About this Retreat
Paul’s studio works from the ancient Eastern tradition of transmission where the painting passes through the artist. Therefore the paintings are only signed on the back. Paul has two full-time assistants that have been with him over ten years. He also works closely with Master Tibetan painter, Yeshi Dorjee, as well as artists in Bali, Nepal, India and Tibet to ensure the quality of each Sacred Deity or painting.
“We are all circles on the great mandala, and by changing the intensity of color, we clarify the fullness of each circle. Every soul is a circle with a unique combination of color and intensity. Each circle contains two individual circles with a delicate membrane between them”.
This powerful dream voice came through me in 1992 while I was painting in Hawaii. It clearly symbolizes the essence of my work as a painter where soul patterns are colourfully manifested through the ancient symbol of the mandala. Mandala‰ means circle or center and it has literally been around for thousands of years, although not well known here in the West.
The mandala, for me, more than any other teacher in this lifetime, has opened the doorway into the symbolic language of the soul. Once this language is known, once the doorway into the unconscious has been opened, once the dynamism of intuitive pattern reading is understood, then life as it is known changes suddenly and dramatically.
As I began to open up this ancient doorway, I received access to and understanding of a soul language that has powerfully changed my life and the lives of all those who come into contact with this level of intuitive knowing. One of the true gifts of this language is a deep understanding of the patterns, symbols, and currents in Nature and how they relate to my own soul’s unfoldment and development. These insights highlight my journey into the potential of full radiance of the soul. As I look into my own soul’s pattern. I have come to see the “long body” (a way of seeing the past) of my own soul’s unfoldment.
My life as an artist truly began the moment the sperm hit the egg. I now understand that a pattern was struck within the core of my psyche, or soul, at the moment of conception. Of course, it took thirty-seven years and numerous life experiences before the pattern of an artist fully manifested in my conscious awareness.
I came into being as the genetic combination of a Jewish mother and a German father. My parents were both studying art and met at the easel. The dynamism of the postwar Jewish-German mixture created the possibility of both tension and the union of opposites. This was the beginning of the pattern of my life as an artist. My mother was an art teacher, my father a highly spiritual man, venturing into meditation and Eastern religion. Our home was constantly filled with unusual and deeply sensitive people, Sufi Master Pir Inayat Khan, actor Gig Young, transcendental painter Emil Bistram, health guru Gypsy Boots. Art and books were everywhere in our home. It was impossible for me to appreciate at the time the open and creative environment in which I had been born.
Details of this retreat
As a renowned teacher and fourth generation artist, Paul Heussenstamm has been sharing hi unique gift of helping people discover their Soul through his paintings and Art As A Spirtual Path workshops worldwide. Paul has created over 2000 unique and spiritual paintings while passionately sharing his artistic capacity to explore and create Sacred Art from many traditions such as buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity.
The size is between 6 – 12 participants and no experience is necessary. The Workshop covers all the aspects and history of the mandala and each participant will experience the unfolding of their personal mandalas as a teaching to deepen their spiritual journey through art.
ART AS A SPIRITUAL PATH is a transformational experience and my job will be to support and nurture the relationship with your Soul.
Tuition
$664.00 Commuter Rate incl. tuition, food and art supplies
General schedule:
Friday June 28th
9am- Arrival
9:30am Opening Circle
11:30 Brunch
12:30-6:00pm Painting
6pm Dinner
Saturday June 29th
10:00-11:30am Painting
11:30 Brunch
12:30-6:00pm Painting
6pm Dinner
Sunday June 30th
10:00-11:30am Painting
11:30 Brunch
12:30-6:00pm Painting/ Closing
Lodging options and costs are additional to the price above:
Cozy Cabin Rooms (shared or private) $90 - $180/night/person
Shared Main House Lodging ( shared no cat allergies) - $100/night/person
Forest Bell Tent Shared Lodging (shared or private) $75 - 150/night/person
Camping- $35/night/person
The Star River Sanctuary Mission
Star River Sanctuary’s mission is to love and serve all of our relations
The Vision
Star River Sanctuary is here to nourish the renewal, reconnection and reverence for nature through experiential and skill based learning. Star River Sanctuary is a multidisciplinary learning center in the heart of the Kootenays with three main interwoven platforms: regeneration, reconnection, and renewal. Star River Sanctuary has three pillars of purpose: organic gardens (regeneration), wilderness programs (reconnection), and healing retreats (renewal).
We envision a world where people are fully connected to self, other, and the Earth holistically through mind, body, and heart. We see a world in which people are awake to their inherent gifts, health, and joy, living in balance and harmony with the natural world; a world where every being’s needs are taken into consideration, and where gratitude, reciprocity, and reverence for the earth lead our lives. We see a world where all people have the opportunity to connect to the wellspring of health, love, and inspiration found in Mother Nature, and where wise and loving mentors guide children in how to walk upon the Earth lightly and with open hearts.
We understand that having a sanctuary of natural peace and beauty is an essential service at this time of ecological crisis on the earth. Within our culture there is an epidemic of disconnection from nature and we see this as a root cause of the ecological crisis we are facing. At the core of challenges, we as a human family face, is the recognition that all of life is interconnected and interdependent.
We recognize that theory alone is not enough to meet the immense challenges of our generation and the generations to come. Experiential learning and healing in nature ignites creative genius and love of Earth. It is through our connection to nature that we will be guided to sustainable innovations and regenerative practices in the years to come. We must move the class and therapeutic spaces from the four square walls of institutions to the wild places with reverent devotion. Star River Sanctuary will be a place for such learning. There will be residential programs for all ages that focus on nature based outdoor education, eco-psychology, earth honouring animism, and agricultural skill-based learning through our fully functioning organic micro-farm.
Values-
Star River Sanctuary exists to love and serve all of our relations as a place of beauty, peace, and re-wilding for the seven generations to come through the conscious:
Regeneration of the natural intelligence and health of our soils to create abundant and resilient food security and foster ecological diversity.
Reconnection to the natural intelligence within Gaia as our greatest teacher, guide, and healer through Earth honouring ceremonial arts.
Renewal of the natural intelligence within our bodies to live in health and well-being with Gaia.
We do all of this through our conscious relationship and sacred reciprocity with the whole of Life. Through growing our spiritual practices and grounding this spiritual compassionate wisdom in right action. We believe that in order to meet the intense challenges we face, we must bridge theoretical and experiential learning and healing. This style of learning is in the container of what we call “re-wilding” which means to awaken the natural intelligence within. To become fully embodied requires us to heal with the holistic intelligence of Gaia through Earth honouring ceremonial wisdom. To heal we must learn new ways of living and rewrite our habits of disconnection. It is clear we can no longer teach by theory alone; we must provide experiential containers and mentorship for students of all ages to:
Experience the beauty and peace of Nature and awaken to their interconnection and interdependence within all life through age-appropriate curriculum and methodologies.
Grow individual inner resilience and skillful means with which to meet the unprecedented challenges of this time through nature-based therapy, eco-psychology, and earth-honouring wisdom traditions.
Build skill based understanding of regenerative agriculture and farming to build local food security
A/C in Rooms
Free Wifi
Spa
Sauna
Pool
Towels
Free Parking
Kitchen
Tour Assistance
Hot Tub
Coffee/Tea
Cafe
Restaurant
Fitness Center
Yoga Studio
Housekeeping
Bicycles For Rent
Vegan
Vegetarian
Pescetarian
Ayurvedic
Includes Meat
Organic
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Nut Free
Verified
