There is a particular reverence in winter—an invitation to slow down, turn inward, and appreciate what this dark and stormy season has to offer. Yet the shorter days and long, grey or stormy months can wear on us. Though the natural world may appear dormant, beneath the surface, life is not gone. Mammals and invertebrates are hibernating; plants are drinking up the winter rains; and bulbs, tubers, and corms are preparing to burst forth. Winter is long in the Pacific Northwest, but so is spring – with signs of new life emerging daily. The season reminds us that even in the darkest times, much is growing and waiting beneath the surface.
“I want to put the ever rushing world on pause.
Slow it down, so I can breathe.
These bones are aching to tell me something but I cannot hear them.”
~Lucy H. Pearce
Rather than resisting the season, we will explore the invitation of winter literally and metaphorically as we pause to pause, listen inward, and consider what we want to bring to fruition in the following year. We stand at the cusp of what’s possible—where something new may be growing, taking shape, or preparing to bloom. The transition from winter to spring offers an opportunity to ask: What still serves us? What are we ready to let go of? And what new goals and possibilities do we want to nurture?
This three-day retreat will take place at Sacred Waters Retreat Center in Union, Washington, where we will enjoy nourishing meals and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest in winter. At Sacred Waters, the cozy rooms, welcoming gathering spaces, and warmth of community offer opportunities for individual reflection and sharing in community. While the surrounding forests, Hood Canal, and Olympic Mountains offer a natural invitation to slow down, reflect, and notice what is stirring within. As we linger at the threshold of spring, you will be invited to engage with images, quotes, music, and poetry that may awaken new questions, insights, or possibilities waiting just beneath the surface.
This retreat is rooted in the Courage & Renewal® approach and offers space to listen to your own inner wisdom while also being witnessed and held by others. As we flow between large-group circles and small-group sharing, we will lean into the Courage & Renewal Touchstones of Invitation, Deep Listening, and Wonder. The weekend will also include a Circle of Trust® and practice with Open, Honest Questions. Together, these practices create a supportive space to listen for what is ready to emerge and what is ready to be released; what is asking to be nurtured and what possibilities are beginning to take root.
The Center for Courage & Renewal and its facilitators do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
