Bear Necessities
preparing for winter
an online retreat with The Way of The Buzzard
Bear Necessities
preparing for winter
an online retreat with The Way of The Buzzard
Saturday 18th November 2023
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everthing better.” Albert Einstein
There are often mixed emotions when it comes to the transition into winter.
Some people love the winter months, whereas others aren’t so enamoured and at this time of year find themselves mourning the loss of the warmth and the light.
There can also be an energetic conflict within us. In nature, we see a stripping back to the bare necessities as nature slows down and rests for the dark time of the year. In our culture, the opposite happens, as we are expected to ramp up and prepare for the festive season. Winter is seen as a busy time, which is at odds with what is happening outside.
There are many benefits to taking the opportunity to rest along with nature. The dark gives us time to take ideas and allow them to gestate, catch up on personal projects during the long evenings, and follow areas of study exploration that interest us. The shorter days enable us to rest more and slow down along with the natural world: the trees, plants and animals. And, as always, our spirit guides are here to help us along the way and support us as we walk our path. So now is a good time to tune in with them and seek their advice on this transition.
With all this in mind, how might we drop into winter with grace? What might happen if we follow what our bodies naturally want to do this time of year and slow down along with the rest of nature? How might the coming months look like? What might our focus be?
Our day-long online retreat
Held at the time as the last leaves are falling from the trees, this day online retreat will be an opportunity to help you gently transition into the winter.
Through the day, there will be immersive, meditative videos of moorland landscapes, underground caves, mountains, rivers, waterfalls and coastline around the north of England and up into Scotland. There will be guided activities to help you reflect on the year that has passed and decide what you will take into the winter months to incubate, ready for the return of the light and springtime on the other side.
You will tune into Bear energy, as the animal with the message of security and who drops into cave time to rest during the dark months. And you will work with Yew, the tree of endings and resilience.
There will be shamanic journeying, creativity time, reflective time and nature time, as well as a ceremony at the end of the day to set your intentions going forward.
We will run this event through Zoom, and it will be recorded, so if you aren’t able to make it on the day, you will have the replay by 10am the next day. The replay will be in three 1.5-hour videos, so you can easily work your way through them, fitting around your evenings and weekends. You will also have ongoing access to the recording and all the resources that go alongside this event, including the nature connection videos and the printable workbook, so you can revisit the content whenever you like.
Many of you might have attended our shorter evening events. When we gather for just a few hours, remarkable things can happen. Coming together for more extended periods means more space for the messages to come through and a greater opportunity to draw on the range of spiritual tools available through the shamanic and nature connection toolkit.
This daylong experience will allow you to deepen into exploring the shamanic and nature connection toolkit. During the day, we will work with all four of the foundation topics that we teach in our Mystery School: shamanic journeying, animal spirit medicine, tree spirit medicine and aligning with the natural cycles, and some of the mini-course topics: ceremony and deep nature connection.
come and join us to:
Why learn from us?
Between us, Jason and Nicola, we have trodden this path for many decades, finding our way forward to a new way of being in the world.
We have learned how to hear the quiet voices within us and from the Otherworlds, guiding us along the way, and from this we have moved from being in stagnant and unfulfilling work to fully embracing our creativity and discovering the true depths of ourselves and the joy that this can bring us.
Because of this we are excited and passionate about working with others who desire to come back to the earth and carve a new path for both themselves and the wider community.
We are delighted to be able to bring you this special experience as we drop into winter together, drawing on the age-old practices of Shamanism and nature connection to seek our spiritual guidance.
What others say
Here is what some participants shared about their experience at previous Bear Necessities retreats
I am now able to be more present in my life
"Finding the right space for self-care and reflection is not always easy. Before the retreat, I was feeling scattered and unable to focus, tired and disconnected.
After attending Bear Necessities, I felt so calm and grounded. I noticed that I was less bothered by time and more able to just be present in my life. I felt very contented.
I am already making more time for nature. When I am out and about, I really notice trees and animals and then feel I want to look up their meaning. I am more in tune with my inner world and look more for the messages that are there for me through the things I encounter."
Gill
After the retreat, I felt inspired and re-energised
"I came along to Bear Necessities to feel a part of a bigger community of like-minded folk for the day. I found the sense of connection really helpful as I advance my spiritual journey.
I am feeling so disconnected from the "modern world" of late, so the timing of this retreat was great.
After the retreat, I felt inspired, re-energised, connected to fellow "travellers", and positive and motivated."
Steve
I felt held and supported and part of a tribe
"At first, I wasn’t sure about coming along to Bear Necessities. It seemed a long day, and I thought I might get restless and tire from looking at a computer screen all day.
But I felt the retreat was something I needed as part of preparing for winter. I also wanted a collective experience, to be with others. It didn’t disappoint on either count.
I felt very cosy and calm. I lay on the settee for a while afterwards, with candles lit in my lounge, feeling peaceful and rewarded. There'd had been such a sense of connection - I felt held and supported and part of a tribe.
I appreciated the time to do the timeline and go for a walk. I've also enjoyed the Facebook group and seeing people's photographs and reading their words."
Ali
What will the day involve?
This day-long event is rich with content from the shamanic and nature connection toolkit, and it is an opportunity to work with the transition of dropping into winter.
