The Ecstasy of Sound and Silence
Women’s music and wilderness retreat
in the Ibex River Valley
September 14 - 19, 2008 (6 days)
Join us for this exploration of the sacred - through sound and silence - as we allow music, along with the forces of wild nature, to open our hearts, and connect
us to our source.
Through exploring the wilderness on foot, by having time to be in silence in this vast landscape, and through engaging in music as spiritual practice we can journey on a path to our own deepest natures and encounter states of wisdom, gratitude, deep peace, and healing.
Click here to download the colourful poster for this retreat (pdf, 3.7MB)
Optional: Concert September 12 and one day workshop "Ecstasy of Sound" September 13 - see description here.
The Setting
The setting for our retreat will be the Ibex River Valley. The Ibex is near Whitehorse, Yukon’s capital city, yet it is a world apart, a true wilderness where the only
year-round inhabitants are the wild animals that call it home.
Our home for the 5 nights will be a rustic wilderness base camp owned by Yukoners , Rod and Martha Taylor of Uncommon Journeys. The camp is nestled between two
stunningly beautiful ridges of the Ibex Mountains, and perched beside the crystal clear Ibex River. The camp consists of 4 yurts, a sauna / shower house, an outhouse with
a view, and a campfire area for outdoor meals, evening gatherings, and a warm perch to watch northern lights from! The yurts, made by Pacific Yurt Company in Oregon, are
aesthetic and strong structures made with Douglas fir lattice work, pine floors, circular skylights and large windows The one large yurt has a full kitchen and a wood burning
cookstove, a dining area, as well as a living “room” to relax in around the wood stove as well as hold retreat activities in.
Accommodation is in three smaller yurts equipped with cast iron stoves and twin beds, as well as personal tents.
Trip Itinerary
Our trip will start September 14th at 9 AM. We will drive for half an hour drive from Whitehorse to the trailhead, followed by a 3 to 5 hour hike into the yurt base camp on
the Ibex River. The route is over gently undulating terrain on a good trail, and we will need to cross the shallow Ibex River on route. Our gear will be taken in for us by
four wheeler so we only need to carry light day packs with just the essentials for the journey in. The gear you need for the retreat needs to be taken into the Ibex camp
on the afternoon of September 13th so you need to arrive in Whitehorse no later than early afternoon on the 13th.
The daily schedule will be divided between outdoor explorations into the surrounding mountain wilderness, retreat activities, and personal time. There will be a guided hike planned for each day, either along the Ibex River as we trace these waters towards their source, or into the uplands on the west side of the valley. We will plan one all day outing to the mountain tops and ridge line high above camp, where we will be afforded spectacular views of the Ibex valley and the surrounding sea of peaks, swathed in autumn golds and reds. As well, we will have opportunities over the week to view wildlife, and learn about the unique natural history of this area.
A herd of mountain sheep lives in a gully just above the camp, and a pack of wolves is often resident in the valley. The Ibex is also home to mountain caribou, moose, grizzly and black bear, fox, and river otters to name a few, and overhead there will be migratory birds winging their way south to warmer climes.
On our last afternoon we will retrace our steps out of the Ibex, again having our gear transported, and we plan to be back in Whitehorse by dinnertime.
Retreat Activities
Jennifer will lead us in an exploration of music as a spiritual practice and a path to opening our hearts and uncovering our true nature. Drawing from the beauty and power of the natural environment we will circle daily to chant, tone and sing "praises for the world" together. We will engage in a wide range of musical experiences from traditional and contemporary traditions, designed to open our hearts and create equanimity, joy, ecstasy, and healing. A tapestry of sound and deep quiet will be woven through practices of meditation, deep listening and opening to the great noble silence of the wilderness. Our time will also include evening campfire song-sharings.
Jill will lead us in focused meditations, creative writing exercises, loosening and strengthening yoga postures, as well as practices that invoke our connection to the living breathing world around and within us.
Your Leaders
Jennifer Berezan is a unique blend of singer/songwriter, teacher, and activist. Her work continues to expand artistic boundaries, blurring the distinctions between musical
styles, politics, and spirituality. Over the course of eight albums, she has developed and explored recurring themes with a rare wisdom. Her lifelong involvement in
environmental, women’s, and other justice movements as well as an interest in Buddhism and earth-based spirituality are at the heart of her writing. And her intense and
personal approach to music as a transforming experience has brought her strong rapport with audiences throughout North America and Europe. Her ground breaking work as a
recording artist and teacher has established her as a leading voice in the field of music and healing and she is an acclaimed producer of large scale multi-cultural ecstatic
musical events.
Raised on the prairies of Alberta, Canada, the transformative power of nature is also at the heart of Jennifer’s work. The Canadian born singer calls Berkeley, California
home when not on tour. She teaches at the California Institute of Integral Studies in the department of Philosophy and Religion. Her on-going class (since 1997) is entitled
“the Healing Ecstasy of Sound” and explores music as a spiritual practice from a wide range of cross cultural, traditional and contemporary perspectives.
You can find out more about Jennifer at edgeofwonder.com.
Jill Pangman is owner/operator of Yukon-based Sila Sojourns - Wilderness and Creative Journeys. Jill is a long-term Yukoner and has 25 years of experience as a wilderness
guide, outdoor educator, naturalist, and conservationist. Her passion is exploring wild places and sharing these experiences with others. She recognizes the capacity of
wilderness sojourns to rejuvenate and inspire, and to deepen our connection to the natural world as well as to ourselves. She expresses her own love of nature, and her
commitment to the healing of our world through her guiding, writing, photography and conservation-oriented work. She has immense gratitude for the beauty of nature as well
as the human spirit, and she finds that leading journeys into the wilderness is an ideal venue to share this appreciation.
Price:
$1290 plus gst (5% Canadian Sales Tax)
What's included?
- transportation from Whitehorse to & from trailhead
- gear transport to & from camp
- the services of 2 fully qualified group leaders
- all meals from lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 6
What's Not?
- transportation to and from your home and Whitehorse
- personal belongings and equipment as per equipment list
- any accommodation or meals in Whitehorse
Topographical Information
We carry a full complement of maps with us but if you wish to have your own, the 1:250,000 scale map you will want is called Whitehorse 105D and the
1:50,000 maps are Whitehorse 105 D/11 and Mt. Arkell 105 D/12. In Whitehorse, maps can be purchased at Mac's Fireweed Books at 203 Main Street.
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