedule

Friday, July 19

3 - 6 pm Arrival & Check-in
3 - 6 pm Integrate into your surroundings/Explore the Land
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7 - 8:30 pm Welcome/ Intro/ Sound bath

Saturday, July 20

7:30 - 8 am Qi Gong
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:30 - 10 am Pollinator Meditation
10 - 11 am Garden Attunement/Plant Identification
11 - 11:15 am Journaling & Reflection
11:15 am - 12:15 pm Cloning Perennials/Starting Plants From Seed
12:15 - 12:30 pm Journaling
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:45 - 3 pm Forest Connection/Education Walk/Composting Discussion
3 - 3:30 pm Qi Gong
3:30 - 4 pm Forest Bathing/Mindful Breathing
4 - 4:30 pm River Gazing & Water Meditation
4:30 - 5:45 pm Forest/Hugel Bed Construction
5:45 - 6 pm Journaling & reflection
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 - 10 pm Bonfire

Sunday, July 21

7 - 11 am Check-out of Rooms
7:30 - 8 am Qi Gong
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 - 9:30 am Pollinator Meditation
9:30 - 10:30 am Sitting With Plants/Earth Communication Meditation/Nature Bathing
10:30 - 11:30 am Plant Propagation, Planting, Pruning
11:30 am - 12:30 pm Closing Circle
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure

*Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

Getting Here

Menla

Accommodation

Deluxe Queen

Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers. Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Deluxe Double (Shared Room)

Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Size Beds and Private Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers. Deluxe Double Rooms with Private Bathrooms are Located in the Lhasa Inn * Please note rates include meals and accommodations. This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.

Standard Single - Shared Bath

Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available This lodging type is not ADA Compliant Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)

Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations. Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu * Please note rates include meals and accommodations. This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.

Standard Double Twin - Shared bath (Shared Room)

Economy Single - Shared Bath

Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor. A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note rates include meals and accommodations.

Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)

Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor. High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room. Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations * Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed) * This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others

Economy Quad - Shared Bath (Shared Room)

Standard Quad Room with Quad Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals. High speed Wi-Fi is available in the room. Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations * Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed) * This booking is for one bed in a quad shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others.

Camping

Camping Campers Have Access to Bathrooms with Showers in Lower Level of Conference Center. Menla Has Six Wooden Camping Platforms by the Pantherkill Stream (First Come First Serve). If All Platforms are Full or You Prefer Not to Use One, There is Also Camping Space in a Small Field by the Stream. Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals. Phone and High Speed Wi-Fi Available in Upstairs of the Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Commuter

Commuters Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs! Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn. Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.

Customer Reviews

4.50 out of 5.0 average rating

Anonymous • Oct 03, 2023

4.0

Verified

Weekend retreat stay

The property is on a beautiful, peaceful location.
Nature is all around and sometimes a little too close but you are literally surrounded by woods.

The food was really good and I liked the buffet style and fruit basket.

The gift shop although small had a nice selection of items and I purchased a few fun items.

Since the dining area was on the opposite side of the site from the convention center, a lot of students drove back and forth on the property. I chose the walking paths to get around.

Marie • Apr 18, 2022

5.0