Healing Grief Around The Sacred Wheel with Cheryl Downey- g24100101

This course is entitled “Healing Grief Around the Sacred Wheel” for many reasons. The Sacred Wheel and the powers of the four directions are ancient and profound tools for deepening self-awareness and bringing healing balance to the flow of life energies. Movement around the Wheel honors each one’s uniqueness of culture, personality, and faith perspective; and is a powerful non-judgmental guide for exploring and understanding one’s personal energies of grief – whether old or young, experiencing current or past loss, or anticipating future life transitions. The Wheel is meant to move – and so is grief! – and both will do so at the pace that is right for each of us. There is no right or wrong way to do this, as there is no right or wrong way to grieve.

Participants will move into the four major healing aspects of their own grief experience by spending a day in each direction: South (Physical/Earth); West (Emotions/Relationships/Dreaming/Water); North (Spirit/Air/Wind); East (Mind/Fire) ending in the Center (Heart). Teachings, reflections and guided visualizations on the land (when possible and weather permitting) will usually fill the mornings 9:00 – noon, followed by lunch (noon to 1:00) and free time after lunch until dinner (5:30 – 6:30). On our West/Water day we will take a field trip to Lake Abiquiu and the Rio Chama with the additional possibility of going to the hot springs of Ojo Caliente (optional) for the rest of the afternoon ($50 fee per participant to enter and use the day spa). Participants will gather for evening sessions 7:00-8:30 pm for circle-sharing and artwork.

Participants will be creating sacred art ongoing (absolutely no artistic skill or experience needed). Each will bring their own 4″(or larger) clay pot to break apart and then recreate their own sacred healing vessel. In addition, each will receive a small cotton pouch to hold and decorate symbols of what is being personally released through the week. The pouch will be released to the Sacred Fire in a ceremony the last evening. The completed vessel will return home with each participant as a grief-healing reflection and wisdom-keeper moving forward.There is no prerequisite knowledge or preparation for this work. Participants may be any age (18+) having experienced any loss(es) – including loss of a loved one through death or illness, loss of relationship through break-up or divorce, home, job, career, health, community – and need only to be willing to start the journey around the Sacred Wheel!

What participants may gain from this course:

– The discovery of the four directional aspects around the Sacred Wheel and the grief energies held within each of them

– An understanding that grief is not something to be cured but simply accepted and allowed as healing movement of energy

– An awakening to energy we get from the earth to help us recognize and heal the ways we hold grief in our bodies

– An experience of the power of water for grief movement and release

– Empowerment of connections with Divine Spirit and healing wisdom through inner conversation, ceremony, listening to the wind and the songs of life in Nature, prayer, dreams, meditation

– Illumination of how one’s mind likes to judge and control the grief experience; the role of humor and the trickster in healing; the power of telling your grief’s true story

– Discovering the beauty and strength that is waiting in the center of one’s healing heart

What to bring:

– comfortable layered clothing and warm socks for both

indoor and outdoor meditations and time on the land

– comfortable hiking boots/walking shoes (covered toes)

– umbrella, rain poncho, windbreaker/warm jacket, light gloves for potentially cool or inclement weather

– swimsuit and flip-flops (for Ojo, if going)

– sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellant

– small carrying pack

– refillable water container

– compass

– mat, cushion or small throw for more comfortable sitting, indoors and outdoors

– notebook and pen

– object of remembrance/memorial to place on the healing altar for the week to return home with you

– a personal meaningful object/sacred symbol to place on the healing altar to give and gather retreat energy and return home with you

– flashlight

– extra cash: $50 for Ojo Caliente day spa, plus additional for possible dinner at the restaurant there, the gift shops at ranch and Ojo; drinks, snacks, gas for driving, etc.

Supplies to bring:

– a simple clay flower pot (4″ or larger, with or without base)

– several Sharpie fine and/or medium point markers in your

favorite colors for journaling and decorating

– inexpensive children’s finger paints (preferred) in basic

colors (liquid watercolors may also work, if wide brushes are also

brought) for a painting exercise

– pad of 12 X 16 watercolor paper (at least 10 sheets)Course will supply:

– Cotton pouches

– Pocket journals/pens for work on the land

– Decorative supplies and paints for pouch and pot

(bring your own favorites, too, if you desire)

– Glue