The Roots of Wisdom

Over dit evenement

Roots of Wisdom takes place Saturday 1 November, during the celebration of Samhain. The perfect seasonal threshold to honor our ancestors and tend the grief that lives in our bodies and the land. We root into remembrance, release, and renewal, guided by the turning of the year. Hosted at Little Dutch Farm in Wijdenes, just 30 minutes north of Amsterdam.

Roots of Wisdom is a one-day retreat open for 20 women seeking to return to what is essential, our connection to the earth, to each other, and to the ancestral wisdom pulsing in our bodies, bones and breath.

We will begin with a group ancestral ritual, a journey into our grandmotherline, connecting with the wise and supportive women who came before us; those who carried us in their dreams, their bodies, and their survival. This ritual is not about reliving ancestral wounds, but about receiving nourishment from the strong, healthy women who carry the wisdom we most need now. We will listen, receive, and root ourselves in their strength. In a time of cultural amnesia, this is an act of radical remembering.

From that rooted place, we will move into a Grief & Empowerment Ritual (often called a Truth Mandala), where we offer back to the land what no longer serves us, what we no longer wish to carry. This is based off of the Work that Reconnects by Joanna Macy. A circle with 4 quadrants will be laid out for you with each quadrant representing an element and core emotion. The idea is to give space to the full range of feelings that arise when we face personal loss, ancestral grief, and planetary crisis. Participants are invited to honor and express their feelings within a safe, communal container. To give their emotions form, voice, and gesture. By ritualizing these emotions, they are transformed from isolating pain into collective wisdom and energy for life. The earth knows how to hold it all. We are not meant to carry it alone.

This where our plant and tree allies come in to support us. Hawthorne, Elecampagne and Violet will join us in our circle. We will make tea infusions from these 3 herbal ancestors who specifically help in opening the heart, lungs, and sensing body. These herbal allies hold us in times of grief, change, turmoil, and remembrance.

There will also be time for song, a grounding farm-to-table lunch, and a bonfire. Around the fire we will speak honestly of this moment in the world; its beauty, its heartbreak, its uncertainty and lean into the strength of being together.

This gathering grows from the same soil as the Wild Roots Herbal Gathering, valuing sisterhood and connection as the compost for healing.

At Roots of Wisdom we encourage you to slow down, embrace the present moment, one breath at a time.

Let this be a day to root.
To remember.
To release.
To reconnect with the wild wisdom that lives inside you.

PRACTICALS:
**This retreat will be held fully outdoors, inviting us to deepen our connection with nature and attune to the elements. We’ll gather beside a warm fire, so please come prepared with layers, wool clothing, insulated rain boots, and a hat. If the weather turns windy or rainy, a cozy bell tent will be ready to shelter us.

**Vegetarian/vegan lunch is provided with seasonal vegetables coming direct from Little Dutch Farm. Please let us know ahead of time of allergies and/or a vegan preference.

**Little Dutch Farm is located 30 minutes north of Amsterdam. The nearest train station is Hoorn. We will arrange a shuttle service for train pickups/dropoffs to get to the farm.

**Space is limited to 20 women for this special deep dive Samhain retreat. First come first serve.


We close with a quote from Joanna Macy:
"We are capable of suffering with our world, and that is the true meaning of compassion. It enables us to recognize our profound interconnectedness with all beings. Don't apologize for the sorrow, grief, and rage you feel. It is a measure of your humanity and your maturity. It is a measure of your open heart, and as your heart breaks open there will be room for the world to heal. That is what is happening as we see people honestly confronting the sorrows of our time. Until you access your grief, your ability to act is likely to be blocked. The fear of grief, really of the pain and sadness and powerlessness that fuel it, makes it almost impossible to harness the energy necessary to resist the power structures that rationalize and enforce violence."

Roots of Wisdom is not for the faint of heart. It’s for women ready to remember, to feel deeply, and to stand rooted in both ancestral truth and present-day tenderness. It’s for those willing to grieve, to listen, and to reclaim the wisdom that lives beneath the surface of our busy lives.

We are available for any questions or concerns you may have before committing to our one-day journey.

ROOTS of WISDOM
A Wild Roots & Our Wild Wisdom One-day Retreat
Hosted by Nutmeg Baker and Ivy Van den Berge

with love and compassion,
Nutmeg and Ivy

Nutmeg:
www.instagram.com/yourwildroots
https://yourwildroots.com

Ivy:
www.instagram.com/ourwildwisdom
https://ourwildwisdom.com