Click here for the current 2012 Calendar of Programs
Listed below are a sampling of past programs and possible program ideas for groups or organizations wishing to run a New Creation program. We are happy to custom-develop a program to meet your specific needs and goals.
WEEK-END PROGRAMS
THE WAY OF THE PLANTS
This weekend is an immersion into the world of the wild plants. We will cover
plant identification, edible, medicinal and utilitarian uses for local green and
woody (shrub/tree) plant species. Participants will learn dozens of plants with
their practical uses, as well as traditional lore and ecological knowledge
connected with each plant.
This class is far more than training in plant identification and use. We will
learn skills to sensitize and attune our body to communicate directly with
plants, and study how to receive and interpret direct energetic communication
from plants.
HEALING WITH THE ELEMENTS
This weekend is a path into a deeper, experiential relationship with the
classical elements of the natural world: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. The goal of
the course is to develop a conscious relationship with each element, and to
learn ways to engage with that element in a relationship of gratitude and awe.
Practical skills will include: The use of focused breath-work for healing and
maximum vitality, and healing use of incense (air), hydration, cold-water
therapy and cleansing the human energy field with water (water), how to
ground and restore the energy field in contact with the earth (earth), and fire
skills and heat-based restorative therapies (fire).
WEEK-LONG PROGRAMS
The Wilderness of the Heart: Nurturing our true self in the womb of wild nature
This trip is an immersion into wild nature as a path to uncovering and nurturing our soul’s deepest longings and purpose. It is based on the ancient Judeo-Christian tradition of the solitary wilderness journey as a means of purification, transformation and discovering (or sharpening) one’s sacred calling/path (or vocation) in the world.
The center of the program is a four day wilderness solo, including a 2 ½ day fast. We will journey for two days into a remote wilderness camp. At our base camp, we will spend several days settling into the rhythm of the land and preparing for the solo and fast, both spiritually and physically. During this time, participants will select the sites for their time of solitude, and will build simple shelters from natural materials. Four days and nights alone with God and our hearts follow, a time to listen and be open to the Spirit’s guidance. Following the time of solitude, the group will come together again to share gifts received and to learn to integrate them into our daily life. Our two day journey back provides the setting for our reintegration and carrying our gifts back to our communities.
Specific teachings covered during the trip include:
-Stories of wilderness transformation among Biblical prophets and Christian saints
-Ancient Judaic understanding of the human being – body, soul and spirit
-Nature as mirror of the soul
-The process of purification & transformation
-The paschal mystery (death and resurrection of Jesus) as model for personal transformation
-Methods of discernment for uncovering our soul’s true longings
-Discovering our personal ‘niche’ in the spiritual ecology of our human and natural community
-Listening to the voices and teachings of Creation
-Training in contemplative prayer and meditation practices
-Carrying your insight and gifts back into the world
-Practical earth skills, including navigation, shelter building, fire, and water purification skills
Location: Remote region of Adirondack (New York) or White (New Hampshire) Mountains
Requirements: Basic physical health, including the ability to sleep on the ground and hike 5 miles/day with a 30 lb pack. An openness to spiritual growth and change.
Maximum number of participants per trip is 6.
Opening the Book of Creation: A one week immersion in listening to nature and encountering the Divine in Creation
The Christian tradition considers nature a gift of God, the first great ‘book of revelation’ through which we may encounter the Divine Presence. This program is an immersion into this ancient way of relating to God and the land. Throughout the week we will listen to the voices of Scripture and the early Church, and allow them to guide our relationship with the land. The week consists of four components:
I. Deep listening and awareness training
II. Engaging with Creation – practical wilderness skills training
III. Encountering God in Creation – 24 hour solo experience
IV. Caretaking Creation – practical stewardship of the Earth
I. Deep listening and awareness training: Our journey begins with learning to listen – slowing down and becoming attentive to the plants, animals and landscape around us, and the voice of God calling to us from deep within. We will learn receptive methods of prayer and meditation, including the monastic practice of Lectio Divina. With this background, we will explore ways of listening to and ‘reading’ the presence of God in the natural world. We will practice methods of enhancing our sensory perception and learn to move and respond in the woods like a member of the forest community.
II. Engaging with Creation: In this section we will learn skills for living with the land on its own terms. We will learn how to build a fire that will light in any conditions, and explore cooking with an open fire and how to start fires without matches or a lighter. We will learn the principles of shelter building and how to build an effective survival shelter from the land. These classic skills will empower us to walk the land with greater confidence and awareness of the abundant resources all around us.
III. Encountering God in Creation: This component is a twenty-four hour solitary wilderness experience. In the tradition of Jesus, John the Baptist, St. Anthony of Egypt and St. Francis, we will spend a day alone in the wilderness, fasting (optional, but highly encouraged) and praying. This is a day to practice what we have learned, to be silent and still, and to remain receptive to the movements of the Holy Spirit.
IV. Caretaking Creation: Emerging from our solo experience, we will shift our attention to caretaking the land. We will explore Biblical, monastic and contemporary approaches to caring for Creation. We will learn simple living skills including hand tool use, small-scale land management, and subsistence food systems. We will use the Christian ascetic tradition as a model for breaking from consumer culture and returning to a life of interdependence with the rest of Creation.
Each day will begin and end with a time of simple communal prayer, and there will be breaks each day for personal reflection. Most evenings will be spent around a campfire, reviewing the day and listening to stories from the Biblical tradition.
