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PRIVATE RETREAT

Pachamama Medicine: Ecodharma Retreat for Indigenous-descendant Womxn

In Indigenous cosmology, womxn are at the center of the healing of people and land. By healing the womxn, we heal families, communities and our sacred lands.  This four day retreat for womxn descendants of indigenous peoples will provide space for participants to gather, share and practice Earth-based ancestral ways of healing. The leaders of this retreat believe in Land rematriation as a powerful way to heal our hearts and land from centuries of colonization. They view rematriation as a return to our Mother Earth, a restoration of symbiotic balance among all living things, and a return to Indigenous ways of life. Retrieving the worldview of all beings as relatives is crucial for shaping our restorative land practices to adapt to the worsening climate crisis and bring energy and carbon back into the soils and forests.

The retreat will focus on providing safe space for healing the ancestral trauma of colonization, stealth of our languages, practices and ceremonies. We intend to provide a restorative and safe container for the healing of womxn and the land.  The retreat will include sharing  practices of traditional knowledge from indigenous perspectives as long-term resources to help our communities thrive after the retreat.  We can have a maximum of 30 participants. The majority of the retreat will be facilitated in Spanish.

This retreat is for you:

• If you self-identify as indigenous and are interested in the climate and/or racial justice movement.
• If you feel burnt out and/or overwhelmed and need to recharge in an emotionally safe space in the mountains of Colorado where we gently witness and honor each other’s experience.
• If you believe we can build a climate justice movement that is rooted in our deepest indigenous values and truth and we can engage in justice advocacy as an integral part of our spiritual and emotional growth.
• If you feel silence, movement/dance, and empathetic emotional connection and Earth based practices and ceremonies with others can help release internalized white supremacy and other stresses lodged in our bodies.

Please come join us at the stunningly pristine and healing Rocky Mountain Ecodharma retreat center (RMERC) for a retreat designed for empowering self-identifying indigenous womxn. You could be a community organizer, healer, educator, activist, artist, stay-at-home mom, or storyteller. Through “solo” time in nature, silent and facilitated Earth based practices, movement/dance, guided peer-to-peer dialogue, grief/rage rituals, small affinity group work, and talks by the retreat leaders we will explore how we can deepen our love for each other, heal our ancestral wounds and rematriate the land.

It is crucial for our collective survival that mainstream climate scientists and ecologists learn to integrate indigenous wisdom into our frameworks and practices for climate action. Indigenous communities, at just 5% of the global population, safeguard 80% of biodiversity and over a third of irreplaceable forest carbon. Their stewardship of lands and waters is rooted in Traditional Ecological Knowledge, a “living” whole-systems approach across socio-cultural-economic realms.

The urgency to protect indigenous knowledge is paramount for the elders are the custodians of traditional ecological knowledge.  Indigenous wisdom often lies dormant and buried under many layers of inter-generational trauma. It is crucial to offer dharma center spaces and retreats to indigenous participants so that they can access their own power and help humanity take steps necessary for our collective survival on the planet. We must empower younger indigenous women and make vital additions to global integration of indigenous wisdom for trauma healing, climate mitigation and community resilience. If you are not descendants of indigenous communities and want to support this retreat in the spirit of reparations, please contact the retreat center.

Venue at Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Center

See website HERE  | Photo gallery HERE  |  Address map HERE

Retreat Information

Schedule

Each day will include silent connection with Mother Earth, movement (Kundalini Yoga and somatic Qigong), traditional massage, relational practices in small groups or dyads, indigenous ceremonies by fire and water and short talks by the facilitators on indigeneity, permaculture and indigenous ways of being . The retreat sessions will discuss how our bodies store and remember trauma, how can we release these ancestral trauma through movement, rituals and group-work. We will do ceremonies to tap into our gratitude, express grief/anger or despair/fear and inspire actions.

Cost, scholarships and dana

The actual cost of putting this retreat together is $555 per person. However, we like to offer registration on a sliding scale to ensure economic diversity.

