“Grief and love are sisters, woven together from the beginning. Their kinship reminds us that there is no love that does not contain loss and no loss that is not a reminder of the love we carry for what we once held close. Alone and together, death and loss affect us all.”
― Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow
We know that heartbreak and loss coexist alongside experiences of great love and beauty. And increasingly, we feel the intensity of these oscillations in our lives. Whether it’s the societal divides or ecological breakdowns of our time, or personal losses closer to home, it’s helpful to carve out a space with other trusted journeyers to reflect upon and integrate the changes afoot.
We invite you to begin 2024 by gathering and listening to your own way of knowing in the midst of life’s sorrows and joys. This three-day in-person Circle of Trust© provides spaciousness to connect to ways of renewal and perspective to nourish personal and collective courage for these challenging times. You are needed as we all contribute to the whole. Let’s connect with our deep truths to cultivate seeds of wonder, inquiry and courage.
Circle of Trust© retreats offer a unique opportunity to slow down, renew and rekindle one's courage. Based on the work of educator and activist, Parker J. Palmer (A Hidden Wholeness, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach), and the Center for Courage & Renewal, each circle brings together core practices of reflection and connection to align soul and role.
At the start of the year, together, we will:
Nurture personal and professional integrity and the courage to align soul and role.
Listen to your innate ways of knowing, exploring internal pace, movement, and expression to discern desires and direction.
Integrate embodied practices to ground and strengthen presence.
Work in community - with small group, whole group, and individual time to connect with self, others and place.
Begin the year on a note that deeply resonates with the spacious knowing.
Identify ways to embody relational and communal care.
Facilitators:
Holly Wilkinson is a Circle of Trust© facilitator trained by the Center for Courage and Renewal who has been offering courage work for ten years. Holly brings a commitment to listening, creative expression and an appreciation of winter’s wisdom. This past year has been challenging with the end of life of her mother and stepfather, and her long-time cat companion, Sage. Holly has found courage practices to be good companions on the journey.
Marybeth Redmond is well-acquainted with loss too. She served as a Vermont state representative during the three years of the COVID pandemic, witnessing the fragility of people and crumbling social systems, while navigating her own health crisis. She is passionate about holding sacred space for the soul to speak, an essential element for weaving Beloved Community together.
Timeframe:
Thursday January 18, 4 pm through Saturday, January 20th, 3 pm. Evening sessions will end by 9 pm and breakfast will start us off at 8 am. The retreat will include a spacious pace and solo time for tune into your natural rhythms.
Location: Hallelujah Farm Retreat Center in Chesterfield, New Hampshire
Hallelujah Farm is nestled into the southwest corner of New Hampshire, just outside of Brattleboro, VT. Fields and woods provide spaciousness for reflection, ramblings and connection with nature. Accommodations are double and single rooms.
Travel: Hallelujah Farm is 13 minutes from Brattleboro, VT; 2.5 hours from Burlington, VT; 2 hours from Boston, MA; 1.5 hours from the Manchester NH and Hartford CT airports.
Costs:
Overnight rates:
Double Room Accommodations: $575 covers double room occupancy, three nourishing meals daily, facilitation, and all materials.
Single Room Accommodations: $675 covers single room occupancy, three nourishing meals daily, facilitation, and all materials. (limited availability - CURRENTLY BOOKED. CAN REQUEST WAITING LIST )
Day Rate: $375 covers three nourishing meals daily, facilitation, and all materials for participants who live in the area or prefer to choose their own hotel accommodations.
Payments may be made in full or in three monthly installments . An initial payment of $150 reserves your spot in the circle.
We encourage you to choose the accommodations that best support your full presence and participation for your own wellness and the care of the community. Thanks to our generous donor base, we have scholarship funds available to assist.
Please contact holly@wholeheartinc.org for more information or with questions.
If you would like to support this work, and are unable to attend, your contribution to pay it forward to another participant can be offered through the WholeHeart Contribution page.