Autumn Harvest Traditions Retreat

A descent into the mystery of transformation
Around October 31 and November 1 is a cluster of autumn spiritual traditions that include Halloween, the Celtic Samhain, the Christian All Saints' Day, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and the Hindu Diwali. Halloween has become a fun, light-hearted night for children and adults in costume. The other observances, however, continue to provide opportunities for reflecting on both the reality of death and the hope of renewal and continuance.

The latter hope is rooted in a sense of eternity and connecting with our ancestors. The veil between the seen world of matter and the unseen world of spirit becomes thin. It is a time to drift, dream and vision, a time for inner journeys connecting to the wisdom within yourself.

This threshold into the dark phase of the year’s cycle is when the mystery of transformation occurs. This process involves a descent and a death of something old in preparation for something new to be reborn. This is an auspicious time of year to descend into our Cave of the Mothers dream chamber, here on the Forest grounds.

We can honor the cycle by being aware that each end and death of the old will bring opportunity for a new start, as each beginning holds within it an end. This endless cycle of change is essential, bringing renewal to our lives.

During this season of descending into the darkness of winter, we'll explore together:

What does eternity mean to you?
When and how do you experience it?
What is your relationship with those who have gone before you?
How do we journey through grief and loss, whether the loss of a person, a job, a way of life, and so on?

Together, we'll:


Hold sacred ceremony for this threshold of the year.
Descend into the nurturing womb of the Cave of the Mothers.
Explore the journeys of death, grief, and transformation.
Decorate our communal table with symbols of the season, such as pumpkins, sugar skulls, leaves, etc.
Pause for individual periods of silence and reflection.

Testimonials
"The variety of activities during the Spring Equinox retreat were wonderful! We experienced the sacred process of collecting gifts of love offered at the Forest over the past years and honoring them together. We cooked, ate, participated in a tea ceremony and had meditations daily. All the activities were optional, but too good to miss any of them. A joyous time full of rest and community at its finest."

~ Cynde