Testimonials

“The experience of the grief retreat changed me in more ways than I can count. Being met in my depth by a whole community is a right of passage that I had not yet, up until the retreat, had access to, and therefore I actually did not really realize what I have been missing for 33 years of my life. Being immersed in the waters of this type of collective unlocked a felt sense of safety and belonging that I have been searching for as long as I’ve been alive. If you are hesitating to join this type of experience. I understand. But I can also tell you it’s a gift that you will carry with you for the rest of your life if you decide to take the plunge.” -BT, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“Being held both physically and emotionally in space was incredibly powerful for me. Since my grief is largely tied to suppressing my gender identity, a coping mechanism I used at a young age was blending in, avoiding taking up space or drawing attention to myself. This also left me feeling isolated and intimacy deficient, avoiding touch or emotional vulnerability. Singing a song in a circle and making eye contact with everyone was very powerful, 1:1 discussions about what breaks your heart, and hugs following visits to the grief alter were most impactful. This retreat helped me realized how deprived of touch and love I have been and granting myself permission to take up space, ask for help and be kind to myself.” -JK, Wintering

“I felt as if your arms were spread wide to include us, our histories, the land and her histories. I also felt as if you both did such an amazing work of calling everyone forth to be our most gentle and tender selves for each other.” –SKF, Wintering

“The diversity of “grief” among the attendees was powerful. The retreat was not only grieving the physical loss of a loved one but also a space for grieving other elements that we lose in our lives (career, partners, friends, missed opportunities, Earth, the current collective human experience). I found this to add to how we learn and share broadly about grief. Unlike many grief workshops in which grief is defined by human loss of fellow human, this retreat was inclusive of grief, personal grief – whatever that was for each individual.” –NSR, Wintering

“I cannot say enough about how powerful this experience was for me!! Hands down, it was the most powerful engagement of my entire life! Our culture deals with death/grief/loss/rage COMPLETELY WRONG and we, as practitioners, instructors, teachers, mentors, families, parents, etc. must do our part to help spread the word that this experience (which we all have) doesn’t have to be contained in such a negative, isolated, shameful space. I was definitely taught that this past weekend and now I’m telling everyone I know!” -AR, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“Tending the Ache was one of the most difficult and challenging experiences of my life, and at the same time, is at the top of my list of being one of the most important, valuable and life-transforming. The guidance we had in creating a safe, loving, accepting community container in which to release our grief was deeply impactful in helping me reach a part of myself that had been long ago pushed into the dark. I now see and feel a ray of light that gives me such hope for joy and deeper connection with myself which I hope and believe will ripple to all others in my life, and to our greater world.” -CM, Tending the Ache

“This retreat was so far outside of my comfort zone and I had no idea what to expect. I will be forever grateful that I took this leap of faith. My experience was absolutely amazing. My life has been changed for the better with the tools I took away from this weekend. There are no words to describe the love and bond I have with this whole group. Communal grief is an eye opening moment, one that I wish everyone in the world could have. Samantha and Summer are wonderful guides for this journey!” -AH, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“I have resources and practices now for my sacred rage and grief. The compassion I feel towards myself and others has increased immeasurably. I’m at a loss for words to describe the positive and important impact this retreat had on my life and will continue to have. I also want to thank Samantha and Summer for their dutiful tending and compassionate presence throughout the retreat. The love, caring, kindness, and safety net represented was so authentic.” -LR, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“You created a safe pop-up village in which to explore parts of ourselves we may not feel comfortable with. I struggle with not feeling heard and seen. In that environment it almost felt as though that didn’t matter – that being being seen and heard was implicit and I was free to be myself without judgment.” -RBH, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“Thank you for a truly outstanding retreat. The rich variety of ways you engaged us, your willingness to be vulnerable in our midst, and especially the way you trusted us to become a learning community for one another, was a great gift. You offered a very deep dive into a transforming pool and it seemed to me that all fifteen of us plunged right in!”-JB, Sacred Grief, Sacred Rage, Sacred Play

“This was a profound and liberating experience for me. I am so grateful to have this space and these practices. They are really a before and after moment in my journey.” – E., Tending the Harvest

“I am no stranger to the black river of loss that Mary Oliver writes about. Yet rarely have I had an experience that validated and acknowledged so deeply the yearning of the bereaved soul to unburden itself on the shores of that river. I am still processing this powerful weekend, but I feel that it was an honor and a gift to be a participant. As we chanted, I am beloved, beheld and known.”- M. B., Tending the Harvest

“If you have an intuitive sense that you need a little help processing your sorrow and/or your rage, this is a beautiful way to go. The facilitators create so much space in such a short amount of time for participants to soften and go deep in a setting that is safe and deeply informed by a culture of consent. In a short weekend we went from being strangers to being parts of each other’s hearts. A truly magical experience that is a powerful tool for restoring our humanity.” -Basil, Tending the Harvest