The threshold symbolizes the liminal space of stepping toward the deepest and wisest part of our being that intuits our gifts and our belonging; however, sometimes we find ourselves moving through life in autopilot---not fully inhabiting our lives with meaning, purpose, and intention. Our human experience in life is an invitation to open to vulnerability and intimacy, but we have been conditioned to fear, tense, and distract ourselves from taking the risk to step beyond the cultural conditioning; however, the step through the threshold of what is known and conditioned is exactly what frees us to fully inhabit and be awake for our unrepeatable and exquisite life.

Join Alchemy of Prana this September to consciously sever from habitual ways of relating to unlived parts of your life, or sever from what is no longer serving life, a relationship, an identity, a life-stage, and/or a career and step through the threshold–daring to live authentically awake and opening to intimacy and renewal–while creating meaning, fully inhabiting your body, and belonging to the life that is waiting for you.

Date: Wednesday, September 8, 2021–Sunday, September 12, 2021

Location: Gunnison National Forest |  Ragged Wilderness, CO

Investment: $250—$460 sliding scale (participants choose what supports them and the program best)

Inhabiting Your Life with The Vision Fast Rite of Passage Model

Just as nature moves according to its inborn death and rebirth pattern, so does the Rite of Passage ceremony. Deeply tuned in to these cycles of nature, ancient and indigenous societies around the world have created rituals of initiation to mark, celebrate, and make sense of the great mysteries of life, death, and rebirth. Initiatory rites are as old as human society, and although the primary rite of passage is marking a transition from childhood to adulthood, we go through various transitions through every stage of life; every year brings forward new transitions.  By enacting rites of passages, we continually imitate the death and rebirth patterns of nature. Anthropologists, having studied ancient cultures worldwide, have identified an archetypal form that permeates through most rites of passages. Although a rite of passage may take years to complete, this 5-day backpacking ceremony with a 24 hour fast offers a strong and meaningful way to support transitions. The vision fast candidate is guided through three phases of this pattern: severance (severing from the old), threshold (crossing into the liminal space/this is also the stage where the candidate fasts on the land for 24 hours), incorporation (taking on the body, & returning back to the community with your gifts).

What you can expect:

Day 1

You and the group of fasters and guides will rendezvous at a remote trailhead location at 9:04 AM. The morning will be taken up with 2 miles of backpacking. Once we reach our campsite for day 1, you will be guided through a teaching of the four shields of human nature, the importance of marking thresholds, and an intent council. The intent council consists of being guided through a process of listening to what it is you are here to mark. This first evening we will offer an optional somatic/yoga practice before settling in for rest for the night.

Day 2

This day will be around a 2–3 mile hike to a basecamp that will hold you while you are on your fast. You will spend the day backpacking to the basecamp with the group. Upon arrival, you will be guided through backcountry eduction and somatic practices, meditation, and council. The afternoon & evening consists of you going out on the land and finding your fasting spot. Upon returning back to basecamp after finding your solo spot, we will conclude this day with a shared meal together and a circle of support.  and finally, we will conclude with sharing a meal together and a circle of support.

Day 3

At dawn on the morning of Day 3, with the guidance and presence of your guides and earth, you will step into the threshold of their 24 hour fast on the land. This marks the liminal threshold phase of a rite of passage.

Day 4

After sunrise on the morning of Day 4, fasters will “shoulder their packs” and return to basecamp to be met by the people. On the 4th day, after coming into your body with food and movement, we will share our stories from our time on the land and the stories will be mirrored. We will take short breaks throughout for stretching and movement, and land-walking. We will conclude this evening with a teaching of the four shields of reincorporation.

Day 5

Before departing basecamp we will begin this day with a council on our commitments for reincorporation. We will step through a threshold to begin our journey back home, carrying our awakened inner gifts. We will backpack around 4 miles this day. The journey back to the trailhead will be a descent. We will break for lunch and various councils along the way before crossing back through our original threshold.

*Please note: due to the nature of this program and the unexpected nature of backpacking, all parts of this itinerary are subject to change, including our intended closing time (5:27 PM).

*Participants will come prepared to live self-sufficiently and provide their own food and gear. 

Space limited--this program is intended to be an intimate and smaller group of no more than 7 initiates. Please reserve your spot asap if you intend to join this program.

Please call/text with any inquiries 970.704.5706  or 970.825.2289