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DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220522T080000
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DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
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UID:10000168-1653206400-1653757200@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Beholding the Human Story: a mirroring training and ceremonial remembrance
DESCRIPTION:As a Ravens wing implies the expansiveness of an open sky\, a Trouts slippery skin implies a cold mountain creek\, and an Acorn implies an Oak tree\, so do the particular textures\, nuances\, and absurdities of the Human experience imply a world of sensual play\, profound mystery\, and ecstatic wonder.  \nWhat if there was a world in which the story of Human made sense? What if there was a world in which you – your body\, your wondrous senses\, your fears and joys\, your oddities and eccentricities\, the outer bounds and inner limits of your human experience – made sense? What a wondrous thing. And not only that\, but what if such a world was waiting for you to witness the stories of those whom you share this world with – to behold the beauty of the world – and be witnessed in turn? \nWe came into this world expecting to be met with deep connection and intimacy\, to fall in love with Life\, to be celebrated for our gifts\, our art\, and be asked to give our art back to the world. Beholding the Human Story is a ceremonial remembrance into a world where our stories belong to the world that birthed us and where our capacity to fall in love with and behold the beauty of other beings – Human and nonhuman alike – is radically important to our souls and to the Soul of the World.  \nWho is this for? \nThis ceremony is designed to be accessible to all varieties of Human. No prior experience with ceremony is necessary. We only ask for a willingness to show up with the most courageous and compassionate parts of yourself. All other parts of you are welcome as well. \nWhat will we be doing?\nWe will be gathering\, camping\, and cooking together at a basecamp on Boulder Mountain\, and venture into the surrounding wilderness for several ceremonial walks into the land. Upon return\, we will share our stories with our community\, as well as learning to trust our own ways of witnessing the stories of others. \nNature awareness/embodiment activities such as tracking\, bird language\, and night-walks will be integrated into the week.  \nHow is this different from a Mirroring Training? \nBeholding the Human Story is our way of inviting folks into the magical and wondrous terrain of ceremony and the particular way of holding stories known as “Mirroring” to folks coming from the Vision Fast lineage. Our offering differs from a Mirroring Training in a few ways – rather than rooting our teachings in the “Four Shields” cosmology which is traditional to this teaching\, we are working from the assumption that the magic of Mirroring/Beholding is innate to all humans\, and each human has their own way of tracking this intelligence – of bearing witness to and falling in love with the world. Our way of guiding others into this terrain is also inextricably somatic – we will be tracking\, dancing\, singing\, and embodying our way through the week.  \nFor those unfamiliar with this term\, Mirroring is an essential part of a rite-of-passage ceremony\, a way of witnessing\, celebrating\, and midwifing stories into the world. Mirroring is tending the rich soils of death and life – compassionately holding the hand of that which is dying\, as well as welcoming the impossibly beautiful creature which is struggling to emerge into this strange and terrifying world and tenderly weaving it into the fabric of Life. \nWhat about reciprocity?\nThe Oak and Bone School operates on a gift economy. For more details on what this means\, please follow this link: https://www.theoakandboneschool.com/soul-of-gift\nor contact tamarix for more details.  \nParticipation is limited to ten humans. Please apply by April 1st.\nFor questions\, details\, or to apply\, please follow this link: https://www.theoakandboneschool.com/apply-1\nor contact tamarix at\ntamarix@theoakandboneschool.com
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/beholding-the-human-story-a-mirroring-training-and-ceremonial-remembrance/
LOCATION:Boulder Mountain\, Utah\, Boulder\, UT\, 84716\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/10153466762318210.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="The Oak and Bone School":MAILTO:tamarix@theoakandboneschool.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220630T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220630T154200
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20220701T001436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220701T001436Z
UID:10000188-1656547200-1656603720@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Community Based Ceremony and Rites of Passage
DESCRIPTION:COMMUNITY CREATED CEREMONY AND RITES OF PASSAGE \nVermont Wilderness Rites’ Community Consultation invites communities to create ceremonies that mirror the land\, the people\, the context\, and the larger currents in the world. We are living in a time of great upheaval. Within that is great opportunity to create and strengthen traditions and practices based on shared values that establish and enhance a regenerative culture in the place you call home. Community ceremony\, particularly rites of passage\, rises up out of a people and the land they live on. Held by people who have prepared to guide others through life’s transitions\, it takes time and intention to build and is not something that can be superimposed or appropriated. This process of becoming is both individual and communal. It often begins with one audacious idea\, a dream seed that needs the fertile ground of a community that dares to say Yes! \nVermont Wilderness Rites’ Community Consultation is adapted to suit your unique group and community vision and readiness. Areas that we offer consultation\, training\, and facilitation include: \nVisioning: The Seed and The Fertile Ground \nFoundations of Community Created and Held Ceremony \nRites of Passage -Developmental Considerations for Youth\, Adults\, and Elders \nCommunity-wide Celebrations of the Seasons \nCommunity Roles in Ceremony and Rite of Passage \nGuide Preparation\, Training\, and Mentoring \nSafety and Risk Management Considerations \nGUIDES\, VENUES AND FEES \nVermont Wilderness Rites has guides experienced in each of the program areas listed above. After an initial conversation with Lead Guide\, Fran Weinbaum\, guides who can best support your vision and goals will be matched with your community. Consultation and training can be provided virtually or in-person depending on location and focus. Fees will vary depending on the nature and scope of the services requested\, from a one-day workshop to a series of sessions to a yearlong process that incorporates all of the components of creating community rites.
