GROUP RETREATS
SPRING CANYON VIGIL
MAY 14-21, 2025
Join Sarah West and Rebecca Wildbear for a 7-day Spring Wilderness Vigil in Escalante Canyon near Boulder, Utah. Immerse yourself in the glorious Redrock desert for group wilderness experience. Our group vigil spot is located in the exquisite riparian zone of the Escalante River, a vital oasis, teeming with life, amidst the sandstone canyon cliffs. The area is a mecca for clear starry night skies, ecological diversity, and wildlife.
Cost: $2,000
Registration Deposit: $600
Participants: Max 10 people. Open to all genders (21+) 2-miles of backpacking required.
We are a welcoming space for LGBTQIA and BIPOC.
*Backpacking gear not included. A gear list will be provided upon registration.
Find more details below.
The wilderness vigil, also known as a wilderness quest or rite of passage, is a cross-cultural ceremony that has been practiced for millennia. In earth-centered societies, it serves as a powerful ceremony to guide people towards connection, healing, and revelation. It's a journey into the depths to unearth your unique gifts. This profound experience is a sacred offering to life itself.
—WHAT TO EXPECT —
We'll provide extensive support, addressing your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs throughout the whole process.
First, we will backpack several miles through an extraordinary landscape. We will setup our group camp and guide the you through the preparation process and lay the groundwork for your upcoming 3-day solo time. We’ll offer poetry, dream work, embodiment practices, nature-based soul work, sharing circles, and deep wilderness immersion.
Then you’ll embark on your three-day solo wilderness time. This period of solitude and self-discovery will be a powerful time, allowing you to reconnect with your inner wisdom and the wisdom of the natural world.
Upon your return, we'll guide you in reflecting on your experience, mirroring the story of your time in nature, and offer you ways to integrate the wisdom gained from your vigil into your everyday life.
TIMELINE
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Preparation
May 14-16th
We’ll begin with 2 days dedicated to wilderness vigil preparation.
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3-Day Solo
May 17-19th
Once prepared you will go out for your 3-day solo time.
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Integration
May 20-21st
We’ll spend 2 days reconnecting with the group, integrating your solo experience.
—REASONS TO GO ON A VIGIL—
Shed old ways of being to make space for a new life to emerge.
Reorient your life towards your most authentic self.
Reclaim your relationship with inspiration and your artistic vision.
Restore your sense of wonder, enchantment, and joy.
Enter the depths of your intuition, inner knowing, and wisdom.
Find belonging with the earth and the more-than-human world.
Understand your soul’s unique language through synchronicities, revelations, and insights.
Immerse yourself in the land’s dreaming and mythical ecology.
Turn towards your grief and longing for healing and clarity.
Find guidance about a major life decision, and discover what’s next for this stage in life.
Unearth your unique gifts as an offering to your community, the world, and life itself.
YOUR GUIDES
Sarah West and Rebecca Wildbear
MEET REBECCA WILDBEAR
Rebecca has been a wilderness and soul guide for decades and has spent most of her adult life in wild places. Rebecca has extensive somatic therapy and dreamwork training and loves to tune in to the mythic stories of humans and the animate world. An Earth lover, activist, feminist, and writer, she fiercely supports radical social and cultural change. See her website to learn more.
Spend time under the desert sky, immersing yourself in each vibrant sunrise and sunset. Watch the stars blaze like celestial embers. Camp amidst ancient sandstone cliffs, where nature's chorus continually serenades you. Devote time to the solace of the earth, in prayer, wonder, and enchantment, falling in love with the astonishing beauty of the desert.
PAST RETREATS
Summer Wilderness Vigil
AUGUST 1-8th 2024
Join Sarah West and Lauren Bond for a 7-day group Summer Wilderness Vigil in the La Sal mountains, 30 minutes east of Moab, Utah. Immerse yourself in the glorious high country of aspen trees and ponderosa pine forests for a group wilderness experience. Our group vigil spot is located on 40 acres of pristine mountain wilderness at 8,000 feet in elevation with spectacular views of the redrock desert below.
Cost: $2,000
Registration Deposit: $1,000
Participants: Max 12 people. Open to all genders (21+) and good for those with limited mobility (less backpacking required).
We are a welcoming space for LGBTQIA and BIPOC.
Find more details below.
MEET LAUREN BOND
Lauren Bond is a naturalist, transformational wilderness guide, founder and lead guide of the River’s Path, a company offering canoe journeys for nature connection and personal transformation. See her website to learn more.
CANOE JOURNEY
SEPTEMBER 10-17th 2023
Join Sarah West and David Abram for an 8-day canoe journey on the Green River through Labyrinth Canyon. Labyrinth Canyon is one of southern Utah's most spectacular winding corridors. We will paddle through pristine waters, explore towering sandstone walls, and camp on sandy beaches under a starry sky. This is a unique opportunity to connect with the magic of sensory perception and the wonder of the natural world. For more information and to register see The River’s Path website for details.
Trip Cost: $3,500 includes all food
Deposit: $1,000
MEET DAVID ABRAM
David Abram, a leading voice in environmental philosophy, has authored two influential books: "The Spell of the Sensuous" and "Becoming Animal." An eco-philosopher and cultural ecologist, Abram's work delves into the relationship between human perception, language, and the natural world.
