Your Journey of Healing: Grief is a natural response to loss, but it can feel overwhelming and isolating. This retreat offers a nurturing environment where you can grieve openly, without judgment, and begin to heal. The story of the Sleeping Bear serves as a poignant reminder that while the pain of loss is deep, there is a path to healing, transformation, and ultimately, peace.

What You Will Experience:

Nature's Role in Healing
On this retreat, you'll be guided deep into the secluded beauty of Manitou Island, a place untouched by the modern world where nature's quiet wisdom will surround you. In these tranquil, isolated spaces, away from the noise and demands of daily life, you’ll find the peace necessary to begin the healing process. Even if you've never backpacked before, rest assured—you'll be guided every step of the way, learning the skills you need to feel confident and safe in the wilderness.

Mushroom Walk & Meditation
Mushrooms, often seen as symbols of death and decay, play an essential role in the renewal of life. As we walk through the forest, we'll explore how these fascinating organisms contribute to the cycle of life and how their existence parallels our journey through grief. Following this walk, a meditation will help you connect with this idea of renewal, offering a new perspective on loss.

Creative Writing in Nature
Grief can be difficult to articulate, but through creative writing, you'll have the opportunity to express and process your emotions in a safe and supportive environment. Surrounded by nature’s serene beauty, you’ll find the words that resonate with your deepest feelings, allowing you to give voice to the pain and love intertwined in your grief.

Acts of Kindness
As night slowly paves the way for dawn, converting grief into acts of service can transform your loss into a source of positive energy. We’ll discuss meaningful ways to honor your loved ones, turning your sorrow into something that brings light to others, and in doing so, bring a measure of healing to yourself.

Beach Meditation
At the edge of the vast, calming waters, you’ll participate in a meditation designed to help you find a place within your heart where you can always visit your loved one. Grief, like the waves of the lake, comes and goes in intensity. This meditation will help you hold space for these emotions with self-compassion and understanding, guiding you toward peace as you learn to navigate the ebb and flow of loss.

Your Safe Journey
This retreat is designed with your safety and comfort in mind. Whether you're new to backpacking or an experienced adventurer, you'll be shown how to prepare, what to bring, and how to navigate the wilderness with confidence. The journey we’ll take together is not just a physical one, but an emotional and spiritual one, leading you toward a deeper connection with nature and, ultimately, with yourself. Here, in the silence and solace of Manitou Island, you’ll find the space you need to grieve, to heal, and to honor the love that remains.

Why This Retreat?

You may feel lost in your grief, unsure how to move forward. This retreat is a place where you can find your way back to yourself, with the help of nature’s healing power. You’ll be surrounded by like-minded individuals who understand what you’re going through, and you’ll be guided by someone who not only has a deep connection to nature but also understands the transformative journey of healing.

Grief is Love
Grief is not just an emotion; it's an enduring connection to the love we hold for what we've lost. When we lose someone or something dear, the depth of our love is reflected in the grief we feel—a powerful reminder that love never truly dies. This retreat is for those who find themselves in the throes of loss, feeling overwhelmed by the sadness, despair, guilt, or even anger that grief can bring. The journey through grief is like a pilgrimage—arduous, painful, and often isolating. Yet, just as the bear in the legend of Sleeping Bear Dunes lies eternally watching over her lost cubs, we, too, can find a way to honor our grief and continue to carry the love forward.