Create, Like Nature Does It
With Frederic Wiedemann
October 6 - 9, 2021
Yes! This is an IN-PERSON retreat! And yes! I am (and the retreat center itself is) taking every precaution to ensure this is COVID-SAFE. You should read about this in the special section below.
We will be “creating as Nature does.” Nature is creating all the time.
Through mindful, nature-based and embodiment practices, we will connect ourselves deeply with this beautiful land — in mindful, joyful and unifying ways.
In this juicy connected state with nature, we will listen for our soul sparks or impulses arising. It may be to create in poetry, music, etc. While these are welcome, we will focus on creating “Earth Art” — using the “found elements” on the land (rocks sticks, moss, grasses, dried leaves, etc).
Then, we will use the ancient Tibetan sand paintings practice of (a) bringing our Earth Art to its completion, (b) show it to group for appreciation, insight, and feedback … and then (c) “erasing the sand painting” (i.e., return each natural elemental, in a ritual and sacred mode, to its original location on the land).
By so doing, we will encourage connection with the land, our own creativity, growth through group feedback, and deeper connection with each element of our Earth Art. As well as embodying impermanence with our “letting it all go”practice!
Yo, this will not be your typical meditation retreat – no hours of silence, a lot more fun, a lot more deliberate community building, and most activities will be entirely outdoors on this pristine 200 acres, with river flowing through.
If you are still reading, here are more details!
This creativity “retreat”: (and play shop :), in this beautiful mountain and river setting, offers a fabulous opportunity to reconnect with the natural world, joy, yourself, AND THE SPARK OF YOUR CREATIVITY!
Rocky Mountain Ecodharma Retreat Center and the nearby Indian Peaks Wilderness are ideal for a retreat. The area is extraordinarily beautiful, peaceful and pristine, with a wide variety of trails, wildflower-covered meadows, creeks, and peaks. Now mix in a unique approach to your wholeness.
Unique Theme For This Retreat
The main goal of the retreat? Again: to have a blast creating “Art with Nature” in a joyful, no pressured, fun, intriguing way. If you might be thinking that it is this is too self-indulgent — with so many parts for our world falling apart — then Read this!
Here is What You Get!
• Nature’s healing: beauty, solace, and inspiration in this wilderness setting.
• Mindfulness, body, movement, breath & nature practices designed to unlock your creativity
• A loving, supportive, co-created community and plenty of time to deeply connect with everyone in the group.
• An experienced, wise, 72 year-old elder—who loves to collaborate together and has been creating Nature Art for over 50 years.
• Solo time on the land, for your own attunement, healing, and inner guidance.
• Integration practices to sustain your gains & carry-over into your daily life.
• MOST UNIQUELY: Playing in JOY, YES JOY, throughout the entire retreat.
• 3 healthy, delicious meals per day.
• Just 45 minutes from Boulder.
• Smartly scheduled, from Thursday afternoon through Sunday lunch.
• INEXPENSIVE RATE $285 [plus your love donation] for ALL food, camping & activities — that’s less than $100 per day!
Special Covid Protocols (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)
Updated: April 12, 2021
To insure everyone’s safety, and to help create a feeling of security and peace of mind, RMERC will be implementing the following policies for the 2021 season. They are subject to change if conditions warrant. We hope you can appreciate the need and value of this, and your participation is conditional on agreeing to them.
Everyone coming to RMERC for a retreat will be required to submit proof of a negative molecular (not antigen) Covid test taken no earlier than 72 hours before your retreat starts or have proof of Covid vaccination.
Use of the lodge, including bathrooms and bedrooms, will be open only to those who submit proof of completed Covid vaccination (both shots if there are two). There will be outdoor porta-potty, solar shower and washing station for campers.
BUT UF YOU are not vaccinated, or choose not to be, you can camp outdoors, in the large meadow with view of the Rockies, and near a stream!
Obviously, to insure everyone’s safety and ease, we will be asking anyone with any COVID symptoms, or is feeling unwell, or has or may have been exposed to COVID, not to come to RMERC. We will also require anyone who develops any COVID like symptoms or becomes sick at the retreat to leave and return home immediately, to protect the health of the other yogis and teachers. We are not able to accommodate or care for someone who gets sick or needs to be quarantined while on retreat.
During the retreat various protocols for the use of masks, hand washing, social distancing, etc. will be in place.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation; our priority is creating the safest possible sangha (community) for everyone
About “creativity”
- We hold this paradox as sacred — that we can grieve the suffering of others, of eco-collapse, of racial injustice, or radical inequality of rich/poor, of plasticized oceans, and our beloved animals dying as species … yet also still feel joyfully creative within.
- The creativity that we will cultivate is not a “spiritual bypass” of our own shadow, or of the world’s dysfunction right now.
- We CAN create – despite our inner critic telling us our creations are shitty. (we will do some inner work around this also).
- We will dig deep to see that this belief is a falsehood:” Creativity is like an orchid, so rare and special”.
- We can “get over” the cultural programming that “we should be suspicious of feeling (or trying to feel) too much creativity”
- Let’s bust this attitude: ” We don’t get to feel creative on a daily basis”:
About our “community building”
- As your leader, who has led hundreds of groups and gatherings over 50 years, I will make a deliberate, conscious and sustained endeavor to “build community” through our time together, short as it may be.
- We are able to go to deeper community, intimacy, bonding, and self-discovery.
- We encourage folks to connect with each other, in multiple ways: in our group gatherings, campfires, taking one-on-one walks, music, intimate sharing (including by your leader), etc.
