The wilderness vision quest journey implies a metaphorical death, (severance), a liminal unknown that is pregnant with meaning (threshold), and a rebirth back into the body anew (incorporation). The ceremony involves stepping into and enacting these three phases of a life-transition: the severance--letting go of what is known; followed by the threshold space--the space between what once was and the not yet known; and lastly, incorporation--the metaphorical birth that emerges from encountering severance and the threshold. This practice serves as a creative muse to alter and transform as well as and a companion--an embodied memory of the delicate nature of this living world. Wilderness vision quest ceremonies have the potential to open an individual to experience the undying attuned bond with Earth in the midst of being empty, exposed, and alone--an experience of undeniable interconnection with Earth that shapes us and becomes embedded in our embodied memory of bones, sinew, cells, heart.
The vision quest ceremony is one way of reconstituting the therapeutic and transformative movement of a life transition, personal challenge, or rite of passage. The arc of the journey will both challenge you and inspire you--illuminating what is and is not aligned with the mystery wanting to emerge through you.
Why in the wilderness? Being immersed in the wilderness evokes our true nature--that which is part of Earth and deeply attuned to the rhythms and returns us to our innate relatedness with the more-than-human world. A vision quest ceremony is an intersubjective way of relating that supports an individual and/or community in a sustainable way and guides the restoration of true-vitality and balance while moving through change and transformative experiences. Â
Just as nature moves according to its inborn death and rebirth pattern, so does a wilderness vision quest rite of passage ceremony. Deeply tuned in to the cycles of nature, intact communities around the planet have created and enacted rituals of initiation to mark, celebrate, and make sense of the great mysteries of life, death, and rebirth and transformation.  Some rites of passage  may take years to complete, such as coming into adulthood. Following the tradition of The School of Lost Borders--with whom we were trained and also guide with--Alchemy of Prana offers 9-12-day vision quest ceremonies with a pivotal threshold of a 4 day and 4 night solo fast which offer a strong, embodied, and meaningful way to support transformation and life passages.
