Come join us on Halloween, for an afternoon of deep reflection and healing. A time of harvest and reflection on all we have accomplished and harvested so far this year. A time when the veils between the worlds are thought to be at their thinnest, when we can think of, honour and send messages those who have crossed over. And a time of transition through the seasons when we can use extra support and be more compassionate and loving with ourselves, and others.
An auspicious time to gather for ceremony and self care, the energies of this full moon are ideal for self-empowerment, and for bringing balance to our lives, especially our relationships.
We will gather at Swan's Nest Holistic Wellness and Nature Centre, a private sanctuary on the Oak Ridges Moraine, only an hour from downtown Toronto, to walk a 120 foot Chartres labyrinth, perched high atop a moraine overlooking a spectacular view of a kettle lake.
Labyrinth ceremonies are particularly effective at helping us find the answers to our questions, providing direction on our quests, and illuminating next steps when the road ahead has become unclear.
We will begin by smudging and setting an intention, followed by a Sacred Mayan Cacao Ceremony to open our hearts and infuse our intentions into the Cacao before we consume it. Then we will engage in a short journalling exercise to help empty the mind, to purge whatever lingers from the past, that no longer serve us, that we wish not to bring into the future.
We will then burn our purged thoughts in a fire ceremony, to fully release, and to liberate ourselves and create new space for illuminating whatever question we will bring into the labyrinth.
The labyrinth ceremony is a walking meditation on a question, a dilemma, or a search for direction or next steps. The four quadrants of the Chartres labyrinth allow us to take time to look at our challenges, and the insights that come, through 4 different lenses of who we are: our bodies, our emotions, our minds, and our Spirits.
Following the journey inward, we will spend our time walking outwards contemplating the solutions or next steps that have come through.
Once we have all left the labyrinth, we we participate in a final gathering to reflect on what insights have come through, before returning home.
Due to health and safety guidelines, we are limiting the number of participants to 30, will remain outdoors at all times, and maintain physical distancing. Wearing masks and face coverings is optional outdoors, unless physical distancing cannot be maintained.
Please Bring: A journal and pen, a water bottle, a snack, layers of extra clothing and rain gear just in case.
A portapotty is available onsite, and well as hand sanitizer. Participants will also be screened for health and travel status, and be asked to leave contact tracing information.
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The workshop will be co-facilitated by Dinora Garcia Guillen and Rufus Glassco, who founded and run Swan's Nest Holistic Wellness and Nature Retreat. They met 27 years ago in Oaxaca, Mexico, and were married in 1999. They have raised 2 sons in Toronto, and return to Mexico frequently for shamanic training, to see family, and to purchase inventory for La Botica, their Oaxacan import business. They are dedicated to the healing arts and use a variety of modalities, including movement and dance, yoga, forest bathing, hand and frame drumming, sound healing, community singing, shamanic coaching and Labyrinth and Temazcal sweat lodge ceremonies to help people to come together, to release, to heal, and to reconnect to nature and their humanity.
Address and Driving Instructions provided upon payment via Eventzilla or e-transfer. Tickets can also be purchased, subject to availability, by sending an E-transfer to rufusglassco@gmail.com. They must be sent no later than 1 pm on October 31st, and are subject to availability. PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU SEND AN E-TRANSFER PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE E-TRANSFER MESSAGE, OR WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EMAIL YOU THE ADDRESS.
No one is turned away for lack of funds - if you would like to attend but cannot afford the ticket price, please message me and we’ll work something out.