Activities will include shamanic journeying, nature connection time, ceremony, animal spirit medicine, and tree spirit medicine.
This isn’t a workshop tied to the screen. There will be guided activities to carry out throughout the day, including an extended time out in nature, even if that is your balcony or back yard or garden. And there will be two nature connection videos to transport you into a very different space, bringing the wild into your home.
Here's an outline of our day together
We will start at 9.30am and finish by 5.30pm (UK time).
To settle into the day, we will begin with a grounding meditation and create sacred space by welcoming in the elements
Then, we will flex our creativity through a simple morning practice of reading poetry and allowing our collective words to flow through some creative writing and sharing.
During the morning part of our gathering, we will focus on reflecting on the past year. There will be a nature connection video created especially for this workshop and an activity to take part in. We will then move our focus on the season ahead and consider what we are going to take into winter to incubate as we go to ground. To round off the morning there will be a Yew meditative film.
After a break for lunch, there will be a nature-based activity for the first part of the afternoon. Then we will work with tree spirit medicine to seek guidance to help us prepare for the winter ahead. There will be a guided shamanic journey seeking guidance from Holly, the tree of resilience and sanctuary, and a second nature connection video.
To round off the day, we will hold an intention setting ceremony, drawing on energy of Bear.
Throughout the day, you will have the opportunity to interact with the other participants through our private Facebook group and the chat facility in Zoom.
What will the day involve?
This daylong event is rich with content from the shamanic and nature connection toolkit, and it is an opportunity to work with the transition of dropping into winter.
Activities will include shamanic journeying, nature connection time, ceremony, animal spirit medicine, and tree spirit medicine.
This isn’t a workshop tied to the screen. There will be guided activities to carry out throughout the day, including an extended time out in nature, even if that is your balcony or back yard or garden. And there will be two nature connection videos to transport you into a very different space, bringing the wild into your home.
Here's an outline of our day together
We will start at 9.30am and finish around 5pm (UK time).
To settle into the day, we will begin with a grounding meditation and create sacred space by welcoming in the elements
Then, we will flex our creativity through a simple morning practice of reading poetry and allowing our collective words to flow through some creative writing and sharing.
During the morning part of our gathering, we will focus on reflecting on the past year. There will be a nature connection video created especially for this workshop and an activity to take part in. We will then move our focus on the season ahead and consider what we are going to take into winter to incubate as we go to ground.
After a break for lunch, there will be a nature-based activity for the first part of the afternoon. Then we will work with animal spirit medicine to seek guidance to help us prepare for the winter ahead. There will be a guided shamanic journey shapeshifting into Bear during this session and a second nature connection video on the theme of ‘going to ground’.
To round off the day, we will hold an intention setting ceremony, drawing on tree spirit medicine, specifically the energy of the Yew.
Throughout the day, you will have the opportunity to interact with the other participants through our private Facebook group and the chat facility in Zoom.
Join us to help with the transition of dropping into winter, drawing on the shamanic and nature connection toolkit.
Spend time with like-minded people in community, getting that retreat experience away but without needing to leave home
Yes, it will mean investing a little of your time and money and take yourself away from your everyday responsibilities. It may even feel overindulgent and raise a conflict inside you about whether you can justify giving yourself this space and investment.
If you find yourself debating in your mind whether it is right, then try dropping into your body and seeing how it feels. If the idea of coming along feels good, follow that impulse. Our gut feeling rarely lets us down.
Here are some of the words people shared about how they were affected by our previous online retreat:
Lighter, joyful, blown away, happy, uplifted, positive, energised, thankful, blessed, fulfilled, enlightened, elated, creative, relaxed, inspired, revitalised, hopeful, rejuvenated, connected, relaxed, confident, reconnected, focused, whole, balanced, compassionate, peaceful, restored, stronger, grateful, nurtured, belonging, amazing, exhilarated
There are so many benefits to joining us.
Here are our top 5.
A Homecoming
Something happens deep within us when we are in nature. When we still ourselves amongst beauty we can hear ourselves more clearly. We come home. During this day we will drop into nature time together and demonstrate that it is possible to do this without even leaving home.
Seeking answers from the Otherworlds
The ancient techniques of shamanic journeying and deep nature connection have been used by humanity for tens of thousands of years. They are incredible, easy ways to access deep universal wisdom. Why leave it to your limited conscious mind to come up with all the answers!
Embracing Shamanic Tools
Working with shamanic journeying and deep nature connection we will access life-changing tools that our ancestors used for guidance and healing.
Being in Community
Share soulful time with like-minded travellers who, like you, are seeking ways to become more expansive in a different world.
Setting Intentions
Without a clear intention we don’t know where we will be heading, so by deciding this and putting it out there in ceremony, we give ourselves the best chance of realising our dreams.
Now you might be asking 'is this Bear Necessities retreat right for me?'
If any of these intentions fit with you we believe you are ready for this experience:
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the question to see our answer
Do I need any shamanic experience?
What if I can't make all the sessions?
What are the timings for the day?
Will the retreat be recorded?
What if I can't get outdoors?
Is it even possible to have an online retreat at home?
If you would like any point clarifying, or have any questions you'd like answered please don't hesitate to get in touch. Email us at tina@thewayofthebuzzard.co.uk
© 2023, The Way of The Buzzard