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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240819
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240824
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240301T155627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T155627Z
UID:10000264-1724025600-1724457599@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:CO Mirroring the Four Shields of Human Nature: The Art of Story Telling and Listening
DESCRIPTION:The shields of human nature turn with the experiences of life\, from the smallest cell to the great seamless whole of the biosphere called earth. It begins with the body (summer)\, turns into psyche (fall)\, becomes activated form (winter)\, which dissolves into spirit (spring) — which is born again in the body (summer). The four seasonal directions of human nature\, in their complex\, yet simple\, interaction\, form the basis of an eco psychology which redefines traditional psychologies based on human alone\, apart from nature. \nTelling one’s own story is an ancient art. Nowadays\, we have forgotten how to listen and how to tell. Yet the very survival of our species depends on our ability to communicate with each other in such ways as to be mutually enriched by the telling and the listening. If we cannot tell with expression\, our life is mute. If we cannot listen like a mirror\, we cannot reflect back the wholeness of the four shields — the body\, soul\, mind and spirit of the teller. The best stories are about human nature — that is\, the human of us which is\, after all\, nature in her basic manifestations as physical\, psychical\, rational\, and spiritual. One of the best ways to create a four shields story\, if not the best\, is to put people in contact with nature in the raw. \nWhat comes forth in the story is the stuff of self-transformation. Even as we “myth” ourselves into experience\, so we express ourselves into existence. Our stories about our natural selves\, and our means of expressing them\, lead us to courage\, determination\, commitment\, hope\, wisdom\, and the will to survive\, to transcend the difficulty\, to go beyond ourselves. Those of us who work with people must know how to listen and respond to the stories our people tell\, so that we can help them create a life that is deeper\, richer\, and of greater benefit to our community and the earth. \nProgram Overview: We will meet together in outdoor settings. Mornings will be taken up with meetings\, afternoons or evenings with solitary excursions into the surrounding forest. Participants will forgo companionship\, food\, and shelter during these times. We will tell and listen to stories that empower and participants will respond to stories in a variety of ways. The objectives of the seminar are to experience human-nature deeply; to elicit personal “mythos” through the expression of the story; to acquire knowledge of how to listen and respond to the four personas of human nature (to “mirror”)\, and to utilize a powerful incorporation tool of self and group empowerment. \nProgram Questions Contact: Scot scotdeily@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/co-mirroring-the-four-shields-of-human-nature-the-art-of-story-telling-and-listening/
LOCATION:Dragonback Springs Ranch\, Colorado
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-29-at-8.33.03-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240816
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240826
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240117T003556Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T161747Z
UID:10000249-1723766400-1724630399@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:CO Women’s Fast
DESCRIPTION:– Remembering Ourselves Home – \nYou do not have to be good.\nYou do not have to walk on your knees\nfor a hundred miles through the desert\, repenting.\nYou only have to let the soft animal of your body\nlove what it loves.\n– Mary Oliver \nWhat is calling you?\nDo you wish to claim and mark a change in your life stage? Have the time and community\, both nature and human\, to listen more deeply to your heart-song that is on the edge of emergence? Hunger for solitude and the whispers of wild nature? \nRestoration\nIn this program we create a clearing in our lives to restore what has been forgotten\, fragmented or diminished. Ceremony invites us to take time to slow down and to find what we may have lost in the frenetic pace and challenges of our daily lives. We pause. We listen. As we renew our connection to the more than human world\, we notice what is emerging through that body-sensing way of our sensual nature. \nReconnection\nWe go out not to prove our worthiness or strength\, but rather to return to our natural rhythms and our rootedness. Through immersion in wild nature\, the teachings of the Four Shields\, ritual\, and community\, we gain clarity on what is ripening within us and ready to be revealed\, so that we may step more confidently into our gifts and aliveness. As we nourish the inner well\, we uncover our radiance. \nEmpowerment\nThe vision fast is a ceremony of empowerment and renewal\, as we remember that we are an intrinsic part of the natural world. During our time you will gain profound insights into your current life passage\, come into deep relationship with your longing and belonging\, and discover clarity about your unique offerings to the world. \nOverview\nThis 