This nine-day Wilderness Quest will be held at Mono Basin, a beautiful area east of Yosemite National Park.
Rites of Passage has offered the Wilderness Quest, which has its roots in pan-cultural ceremonies and teachings of the vision quest or vision fast, for over 40 years. With a focus on reconnecting with nature, finding authentic depth and meaning, healing old wounds, and marking significant life changes, this program will appeal to men and women in any life stage. The first 3 days will be Severance time, or preparation for the solo, as the group meets in Council sessions, will exploring a range of topics related to the Wilderness Quest solo. Some of these meetings will focus on client safety– flora/fauna, weather-related concerns (heat, cold, lightning), essential first aid, the Rites of Passage buddy system, and tarp-tying.
Other group meetings will explore eco-spiritual tools that can be of great value for the solo. These tools include the Four Directions teachings, exploration of Intent and purpose, use of ceremony on the solo, dialogue with the natural world, and teachings from the Death Lodge. Group members will have several hours to follow their intuition to find solo sites to hold them in the wilderness for three days and nights. Following the return from the solo, the final three days will be devoted to preparing to return to the world in a fully conscious way, carrying the gifts of the quest. This process begins with a Council session where each participant has the opportunity to tell the story of their Wilderness Quest solo and to receive essential feedback and confirmation regarding what they have achieved.
