  
The shamanic traditions of peoples around the world understand that our lives are magnificent gardens, filled with the fruit of our dreams and longings. Some of the seeds we have sown grow strong and beautiful, because we chose them with awareness and nurtured them with love and courage. Sometimes the weeds of judgment and expectation crowd out the seeds of our own personal fulfillment, and our gardens are tangled with fear, doubt, and confusion.
We may never have been shown how to skillfully garden, and the demands and seductions of modern life may allow us too little time to nurture the deepest yearnings of our souls. Our gardens yearn for our patient attention. For five very special days in the heart of New Mexico, we invite you to come home to your own garden, and to rediscover your deepest longings, to clear space in your garden, to break loose the dry earth, and plant the seeds of a more authentic life. With just a little rain, even the driest desert blossoms. Join us at the threshold of a New Year for a gay retreat, to take stock of the life you have been creating for yourself, to set aside those things that no longer work for you, and to tend the seedlings of an even more vibrant, fulfilling life, with the loving support of a community of gay and bisexual men.
Through celebration, ceremony, reflection, and play, we will support each other in rejuvenating our lives with new energy and new vision. We will also be assisted in these acts of love by the beauty, power, and healing of Northern New Mexico's dramatic landscape and the traditional dances of the indigenous Pueblo cultures.The gathering is held at the charming Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat located in quiet La Cienega, just 20 minutes from downtown historic Santa Fe. Set in a lush desert valley outside of Santa Fe, Sunrise Springs nestles in the heart of a natural mosaic which includes spring fed ponds, century-old cottonwoods and majestic views of the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia mountain ranges.
Our retreats include profound and insightful group activities that heighten self-awareness and build community, drawing from the wisdom traditions and life-ways of the shamanic world. Movement meditations, shamanic journeying, transformative ceremonies, totem work, journaling, vision-hunting, group processes, sharing, and casual hanging-out time with other participants all create an ideal journey through which to clarify and energize your vision for the New Year. Your life will be changed. One significant ritual planned for New Year's Eve, is a traditional Native American Sweat Lodge Ceremony. This timeless ceremony is practiced in various forms around the world for purification, healing, vision, empowerment, and remembering - the possibilities are infinite. We gather together in a dome-shaped hut made of willows and blankets representing the womb of Mother Earth, and fill the lodge with natural steam, created by the pouring of water and sacred plants onto hot rocks. Together, we speak words of power, longing and prayer, expressing our gratitude and sorrow with songs, toning, laughter and amazing support for each other.
The sweat lodge will be followed on the morning of January first with a visit to the traditional New Year's dances at Santo Domingo Pueblo. Santo Domingo Pueblo is one of the largest populated pueblos in New Mexico. The sheer size of its populace makes these dances impressive. Dances are held outdoors in the pueblo's central plaza. The air is brisk with the scent of burning pinon as the sound of drums resonate throughout the plaza and colorful dancers prance rhythmically, honoring their ancestors - a memory for New Year's Day that will be hard to match. Caressed and moved by the ancient heartbeat of the drummers and dances, we will connect our individual lives in a deeper way with each other, and with our world. No previous experience is needed for any of the rituals and activities planned for the gathering. Just come with an open mind and heart, eager to fully participate, and ready to receive insightful awareness about yourself, and your relationship to LIFE!
The Retreat Location
Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat: Accent Traditions in a New Light. Set in a lush desert valley outside of Santa Fe, Sunrise Springs Inn and Retreat nestles in the heart of a natural mosaic which includes spring fed ponds, century-old cottonwoods and majestic views of the Sangre de Cristo and Sandia mountain ranges. In the public spaces, ancient adobe, antique furniture, indigenous stone, carved woods and hand-painted tiles create a richness and physical serenity that wholly supports the work we will be doing. This first class retreat center features large, modern sleeping rooms designed in a beautiful southwestern style. Further amenities include an outdoor hot tub, spa services, an inspired landscape of quiet walkways, a pond, Japanese Tea House, and beautiful meditation gardens. To learn more about Sunrise Springs, visit their website: www.sunrisesprings.com. Attend just the retreat, or make the retreat part of a longer exploration of Northern New Mexico and the beautiful desert Southwest. If you choose, continue your exploration in Santa Fe, one of gay America's favorite destinations. A world-class art center, Santa Fe is famous for its natural beauty, spiritual vitality and culinary pleasures. The city and surrounding areas features many wonderful attractions including day hikes, museums, galleries and shopping.
Have questions?
Contact us at 800-754-1875 or info@spiritjourneys.com
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