10-day vision fast ceremony\, led by two experienced guides\, involves four days of preparation\, three days of solo\, and three days of reincorporation\, to support and hold your emergence. Following a pan-cultural model of transitions\, this ceremony moves through the three stages of severance (preparation) – threshold (solo) – reincorporation (return). \nLiving nature is your mirror and source of transformation\, and we will dive deep into this exploration of inner and outer communion. Our community is witness to the layers you shed and the new identity you may find. \nWho this serves: We invite a village of women of all ages to gather and join. We celebrate the diversity of all expressions of sexuality and female-identified humans. \nTo be whole. To be complete. \nWildness reminds us what it means to be human\,\nwhat we are connected to rather than what we are separate from. \n— Terry Tempest Williams — \nContact Guide: Bettina Straub beingbettina@live.de\nCo-guide: Nancy Jane nancy@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/co-womens-fast/
LOCATION:Wild Mountain\, Colorado
CATEGORIES:Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-16-at-1.27.44-PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240806
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240813
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240301T192427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T192427Z
UID:10000269-1722902400-1723507199@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Healing Ancestral Trauma through Nature\, Ritual\, and Community
DESCRIPTION:When we heal our roots\, we open up new possibilities for our future. \n–Thomas Hubl \nAncestral Trauma \nWelcome to our investigation of ancestral trauma. We hold this as a sacred exploration of what\noften has no words. We trust in our human capacity to heal when given appropriate support\nand healthy relationship. \nPerhaps you are holding a question about what you might have inherited from your ancestors.\nYou may even be acutely aware of traumatized aspects of your past and the residues of fear\,\nanger\, or shame that get triggered in everyday living. You may have only a vague sense that\nsome issue is “bigger than just me in this present moment.” Whatever brings you to look at this\nprogram\, we welcome your inquiry and will support you in any way we can. \nThe stories in our lineage are part of who we are today\, but much of their influence remains\nunconscious. Our ancestors lived through the trauma of immigration\, painful historical events\nsuch as war\, the legacy of slavery\, Native American genocide and the Holocaust. It is common\nfor expressions of trauma\, such as family suicide\, depression\, addictions\, grief\, or physical\nhealth conditions\, to be passed down from generation to generation. \nWhy It Matters \nThe importance of this work cannot be underestimated. Insights of our time carry forward to\nnew generations\, empowering us to connect and repair with our families and communities. In\norder to gather our creative energies and follow a heart-felt path of service to others and the\nplanet\, we must uncover and befriend the entanglements of the past. \nCeremony\, Wild Nature\, and Community \nThe journey is both a deeply personal exploration as well as an inquiry into our historical and\ncollective wounding. Through immersion in wild nature\, within a safe community and\nsupported by ritual\, we can begin a process of reclamation and healing. We give ourselves time\nand space so that the invisible can become visible. As we bring light to the stories and emotions\nthat may lie dormant from “looking away\,” we liberate our natural aliveness\, inspiration\, and\ngratitude for ourselves and those who came before us. \nFlow of the Days\nThe format of the 7-day program is spacious\, to allow for profound insights to emerge. We will\nmeet daily in sharing and teaching councils\, followed by experiential reflection walks on the\nland and evening gatherings. The framework of the Four Shields will help us map out our\nexploration of ancestral wounding. Other rituals and the mirror of nature will enhance our time\ntogether. On Day 5\, participants will undertake a 24-hour solo with optional fasting. Upon\nreturn\, participants will share their stories and have them mirrored by the guides. Our last day\nfocuses on how to take the insights forward into daily life. \nProgram Questions Contact: Nancy Jane at njane615@icloud.com
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/healing-ancestral-trauma-through-nature-ritual-and-community/
LOCATION:Wild Mountain\, Colorado
CATEGORIES:Adults
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-01-at-8.30.57-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240717
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240729
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240117T003617Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T161716Z
UID:10000248-1721174400-1722211199@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:CO Summer Vision Fast
