Immersion
Council of Waters & Trees Hollyhock 2019
Enrollment Open
In this program we enter the liminal space of renewed possibility for deepening our connection with the more-than-human world through Forest Therapy and The Way of Council.
Forest Therapy is the practice of sensory connection to come into intimate relationship with the more-than-human world and with each other. A series of guided invitations bring us into the present moment, opening the doors of communication with the forest, waters, and landscapes we explore. We encounter not just the forest, but through the many mirrors of nature, we also encounter ourselves.
The Way of Council is a process of communication with ourselves and each other that supports deepening into our experience. Through council we can discover the meaning of our emerging stories through sharing and being witnessed in circle. Council invites us to become more intimate with our own lives, and support each other as we move through our processes of learning, growing, grieving, and healing. Because it invites authentic expression, council can be quite intimate. Your facilitators will show how the form of Council can create space that is both vulnerable and safe.
Restorative Practices build on the Way of Council to create opportunities for exploring and healing harms in relationships. In the Council of Waters and Trees we introduce "Aloha Ropes," a restorative practice developed by Amos Clifford. Inspired by the Hawaiian tradition of Ho'oponopono and other sources, we will use this practice to deepen our relationship with the more-than-human world of nature. Through Aloha Ropes we will discover how the land can listen and speak to us, and through us give voice to its longings, wisdom, and needs. Like Council, Aloha Ropes is a method that can be readily transferred into other settings such as schools and communities.
This journey will allow us to sink deeply into the medicine of the forest. Mornings will be spent immersing ourselves in the experiential practices of Forest Therapy. Afternoon Council meetings support the deep rooting of the medicine the forest has offered us. We will experience the brief "light touch" council as it is used in Forest Therapy as well as diving into the deeper practice and learning-by-doing the core skills of council leadership.
Hollyhock sits on the traditional territories of the Klahoose, Tla’amin, Homalco Nations. We are committed to renewing our relationships with the First Nations peoples on whose territories we are guests.
Since 1982, Hollyhock has built upon the history of this land as a place of gathering, a pioneering homestead, and the site of an important human potential education centre. On this foundation of gathering, pioneering and learning, Hollyhock’s founders dreamed of creating a lifelong learning and leadership curriculum to inspire, nourish and support people intent on service to a better world.
Hollyhock became a not-for-profit in 2006 to strengthen carrying out our mission into the future. With your help we can keep this as a thriving centre for skill-building, lifelong learning and stewardship of the natural world, inspiring, nourishing and supporting people making the world better for another 30+ years.
Lodging:
A variety of accommodations are located throughout our lush campus, ranging in price to suit most budgets. Choose from private, beachfront or ocean facing rooms, dorm-style lodging or cabins that nestle in the quiet seclusion of the forest. Our beautiful campsites are also available, with a cedar bath house conveniently located for your use. Click here for rates.
Room fees include all Hollyhock basics, like stimulating presenter evenings, delicious, organic meals, morning yoga/meditation classes, guided naturalist walks and tours of the garden, as well as luxurious soaks in our ocean-view hot-tubs. Telephones and wireless Internet are centrally located. We ask for limited and private cell phone use. Please book early to ensure your favourite accommodations.
Room options include:
- Single: 1 Person
- Twin: Couple or Friends, 2 beds.
- Couple: Couples or Friends sharing 1 bed.
- Family/Friends: 3 or more adult friends or family /2 beds
- Dorm: Up to 6 people/bunk beds
- Tenting with full-service bath house (bring your own tent and bedding)
Roommates can be assigned, upon request, in twin and dorm rooms only.
Food:
Our healthy, organic, vegetarian fare features ingredients from our abundant gardens located just outside our kitchen door, and well as local BC foods. Meals at Hollyhock are globally-inspired and prepared with love and skill in our Hollyhock kitchen. Enjoy weekly wild seafood dinners and beach-side oyster appetizer barbecues. We serve organic grains and organic produce sourced locally, whenever possible. Organic herbs, flowers, greens, and vegetables are harvested daily from the Hollyhock garden. Our orchard produces many beautiful fruits featured on the dessert menu seasonally and served in our 24/7 fruit bowl, offering. Our meals are created and served “family style”.
Meal Bookings:
Meal packages are included in your accommodation. We also welcome individual meal reservations. Please call 1.800.933.6339 or 1.250.935.6576 for availability. We appreciate 24 hours notice whenever possible. Prices as follows:
$16 Breakfast
$19 Lunch
$33 Dinner
$36 Seafood Dinner
$9 Oyster Appetizer BBQ
Transportation:
There are many ways to get to Hollyhock. Visit this website for more a comprehensive list of options: https://hollyhock.ca/getting-here/
Trainers
Entrenadores
Amos Clifford is the founder of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs and author of the best selling Your Guide to Forest Bathing (Conari Press 2018). A student of Buddhist philosophy for over 20 years, Amos founded Sky Creek Dharma Center in Chico, California, where he emphasized the importance of meditation practice in wild places. Amos is also widely known for his work in restorative justice. He is founder of the Center for Restorative Process, where he has led the inquiry into how the principles of restorative justice can inform ways to heal the broken relationships between humans and the more-than-human world of nature. Amos holds a BS in Organization Development and an MA in Counseling from the University of San Francisco. Amos has been the primary developer of ANFT's acclaimed training programs.
