Archive for the ‘Programs’ Category

The purpose of suffering

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

I am looking forward to continuing the story of my first vision fast, as I think sharing my experience might be helpful for people who are struggling with difficulties they have experienced on their own first fasts. Sometimes it is good to hear others' stories. First, though, I'd like to share ...

Nature’s mirror and guidance on the medicine walk

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

On Saturday, July 16, three hardy souls joined me for the four directions teaching and medicine walk at the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. The day was grey but our hearts were light as we joined together in the ancient ceremony of sitting in circle on the earth. Our basecamp was ...

Yoga & Nature: The Four Directions

Monday, July 18th, 2011

October 8, 2011 - Vancouver Yoga is... ... union or communion. B.K.S. Iyengar ... a poise of the soul which enables one to look at life in all its aspects evenly. Mahadev Desai ... a way of remembering our true nature, which is essentially joyful and peaceful. Donna Farhi ... an act of kindness toward ...

Next steps on Decision Road

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Today I'd like to pick up the story of my journey to my first vision fast. When I left you last time, I had set out on the road trip to Boulder, Colorado, for a week-long intensive at Naropa University, prior to going with my classmates to our vision fast ...

Wisdom of the Four Directions—July 16, 2011

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

Finding Healing and Guidance in Nature July 16, 2011 - Vancouver “Journeys start from where we are. Everything starts from where we are. Where we are is where we’re supposed to be.” - Evelyn Eaton, The Shaman and the Medicine Wheel This day-trip in the North Shore mountains, just 20 minutes from downtown ...

Another view of anger

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Readers of this blog will recall that one of the themes I have explored through my work in nature and writing on this blog is the phenomenon of anger. New insights keep arising over time, and new information comes to light that I'd like to share with you. Last time ...

Severance phase: setting out on Decision Road

Thursday, March 10th, 2011

John Boyer, one of our guides for the upcoming vision fast in Wyoming, taught us some aspects of the Lakota people's vision quest ceremony. The first stage of the vision fast is called "Decision Road." This is part of the severance or preparation phase, in which we make the decision ...

Fasting for a vision: naming my intentions

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

As I mentioned last time, writing a letter of intention was one of the preparation tasks in the severance phase of the vision fast. I wrote a 6-page letter and sent it to the two guides. Here I include the part where I focused on my hopes for the vision ...

Fasting for a vision: preparing for the journey

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

The story of the vision fast I was going to undertake in June 2005 begins with the preparations I made in the threshold phase. The vision fast was a component of the three-week residential portion of the summer semester at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. This would be my fourth ...

Fasting for a vision: the threshold time

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

The time when we are preparing to undertake a vision fast is the first of the three phases of the vision fast ceremony. It is called the severance phase. The medicine walk I've been describing was an important step in preparing for the vision fast, as well as being a ...