DESCRIPTION:In your bones you hear the singing of your sacred ancestors. You follow in their footsteps. You go alone\, with an empty belly and a bare minimum of equipment\, into the heart of the wilderness\, for four days and nights. There you live with yourself in solitude. You surrender to the mirror of your wild environment\, and to memory\, the looks-within-place. You enter the mansions of nature’s soul. You ponder the questions: “Who am I?” “Who are my people?” and “What is my intent?” You wander the precincts of loneliness\, where vision lies waiting. You drink at the springs of your soul and are filled with self-recognition. What is not important falls away. The work that must be done lies ahead. \nProgram Overview: The twelve day ceremony involves four days of preparation\, four days and nights of fasting alone in a wilderness place\, and four days of incorporation You will be readied to physically\, psychologically\, mentally\, and spiritually benefit from the experience of fasting alone in the wilderness. You will be given an ancient means of looking into the mirror of nature (the Four Shields). \nProgram Questions Contact: Emerald North at emerald@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/co-summer-vision-fast/
LOCATION:Dragonback Springs Ranch\, Colorado
CATEGORIES:Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-16-at-12.40.26-PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240709
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240722
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240117T003640Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T161416Z
UID:10000247-1720483200-1721606399@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:CO Men’s Fast
DESCRIPTION:Being a man can be easy\, and not easy at all. How do people who identify as a man navigate both the immense privileges that come with maleness\, and the weight of myths that come with being a man. Myths like ‘the self-made man’\, the ‘warrior’\, the ‘breadwinner’ and ‘protector’. In a world where patriarchy has created real and lasting harm to others and the earth\, how can a man be sensitive and compassionate yet have a strong voice and presence that leaves room and space for the voices and presence of others? \nThrough this rite-of-passage we invite those who identify as men to take a leap – to look deeply at our notions of manhood – and to enter the threshold with an open heart. Alone and together we’ll embark on a shared journey towards finding integrity\, towards finding real community\, and towards finding a future that is calling us to slow down\, show up and embody the transformation these times are asking of us. Truly\, the world needs initiated adult and elder men more than at any time in memory. \nThis initiatory ceremony will take you to the edges of who you are in a safe and caring space. This is a time that will hold you in all your wholeness\, ask you to be all of who you are and to bring all the gifts you carry back to the world in an authentic and caring way. \nCome and join us\, surrounded by some of the tallest peaks in Colorado and under billions. of stars as we take this journey together. Your ceremony will begin with enrolling in the program and sending a deposit to hold your space. More information will be sent to you once this is done. The time has come and we welcome you to join us on the amazing land we call Wild Mountain for this transformative experience. \nProgram Overview: \nThis ceremony involves several days of preparation\, 4 days and nights of spending time alone in a wilderness place\, and a few days of incorporation. You will be supported physically\, psychologically\, mentally\, and spiritually\, so that you might fully benefit from this experience of being alone with little or no food in the wilderness. After our days of preparation\, you will cross the threshold and enter into your ceremony or threshold time\, making it your own. During the final days\, you step into the incorporation process where we will join together for the sharing of stories. The guides will listen\, support your understanding of the experience\, and challenge you to give your vision practical feet – to live the life you have rightfully claimed as your own! When all the stories have been told\, we will celebrate together and prepare for your return to your community. \nFor more info please contact Sam via sambdeboskey@gmail.com
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/co-mens-fast/
LOCATION:Wild Mountain\, Colorado
CATEGORIES:Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-16-at-10.24.01-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240615
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240627
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240117T003700Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240220T030212Z
UID:10000246-1718409600-1719446399@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Young Adults Nature Based Rite of Passage