- My past participants have listed the “sense of community” as one of their highest benefits.
- The only person who did not bond with our mini-community last retreat was someone wanting a traditional, silent, buddhist retreat. Which we are not!
- This focus on creative community seems especially vital, as we all emerge from our Covid caves 🙂
The camping option!
If you choose to camp — WOW. The weather can be great! Crisp fall days. Aspens changing??!! Cold nights, perfect for snuggling in your sleeping bag. And you should be prepared for Autumn in the Rockies, at 8600 feet elevation — variable weather, possible snow or rain, and the drama of it all! In short, bring great gear.
What to Bring: Click Here for a What to Bring List
Your $250-$350 Cost — and what additional “Dana” means
Lodging Options:
Camping – $250
Private Nook- $285
Single Room- $350
Double occupancy- $700
- Your cost for the retreat is set as low as possible and only covers the expenses for the teachers to provide this retreat: i.e., the expenses of renting the center, food, cooks, insurance, staff travel, admin costs, etc..
- You may be amazed at this low price, if you have been to other retreat centers.
- Additional Dana: Yet, none of this $250-$350 goes to your teacher or the retreat manager. We are solely supported by your “dana” (a buddhist term). In the tradition of the Buddha, my teachings are offered without a set fee, keeping costs as low as possible, so no one is excluded due to finances.
- In turn, I ask that your donation to me and the retreat manager be as generous as possible within your means. Please bring a check or cash. We will ask for your check or cash on the next to last day. We are grateful for your support!
Scholarships
It is our intention that cost not be an impediment to experience this. We are especially interested in supporting those who self-identify as a person of color, and/or work within the racial, climate & ecological justice movement.
Scholarships of up to $100 are available. If you cannot afford to attend for the $285 fee, you can ask for a scholarship on the registration web site (below), and then just pay the remaining amount.
Payment, Deposits
A deposit of 50% of the retreat cost is due at the time of registration. Full payment is due 60 days before the retreat start date (your credit card will automatically be charged at that time).
Cancellation, and Refund Policies
A full refund will be granted if a scholarship or registration is not accepted. A refund of 50% of the deposit will be granted for cancellations up to 60 days before the retreat start date (50% of our deposit refundable). Due to the very limited number of participants we are allowing, no refunds will be granted within 30 days of the retreat start date.
Food and Meals
- Three simple vegetarian meals a day will be provided from dinner the first day through lunch of the last, including solo food (which will not require cooking).
- If you want a snack between meals, or supplemental protein such as jerky or packaged fish, you can bring a small quantity of packaged, unrefrigerated food.
- Tea and coffee along with milk and sweeteners are available before and during breakfast.
- Please do not bring anything that needs refrigeration (medicine excepted). Excessive snacks are unnecessary: if you need a boost, a little gorp or an energy bar is sufficient for most people.
- As of April 12, 2021, for meals, the cooks will be masked, and we will wait in a socially distanced line, to be served by them, one at a time.
- For eating, we will sit outdoors, under a roof, or on the ground out doors, socially distanced from each other, but masks will not be required to eat. You can choose to sit alone, as far away from another as you wish.
Special Needs Food
- Figuring menus and quantities, shopping, organizing, and cooking are complex and crucial tasks for a retreat. We provide simple, wholesome, natural, predominantly organic, vegetarian meals.
- We can accommodate common food allergies, such as gluten, soy or dairy, but not special needs preferences.
- Make sure to include on the registration form the full details of any special allergy or health needs you have beyond basic vegetarian, and we will contact you if they require discussion.
Joy of Helping out
- Some of the work necessary to support the group will be handled by you during the retreat.
- You will be able to choose your helper/yogi job, and will keep it throughout the retreat.
- Most participants find serving others in this way quite enjoyable, and a great opportunity for practice in action.
Time and Transportation
- A 40 minute drive from Boulder, CO, our retreat will begin at 4:00pm on the first day, and end about 1:00pm after lunch on the last day.
- If you are flying into Denver, allow about 2 hours driving time to the center. Plan on your flight arriving no later than 12 pm pm — to reach the retreat center on time, set up your camp, etc.
- As everyone will be camping, you might want to allow some extra time to set up your tent before the retreat starts. You can arrive as early as 12 noon on Thursday Oct 6.
- Return flights departing from the Denver airport should leave no earlier than 4 pm, so you can get to the airport on time. Please do not book your return flight such that you have to leave our retreat early, as it breaks our community container.
- Please note that the center is at 8500 feet, similar to most Colorado ski towns. If you are concerned about acclimating from sea level, you might consider arriving a day or two in the Denver/Boulder area before the retreat.
Minimal Contact with the “outside world”
You will be out of contact with no internet access or cellphone service during the retreat. Please complete all personal business before you arrive. The staff will have the ability to make and receive emergency calls or emails on your behalf, but phone and internet are not available for personal use.
To Register Now
- Join us for this delightful 4-day, 3-night adventure into Creating Like Nature Does It!
- Since space is limited, and we did sell out last retreat, we do encourage you to register now (if your heart is singing right now :).
- Just click the “Register Now” button at the top or right of this text
About the Teacher
Frederic Wiedemann
Frederic is an elder sage ... and renaissance kind-of-guy. He "downloaded" his life/soul mission in his 30's. The essence hasn't changed in these 40 years since: "to explore, embody, and share paradoxical Wholeness." His 50 years of journeying with this mission --and catalyzing others to find theirs — has led him to: founding and directing […]
Learn more about Frederic Wiedemann