Full Circle Retreat Workshops

2008

Every now and then, go away, have a little relaxation. For when you come back to your work

your judgment will be surer, since to remain constantly at work will cause you to lose power of judgment.”

Leonardo da Vinci

 

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Mandalas: The Art Of Sacred Circles

April 11-13 and/or September 12-14

Kathleen Grittner

Everything belongs in the circle where we are all one, all connected. The circle teaches us to see the bigger picture.

It is always moving and evolving.”-Elena Avila

Circles are found in all of life and nature. They symbolize continuation, wholeness,

and the interconnectedness of all things. A mandala is a sacred circle that helps

us access our inner knowing, our deeper wisdom. Carl Jung observed that his

drawings and paintings of mandalas reflected his state of mind. He recognized

mandalas as a symbol of the Self.

By making a mandala we create a sacred space into which we can invite the Self, the fundamental pattern of order

and wholeness, the web of life that supports and sustains us. This workshop offers you an opportunity to deepen

your understanding of the mandala form and yourself. We will create mandalas using a variety of natural and art

materials, from sticks and stones, to watercolor, oil pastels and paint. By creating your own unique and personal

mandalas you will deepen your experience of this centering practice. No prior art experience is required.

Materials provided

Saturday: 9am-4pm  $135

Weekend Retreat: $160

 

Make Your Own Shaman’s Rattle

April 18-20:  Retreat Weekend

April 19:  Saturday Workshop

Jaime Meyer

The rattle is a primary tool for shamans cross culturally. Rattles are used to help shamans enter the

state of consciousness necessary for otherworld journeying, for cleansing a space or a person, for

invoking the directions or spirits and many other ritual acts. A rattle is a deeply personal ceremonial

tool, a religious object that lives in both this world and the spirit world simultaneously. Making your

own rattle helps to create a special bond between you and your rattle, and it offers you the

opportunity to personalize both the outside and the contents inside the rattle.

Saturday you will make and decorate your own deerskin rattle. Art materials and guidance

will be provided. In addition to the Saturday workshop, the weekend retreat will include

drumming by the fire, storytelling and shamanic journeying.

Material Fee $12.

 

Saturday Workshop:  $100  9am-4pm

 

Weekend Retreat:  $150

 

Please register by April 3rd

 

More about Jaime Meyer at: www.drummingthesoulawake.com

 

Musical Soul Journey/ Integrative Breathwork

Deepening Into The Psyche Through Music and Art Making

May 2-4 and/or October 17-19

Audrey Chowdhury

This is an opportunity to experience the power of music and art to unlock your inner wisdom

and activate your heart of compassion. Experience a "musical soul journey” in a fully

supported, sacred space followed by art making that continues, and concretizes the

experience. Art making will include creating mandalas and a SoulCollageÓ card.

Most people find that this retreat experience leaves them feeling more authentic,

connected to themselves, and better able to be effective in the world.

At the surface of our psyche we are individuals with a personal biography. At the depths

of our psyche we discover we are sacred, holistic beings, both human and divine. There are

layers in between that reveal amazing knowledge of who we are in the various dimensions of consciousness. These

dimensions of consciousness can be accessed through the musical journeying process called Integrative Breathwork.

Integrative Breathwork is a powerful healer that opens the psyche using the breath and evocative music. The

experience removes us from our ordinary state of consciousness, where we are anchored by how we see and hear.

By altering these factors, our egos "recede” allowing us to open to healing and often inspirational experiences.

These musical journeys unveil the psyche's treasures that lead us from fragmentation to wholeness. Many who

experience this sacred group work feel they have "come home" to their True Self.

Audrey Chowdhury received her Integrative Breathwork training at the Eupsychia Institute with Jacquelyn Small

and is a certified facilitator.

Limited to 8 participants. 

Weekend Retreat: $175 for registrations postmarked by April 6, $195 thereafter.

 

Spiritual Journaling: Writing Your Way to Freedom

May 6-7-8

Julie Tallard-Johnson

During this three-day retreat, author and transpersonal counselor Julie Tallard Johnson

will guide you through a dynamic journaling process. The exercises will deepen both your

writing and spiritual practices and enhance your self-awareness.

We begin with setting creative and spiritual intentions. Meditation, visualization and

breathing exercises that release blockages and unlock your creativity will be part of the

retreat as well as plenty of time for journal writing, rest and creating a Story Mandala.

