Archive for the ‘Vision Fast’ Category

Vision Fast Retreats at BC Wilderness Visions

Monday, June 25th, 2012

2012 Dates There are no dates scheduled for 2012. If you are feeling the hunger for solo time and sacred ceremony in nature and the call of the wild is strong within you, we will do our best to fill this need, even if for just a 2-day weekend fast. ...

A father’s forgiveness

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

I keep meaning to get back to the story of my first vision fast, but today I feel inspired to tell you about my second vision fast. Did you ever see the wonderful Japanese-Icelandic film Cold Fever? It tells the story of a Japanese man who feels reluctantly obligated to ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Beckoned: reflections on the medicine walk

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011

Seeking meaning in our experiences is a human compulsion. It is part of how we build and maintain our self-image and our view of reality. Looking back at the meaning I derived from my medicine walk, I am struck by how I concluded that the day's adventures affirmed my affection ...

A pesky, mad dash home

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

The "something else" that awaited me was being chased by blood-thirsty mosquitoes all the way home! I followed the ravine between the giant old fir tree and the rock face, heading northwest towards Monkey Valley. Suddenly I heard an angry buzzing. It was amazingly loud. So loud it was terrifying. ...