Vast as the Sky, deep as the Ocean
A unique rewilding retreat and time of repose in wildest Wales.
Pennant Valley
Wales
May 19 - 23rd
A small unique and intensive nature retreat deep in the heart of Wales
in a remote valley, surrounded by waterfalls and ancient Celtic rainforest.
“ My eyes are small, yet they see great things”
Rumi.
The crisis of our culture is immediate and obvious to any intelligence.
We need to rewild the world. Now.
And for that to happen in any real way we may need to rewild the people. And how they think and feel and act. We need to explore deeply why we have allowed a culture of blind greed, destruction and exploitation to go on right in front of us. A war against nature often portrayed as efficient, high level and offering smart returns to the clued in investor.
We have lost a reverence that is not an idea but a fundamental deep rooted understanding, not of the mind and thought but of being, intuitive, instant recognition that surfaces as connection, communion. And holy belonging. This has been the bedrock of admirable and often awesomely beautiful, indigenous cultures across the globe and throughout history. To merely describe them as “sustainable” is pretty dry stuff. A greater intimacy is called for.
This retreat, this time of rest and reflection and inspiration, is for people called quietly, soulfully, to step into their own unique role and take their place in the current environment.
And as themselves.
A true contribution is extremely personal and yet resonates with the whole. Future generations will look back on this age of extinction and ask what were they thinking? What did they do?
Together we will enquire into the deepest seams of being, to find the essence of who we truly are and what our calling is.
As the ancient Triads of Wales say:
An eye that can see nature,
A heart that can feel nature
And a boldness that dare follow it!
3 questions…
Who am I?
What is my wildest dreaming?
What is my unique offering to this world?
This retreat is a time of support for those called to silence or speech. To allowing or action. Non action, action and true action will be explored together.
This can be a time of inspiration through story , revelation , deep culture, true speech and ancient secrets. A serious but playful enquiry into what might really be required for the restoration of the natural world. Or at least for us to contribute our unique and happy little bit in according to our own ability and style, which is nature’s way.
A unique time of rest and exploration for those who love the wilds and wish to draw inspiration from nature in the raw, among the vastness and remote majesty of this stunning mountain landscape.
Thousands of acres are being rewilded here on this unique estate. Among the herds of deer, the eagles, wild cats, beavers and Otters. Our theme is rewilding, and together we can take a sober and at times ecstatic look at how we departed from our true natures in the first place.
Or how it seemed that way!!
And perhaps how naturally we can give permission to ourselves (to let go enough!) to allow our original natures to dwell in peace and ease and freedom to a world so driven,
and do to do so without desperation or desire but from a creativity that is part of the natural order. Our own essential nature. Sometimes called love.
A time to repose in our innate natural enthusiasm, ecstasy, expansiveness born from that same source.
A team composed of
Shivam O Brien: Founder and Community Chieftain Of Spirit Horse
Storyteller, carpenter, ritual poet, ceremonialist, Enlightenment Intensive master, tribal leader, writer, pilgrim and lover of the woods and the wild. Steeped in story, ritual and the wood smoke and earthiness of ancient ways, Shivam has worked with men and women and children in community and retreat for over twenty five years. He brings together wisdom gleaned from shamanic rooted culture and Indian and Buddhist sources.
His style is relaxed, wild, adventurous, challenging, welcoming and fun -
Honed over many years leading retreats, wilderness and ritual workshops, his command of ceremonial space and eloquence, sets eyes, ears and dreams aflame.
Claire Heron :
Claire Heron lives in the Cumbrian Moorlands. She is an Explorer into the History and Mystery of the Land, a Rediscoverer of Holy Wells and Springs, a Water Whisperer, a Weaver of Quiet Ceremony and a Group facilitator. She has explored many paths and practices and found her passion to be Self Enquiry. She has now worked in this field for over 20 years, often in formal Enlightenment Intensive retreats. She is a skilful redirector of attention and a catalyst for changing consciousness. She enjoys Contemplative Photography, Geomancy, and Speculative Nature Adventures. Her water photography has appeared in “Finding Elen - The Quest for Elen of the Ways”
"At the heart of non-duality the infinite creative splendour of the World endlessly reveals itself. Identification with the contents of our minds has made us tame. To break out of our conceptual shackles into direct experience of reality is to rediscover our own Wildness.”
Huw Wyn: Huw is founder and director of Into the Wild festivals and Wilderlands, a project that works with rewilding, regeneration and the commitment to a wild revolution. He studied Herbalism and Tibetan Medicine at Samye Ling with Akong Rinpoche and in Ladakh , and also trained as a Buddhist Psychotherapist, which he practised for 5 years. He has travelled extensively across this wild beautiful world and has hosted and studied with many Tibetan teachers especially from the Dzogchen tradition. He is an author, poet and a lover of the wild. Yet all these are mere conceptual elaborations!
We will be supported by Dr Karis Petty, Anthropologist of the land.
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