There are physical and psychological experiences and rites of passage common to all women’s lives, crossing the boundaries of age, class, culture, race, sexual orientation, and religion. While women have a great hunger for ritual to reflect the events in our lives, we often do not know how to begin. By learning how to design ritual to mark our life passages we can “connect the dots” to see patterns in what may have previously felt like a random series of events that have shaped our attitudes about life. Through Ruth’s unique guided process that draws personal intuitive information forward, participants will learn some invaluable tools for consciously making meaning by crafting their own personal rituals.

Stirring the cauldron is a tangible activity as well as a metpahor for keeping the inner fires of vitality alive and well. During this 3-hour workshop, we will take a deep dive into what it means to integrate herbal nourishment into our daily kitchen rituals. From making tea, infusions, decoctions as well as deeply nourishing condiments, broths, stocks and ferments, this workshop will offer both the novice as well as the experienced herbalist/herbal enthusiast ideas for bringing herbs more fully into our homes, hearths and cauldrons.

Learn how to use brain science and peer relationships to stop sabotaging yourself. Combining connection, safety, respectful listening and emotional release, Cornelia will guide us in accessing our built-in capacity to heal and transform. Working together, we'll re-wire pathways in our brains, clear trauma and challenge ideas that keep us as women from being powerfully in charge of our lives.

Women are composed of many different archetypal players of the psyche who contribute their voices to her greater self. This writing workshop will guide us to discover our council of inner women, delving into the secret wisdom of the Willing Woman, the Rebel, the Shapeshifter, the Warrior, and more. Combining writing exercises with fresh and dynamic insights, Dominique will help us make an intimate connection with each inner woman so we may integrate their voices, realize their wisdom, and open ourselves to our full expression and power.

From puberty to menopause, the medical industry and our culture at large pathologize the female body, but Wise Women know in our cells and souls that healthy living is our birthright. We feel the call of the plants and the elements singing out to us, telling us there is a better way to live than as walking managed disease states. If you are a woman desiring true health sovereignty, this class is for you. We will discuss the deep meanings of dis-ease and the messages our bodies are sending us when we feel unwell. We will meet many herbal allies who can help us move through the discomfort of the healing process and into states of embodied bliss. We will dispel the myths the authorities tell us about herbal medicine being dangerous and ineffective while we embrace the ancient mythic resonance of our old, old friends in the plant world.

Spring ushers in a time when Mother Earth takes a big stretch, delving deep with penetrating roots and rising up with fresh green growth. The land sweetens its springtime roots to ground our core while tender green leaves nourish our expansive energy. The creative flow is palpable as we embody this emergence from winter in preparation for the summer ahead. We will learn about spring tonic remedies that help revitalize the liver, nourish the adrenals, and refresh the mind as we walk to the rhythm of the seasons to manifest wellness through the year ahead. We will explore liver health through herbs like dandelion, burdock, and artichoke leaf. We will also look at nourishing greens like cleavers, chickweed and violet. And we will look at traditional spring tonics including sassafras and nettles. Springtime is an important time to get well grounded so we can reach out from a stable place.

To help transition from your day into each workshop, Slow Flow Yoga for Every Body with Mary Bue will be offered prior to each workshop (except Emerging the Cave Stoking the Rising Fire). Each session will offer mindful movement and a simple breathing technique or meditation. We will gently get the blood flowing, stretch, and refresh before settling in for the rest of the day's learning. All abilities, skill levels, and bodies are welcome!