• $111   (intended for those living paycheck-to-paycheck, especially on hourly wages, or in significant debt. This covers majority of the cost of food. This is also the minimum non refundable deposit required by the center)
• $333   (intended for those with access to some income but struggling to build savings and move away from debt. This covers only food and a part of retreat center rental costs. It does not cover all expense categories)
• $555   (intended for those that are able to pay for “wants” and generally able to secure necessities for your household. This covers food, full rental cost, and other costs including a modest honorarium for guest teachers)
• $777   (If you are able to pay more than the cost of the retreat, please do: it will help us offer the retreat to those not able to afford the full cost of this retreat. We really want to make this retreat available for everyone, so please help if you can. All amounts over $55 are tax deductible).
• None of this cost share goes to the teacher, who is solely  supported by the dana (generosity) of the participants. In the tradition  of the Buddha, teachings are offered without a set fee, keeping costs  as low as possible, so no one is excluded due to finances. In turn, we  ask that your donation be as generous as possible within your means.

Nonrefundable Deposits and Payment

• Non refundable registration deposit is $111. This secures your spot at the retreat.
• Final payments (retreat cost of your choice less the non refundable deposit) will be due and processed 30 days prior to the retreat.
• For people getting “full” scholarships (less the registration deposit) the cancellation policy is slightly different: they will only pay half the registration deposit ($55) when registering, and the second half 30 days before the retreat. If they cancel, the amount of the deposit paid to date is not refunded.

Infectious Disease Policy

See the complete infectious disease policy here.

RMERC prioritizes creating a safe and comfortable retreat environment. While we don’t require vaccinations, testing, or masks, individual retreats might have stricter policies. We recommend wearing N95 masks during travel and self-monitoring your health before arrival. If you experience symptoms, contact the retreat leader and consider adjusting your plans. HEPA air purifiers are available in shared rooms, and mask-wearing is always welcome.

Time and Transportation

The retreat begins at 4:00pm on the first day, and ends after lunch on the last day. If you are flying into Denver, the airport is about 90 minutes from the center, so you should plan on your flight arriving no later than 1:00pm to reach the retreat center on time. Return flights departing from the Denver airport should leave no earlier than 4:30pm, so you can get to the airport on time. Please do not plan on leaving the retreat early or arriving late. If camping, you might want to allow some extra time to set up your tent before the retreat starts.

Please note that the center is at 8500 feet, similar to most Colorado ski towns. If you are concerned about acclimating from sea level, you might consider arriving a day or two in the Denver/Boulder area before the retreat.

Contact

You will be out of contact with no internet access or cellphone service during the retreat. Please complete all personal business before you arrive. The staff will have the ability to make and receive emergency calls or emails on your behalf, but phone and internet are not available for personal use.

Food and Meals

Three simple vegetarian meals a day will be provided from dinner the first day through lunch on the last day. If you want a snack between meals, or supplemental protein such as jerky or packaged fish, you can bring a small quantity of packaged unrefrigerated food. Tea, coffee and such are available all day long, along with some simple snacks such as mixed nuts and fruit. Please do not bring anything that needs refrigeration (medicine excepted). Excessive snacks are unnecessary: if you need a boost, a little gorp or an energy bar is sufficient for most people.

Special Needs

Figuring menus and quantities, shopping, organizing, and cooking are complex and crucial tasks for a retreat. All meals are ovo-lacto vegetarian with vegan and gluten free options available.  We can accommodate common food allergies such as gluten or dairy, but not food preferences. Make sure to include on the registration form full details of any special allergy or health needs you have beyond basic vegetarian, and we will contact you if they require discussion.

Helper (Yogi) Job

Some of the work necessary to support the group will be handled by participants during the retreat. You will be able to choose your yogi job, and will keep it throughout the retreat. Most participants find serving others in this way quite enjoyable, and a great opportunity for practice in action.

Bianca’s What to Bring List