Scratch . . . wait that's not real life.

We know it has been hard (and is hard) living in a pandemic while ecological, psychological, social, international, and economic stressors mount. We know what it is hard to be isolated, anxious, and depressed. Studies show that we are in a mental health crisis where youth (esp. ages 11-17) were hit the hardest. We have waded through the research to find out how we can help. These offerings are our answer. Please join us to come together and heal. 

COMING

20

BEGINNING

Creating Soul Space Community

This is a circle of support for the Soul Space community to foster deep relationships and transformation. Come explore coursework and play as you make connections and dive deep to extract the alchemical gold of the last couple years. While it has been hard, this is the raw material that offers powerful change for all of us.

Processing the last 2 years (and whole life):
A Time to Remember & Come Together

Soul Space is a place for you to drop deep, heal wounds, create positive change, and make new friends. More than anything, this is a place of soulful community, and this offering is designed to cultivate community by:
  • Creating Partnerships 
  • Fostering Collaboration
  • Forming Groups
  • Teaching Skills
  • Guiding Visualizations  
  • Charting Strategies

This offering comes with a free monthly circle and discussion.

Helping people heal.

This free offering is designed to help people heal as they find safe passage and learn to navigate our time. Designed to help you meet and get to know others as much as to know and understand yourself, this is a place and course to return to process the suffering of your past.
Write your awesome label here.

Why art and nature?

Art and nature are ways that people have healed and transformed since the dawn of human consciousness.  

Why now? (Really, where are you and can I come, if you don't know?)

We live in a time that has been labeled a mental health crisis with epidemic numbers of suicide, depression, anxiety, and addiction. Perhaps, worst of all, we live with unprecedented division. Beyond the disruption of school for over a year, youth have experienced isolation and separation, leading to increases in domestic violence, anger, fear, and divorce. As if that was not enough, we do not have adequate mental health resources. So, this is Self-lead & paced.

Who is this path for?

This path is designed to help students, teachers, families, and communities, because we know that we heal within circles of support together. Our offerings include journaling, prompts, and other activities designed to strengthen understanding and insight into not only the youth but the relationships around them. 

Buck

Licensed Counselor, MA
ROP certified leader

Buck is drawn to the circle of rites of passage as a way to open hearts and minds. Extending his work with youth as a counselor, he believes in the gifts 
of the land that offer hope and renewal.

Jordan

Youth Counselor
ROP certified leader

Jordan is passionate about helping people find their way to a deeper and more authentic life. A youth counselor for years, Jordan loves helping people discover their passion and purpose.

Heather 

Eco-Art Psychology, PhD
ROP certified leader

Heather has a deep calling and commitment to helping people live authentic lives of deep meaning: to be themselves. She feels a special call to help youth find themselves and their way.

Certified Collaborators: 4H, WSU, & School of Lost Borders Training

Buck, Jordan, and Heather offer unique gifts that reflect their diverse backgrounds, but they have all undergone the same training and certification to lead rites of passage, providing common ground--the circle. Their orientation reflects the collective knowledge of the present and wisdom of the past into a flexible and adaptive individual path. 

More nightmares need dreamwork. 

Studies show that youth are experiencing an increase in nightmares. So, we have incorporated dream journaling, storytelling, and simple analysis to help understand these dreams and overcome the nightmares. 

Dream Journal

Begin to record your dreams

Combining words, drawings, and doodling, record your dreams. You can map the dreamscape and color it in or write stream of consciousness, whatever works to anchor the memory and experience for you to return, observe patterns, and learn lessons. 

Befriending Nightmares

Turn toward your fear

As hard (and silly) as it sounds, turning toward and befriending nightmares creates a surprising response: an ally. 

This is your ceremony.

Your rite of passage reflects you--your values and identity. So, you get to design a ritual and ceremony to guide and honor your transformation. Building upon an archetypal structure that underlies rites of passage you get to pick how you experience your own. Is it in a forest or on the plains? Are you in a dwelling (cave, tent, cabin . . .) or out in the open? Unlike in the past when the way was determined by your culture and gender, you can design a rite of passage that reflects you through reflection exercises, journaling, guidelines, and self-generated ritual. We are here to help. 

Circling Up

Rites of passage have been held for thousands of years but have been lost in the modern world. So, we gather in circle to help hold you and celebrate your transition from one state to another and from disease to greater health. We are offering ongoing courses remotely during the pandemic to help you find yourself and your way. Come gather. 

Structure: You are held in CIRCLE

This is called Circle Passages because it is held in a circle. As you undergo your rite of passage there are 3 circles that provide safe passage.

A circle of ONE

whether student or teacher

This is a process that develops personal insight, healing, and understanding.

A family approach

made of siblings and parents

In this process you are held by your family as you heal and grow together 

A community CIRCLE

You are held in a larger circle

From beginning to end, you are held within the circle of your community.

This does NOT have to be hard.

While rites of passage are traditionally rigorous, this does not have to be hard. What is more important is that your experience is meaningful and suited to you. This can mean staying in a cabin or a tent, out in the open or in a cave. Go within to follow your intuition and heart about where your rite of passage should take place and how long it should be. Each of these details is yours to decide. This is a reflection of you. 

