Join us for Wonder & Wander Retreat at Wells Reserve!

JOIN US FOR

Wonder & Wander

A day-long nature retreat at Wells Reserve in Maine with Linda Littlefield Grenfell

When: Friday, October 15, 2021 • 10:00 am - 3:00 pm (ET)

Where: Wells Reserve at Laudholm (342 Laudholm Farm Rd, Wells, ME 04090)

Who: Spiritual Leaders* (max. 20 people)

Cost: $35/person (unlimited scholarships available)

Learn more

In her book, Wild: An Elemental Journey, Jay Griffiths writes: “We are animal in our blood and in our skin. We were not born for pavements and escalators but for thunder and mud.”

It’s true, among other things, that humans are animals. We are mammals with imagination. But a lot of us have forgotten our intimate bodily connection with earth. In a world wired to distract us from our own integral earthiness, it takes practice to remember that connection.

We are partnering with Maine Master Naturalist and Registered Maine Guide, Linda Littlefield Grenfell, to guide a group of spiritual leaders* on a day of practice and play that will help us to connect with our more-than-human kin. We will gather at Wells Reserve at Laudholm in Wells, Maine for a day of imaginative encounters with what Linda calls “the real world.” We will explore our environment, engage with each other, and recall our own deeply animal nature.

If you are nearby, in Southern Maine, come and join us for the day!

If you are not near enough to join us for this retreat, but you are interested in earthy connection as a spiritual practice, check out our Earthbound Practices and stay tuned for future offerings of wild spirituality from The BTS Center.

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* We define “spiritual leaders” broadly to include not only clergy and other faith leaders, but also dedicated laypersons, nonprofit leaders, chaplains, spiritual directors, students, university and seminary faculty, denominational executives, and others with a committed and world-engaging spiritual practice.

Itinerary for the day:

10:00 am - 12:00 pm (ET)

Mindful morning in the forest

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (ET)

Catered picnic lunch

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm (ET)

Playful afternoon on the coast

Accessibility:

This in-person retreat is designed to be a fun, playful, educational, and relaxed day of connection with what Linda Littlefield Grenfell calls “the real world.”

We will spend the day outdoors among the elements.

We will spend time walking at a gentle pace on well-maintained paths that may, nonetheless, be mildly rugged with roots, mud, and slight inclines.

We will spend time sitting on the ground (or a camp chair, if needed).

If you would like to participate, but are concerned about accessibility, we would like to find a creative solution to make that possible! Contact Aram Mitchell (aram@thebtscenter.org) to discuss.

Contingencies:

We will meet in light precipitation, but will cancel or try to reschedule in the case of more severe inclement weather.

We consider it vital to take the ongoing risks of COVID-19 seriously. We will continue to monitor the risks of gathering in person due to the variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, and we will follow CDC recommended protocols. If our leadership deems it necessary, we will cancel this retreat and plan to reschedule at a safer time.

About Linda Littlefield Grenfell:

Linda (she/her) has spent her whole life fascinated by ancient ways of living with the land. She had a long career as a minister in the United Methodist Church, a grief counselor, and a college Ethics professor. After retiring she promptly began working at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, where she leads nature walks and sea kayaking tours. Linda has her Maine Guide License in Sea Kayaking and is a Maine Master Naturalist. She loves to read, write, walk in the woods (with and without dogs), bake bread, and have exciting new experiences like sleeping outside in sub-zero temperatures in natural shelters!

About Wells Reserve at Laudholm:

The Wells Reserve exists to understand, protect, and restore coastal ecosystems of the Gulf of Maine through integrated research, stewardship, environmental learning, and community partnerships. Learn more about the Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust partnership here.