All these experiences will give you ways to cultivate freedom in your life ---freedom to create, breath, express and

manifest your dreams and intentions.

Three-day retreat: $275.

Material Fee: $15

More about Julie at: www.julietallardjohnson.com

 

Medicine Dolls: Making Healing Dolls

May 9-11 and/or September 19-21

Barb Kobe

Dolls have been used for the purpose of healing in many cultures. The act of making a doll

can help you to heal at a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level. When you are

physically ill, in pain, dealing with emotional issues, or challenged by a life changing

event, you can start to heal yourself with art by opening up to your inner voices, listening

to them, and allowing their messages to emerge. The essential process of healing your-

self with artmaking is one involving creating change so that you can become more

conscious and restore your connection to your intuition and your soul.

This dollmaking experience will take you through a creative process toward a goal of

healing an aspect of yourself and/or your life. Your intention drives the process and keeps you focused. Your journal

becomes the record keeper and provides a place for you to dialog with your creations. Connect with your inner

wisdom, expand your intuitive, creative self and let yourself be restored at this retreat.

Weekend Retreat: $200 for registrations postmarked by April 6, $230 thereafter.

More about Barb and her work at: www.barbkobe.com 

 

The Artist’s Way

May 30-June 1    Retreat Weekend

August 5-6-7      Mid-week Retreat

October 3-5        Retreat Weekend

Kathleen Grittner

Many of us sense that we are more creative and wish we were more creative, but are

unsure how to tap into that creativity. Many of us long to feel more free. The Artist’s Way

is a specific process designed to free your creativity, described in the book by Julia Cameron,

The Artist’s Way, A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self. Although

you can work through the program alone, doing it with others provides support and

encouragement for this exhilarating, challenging, playful, rewarding work.

At The Artist’s Way retreats here at Full Circle Retreat you will have the opportunity to give focused attention to

your wishes, hopes and dreams. This is how you discover and recover your creative self, your true nature. Through

experiential exercises, we will explore many of the themes in the book, such as resolving fear, removing emotional

blocks, and strengthening your confidence. This retreat is an intensive, guided encounter with your own creativity.

Creativity is something available to everyone, an experience that we can intentionally invite into our lives. So no

matter if you have started The Artist’s Way at some point, or have never heard of it, this is an opportunity to

practice some of the specific tools and methods outlined in this process. You are welcome to attend one or all of the

The Artist’s Way retreats.

“No matter what your age or your life path, whether making art is your career or your hobby or your dream, it is

not too late or too egotistical or too selfish or too silly to work on your creativity.” This is a quote from Cameron’s

inspiring book, The Artist’s Way. Consider joining us in supporting yourself and others in “practicing the art of

creative living”.

Weekend Retreats: $160 / Mid-Week Retreat: $160

*You can extend the May retreat and stay for "Art Materials: An Art Media Discovery Workshop" listed directly below.

 

Art Materials: An Art Media Discovery Workshop

June 2-3

Kathleen Grittner

Remember the fun you had before your where “taught” how to make art?

The pure joy of making marks, doodling and trying new things just to see what

happens? This relaxing workshop is an opportunity to play around with a variety

of art materials. Tecniques will be demonstrated using different kinds of pastels,

chalks, papers and paints. You can then try them out and discover for yourself

how they work and what you can do with them. You will have lots of time to experiment with the ones that most

intrigue, resonate and speak to you. Learn what materials best suit your individual expression.

Materials provided

One-day workshop: $110

Both days: $160

9am-4pm each day 

 

Visual Journaling

June 6-8 and/or August 12-13

Kathleen Grittner

Visual journaling is a way to invite creativity into your everyday life. Visual or personal

art journals are something you do and keep for yourself for the joy of exploration

and expression. During this hands-on workshop you will be guided through a series of

exercises designed to give your thinking mind a rest, and to get your natural creative

juices flowing. Creativity is often blocked by fear of judgment, the pressure to perform or to make something “good”.

A personal art journal is a place to experiment freely, have fun,and relax.

There are many ways to create art journals and purposes for them. Working visually is a way to invite your intuitive

wisdom and to deepen your relationship with your personal imagery. In this workshop we will try out some of the

ways you might express yourself artistically.

No previous art experience required.

Materials provided. 

