About Us and Our Work
OUR WORK
All of our programs build
on and utilize the dynamic relationship between the
individual and the natural world for inspiration and
healing. Whatever the particular experience (a women’s
kayaking adventure, professional team building outing,
individual or couples therapy, adults in recovery
backpacking trip), the core elements of our practice are
found in the vision quest.
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 The
vision quest is a form of solo retreat with ancient
roots in many cultures. It can serve as a rite of
passage to mark important life changes as well as a
profound healing experience. The heart of the vision
quest is a solo encounter with wild nature. Core
elements include an intentional period of solitary
fasting in nature. Duration of the solo could be several
hours to several days and requires the quester to dwell
in the wilderness with a minimum of equipment and
distraction. The solitude is uninterrupted by contact
with other people so that the participant can look
clearly into the soul of nature for wisdom and
understanding. Guides occupy a nearby base camp and are
available if needed throughout the solo. Fasting is
recommended unless the individual’s medical condition
won’t allow it, in which case alternate options are
possible. Water is consumed to promote health and
physical cleansing. During the solo, the quester will
have a tarp, sleeping bag, and enough clothes to sustain
a basic level of comfort. Distracting media are
discouraged. As a result of this simplification process,
the participant experiences a retreat of exceptional
depth. In virtually every case the vision
quest is a profoundly life changing experience. The
vision gained in the solo time motivates and empowers
the individual to take on a whole new definition of
one’s self and purpose.
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Though all life experience
carries with it some element of risk, we do our best to
minimize the risks inherent in wilderness travel. As a
rule, our trips are not high risk backcountry adventures
but are slow-paced, using the landscape as a mirror for
reflection and inspiration. Participation does require a
willingness to forego civilized comforts for a time and
live on the earth in a self-reliant and simple fashion.
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We frame our work in non-dogmatic and non-denominational
formats so that it can be useful to a wide range of
people. We do not offer religious practices tied to any
specific organization or system. We honor the many
indigenous traditions that also work with the spirit of
the land. We have no intention to mimic these
traditions. Our methods seek to respect the authentic
knowing of any person or group who is seeking a genuine
engagement with the spirit of the world. |
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Our guidance is supportive
rather than authoritarian. For us, this keeps the work
grounded in the earth, the elements, and the soul of the
participant. Nature’s myriad forms are powerful teachers
in themselves. We lead people to the threshold of
mystery and let the experience speak for itself. Our
role is to establish a safe and empowering container for
this encounter. Within such a haven, the participant can
unfold her/his heart and senses to receive nature’s
profound offerings. |
STAFF
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Hannah
Maris, MS, Environmental Studies, Registered
Maine Guide:
My work
centers on the nature-person relationship
and the amazing dialogue and collaborative
healing that can be found there. I studied
wilderness rites of passage at The School of
Lost Borders in California and received
further training in wilderness first aid and
various creative and spiritual disciplines.
From earliest
memory, I have experienced nature as a safe
haven and source of companionship and
inspiration. The practice of enjoying
solitude in nature and learning from the
wild ones is at the very core of who I am.
The joy and wonder of engaging with the
spirit in nature has been my lifelong guide
and guardian, sustaining me through times
bleak and confusing.
I am a
singer/songwriter with a recently released
CD, an activist, and mom. My long term
sobriety and personal recovery brings depth
and compassion to my work as a vision quest
guide. Avid loves include swimming, hiking,
kayaking, and biking. I am happiest living
outdoors and am partial to Maine’s lakes and
beaches and the canyon country of the
Colorado plateau. |
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James
Wright, MA, LCPC:
I am a
licensed family therapist with 20 years of
experience. My therapy work has covered a
lot of ground but my primary focus has been
on the challenges of adolescence and growing
up. An interest in rites of passage led me
to study extensively with Steven Foster and
Meredith Little at the The School of Lost
Borders. After graduating from their
training program, I went on to collaborate
with them in producing their seminal book
THE FOUR SHIELDS: THE INITIATORY SEASONS OF
HUMAN NATURE. I also worked closely with
Johan Morgen in Seattle providing vision
quests and other spiritual work for men. In
recent years, I have been building and
paddling traditional Greenland style kayaks.
We often bring some of these boats with us
on our outings.
Of all the
work I’ve done, I have derived the most
satisfaction and personal inspiration from
guiding people on vision quests. I have
always found the wilderness to be a place of
solace and power – a true haven for my soul.
As a family, Hannah and I take our two
children on all our wilderness adventures,
including the vision quests, because it is
the place we truly call home.
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