WILDERNESS OF THE SOUL RETREATRetreat Theme: Wilderness of the Soul
A counselor friend of mine hosts an annual Free Diving Retreat. In the promo video one attendee describes why he like this retreat so much; "There are two places where cell phones can not exist or they ruin it; in the wilderness or underwater." We would like invite you to leave your known world behind and pioneer into a lesser known wilderness within you; self and soul. Parker Palmer masterfully captures the essence of this invitation; “The soul is like a wild animal—tough, resilient, savvy, self-sufficient and yet exceedingly shy. If we want to see a wild animal, the last thing we should do is to go crashing through the woods, shouting for the creature to come out. But if we are willing to walk quietly into the woods and sit silently for an hour or two at the base of a tree, the creature we are waiting for may well emerge, and out of the corner of an eye we will catch a glimpse of the precious wildness we seek.” These days, we live more connected than any moment in human history. Could it be that hyper connectivity is a disease the is rotting the wood of our souls? Retreat Venue: Young Life's Pioneer Plunge (above Windy Gap) Pioneer Plunge is located on the property of Young Life’s Windy Gap in Weaverville, NC. The idea for Pioneer Plunge arose out of an interesting series of events. Jim and Joey Hornsby had done Inner City work with Young Life in Jacksonville, Florida from May 1964 until 1970. The Hornsby's and other families joined them and lived in community together in the heart of the inner city. In order to show folks the work they were doing and the deep need that was there, they brought people for "Urban Plunges" as a way of getting people's eyes open to injustice and human need. But what about the kids they worked with in the cities? How could they show them what it would look like if we really put God's government first? Why not try a “Pioneer Plunge?" In 1973, deep in the woods of Windy Gap's 2000 acres Pioneer Plunge was born. Retreat Location: Pioneer Plunge at Young Life's Windy Gap Weaverville, NC Date: Determined by availability of Pioneer Plunge and Hayne's retreat schedule. |
Retreat Schedule:
Friday 4:30-5:30 Arrival to Windy Gap 5:30-6:30 Hike to Pioneer Plunge 6:30-7:00 Settle into camp 7:00 Dinner 8:00 Gathering #1 Saturday 7:30 Coffee 8:30 Breakfast 9:30 Gathering #2 12:00 Lunch 1:00 Free Time 6:00 Dinner 7:00 Gathering #3 Sunday 7:30 Coffee 8:00 Breakfast 9:00 Gathering #4 10:30 Pack 11:30 Hike out 12:00 Depart from Windy Gap Retreat Facilitators
Hayne Steen
Soul Care Provider Retreat Facilitator |