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/community-based-ceremony-and-rites-of-passage/
LOCATION:Consultation and Coaching\, 128 Bliss Road\, Montpelier\, 05602\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program,Mentorship,Rites of Passage
ORGANIZER;CN="Vermont Wilderness Rites":MAILTO:vermontwildernessrites@yahoo.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220630T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Los_Angeles:20220708T170000
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20220125T022603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220125T022603Z
UID:10000183-1656576000-1657299600@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Beholding the Stories of the World: a ceremonial remembrance
DESCRIPTION:As bees are the reproductive organs of flowering plants\,\nmight humans be the song and story organs of the world\,\ncarrying the pollen grains of story around as we fall hopelessly in love\nwith the nectar of life\, moving from flower to flower? \n​We might. \nIn the long ago\, Humans were given the gift of language\, the gift of story\, so that we might behold the world in all its mystery and beauty and wonder. While most of us have forgotten this\, and have been using this gift for all manner of absurd and frightening purposes\, there are a few who have never forgotten – the poets and bards\, the song and story-carriers of the world. \nIn the long ago\, Humans were given the gift of story so that we might bear witness to the inexhaustible beauty of the world. With our throats and our hands and our brilliant minds\, we were asked to give this beauty back\, to sing the songs of Life back to itself\, to feed the soul of the world with poetry\, song\, dance\, with wild beauty. We were asked to tend the world with our eloquence\, our imagination\, our capacity for grief and praise. We were asked to Behold the elegance of the world with the fullest limits of our humanness. We were asked to be artists. \nThe power of language and story is our species’ unique way of being in the world\, and it is a powerful magic indeed. What if we were to take accountability for this gift\, for this power\, and use it for honoring and celebrating the world? What if we were to allow ourselves to truly see the beauty of the world\, and be seen in turn? What might happen? \nBeholding the Stories of the World is an eight day journey into a world of very real magic and wonder\, a world in which you are an integral part of the story of the world\, and what you do with your gifts – your art\, your magic – matters greatly to the entire fabric of Life. \nWho is this for?\nThis ceremony is for poets\, bards\, vagabonds and miscreants\, brush-and-pen-wielders\, pot-shapers\, spoon-carvers and basket-weavers\, song-keepers and myth-tellers\, minstrels and wastrels and artists of all breeds and persuasions. Throughout the ceremony\, you will be asked to take accountability for your role as a human and as an artist. You will be asked to witness the beauty of the world\, and be witnessed in turn. You will remember why your people were given these gifts so long ago\, and why you are carrying them now. \nWe are playing in the sandbox of what it might mean to live in an animate world – exploring the possibilities\, potentialities\, and limits of what is possible when a group of humans come together to open their ears\, eyes and hearts to the songs and dreams of the wild world. \nWhat will we be doing?\nWe will be gathering\, camping\, and cooking together at a basecamp on Boulder Mountain\, and venturing into the surrounding wilderness in a series of ceremonies designed to bring us into immediate contact with the nonhuman world. The week will be weaving back and forth from solo wilderness time and community story-telling\, art-creating\, and witnessing time. \nThis sounds a lot like Mirroring\nFor those unfamiliar with this term\, Mirroring is an essential part of a rite-of-passage ceremony\, a way of witnessing\, celebrating\, and midwifing stories into the world. Mirroring is an act of tending the rich soils of death and life – compassionately holding the hand of that which is dying in us\, as well as welcoming the beautiful story which is struggling to emerge into this strange and terrifying world. \nBeholding is a child in the lineage of Mirroring\, taken a few steps deeper into an animate world. Beholding is applying the magic of mirroring to the nonhuman world\, as humans are not the only beings whose stories need to be held\, witnessed\, and loved. \nDo I need prior experience with ceremony\, mirroring\, or poetry?\nThis is a more advanced version of our Beholding the Human Story ceremony\, and so prior experience with ceremony\, mirroring\, and beholding is helpful and indeed necessary to be able to fully engage with the particular magic that we are working with. \nWhat about reciprocity?\nThe Oak and Bone School operates on a gift economy. For more details on what this means\, please follow this link: https://www.theoakandboneschool.com/soul-of-gift\nor contact tamarix for more details. \nParticipation is limited to ten humans. Please RSVP by June 1st.\nFor questions\, details\, or to RSVP\, please follow this link: https://www.theoakandboneschool.com/apply-1\nor contact tamarix at\ntamarix@theoakiandboneschool.com