10 weeks to a new sense of yourself

We begin and end with an opening and closing of the circle, as we come together. Week 1 & 2. Beginning with the stages of introduction and separation, you step away from your old life and self toward a new call and identity. Week 3 & 4. Learning about self-generated ritual and thresholds, you design your rite of passage, as we circle up together to create intentions. Week 5 & 6. Entering into your transformation, you experience time on the land before coming back into a circle of story and power. Week 7 & 8. Returning to integrate your experience within the circle of family and community, you embrace your new power, name, and identity, as you ground your experience in your daily life.

Stepping into Community

Week 1 Creating an initial circle

Like any pilgrimage or rite of passage, this journey begins with some preparation. So, we send out information on the path and process for you to read to orient you and open with a circle.

A Circle to Hold You

Week 2  Expanding your circle

As 

Week 3

Following in the soul's footsteps

He

Week 4

Circle for Preparation

Holding circle and beginning to separate from your old life.
What do you want to leave behind? 

Week 5

Circle for Design

Designing your rite of passage for YOU.
What do you want to bring with you and experience?

Week 6

Circle for Intention

Circling up for intention: gather in ceremony.
Who are you and what calls you?

Week 7

Circle for Transformation

Entering onto the land to transform and create a power circle.
What is your calling, purpose, and identity? 

Week 8

Circle for Power

Returning into a circle of story, ceremony, and power.
How are you witnessed and mirrored in your power?

Week 9

Circle in Community

Re-entering family, tribe, and community as your new identity.
Who are you now in relationship with the world?

Week 10

Rippling Out

Rippling out in your new life, purpose, and vision.
What do you want to do looking forward?

Coursework and play . . .

Each week your content drops down for you below.

Make Your Impact

This is a journey from your past to your present to envision your future, moving from separation and preparation to transformation and integration. This journey heals you in body and soul by making you whole. While it may not cure you, this is a healing journey that brings you peace and love, deepening your connection to life and your life. 

Nature is alive 

When we are in nature we come to life, realizing that not only nature but our nature is alive. We realize that we love life and are ready to live. Whether revealed through symbolic or synchronous experiences on the land or within your inner landscape as an inner vision or calling, your nature and nature work and play together to guide and transform you.

Envision your future

At its heart this is a vision quest on which each step allows you to see further into your future, gaining insight on where you are going. Vocation means soul's call and rites of passage are designed as archetypal steps to lead you to a new identity, name, calling, and role in community. They help you step into your power and purpose in a new way. 

Return to your archetypal roots 

As a practice held throughout time but lost in our time, rites of passage return us to our human roots and to our authentic self. This is a call back into our body and the body of the land, but it is also a call back to ourselves, our families, and lives. Rites of passage bring us home.

A power instrument

Reflecting traditions throughout the ages, you get to create a rattle or a drum to help hold your vision. Constructed throughout your journey, you draw or decorate your instrument with symbolic images from your initiatory journey, embodied in an instrument that empowers your life.

Create a necklace

Make a symbolic image

Decorate a carved wooden pendant with a power image and cover it with glass. Then string your necklace with leather. Supply packets are available for groups.

Create a drum

Make a power instrument

Create a drum as a power circle to hold you on your quest and remind you of your passage. Recommendations for drum supplies are available on request.

Create a rattle

Tell your story your way

Decorate a rattle to take with you to mark your passage, tell your story, and symbolize your new name and identity. Rattle packets are available for groups.

You create a power circle

Your power circle is a circle that supports you on the land and in your life. To reinforce this circle, we offer drum or rattle making. Following ancient traditions, we embody our visions and calling in instruments as people have for thousands of years. Like all of the aspects of your rite of passage, the creation of an instrument is done your way, if you want.

You are telling your story

Retelling your story in your own way has the power to transform you and your life, taking control of the narrative of your past and future. So, we begin by keeping a nature journal--a journal of our nature and nature. This journal helps us move through the stages as we self-reflect and grow.

Open to the wisdom of lineage and land.

What calls to you to heal? It could be the call of your ancestors and family lineage as much as your d. It could be your soul, a song of the bird, or the beauty of the sunrise. On this path you will leave patterns in your past to move more fully into your future. Separation, transformation, and integration lead you to transform yourself but also those around you. 

Being in nature helps you self-reflect

When you are in nature you get in touch with your nature, becoming natural. In the mirror of nature you discover your power and receive the gift of your name and calling. Whether in the song of a bird, a vision in the sunrise, or a synchronous discovery, nature teaches you.

You are gifted in circle.

On your rite of passage you are given the gift of understanding who you are and what you are called to do and be. Though each passage is unique, the purpose of the passage throughout time has been to transition and transform people from one state of development and consciousness to another, so they can offer their gift to the world and their community.

The gift of time

On the land you have time to really be with yourself and discover who you are. In a time of unprecedented technology, this is a chance to be alone with yourself and get to know who you are. In the midst of constant contact, this is a chance to rest a recover, reflecting on where you have been and where you are going. Drop deep and remember yourself.