DATES SET FOR 2024: 'HEALING GRIEF AROUND THE SACRED WHEEL" OCTOBER 1 - 6 at Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center in Abiquiu, New Mexico

Welcome to "Healing Grief Around the Sacred Wheel" - a course for empowering those finding it difficult to move forward in life due to past or present pain of grief and loss. My name is Cheryl Downey and I am your leader, guide and companion through this week of safe, gentle yet potentially deep and powerful grief-healing meditations and experiences.

In case you are wondering who I am ~ I supported those who are grieving life changes from illness, dying, and death to loss of home, family, career or community for almost 45 years as a hospital, hospice and palliative care chaplain, as well as a private practitioner and retreat leader. Since 1985 I have trained, practiced, and mentored spiritual healing and sacred arts from within shamanic teachings that are rooted in the ancient powers of Woman and the Earth. After retiring from hospice work, I founded Sacred Wheel Center for Grief and Healing to empower those suffering with past or present loss to find healing and release through exploring grief's deeper life-giving mysteries. Since 2014 my work has included private sessions, classes and workshops in the Twin Cities (MN) area, and grief-healing retreats in Florida, Minnesota, Colorado and at Ghost Ranch. 

Why Ghost Ranch? I have been attending training events and painting workshops at Ghost Ranch since 2003 - sometimes staying twice a year!  I fell in love with the warmth of the ranch staff and the light, colors and power of the land and sky!!  To this day there is nowhere I would rather come to reconnect with my inner self, and with the power of the Earth, to let go, heal and regenerate my spirit - alone or with others. Spirit speaks in all ways at Ghost Ranch - it is the perfect place to heal the pain of grief!

About the course ~ This course is entitled "Healing Grief Around the Sacred Wheel" for many reasons. The Sacred Wheel and the powers of the four directions are ancient and profound tools for deepening self-awareness and bringing healing balance to the flow of life energies. Movement around the Wheel honors each one's uniqueness of culture, personality, and faith perspective; and is a powerful non-judgmental guide for exploring and understanding one's personal energies of grief - whether old or young, experiencing current or past loss, or anticipating future life transitions. The Wheel is meant to move - and so is grief! - and both will do so at the pace that is right for each of us. There is no right or wrong way to do this, as there is no right or wrong way to grieve.

Participants will explore the four major healing aspects of their own grief experience by spending a day in each direction: South (Physical/Earth); West (Emotional/Dreaming/Water); North (Spirit/Air/Wind); East (Mind/Fire) ending in the Center (Heart). Group teachings, reflections and guided visualizations will fill the mornings 9:00 - noon, followed by personal free time/ work on the land after lunch until dinner (5:30 - 6:30). We will do our West work by traveling to Lake Abiquiu and Rio Chama for a morning field trip with the additional possibility of journeying to the hot springs of Ojo Caliente for the afternoon (there is a $50 individual day use fee for each participant to enter the hot springs).  

From 7-8:30 pm each evening participants will gather for circle-sharing and individual artwork. Each with guided instruction will break and re-create a clay pot in a sacred way to free what needs to change and to embody a new way of holding their grief. The bowl will be decorated with symbols discovered throughout the week's experiences, and will hold the power of their healing when back at home. Additionally, each will receive an empty pouch into which will be placed items throughout the week that symbolize what they are releasing to be placed into the Sacred Fire in ceremony the last evening.

No pre-requisite knowledge or preparation is necessary for this work. Participants may be any age (18+) having experienced any loss(es) - including loss of a loved one through death or illness, loss of relationship through break-up or divorce, home, job, career, health, community - and need only to be willing to start the journey around the Sacred Wheel!

 What participants may gain from this course:

 - The discovery of the four directional aspects around the Sacred Wheel and the grief energies held within each of them

- An understanding that grief is not something to be cured but simply accepted and allowed as healing movement 

- An awakening to energy we get from the earth to help us feel and heal the ways we hold grief in our bodies

- An experience of the power of water for grief movement and release

- Empowerment of personal spirit connections and healing wisdom through inner conversation, ceremony, listening to the wind, prayer, dreams, meditation and journaling 

- Discovery of ways to shift negative and constricting thoughts about grief

- The power of sacred art for healing and wisdom-keeping

- Renewed sense of inner strength

- The blessings of love and gratitude! 

What to bring:

 - comfortable clothing for layering and warm socks for both indoor and outdoor work

- comfortable hiking or walking shoes - covered toes

- umbrella/rain gear/warm jacket/light gloves for walking in potentially cool or inclement weather

- swimsuit 

- sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, insect repellant, small carrying pack, refillable water container for being out on the land

- blanket, mat or cushion for meditating, indoors and outdoors

- flashlight

- favorite notebook, pens  - however, a small journal and pen will be provided

- a small clay pot (at least 4") - the kind used to pot small plants - with or without base

- several sharpie fine-point markers - various inspiring colors 

- pad of 12 X 16 watercolor paper (at least 10 sheets)

- fingerpaints in favorite colors, plus 1 1-inch wide paintbrush if you don't like to use your fingers

- object of personal remembrance or memento for the group altar, such as photo, jewelry, handkerchief, coin, etc - to return home with you

- a personal sacred symbol/inspirational object to be placed on the altar to gather healing energy to take home, such as a special stone or crystal, feather, fetish, bowl etc.

- pouches

- paint and other decorating supplies for pouch and pot

- glue

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT PROGRAM COSTS, INCLUDING LODGING AND MEALS, OR IF YOU WISH TO REGISTER, go to www.ghostranch.org. If you have questions about the retreat itself, contact me: sacredfire44@gmail.com.

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@ Cheryl L. Downey 2024