A Life Worth Grieving
Tending the Sacred Ground of Grief to Heal the Heart November 21-23 – at the House of Prayer in Collegeville, MN Hosted By Ben + Angela Vincent
In a world of change, grief is a natural part of love. Grief is the pain sentient beings feel when we lose what we love – someone, something, some part of ourselves, life or the world. Who among us has not suffered the loss of what we love over the past years?
Grief is a complex set of feelings and emotions (including sorrow, anger, fear, shame, guilt) that comes when we are wounded. Its powerful force moves through us in waves – each visitation carries the painfully important message that we are hurting and in need of care. Grief is not only a symptom of being wounded – it’s also an essential part of its healing. Grief allows emotions to move through us, so we may learn to hold life and loss with greater love. From time immemorial, enduring cultures have honored and tended grief collectively. Allowing it space and expression through ritual, song/music, creative expression, spiritual practice, movement, time in solitude, community and nature makes life sustainable. When grief is tended, we can survive, and in time, process loss. Though painful, grief can deepen and mature us, bringing the possibility of healing and learning from life, individually and collectively.
In our hyper individualized and grief phobic culture, we have largely forgotten deep community and forsaken healing rituals. Absent their web of support, we tend to hold our grief privately. There is a survival wisdom to burying deep within that which we cannot process on our own, but it has a long shadow. When we do not recognize or honor the presence of grief collectively, we tend to personalize and pathologize the pain of our unprocessed losses. This feeling is who I am and it’s what’s wrong with me. Untended grief often becomes grievance – hardening our hearts against ourselves, one another, life and the world. This is one of the root causes of much of the pain, dis-ease and conflict we see in ourselves and the world today. While initially protective, these ways of coping/not coping with loss are ultimately corrosive to the lives of freedom and fulfillment we long for.
Thankfully, there is another way of being with what is wounded. When grief is held and tended collectively, it reconnects us with a deep part of our humanity and our place in the web of life. Allowing ourselves to touch the vulnerable places within, invites us into authenticity, intimacy, heartfelt connection and belonging, and even joy. These are foundational to healing and bringing forth lives of inspiration. In these times, the re-creation of modern healing rituals is an essential part of healing ourselves, one another, human culture and the living Earth.
We invite you to join us for A Life Worth Grieving ~ A soulful retreat of deep connection and healing.
Our weekend retreat will explore and tend the sacred ground of the five gates of grief:
- Everything you love, you will lose
- The parts of you which have never known love
- The sorrows of the world
- What we expected and did not receive
- Ancestral grief
You’ll be supported + guided through a process of grief tending, rooted in time tempered practices:
- Teachings, tools and resources for processing and healing
- Learning to work skillfully and compassionately with grief, painful feelings and emotions
- Grief as a catalyst for deeper healing and a threshold for awakening
- Time in solitude, community and nature
- Journaling and Self-Reflection
- Shared song, music and creative expression
- Holistic + Accessible Yoga Practice (Movement, breath-work, stillness, meditation, mantra, etc)
- Sacred Ritual
- Shared Stories and Meals
Retreat Schedule
Our retreat will begin Friday Nov 21 at 2 pm, and conclude Nov 23 at 4 pm. Our time together will consist of guided sessions as a group, shared meals, time to yourself and in nature.
Location
We’ll retreat to the Episcopal House of Prayer in Collegeville, MN – 75 miles NW of Mpls. For 30+ years, they’ve been welcoming groups for retreat and spiritual practice. EHoP is a sanctuary designed to support deep connection – renowned for its potent sacred spaces, natural + architectural beauty.
The House of Prayer is nestled on the edge of Saint John’s Abbey and University – amidst the remarkable beauty and sanctuary of 2,700 acres of extensive pine and hardwood forest, wetlands, lakes, oak savanna, restored prairie, and hiking trails. Its been a place of learning and spiritual refuge for over 165 years.
Participant Testimonials
“Attending this grief retreat was one of the best decisions I’ve made in the last decade. While I believed that I wasn’t grieving anything particular at the time, through the thoughtful practices, meditations and teachings, I discovered deep layers of grief in many areas of my life. We were guided through sacred rituals to behold, release, and even heal some of that grief. It was so powerful! As a therapist, I’ve received countless hours of training, and nothing has better prepared me to hold the sacred space of grief for others or myself than this grief immersion. I use what I learned in the immersion everyday of my life, in my loved one’s lives and with my clients. Thank you for sharing this amazing work!”
“Without a doubt, this weekend was a highlight of my life. My wish for all is that everyone could experience the love, care and courage I experienced and witnessed within myself and other participants as we explored and tended to our grief, individually and collectively. My heart is stretched wide and receptive to continue to make space for our grief and gratitude.”
“I am in awe of what is possible when a group gathers with the intention of opening to grief and truth and supporting and holding each other through that process. I am so grateful to Angela and Ben for their courage and trust in offering a space for us to explore grief and healing together, and in leading us gently through a touching weekend. I came away from the weekend feeling more connected to who I am, feeling supported and held by community, and with a greater sense of trust, patience, acceptance, interconnectedness, and courage. I connected deeply to individuals I had never met before, and was touched by what we all share. I am in awe of our common humanity and capacity to hold one another in this way. I am so grateful.”
“Participating in this retreat has allowed me to come into a new relationship with and understanding of my grief. For so long I have feared that my grief would be too deep, too encompassing and there would be no escape from the pain it brought. I have learned there is a more soul sustaining way to hold my grief and that grief is ultimately the gateway to living a more engaged and vibrant life. I am so grateful to go forward with these new revelations that resonate as true for me. To be able to practice this new way of being with my grief. I am so deeply grateful for the teachings and Ben and Angela’s ability to offer a safe container to explore what is possible.”
Rates are inclusive of:
- Lodging
- Food (All meals, Dinner Friday – Lunch on Sunday)
- Tuition for retreat
- Access to Saint Johns University Facilities (lake, forest, hiking trails, abbey church, etc,)
Vegetarian meals will be provided through Eat for Equity. We will plan to eat communally, with everyone taking turns helping in the kitchen and cleaning up after meals.
Your Investment:
- $ 675 – Shared bedroom space
- $ 795 – Private bedroom space
- Early Registration Discount: $30 less when you register and paid in full by August 31
- Kitchen Helpers discount: We are looking for two lead kitchen helpers for light meal prep and assistance at all meals. You’ll will receive an additional $50 discount on your retreat. Email ben@vincentyoga.com if you’re interested.
This small group retreat is limited to 14 people. Spaces will be allotted in the order in which deposits and registrations are received. To reserve your space: please submit all registration materials + deposit at the same time, via email to ben@vincentyoga.com, with a copy of:
- Retreat Registration + Waiver
- Submit a $300 deposit per-person (non-refundable). Payment are preferred through Venmo (@vincent-yoga), and can also be made through PayPal (bvrocksteady@gmail.com), check (see directions below), or CC. There is a 3.5% fee for paypal or CC to cover costs. Contact us directly to pay via CC or paypal.
All payments are due by November 10. There will be a $75 fee for payments, payment plans and registrations received after that date. For those unable to pay-in-full before October 31, payment plans are available through paypal credit. All payments are final. Other discounts and scholarships are not available.
Please email ben@vincentyoga.com any questions. Thank you for considering joining us and may you find the healing you seek.