DESCRIPTION:Every summer the School of Lost Borders offers nature based rites of passage for young people age 18-28 ready to confirm their entry into adulthood in the eastern mountains of Payahuunadü (also known as the Inyo Mountains outside of Big Pine\, California). These are the ancestral and contemporary lands of the Nüümü and Newe people. \nNearly every culture on the planet shows evidence of a ceremonial marking of the passage from youth to adulthood\, undertaken consciously and witnessed by the community. Marking the threshold of adulthood takes great courage\, perhaps now more than ever before as young people face growing stressors of environmental and social crises. With the intention of finding and facing your deepest truths\, your strengths and weaknesses\, you turn toward the critical questions: “Who am I to be in the world?” “What are my gifts?” And perhaps “What is needed now?” \nThe wilderness rite of passage is an opportunity to bring your whole being into contact with the natural world\, including your concerns\, your challenges\, your grief and your prayers\, your rage and your fragility…as well as the dreams only you can dream. \nThe solo fast requires a willingness to go alone in the high desert of the Inyo Mountains for three days and nights without food and minimal shelter. It is a ceremony of wholeness and belonging\, in which profound bonds with inner and outer nature\, self and community may be discovered. Each will come to and return from the solo time with a unique story to share and be witnessed in a story council. \nProgram Overview: This eleven-day program is divided into three sections; severance\, threshold\, and incorporation. The first few days are a time of separation from your daily life\, physical preparation\, and becoming clear on your intention for going out alone into the natural world. The threshold time is your solo time – three days and nights alone on the land. Finally\, the days spent after the solo are the first days of your year-long incorporation experience\, where you will learn to work with the gifts you bring to the new phase of life you are entering. Our program includes an incorporation call a season after we return\, September 2023. \nProgram Questions Contact: Gretchen Gerlach via gretchen@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/young-adults-nature-based-rite-of-passage/
LOCATION:Inyo Mountains\, CA\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-16-at-9.53.21-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240608
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240616
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240301T192804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T192804Z
UID:10000268-1717804800-1718495999@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:The Four Directions of a Queer Man: Forgiveness\, Apology & Reconciliation
DESCRIPTION:Queer people don’t grow up as ourselves\, we grow up playing a version of ourselves that sacrifices authenticity to minimise humiliation & prejudice. The massive task of our adult lives is to unpick which parts of ourselves are truly us & which parts we’ve created to protect us. \n—Alexander Leon \nepigraph in Last Call\, by Elon Green \nGathering in a natural setting – the high desert east of the Sierra Mountains – we will look to nature as our mirror\, as we aim to learn more deeply what it means to be “a man” and to be “queer.” Each of the four directions mirrors back something uniquely: call this “the four directions of a queer man.” The south\, where the sun is high in the sky\, is the place of the child—or for this week\, the queer child. In the west\, where the sun sets\, is the darkness of adolescence: where a queer man must navigate their “coming out”—however many times\, and during whatever stages of life. In the north\, the direction of night\, is the place of the empowered queer adult who knows how to survive and thrive in dark times. And in the east\, with its daily inspiration of the sunrise\, is the place of Queer Spirit. We will explore each of these four directions – a day at a time – culminating in an overnight solo on the fourth full day\, the day in the east. \nThrough the week\, we will weave in the themes of wounding\, forgiveness\, apology\, and reconciliation. We recognize that growing up queer in a homophobic world may have left each of us with old wounds and complicated ongoing relationships – with family\, community\, and even chosen friends. That has left many of us with lots of unfinished business. \nTo do this healing work\, we will draw upon an old hospice teaching. To complete a relationship at the end of life\, five things need be said: “Please forgive me”; “I forgive you”; “Thank you”; “I love you”; and “Goodbye.” One of the great opportunities we all have is to do this work now – to keep our relationships current rather than waiting for our final days. Otherwise\, we risk being weighed down by a lifetime of woundings\, angers\, and regrets. \nWe are calling in a circle of “GBTQ men.” Put another way: people who identify as “queer” and as a “man” – whatever those two words mean for you. We aim to be inclusive. If you would like to attend but don’t identify as a queer man\, please talk to us. \nProgram information: Enrollment is limited to 10. This program will be held in the Inyo/White Mountains east the Sierra Mountains and immediately east of Big Pine\, CA. We will start midday on the first day\, a Saturday\, and finish by noon of the last day. We will be camping together the entire week\, likely with a simple toilet set-up and no showers. More detailed logistical information will be sent out a few months before the course begins. \nProgram Questions Contact: Scott Eberle at scott@lostborders.org \nOf special note: We have raised scholarship money from previous participants for this particular program in an effort to make this year’s gathering more accessible to those with limited income. This program-specific fund can support participation for up to five men\, contributing to the cost of their tuition\, transportation\, and food. We are especially interested in drawing younger people and/or BIPOC people. Please contact Scott at the email above for more info.
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/the-four-directions-of-a-queer-man-forgiveness-apology-reconciliation/
LOCATION:Big Pine
CATEGORIES:Adults
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-01-at-8.27.37-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240604T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240616T160000
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20230720T013122Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230720T013122Z
UID:10000232-1717516800-1718553600@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Colorado Queer Quest 2024
DESCRIPTION:For over the last decade at the Queer Quest\, groups of people from every part of the queer community have gathered on the land to celebrate our stories and step into the fullness of our queer bodies and selves. This safe and healing space has been a refuge and a reminder to all that being queer is a reflection and celebration of nature’s true diversity. Showing up as who we are\, and with our many gifts\, brings wholeness to the world! \nQueer people have always been edge walkers who are a source of deep connection between the community\, nature and the mystery\, and now is the time to fully own our place. With all the challenges facing the queer community in the world today\, now is the time to come back to our roots and the gifts that the queer community brings to the world. Connecting deeply to yourself\, and fully accepting all of who you are\, is both a radical act of rebellion against forces of hate and division\, and a radical act of communion with all living things! \nJoin us in this inclusive and supportive circle surrounded by the tallest peaks in Colorado for this ceremonial rite of passage designed specifically for the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Coming together\, to step all the way in to the multifaceted person you are and being witnessed by the community\, is healing for everyone and the land. \nIf you are feeling the call to be on the land in queer community to do deep\, personal work for yourself\, your community and the earth\, then this program is right and the time has come. To secure your place\, the first steps are to enroll by clicking the ‘enroll’ button and sending a deposit by clicking the ‘pay deposit/tuition’ button. If you are unable to pay a deposit\, write to school@lostborders.org about a scholarship. No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. Taking these steps will save your spot in the program. You can also send a check to the School of Lost Borders but you will still need to enroll through the website. This program has a long waitlist every year so enrolling and paying or working out the deposit as early as you can is a good idea. You will then receive more information about the next steps in the process.
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/colorado-queer-quest-2024/
LOCATION:Wild Mountain Retreats\, Buena Vista\, CO\, 81211\, United States
CATEGORIES:LGBTQIA+
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240526
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240219T233439Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240219T233439Z
UID:10000263-1715990400-1716681599@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Reclaiming the Divine Masculine
DESCRIPTION:For the longest time\, patriarchal beliefs and proscribed gender roles have discouraged men from learning to listen deeply and gently reflect. In the last half of the century\, we’ve seen a growing recognition of the importance for each person to make their own spiritual connection with the Divine – an energy that resides inside each of us and in the natural world. But even for those who aspire to cultivating a spiritual life\, rarely is there time\, space\, and support for this kind of\ndeeper attunement. \nCome join us for a week in the natural world as we explore the Four Directions of the Divine Masculine. We’ll first spend a day in the South\, where the body serves as a temple for the soul. Then will come a day in the West\, where the storytelling adolescent boy seeks to find identity and meaning in the world by exploring his shadow. Next is a day in the North\, where the empowered adult man looks to be of service to his people and use those gifts found in the West. And finally\, starting at the crack of dawn\, will be a day in the East: the place of Spirit\, God\, Goddess\, Beauty\, Love\, and – in this week of exploration – the Divine Masculine. \nProgram Overview: To encourage our busy minds to settle\, each day we will sit in silent meditation—some sessions optional\, some encouraged. \nWe also will gather in council\, holding space for the sharing and witnessing of stories. Afternoons will include time for walking in the natural world to explore each of the four directions of the Divine Masculine\, culminating in a sunrise-to-late-afternoon solo walk on the day in the East. When we reconvene\, we’ll then spend two days hearing\nstories from this solo time. \nA note about gender: We invite anyone to join us who identifies – wholly or in part –\nas “a man” or as “masculine.” We are looking to create the cohesion that comes with\nan affinity group\, while also being inclusive. \nA note about religion & spirituality: We welcome people of any religious affiliation.\nWe also welcome people without any religious affiliation. Our aim is to offer to participants the bare-bones spiritual practice of fasting alone in the natural world—a way for each person to source their own connection with the Divine\, however they conceive of that. \nProgram Questions Contact: Scott Eberle at scott@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/reclaiming-the-divine-masculine/
LOCATION:Wildlands in the San Francisco Bay Area
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-19-at-5.29.24-PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240511
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240219T233415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240219T233415Z
UID:10000262-1714694400-1715385599@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:The Nature of Council
DESCRIPTION:“There is a world behind the world we see that is the same world but more open\, more transparent\, without blocks. Like inside a big mind\, the animals and humans all can talk\, and those who pass through here get power to heal and to help. They learn how to behave\, and how not to give offense. To touch this world no matter how briefly is a help in life.” \n~ Gary Snyder\, The Practice of the Wild \nCouncil is an ancient way and modern practice whose roots are deep within the natural world\, spanning diverse cultures and spiritual traditions. Sitting in circle we remember and learn to listen to the whole: the people\, the place and all living beings. This practice elicits an experience of deep community\, recognizing that each voice has value\, every person has a gift\, a story to share\, a piece of the puzzle. \nOverview: The eight-day arc of this training gives us time to explore different forms\, formats\, exercises and ways of sharing council in intimate relationships\, families\, schools and communities. There will be both solo-time and group-time\, in order to open to the teachings offered by the natural world. We will offer group exercises\, weaving in self-generated ceremonies\, inviting the mystery into our personal journeys. We will explore the facilitation challenges of working solo\, with a partner\, and with the whole circle. \nWe will use the universal map of the Four Directions as our compass to guide our way through the wilderness within and without. We will be asked to cross threshold after threshold into the wholeness of our lives. Ultimately\, it is the questions you are living and the experiences you bring with you that will shape our time together\, as will the shadows following you here. \nWith vulnerability and a little grace\, we hope to meet the moment where serving self\, serving others\, and serving Creation\, are spoken in one voice. \nWho is this offering for: This extended training is intended for leaders and change-agents\, caregivers and caretakers\, and those longing for and creating community. It is intended to support and inform those working with young people and elders\, as well as guides using Council with rites-of-passage. It offers guidance for Council Carriers introducing the Council practice into other cultures and challenging places. \nVenue: In the circle of our days together\, Payahuunadu\, “The place where water flows” (Owen’s Valley in the Eastern Sierra) will be our home. Our base will be Baker Creek\, a campground nestled below the southernmost glacier in North America just west of Big Pine\, CA. \nFor program enquires please contact Sam DeBoskey sambdeboskey@gmail.com
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/the-nature-of-council/
LOCATION:Big Pine
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-19-at-5.26.12-PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240401
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240408
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20240219T232641Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240219T232641Z
UID:10000261-1711929600-1712534399@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Four Shields of Human Nature: Finding Wholeness in the Living Body of Nature
DESCRIPTION:“The Great Summons of our time is to find our way home \nto our true nature in the living body of earth.” \nJoanna Macy \nThe gift of this nature-based teaching—part of the “bare bones” of the School of Lost Borders’ ceremony—was given to us by our founders Steven Foster and Meredith Little ( authors of The Four Shields: The Initiatory Seasons of Human Nature). There have been many nature-based teachings throughout indigenous cultures worldwide. Nature was home\, church\, schoolroom\, play ground for all to learn about life and how to live in communion and cooperation with each other. \nThe world today is in a great crisis\, borne of a deep\, collective separation of nature. Will we heed the call towards healing—towards remembering that all things are connected. In the words of Chief Seattle: “What ever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth”. \nNature has a way of teaching us right relationship with our own humanness\, both inside and out\, when we open to different qualities to be found in each of the four directions: The south: the qualities of the physical body\, instincts and emotions. The west: the qualities of intuition and introspection. The north: the qualities of standing in our own truth. The east: the qualities of that which is greater than us and the divine within. \nDuring our time together we will look to disprove the ‘lie’ that we are separate from nature\, and from each other. We will strive to re- remember our place and our belonging in all of creation as well as our connection to one another. We will learn from observing nature\, the seasons and the life cycles. We will begin to re-orient to the natural world by looking closely at the clues and patterns of the natural blueprint that surrounds us. We will learn through our senses and feelings how the cycles\, rhythm and flow of nature reflect our own natural flow. \nThis week’s experience will be helpful to those who are in training for nature based work\, those who work in counseling\, life coaching\, or anyone living in this world working towards wholeness. \nWe will begin our days with check-ins\, teachings\, and discussions. The afternoons and one of the evenings will be spent alone in nature for 2-3 hours with a suggested mission. Late afternoons and early evenings we will spend sharing stories of your experiences when out alone. \nFor enquiries please contact Silvia Talavera at silvia@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/four-shields-of-human-nature-finding-wholeness-in-the-living-body-of-nature-2/
