Heart of the West
A Creative Retreat for Women
July 17th - July 20th
"You quiet yourself not so much through effort, but through something much more tender and deep. That is a willingness to step outside of our identity to walk in the mountains or to sit quietly; mostly just to stop and have a conversation with your heart in some way."
-Jack Kornfield
Heart of the West will invite participants to gather together in community and creative practice, to focus our hearts and bodies on slowing down and listening. As summer flows through the Centennial Valley, we will pay deep attention to our most profound longings for connection, storytelling, and artistic expression. As we invite our souls into this time and place, we'll create a container for our relationships to the landscape and our capacities for witnessing ourselves as artists, storytellers, and humans in all of our dimensions. There will be plenty of opportunities to adventure on the land. Together we will play, write, move, and hold sacred space for gently exploring our passions, griefs, and connections to one another and the earth.
*Anyone who identifies as a woman is welcome!
Itinerary
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2-4 pm: Arrival/Exploration
4 pm: Welcome/Introduction
5-6 pm: Yoga and grounding practice
*All levels welcome throughout retreat, no previous experience necessary
6:30 pm: Dinner
7:30 pm: Evening gathering and meditation
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7:00-8:00 am: Yoga and grounding practice
8:15-9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00-11:30 am: Plein Air Drawing Workshop
Noon: Lunch
1:30-4:00 pm Writing the Landscape I Workshop
4:00-6:00 pm: Free time/Work time
6:00 pm: Dinner
7:00 pm: Evening gathering/mindfulness walk, possible campfire
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7:30-9:00 am: Breakfast (timing depending on your morning activities)
8:15-11:00 am: Potential horseback ride, hike/exploration
11:30 am: Lunch
12:30-2:30 pm : Writing the Landscape II Workshop
4:00-5:00 pm Optional Yoga
5:30 pm: Dinner
6:30- 8:00 pm: Evening drawing workshop
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7:00-8:00 am: Optional yoga and grounding practice
8:15-9:00 am: Breakfast
9:00-10:30 am: Weaving together our creative practices and Reflections
10:30-11:30 Free time/Work time/Pack Up
11:30 Closing Circle
Noon: Departure w/ packed lunch available
Itinerary is subject to change.
Meet Your Artist Facilitators
Molly Damm
Molly Damm is a writer, therapist, yoga teacher, and lecturer at Montana State University in Bozeman. She is the author of the poetry collection Ground-truth (Finishing Line Press, 2018), and her poems have appeared in the Colorado Review, Western Humanities Review, Thayer, and elsewhere. She received her Masters in Counseling from Montana State University. She holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Virginia, where she was a Henry Hoyns fellow in poetry.
Molly is passionate about creating opportunities for individuals and groups to reconnect to themselves and landscapes. She believes in the healing potential of creativity, movement, and relationships, and facilitates yoga and writing practice in this spirit. Molly endeavors to create safe, accessible spaces in which to feel seen and inspired are the primary goals. She cares about the slow, intentional melding of breath to movement, and re-integrating joy and deep connection into our everyday lives.
Cassie Loretta
Cassie Loretta is an artist, yoga instructor, dog walker, and running enthusiast living and working in Butte, MT. Her artwork has been displayed throughout Montana, and can currently be found in shops and galleries in Missoula, Bozeman, Butte, Helena, and Polson. Cassie has been featured in articles by Big Sky Chat House and Montana Woman Magazine. Her clients include: The Wren Hotel, Showdown Ski Resort, Missoula Avalanche, Odd Pitch Brewery, and Drum Coffee. She received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Montana in 2017. After graduating, Cassie worked as a Psych Tech and bartender, doing art as a side hustle. When covid hit, she had a successful art show that pushed her to pursue her passion full-time.
Cassie’s work is largely inspired by textile and interior design as well as nature. She creates landscapes using patterns as a form of movement and direction in each piece. She hopes to connect her audience to the present moment by noticing the small intricate details in each piece and therefore noticing the small things in everyday life.
Retreat Price: $1,495
Reserve your spot via the button below.
*Shared room lodging and meals included. Airfare/transportation NOT included.