Once upon a time, a story was told in the heart of the woods.  Once upon a time, women gathered around a fire, and leaned in to listen to words mixed with woodsmoke.  Once upon a time a Wild Maiden walked into the Forest and stepped off the path….

 

This is not just ‘once upon a time’, this is our time.  Time to do what wanderers and seekers have been doing for millennia, and step into the Forest.  Just as in the old tales, we won’t walk out the same.

    

We invite you to a weekend woodland retreat for a two day telling of the tale of the Handless Maiden.  This powerful story of endurance, exile, descent and sovereignty is filled with initiation, and is deeply relevant for people of all ages and especially those wondering what is asked of us in our troubled times.

 

Join us as we follow the journey of the ‘Wild Maiden’, off the beaten track, away from our modern ‘get up and go’ culture, to honour the descents that we go through at initiatory moments in our lives.  We will invoke the art of slow listening, opening our ears to the depth of the old tales, and inviting encounter with the woods and the more-than-human world. Our creative practices include poetry, environmental art making, storytelling, image work and solo wandering. There will be cooking over the fire, feasting, random acts of creativity, wild camping and a community to share stories together. 

 

 “In this [story-telling] tradition a story is ‘holy,’ and it is used as medicine. The story is not told to lift you up, to make you feel better, or to entertain you, although all those things can be true. The story is meant to take the spirit into a descent to find something that is lost or missing and to bring it back to consciousness again” – Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Women Who Run with the Wolves: Contacting the Power of the Wild Woman.

 

12 places maximum for a wild camping weekend in private woodland in Hampshire. 

 

To book: email me at rebeccasmartwork@gmail.com or click this link for booking form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpTMCPWeoT5iEua-cfrfw-XvLrrXAif4HyXptxioTctCnrJA/viewform?fbclid=IwAR1mTsmUJ0N5k02C3fKA3vrp2WVsdDY9kFzuQXME6QfEDnYhY-mr5PG8wRg

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​With Rebecca Smart and Emma Collins

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Emma is a grief whisperer, a hearth tender and an apprentice to the wild. She is committed to listening to the signs of our times with an equal measure of grief, tenderness and a willingness to proceed as if needed. In her work with people and the land she weaves together her practices in nonviolent communication, a reverence for deep time myths and the stories of the more than human world and her background in coaching, mentoring and psychotherapeutic counselling.

Rebecca is a storyteller and arts psychotherapist who works with rites of passage, and is inspired by taking myths into nature.  She has an ear for unearthing the untold stories that need to be shared, and is a deep listener as well as being a compelling and dynamic teller.  Rebecca continually draws inspiration from the diverse stories encountered in her group work in settings ranging from NHS mental health wards, to businesses, retreats, and the forest – where she works with women and myth.  

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When?

Friday 4pm through till Sunday 3.30pm, 9th - 11th June 2023

Where?

Emma's private woodland near Clanfield, Hampshire, UK.

Costs?

Sliding scale: £250 - £380

Questions?

For guidance on how much to pay, and any other questions, click on FAQ below. 
Or just get in touch with me at rebeccasmartwork@gmail.com, or Emma at www.emmacollinscoaching.com.

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