August 11 - 16, 2009
Coming Home to Earth; Returning to our wild Human Nature
Jade Sherer, with friends Kika Kielpinski and Heron.
A return to belonging for young men and women ages 14-20. Human nature, story telling, primitive skills, and a love for all things...

This is a long awaited opportunity for mature young adults, ages 14-20 to attend a camp at Ekone that is not centered on our beloved horses.  As much as we love them, there is sooo much more here than horses, to come to love.  Ekone resident, Jade Sherer, along with some very talented friends would like to invite you into the world of belonging to Earth again…finding your own unique and wild human nature.  We will have a great time experiencing the magic of garden, wild forest, story telling, indigenous skills, dialogues with the more-than-human world, self reflection, challenge games, the four directions wheel, crafting, hiking, and much more!  We will introduce such ancient traditions as vision questing, looking into the mirror of wild nature, and talking staff council. All of this will redirect our spirits towards our one and always home, called Earth.

What a young person is likely to return home with is a new, or renewed appreciation for the wild earth, an integrity within that asks them to speak truth, share deeply and move with respect on the land, an ability to connect with themselves…their emotions, their belonging to earth, and their natural gifts, a willingness and enthusiasm for helping and listening, perhaps a new and bolder form of expression, a deeper understanding of earth cycles and systems, and, for sure, the beauty emanating from within that comes from living in love on the land.

What does a young adult need in order to attend such an event?
Curiosity and a desire to learn….a high level of maturity…. the ability to have a lot of fun…serious self reflection and world reflection…a desire to understand themselves more fully…the courage to share themselves….the desire to work for the good of earth….a love of all beings…. a knowing that there must be more to life…..a willingness to answer the following questions in writing….
1) What is your relationship to earth?
2) What can you imagine for yourself in growing closer to earth?
3) Why do you think you are alive on planet earth right now?

In these uncertain times, that are often confusing and terrifying to our young people, we must help them to find their own roots in the natural world…to find their purpose for being here, to know their voice is important, and to stand again with a firm knowing of who they are and their innate beauty.

Costs
Tuition, great food and bunking or camping: $580

Kids: young men and women, ages 14-20…acceptance will be on an application basis to determine level of maturity for this work. Simply email Jade at earthecho@gorge.net with the answers to the questions above. Upon acceptance you may register with a deposit through Ekone Ranch. See details on their website.

Visit the ranch at www.ekone.org

We begin with lunch on Tuesday, August 11 and end after lunch on the 16th

Maximum number of participants: 16; Minimum is 8

Or Contact Jade for more information about this expedition.

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