Saturday: 9am-4pm $135

Weekend Retreat: $160

 

SoulCollage®

June 13-15 and/or September 5-7

Audrey Chowdhury

Explore Your Wide Inner Spaces Through SoulCollage. Let the simple art of collage

transport you to the rich and wonderful world inside of you! Let your creativity emerge

and your soul speak through imagery. No art experience required. Using your

intuition and imagination, you will create 5”X 8” “card” collages, each reflecting one of the

many facets of the gem that is your True Self. The process begins with a guided imagery

to music, and is followed by selecting images and then simply arranging, cutting, and

gluing the images onto a backing. The voice of the images will be your guide.

In this fully supported, sacred space, we will access the wisdom of the SoulCollages®

through a thoughtful, guided group process that we create in community. You will leave

this weekend retreat with a new creative and spiritual practice that you can continue on

your own. Most participants find that they are hooked on the process after making their first card!

All materials supplied. Bring magazines if you wish.

Weekend Retreat $175 for registrations postmarked by May 9, $195 thereafter.

SoulCollage® is a process developed by Seena Frost of Santa Cruz, CA. SoulCollage® is a unique blend of spirituality, psychotherapy, and

creativity. Audrey Chowdhury traineded with and has been certified by Seena Frost to facilitate this process.

 

Writing Retreat: Writing A Way Home

June 17-18

Deb Biechler

Writing is a powerful tool to discover your own wisdom, truth and beauty. When you

give yourself over to the process, your pen becomes a road that connects you to your

deepest self and to others. During this two-day writing retreat, you will create a “seed

journal” of ideas to “grow” into writing. These seeds will come from your everyday

experiences and can be developed into one of the many genres or styles we will explore during our time together.

The retreat will include instruction, time to write, time to dream, time to relax and share. This empowering

workshop will nurture and reassure beginning writers as well as refresh and inspire writers who are experienced.

Individual consultations with the instructor will be available.

A one-credit course option is being developed through Viterbo University.

Please contact us if you are interested in this option.

One-day Workshop: $110

Two-day Workshop: $160

9am-4pm each day.

 

Summer Solstice Shamanic Ceremony

June 20-22

Jaime Meyer

Join us for an exuberant summer solstice celebration with Jaime Meyer.

A retreat weekend of storytelling, community ceremony, drumming and basic

shamanic journeying drawn primarily from the Celtic tradition.

The core of the weekend is to honor the blessings from the spirit world and ask for

guidance. Part of the weekend will be deeply meditative and involve basic training

in shamanic journeying for those new to this practice. People with more journeying

experience are also welcomed. Bring your drums, rattles and other ceremonial tools if have them.

Weekend Retreat: $160 for registrations postmarked by May 19, $190 thereafter.

More about Jaime Meyer at: www.drummingthesoulawake.com

 

Plein Air Oil Painting

June 24-26

Ken DeWaard

During this three-day workshop, you will be painting out of doors, on

location. The workshop will begin with a demonstration by Ken of his

technique. Strongly inspired by Impressionist painters, Ken’s teaching

approach will focus on understanding and simplifying shapes, balancing warm

and cool colors, judging values, as well as over all composition and design.

His method is “ alla prima” meaning painting from life, usually in one

session. You will have the opportunity to complete several small canvases

during this three-day workshop with Ken as your guide. The day will begin by setting up your easel outdoors in the

beautiful driftless area of southwestern Wisconsin and choosing one of the many vistas around you to paint.

For Ken, there is nothing more rewarding than painting under an open sky, surrounded by the sounds, scents, and and

colors of nature to excite one’s creativity. Ken’s enthusiasm and excitement for painting will surely put you at ease

motivate you to paint what you see. All levels welcome.

Three-day Workshop: $275

Two-day Workshop: $200

One-day Workshop: $100

9am-4pm each day

For a complete biography and to see Ken’s work please visit: www.kendewaard.com

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Art As Spiritual Practice 

June 27-29

Kathleen Grittner

Art making is a way to invite intuition, your personal spiritual guidance and the

creative energy available to all of us. For each person the creative process is a

unique exploration. Image making is a way to make sacred life’s experiences, to

engage with your innate source of creativity, and to discover new insights.

You will be guided through a series of spontaneous painting and mixed media

exercises that facilitate the playful, yet powerful experience of creating art. You will

discover for yourself the potential this practice has to expand knowledge and

perception and how the images you create relate to your experience of being human. Creativity is an inborn, natural

ability available to all of us.

No previous art experience required.

Materials provided. 

Weekend Retreat: $160.

 

o Soft Pastels: Individual Workshops or Four-day Retreat

  FCR

Soft Pastels: An Introduction

July 10