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FULL Waiting List – Wild Earth Solo – 28 June to 2th July 2023
22 August @ 15:00 - 25 August @ 15:00
A Solo in Nature
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples around the world have provided meaningful ways to mark important transitions in human life. At a time when our contemporary culture lacks meaning, remembering these rituals and ceremonies can provide great opportunities to mark the most profound transitions in our own lives.
The Wild Earth Solo is a contemporary version of such a rite of passage or Vision Quest. Spending time in Solo in nature brings us back to the essence about where we are in our lives, who we are, who we want to become.
A Solo can be done at any time in your life. It is ideal if you want to mark a transition in your life (within your family, relationship or work), take on a new role, face a challenge or get clarity on an issue that is on your mind. A Solo aims to promote personal growth and transformation. During the journey, Nature’s Mirror will be your guide to greater self-insight and clarity.
What to expect during the Solo
During the Solo, you will spend 24 hours alone in a remote valley with forests of Chamai in the Ardennes, with no distractions and no contact with the human world.
On the first day, we gather at the Chamai retreat centre, get to know each other and begin an extended sharing circle.
On the second day, we take the time to share our intentions for the Solo with each other and possibly clarify them further and an introduction to the Four Directions model.
On the third day, you will be prepared for your Solo time in basecamp. You step over the threshold, into the ceremony. You spend an afternoon, a night and a morning alone in the forest, without food and with only the essentials. This is a time to become intimately receptive to life and take your place among the other living things in the forest. You will be supported during the ceremony by the guides waiting for your return to basecamp.
On the fourth day, we welcome you back to the community of humans with a delicious breakfast. You get time to rest, after which we start sharing stories of our Solo time in the circle. This is one of the most moving and heartwarming aspects of our time together: witnessing and being affirmed by those around us.
Our last morning we spend integrating the experience into our daily lives and the Solo follow-up process.
Accommodation during your stay
During the preparation and integration of your Solo, you will stay overnight with Chamai, in the Old Parsonage of the small village of Hodister, in the Ardennes. You will stay in a spacious room with 2 or 3 people. Private rooms are only possible with a limited number of registrations and on payment of an extra allowance. Staying in the tent in the beautiful garden is also possible. During the day, we hike to special nature spots nearby. We also prepare delicious vegetarian meals every day with herbs and greens from our own garden.
All meals are provided during the days. If you like regular snacks in between meals, be sure to bring what you need for yourself, or possibly to share with the group. Tea, coffee and water are provided at all times.
Registration and prices
Social price: on demand via email, 490 euro (max. 2 persons)
Standard price: 550 euro
Supporter & business price (if you would like an invoice or would like to support someone’s participation who is struggling financially): 650 euros
Deadline to register is at the latest 10 days before the start of the retreat and subject to payment of registration. Later is not possible due to organisational reasons.
Are you registering at least 2 months before the retreat? Then you will get an early booking discount of 70 euro, if you transfer the full participation fee in one go (not valid for social prices). Your registration is complete as soon as you have sent an email to chamaicentre@gmail.com and transferred the full registration fee to the following account: BE12 7340 4886 7292 – Sophie Vandenkerchove, mentioning your name + Wild Earth Solo and date.
If you cancel your participation, a part of your enrollment fee will be withheld to cover the administrative costs of your cancellation. Two months in advance 25% of your contribution will be retained, one month in advance 50% and 2 weeks in advance: 75% of your contribution. If the retreat has to be cancelled due to external organisational reasons, your registration will be fully refunded.
The Earth Solo is a retreat we organise regularly: send us an email if you would like to be informed when we are organizing this retreat again, in 2024. We will keep you posted so that you can enroll as one of the firsts!
Facilitation team
Sophie Vandenkerchove
Sophie is a lover of the Wild – within and without. Sophie grew up in the forests of the Belgian Ardennes, where she nurtured a strong connection to the land of her ancestors as a child. After roaming wild places in the cities, she moved back to her village with a dedication to offer her life to the well-being and healing of her ancestral land. Out of this, Chamai came into existence: a nature-based learning centre, where she offers residential workshops and experiential journeys in and with Nature and collaborates with others. In her own work, she interweaves the power of ceremony and presenceness with her soulful love for her place, nature and people. She is passionate about pilgrimages, solo time in nature, silent retreats and all those experiences that bring together a good balance of adventure, presence and gentleness. Feeling and bringing each other home, is her life’s longing and service.
Gert Daniels
Gert is a gentle man, as a dance & yoga teacher he enjoys life. And invites everyone to live from heart and feeling. He is director and jack-of-all-trades of the non-profit organisation We See You (bringing dance, singing, martial-arts to vulnerable children, young people and schools). Thanks to many teachers worldwide, he brings countless inner treasures to those who can use them by being softly and listeningly present with what is. His specialities are the Sacred Sufi Dervish Dance and the Sword Dance (Tog Chöd Wisdom Sword). For years, he is co-organiser of men’s gatherings to guide men more in heart and feeling and inspire young and not so young men. Co-creator of the Tribe of the Heart, where every heart is desperately needed in this time of great change.