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/beholding-the-stories-of-the-world-a-ceremonial-remembrance/
LOCATION:Boulder Mountain\, Utah\, Boulder\, UT\, 84716\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/10152513676393210.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Tamarix":MAILTO:thetamarixproject@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20220924T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20220929T120000
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20220630T035320Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220630T035320Z
UID:10000187-1664020800-1664452800@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:The Mirror of Nature
DESCRIPTION:The Mirror of Nature Retreat \nExploring our inner landscape through the wild landscape of the natural world. \nAllow the earth to open your heart\, the souls of your feet\, your belly\, and palms of your hands to receive your story as it bubbles from the spring\, murmurs from the needles and leaves\, comes on mist\, sunbeams\, rainbows and starlight\, resounds in thunder and whispers in the wind\, sings through loon calls\, coyote howls\, and bear growls …. \nIn the silence before dawn and in the mirror of still waters. \nThe Mirror of Nature Retreat is an invitation to explore your inner landscape through the landscape of the natural world. Using the Four Shields of Human Nature as the template for wholeness\, we will spend solo time each day with a question that opens up communication with the natural world and reveals wisdom only nature can provide. Returning to the group\, we will learn to mirror each other’s stories\, reflecting the fullness that is seen in each story. \nMirroring is deep listening and reflecting that rises out of deep communion with the natural world. We see and are seen by Nature. We are given a story\, both very old and sparkling new. Mirroring is a way of seeing the wholeness in a person and reflecting back the gift they have just been given by Nature. In this retreat\, we will learn how to be our own mirror and be a mirror for others; and we will be mirrored by a person who serves as a clear mirror for others. Time will be given for creative expression of your story through nature craft\, ceremony\, writing\, song\, and movement.
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/the-mirror-of-nature/
LOCATION:Green River Reservoir State Park\, Vermont
CATEGORIES:Adults,Guide Training Program,Mentorship,Rites of Passage
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2012-07-27-02.41.58-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Vermont Wilderness Rites":MAILTO:vermontwildernessrites@yahoo.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20230115T180000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20230221T180000
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20221202T165034Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20221202T165034Z
UID:10000209-1673805600-1677002400@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Four Directions Workshop for European Time Zone
DESCRIPTION:This ONLINE workshop is a six week program for anyone who wishes to deepen their connection to nature and soul. The group will meet once a week for 2.5 hours\, and there will be solo explorations in nature between group meetings. \nThe Four Directions / Medicine Wheel teachings\, first presented to Rites of Passage by Hyemeyohsts Storm over 40 years ago\, provide a deep and powerful foundation for understanding ourselves as co-participants in Creation with the entire natural world. In this workshop\, we explore each direction through discussion\, sharing\, assignments in nature\, telling the story of these encounters\, and mirroring of the stories by staff and participants. These core teachings are at the heart of the work we do\, helping us to understand ourselves\, our life changes\, our place in the natural world\, and the gifts we have to share.