LOCATION:Catalina State Park\, Tucson\, AZ\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-19-at-5.22.24-PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231022T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231028T120000
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20230601T022939Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230601T022939Z
UID:10000231-1697965200-1698494400@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Rites of Incorporation: Embodying the Vision and Living the Dream
DESCRIPTION:“Hold fast to dreams\, for if dreams die life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”\n– Langston Hughes \nThis program is an invitation to all who have experienced a vision fast\, or a life transition\, had a dream or may have had a special event to mark or celebrate that long to be embodied and lived out. This offering may be a helpful tool in negotiating this challenging yet rich and fruitful landscape of living into your dreams or vision along with the many other possibilities that are begging to emerge in your life. It begs the question “How do I embody my vision and live my dream?” \nCorpus is the Latin word for body\, and to incorporate is to bring into your body. \nYour physical body is the structure and form in which you live and it is imperative that you give your new ideas and dreams a solid and foundational platform so that you are better able to embody and move them forward into your life. \nThis program is designed to take incorporation to a deeper level. Usually\, the work of incorporating experiences into your life can be most challenging. Often when you return to your busy life it is not always easy to continue with the hard work it takes to manifest your vision and give it practical feet. If ignored it is the place where the previous work of all your dreaming and great ideas can easily be forgotten and placed on the back burner or dismissed altogether. \nWe will be taking the rites of incorporation through the lens of the Four Shields of Human Nature (a nature-based teaching) and nature itself to help teach\, guide and inspire you. \nWe will meet every morning for a daily check-in\, teachings and discussions. In the afternoon you will be given a suggested mission and have 2-3 hours solo time in nature. There will be times in the afternoon and evenings given for reflections and discussions. \nIt is our hope that you will come away from this program with new skills and a refreshed awareness in ways to work with your visions\, dreams\, and ideas and carry them forward into your lives. \nProgram Questions Contact: Silvia Talavera at silvia@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/rites-of-incorporation-embodying-the-vision-and-living-the-dream/
LOCATION:Catalina State Park\, Tucson\, AZ\, United States
CATEGORIES:Incorporation
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/20230531_090905-1-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231008T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20231015T120000
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20230601T023004Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230601T023004Z
UID:10000230-1696755600-1697371200@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:The Elder’s Journey: The Four Shields of Elderhood for Women
DESCRIPTION:“We are the seeds of the tenacious plant\, and it is in our ripeness and our fullness of heart that we are given to the wind and scattered.”\nKahlil Gibran \nThroughout the ages\, elder women have enjoyed sitting in circle to weave the rich tapestries of their stories\, stories that continued to warm and inspire people across time and culture. \nWhat about us\, now\, in our time? As women in all stages of growing into our greater years\, there is a growing passion and a commitment to tell our own stories. We have children\, or we are childless\, we are single or we are partnered\, working or retired\, healthy or feeling the struggles of the body. Whatever stage of elderhood we find ourselves navigating it is important that we find our way\, with as much humor\, grace and dignity as possible. Death awaits us all\, and how we move through these years is of utmost importance. \nElderhood is an evolving experience that can be a ripening of our strengths rather than the dulling of our minds. From the words of social activist Maggie Kuhn\, “Old age is not a disease. It is a strength in survivor-ship\, triumph over all kinds of vicissitudes and disappointments\, trials and illness.” This speaks to aging as an extraordinary achievement. It is an opportunity to re-awaken the imagination towards new possibilities and a renewed spirit inspired by the lived wisdom acquired over the years. \nAs women ripen into the various stages of elderhood\, it may be time to re-map the landscape to make room for the emerging new perspectives of what it means to be an elder in today’s world. Through honoring the years of a life lived\, creating