A wilderness rite of passage to initiate you into life as a conscious, empowered woman.

Launch yourself into a deep and dynamic voyage of discovering your personal truth and authentic self. Allow the guides, circle of women and the wilderness to reflect and support you in this process. Reaching the other side of this journey, you will stand ready to assertively claim your gifts and power as a woman.

• On this quest, you will experience:
• A three day period of solo time and fasting
• Creative and playful expression through movement and music
• Nature-based rituals and medicine walks
• Meditation and guided imagery
• The practice of Council: intentional speaking and listening in a group
• Exploration of topics such as sexuality, relationships, spirituality and emotional well-being
• A timeless practice of charting your inner landscape using the map of the Four Shields
  
  

THE DETAILS

The quest has three phases:

Preparation: A time to become acquainted with your guides and fellow questers as we utilize 3 full days to cover such topics as: No trace camping & natural history of the high desert; safety and survival procedures; teachings of the four directions; exploration of your reasons for questing; and, creating your own ceremonies for growth, healing and celebration. On the third day most questers choose to begin fasting as they find their own special place on the land for the threshold phase of the quest.

Threshold: As you have removed yourself further from your regular, daily life, you are now prepared to step out of your "normal" life and consciousness and into the sacred realm of the quest. You will spend 3 days and nights living alone without contact with other people. Most questers choose to fast during this time.

Reincorporation: On the fourth morning of your solo fast you will return to base camp to be greeted by your guides and fellow questers. After celebrating we will begin the challenging process of gradually returning to “normal” life-- eating, being with others, cars, etc.– and most importantly, we will work together to help you make meaning of your alone time in the wilderness. Each quester will get to share her/his experiences with the group and will be assisted in a myriad of ways in bringing the many facets of the quest back into daily life.

When: Friday, May 23, 10 am – Sunday, June 1, 1 pm. *Please Note- Most questers choose to arrive on the night of May 22nd so they can acquaint themselves with the area and not rush into the start of the quest the next morning.

Where: Yolla Bolly – Middle Eel Wilderness, Mendocino National Forest, CA. All permits and camping fees from 5/22-6/1/08.

What you need to provide: Personal camping gear; share in carpoolingcosts/vehicles. Ability to carry a 30-40 lb. pack 2 miles. No prior camping experience needed.

Guides for Young Women's Wilderness Quest

Annette Barnette is a conscious, dynamic and passionate leader who brings compassion, integrity and authenticity to her work as a Vision Quest guide. She received her MA from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, her teaching credential from UC Santa Cruz and is continually training with the School of Lost Borders in Wilderness Rites of Passage work. She brings rich and abundant life experience to her work from her involvement in meditation, yoga, various spiritual traditions, co-counseling, non-violent communication and many forms of personal growth work, as well as movement and embodiment practices, creative expression through dance, mandala-making, singing and musicianship, and voyages to Burning Man. She relates to the wilderness as her playground, healer and ultimate source of mystical journeys. Having a deep interest in Ecopsychology, she believes that cultivating and healing the human/nature relationship is both necessary and revolutionary in terms of our collective human experience of transformation. She believes that supporting people in moving towards personal integration and wholeness empowers them to follow their deepest and most passionate callings. And by following their callings, these people support the healing and transformation of humanity as a whole, which in turn, benefits all forms of life on our planet.

Amy Biesemeyer is a gifted and dynamic quest guide, weaving together her passions for Nature, ritual, singing/chanting and personal transformation.  In her ten years of wilderness guiding, she has learned to gently and skillfully help others naviagate the territory between comfort and challenge.  Drawing upon mind-body practices, she enriches her work with meditation, expressive arts and movement. 
She brings over a decade of exploring her own womanhood through experiential psychotherapy, women’s Vision Quests and therapy groups, and majoring in Women’s Studies.  For two years she has been co-leading women’s support groups in the San Francisco Bay Area, creating a nurturing space for women to cultivate deep, authentic connection to themselves and each other.  She has been trained by the School of Lost Borders, in the therapeutic use of the wilderness.   She holds a BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz in Psychology and Women’s Studies, and a MA from the California Institute of Integral Studies in Somatic Psychotherapy.  She is completing her licensing as a Marriage Family Therapist and is a Wilderness First Responder. The natural world is her teacher and sancturary, and she is honored to guide others in the magical unfolding of their inner wilderness.