Having Tea With Grief: A Circle of Trust Retreat

Grief, I say, come in. Sit down. I have tea. There is honey.
This will take as long as it takes.
~Niala Francis, this hallowed wilderness

Francis Weller, in The Wild Edge of Sorrow, asks, “When did your apprenticeship with sorrow begin?” How do we honor our grief? How do we welcome grief as a companion on life’s journey? Grief shows up at our doorstep in many different forms. The loss of a loved one, a relationship; a transition from one place to another, grief for the state of things-the Earth, for humanity. We often don’t know how we’ll respond to these losses in our lives until they present themselves. Healing from loss does not take a sequential path. How can we bravely welcome the grief that comes our way? Sit with it. Make it a cup of tea.

Join Kirstin Anglea and Phoenix Ries for their 3rd Having Tea With Grief retreat; a nourishing retreat that will allow you to explore the unknown terrain of grief and loss in a supportive environment. Through small and large group work, restorative yoga practices, and individual reflection, we will explore our grief from an embodied place using yoga, the Circle of Trust® process, expressive arts, and the natural world around us so that we might better know, understand and befriend our grief.

This retreat will be held at the beautiful and historic Sacred Waters Center for Restoration & Retreat (link). It is the perfect setting for deep reflection, soulful connections, and self care.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us is nothing compared to what lies within us.”
~ Emerson

A couple of testimonials: 

Kirstin and Phoenix are caring, gentle, and skilled facilitators who create a safe and supportive setting for reflection in solitude and in community. This retreat helped me move from being afraid to connect with my grief toward understanding it as a natural process that can lead to transformation and love.

Having Tea with Grief is a beautiful life-changing retreat experience, augmenting individual and group experiences with accessible and powerful yoga. I highly recommend it!

♦♦♦

Courage & Renewal Facilitator Kirstin Anglea will be joined by Phoenix Ries who draws from over 40 years of experience in the mental health field, her approach is grounded in strength-based coaching as well as yoga, energy and mindfulness practices. She helps people learn how to be fully present, responsive in order to more fully enjoy the journey. Yoga has been integral to her personal journey and to her connection with others. After a sudden, tragic loss in her life, she discovered the healing and guiding power of yoga practice. She lives in Sisters, Oregon with her husband and fat cat. The other loves of her life are running, music, camping, the desert, and engaging in deep and meaningful conversations.

Kirstin Anglea’s apprenticeship with sorrow began early in her life. Yet, there was no safe place to go with it; no space to acknowledge or honor all that comes with “loss”. Rather, it was done in private and, often, alone. Inspired by Weller’s Five Gates of Grief, she and Phoenix wish to create a space where the many layers of our grief are welcomed and honored. A space strong enough to hold our tears, our laughter, our questions, our quiet.

Disclaimer: This is not group therapy. If your grief is raw and you are experiencing extreme distress, this retreat may not be the right thing for you at this time. Please reach out if you have questions.

Registration will remain open until filled.