new meaning and imparting our gifts in service\, we move towards transformation and into a renewed vitality\, creativity\, and vision. This program is an invitation to open to what is needed to welcome the elders we are becoming. \nProgram Overview: During our time together we will explore ways to deepen into a more conscious approach to how we can live as elder women in the world today. We will recall our personal stories\, life experiences and collected knowledge and discover ways to transform them into our wisdom and our medicine. \nWe will explore an ancient means of looking into the mirror of nature through the lens of the Four Shields (a nature based teaching) that will reflect and support the wisdom of the elders as a natural point for introspection and meaning . We will move through the 4 seasons\, the 4 directions and the stages of life.\nThese teachings and the earth itself will help to bring what is needed to your own particular stage of this rich new frontier. \nOur days will be filled with a morning circle that will include a check-in and teachings and discussion. In the afternoon a mission will be suggested and there will be time alone on the land. There will be late afternoon story councils for listening and reflection.\nA 24 hour contemplative solo/silence will be offered during the week. Fasting is suggested during this time. A ceremonial sweat will be offered (moderate heat due to honoring sensitivities). \nTime and Location: A special offering for the first time at the Elders’ Journey program. We will be Staying at one of Tucson’s special ranch and retreat centers at Aravaipa in Winkleman\, Arizona. Steeped in Apache history and land that offers a stream that flows through the canyon and a beautiful labyrinth nearby and much more. \nProgram Questions Contact: Silvia Talavera at silvia@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/the-elders-journey-the-four-shields-of-elderhood-for-women/
LOCATION:Aravaipa Canyon Ranch\, 91467 East Lewis Ranch Road\, Winkelman\, AZ\, 85192\, United States
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ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220717T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220723T130000
DTSTAMP:20260505T020505
CREATED:20220114T032833Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220114T065701Z
UID:10000165-1658052000-1658581200@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:THE FOUR SHIELDS OF WHOLENESS FOR WOMEN
DESCRIPTION:Finding our medicine as women and female-identified people\, finding our voice and way as daughters\, mothers\, elders\, and stewards of this Earth at this time is essential.\n Feminine nature has been abused\, pillaged\, murdered\, kidnapped and sold for thousands of years.  Women carry heavy on the trauma their ancestral lineages have endured\, whether we are conscious of it or not.  Too many of us carry the blueprint of sexual and/or violent assault in our physical and/or ancestral bodies  informs and shapes us in more ways than we are consciously aware of.  As a result\, we may be more comfortable living in the masculine part of ourselves\, where we perform as best we know how in a dominance driven culture.   \nRemembering our birthright\, unearthing\, empowering and uplifting feminine nature within us and around us is as necessary for ourselves as it is for life on Earth.\nAlthough the feminine lives in exile in a culture that has forgotten how to nourish and tend instead of extract\, how to collaborate instead of compete\, we are innately connected to cyclical\, natural time – with every moon\, every cycle of our menses\, and in all life cycles of our fertility and beyond.  \nIn our time on the land and in circle\, we will invite and invoke the intuitive\, creative\, irrational\, deeply informed feminine nature within.  We will dare to unlearn the logic of colonial capitalism and unearth a deeper knowing of (and belonging to) the life-thriving paradigm that – no matter how much we fear we have lost it – still lives right beneath the surface skin of our homogenized cultured selves.  As with all ceremony\, we will do this not only for ourselves\, but for our kin\, our human and more-than-human communities and in honor of creation/life herself\, flowing in infinite forms through all manner of bodies. \nCome as you are. Perfect\, imperfect\, cracked open or blown away.  You are welcome. \nMore detailed info here:  https://schooloflostborders.org/programs_courses/the-four-shields-of-wholeness-for-women/ \nFinancial help: Scholarships are available through the school – and – knowing the disparity of income caused by racial\, and social inequities\, we are offering two spaces with near full scholarships (covering 80-90% of total tuition\, based on need).  BIWOC will receive primary consideration as we strive to create more access to this work as well as bring racial diversity into future leadership. \nWho this offering is for: This invitation is for women and significantly female-identified people. “Woman” and “female” are used as inclusive and expansive definitions.  All are welcome: cis and trans women\, genderqueer women\, and members of non-binary communities who are also female-identifying. \nProgram Questions Contact: Petra Lentz-Snow at petra@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/the-four-shields-of-wholeness-for-women/
LOCATION:Los Padres National Forest\, CA\, CA\, United States
CATEGORIES:Adults,Gender Specific Programs,Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/screenshot.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
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