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/four-directions-workshop-for-european-time-zone/
LOCATION:Virtual\, United States
CATEGORIES:Adults,Guide Training Program,Incorporation
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/DSC_0198-1-scaled-e1588714595169.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Rites of Passage":MAILTO:info@wildernessquest.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230927T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20241020T140000
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20221230T035615Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20230924T021530Z
UID:10000213-1695826800-1729432800@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Rites of Passage Guide Training (6 sessions over 16 months)
DESCRIPTION:See Website for details: https://www.ritesofpassagecouncil.org/guide-training
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/rites-of-passage-guide-training-6-sessions-over-16-months/
LOCATION:Asheville\, North Carolina\, Asheville\, NC\, United States
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/ALpKq5s8RGOq0hELC3LTdQ-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Rites of Passage Council":MAILTO:hello@RitesofPassageCouncil.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240401
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240408
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240503
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240511
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
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
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240518
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240526
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
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:20240819
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240824
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
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:20240908
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240914
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20240301T155652Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T155652Z
UID:10000265-1725753600-1726271999@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:CA Mirroring the Four Shields of Human Nature: The Art of Storytelling and Listening
DESCRIPTION:Telling 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: This seminar is designed to evoke and create a style of listening and storytelling that is uniquely your own\, to practice reflecting what you hear with the fullness of your being (body\, psyche\, mind and spirit). It is also a ceremony and\, like all ceremonies at the School of Lost Borders\, requires a willingness to lose your borders and to go beyond what is familiar and known. Our time together will be a weaving of teaching circles\, solo time in nature and story council. \nProgram Questions Contact: Joseph joseph@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/ca-mirroring-the-four-shields-of-human-nature-the-art-of-storytelling-and-listening/
LOCATION:Big Pine
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Screenshot-2024-02-29-at-8.39.59-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240929
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20241005
DTSTAMP:20260607T210810
CREATED:20240301T192909Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240301T192909Z
UID:10000266-1727568000-1728086399@wildernessguidescouncil.org
SUMMARY:Becoming Human: The Four Shields Model of Nature-Based Therapeutics
DESCRIPTION:“If there were a measure of ‘mental health’\, it would involve the ability of individuals to grow into the fullness of each season – that is\, the ability to fully become\, or enact\, the contents of each shield.” \n– Steven Foster and Meredith Little \nAll that we do and teach at the School of Lost Borders may come down to this simple intention: to tap into the deep memory that we are not separate from nature\, that\, indeed\, we are no different from the land on which we live. To know this simple truth sets us upon the path to becoming “fully human.” Nevertheless\, after absorbing centuries of messages that tell us we are different from nature – separated and above – such a path is not so clearly marked. As a result\, we feel alienated and disconnected from ourselves\, from others\, and from this planet we call home. \nThe Four Shields model offers us a compass to help us find our way back to our origins on this living planet. This wheel of human nature was handed down to Steven and Meredith in the early days of Lost Borders and has become essential teaching for regaining our human wholeness within the wholeness of life. The wheel of life is archetypal\, crossing boundaries between cultures and time; it is both simple and profound. \nThe Four Shields demonstrates that our lives move with the seasonal cycles and directions found in the natural world and incorporates all aspects of being: body\, psyche\, mind\, and spirit. It begins in the summer of physical awakening\, turns into the fall of our inner depths\, moves into the north of our intellect\, and emerges in the mysteries of spring. The Four Shields also helps us understand the maladies and symptoms that occur when the natural cycles become hindered in our lives. Thus\, the Four Shield provides an excellent diagnostic tool\, as well as the means for restoring movement toward wholeness. \nDuring this six-day experiential ceremony\, we will dive deep into the Four Shields\, evoking each shield through teaching\, solo time on the land\, council\, story-telling\, and mirroring. Each shield will reveal its essence and provide a doorway to the next shield. We will also look at how the Four Shields teaching is used in wilderness rites of passage and how it can be applied in other therapeutic settings\, schools\, and organizations. This will be a hands-on\, practical program\, as well as a time to deepen your practice of becoming more fully human as a being on Earth. \nProgram Questions Contact: Betsy Perluss at betsy@lostborders.org
URL:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/program/becoming-human-the-four-shields-model-of-nature-based-therapeutics/
LOCATION:Big Pine
CATEGORIES:Guide Training Program
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://wildernessguidescouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Screenshot-2024-03-01-at-8.15.58-AM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="School of Lost Borders":MAILTO:school@lostborders.org
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR