Pathways to Inner Awareness

~COSMOGENESIS~

PATHWAYS TO INNER AWARENESS

Viroqua, Wisconsin — November 27 – December 8, 2023 (10 days)

Pathways to Inner Awareness is a concentrated two-week program balancing intensive experiences, periods of restful integration, creativity, and community engagement, including shared meals.  

We will explore various modalities for accessing the internal landscape using creativity (clay, felting, doodling), movement (qi gong, butoh body awareness, ecstatic dance), sound journey, silence and stillness, and community singing.  

We will also use circle-based check-ins and discussions of texts related to inner development, including Shaman: The Wounded Healer by Joan Halifax and Centering: In Pottery, Poetry, and Person by M.C. Richards.  Discussions will cover topics such as nutrition, self-care, and creativity.

Program Fees, Instructors, & Schedule

Dates: Monday, November 27 – Friday, December 8

Course Fees:    Sliding Scale – $550 ~ $750 ~ $950 (Includes art supplies, readings, breakfasts, and lunches)

Lodging: $250 for a private room in a shared house

Instructors:

Program Coordinator:

Frank Wildingway

Contributing Instructors:

• • • Chris Larson (clay)
    • Julie Tomaro (felting)
    • Jennifer Morrison (butoh body awareness)
    • Uplift (sound journey)
    • Arwyn Wildingway (ecstatic dance)
    • Jacob Hundt (singing)
    • Wild Peace Sangha

Course Schedule:

Course will meet each weekday, Monday-Friday, according to 

the following daily schedule:

8:00-8:45 ~ Breakfast

9:00-9:45 ~ Stretching & Qi Gong

10:00-12:00 ~ Creative Activity (Week 1: Clay, Week 2: Felting)

12:15 -1:00 ~ Lunch

1:00 – 4:00 ~ Free Time & Solo Projects

4:00-5:00 ~ Check-in circle and discussion of readings

5:00-7:00 ~ Break for Dinner (independent)

7:00-9:00 ~ Journeys of Sound, Silence, Movement, & Word

• • • Mondays – Butoh Body Movement
    • Tuesdays – Sound Journey
    • Wednesdays – Wild Peace Sangha
    • Thursdays – Singing
    • Fridays – Ecstatic Dance

Program Fees

In order to make our programs as financially accessible to as many qualified participants as possiblem Thoreau College has created a three-tiered slide scale system for our shorter programs and community education offerings.   Please note that for the Pathways to Inner Awareness course, financial pledge will cover program fees, art supplies, books, and breakfasts and lunches for the 10 weekdays of the program.  Lodging in Thoreau College facilities is available for an additional $250.

As a guide to what the right contribution level might be for you, please carefully consider the desciptions for the three sliding scale tiers:

Supporter Tier:  $950
If you move through the world with financial ease and the means to fulfill many of your wants as well as your needs – you are able to eat out when you want, abundantly meet your needs through employment or can comfortably not work, have access to family wealth, own property, etc. – consider paying at this level, which will help us ensure the long term sustainability of our programs while keeping our offerings accessible to those with access to fewer resources.

Sustainer Tier: $750
If you are able to meet your needs with relative ease while budgeting your educational and entertainment spending – for instance, you are able to take classes and eat out occasionally as long as you are mindful – consider paying at this level, which will help sustain the work of the college at a modest level.

Supported Tier: $550
If you struggle to fund your basic needs and have limited access to resources in your family and community, or if you would not be able to access this program without a discounted payment option, consider paying at this level. We value your presence and contributions to our community and do not want any economic circumstances to be a barrier to attendance!