Circles of Stone
Wilderness rites of passage
Time alone and fasting in the wilderness will change you
“…to find their soul, the ancients went into the desert. … they went into the desert to teach us that the place of the soul is a lonely desert. There they found the abundance of visions, the fruits of the desert, the wonderous flowers of the soul” -C.G Jung, The Red Book
Acknowledgements
We have gained much learning, inspiration and knowledge from many different sources – for which we are immensely grateful.
A NOTE ON NAMING:
You will notice that we use the term Wilderness Fast to describe the work that we offer. Previously we have called this Vision Quest. Out of respect for indigenous communities for whom Vision Quest has a specific meaning and form, we are choosing to call what we offer a Wilderness Fast. We do this, with humility, to acknowledge that what we offer is different.
Our gratitude goes to our original guides Judy Bekker and Valerie Morris for inspiring us with their teachings from the School of Lost Borders and Angeles Arrien, and for holding us, and giving us the tools to begin this work with such open-heartedness over the decades. Judy and Valerie embued this work with a partcularly southern African tone and infused their facilitation with global perspectives.
We are grateful to the brave souls who have quested with us in the past, who have inspired us with their tenacity and courage and who have carried the gifts of their Vision Quests (as we called them then) back into their lives, living into them over the years.
Other wilderness and solo fast guides we have encountered over the years, some of whom gather every 2 -3 years at an International Gathering of Wilderness Guides for sharing stories, skills and knowledge. In particular, Chris Wilton, Sue Sully, Meredith Little, Scott Eberle, Angeles Arrien and recently Lucille Greeff have all supported and encouraged our work – at times unknowingly.
The work and books of Stephen Foster and Meredith Little, Bill Plotkin and Geneen Marie Haugen and Angeles Arrien provide the backbone of the way we work.
And there is much other thinking, writing and singing that informs how we guide – poets, philosophers, storytellers, activists and musicians all bring to us ways in which we are informed and work.
We acknowledge and are deeply grateful for access to the land on which we will be questing. It has been uninhabited by humans for over a hundred years – only recently owned by Daria and Heine Rasmussen – who carry a profound and non-negotiable commitment to caring for and protecting the land they own. They have established a thriving retreat business and warmly welcome the spirit and essence of the Wilderness Solo Fast work. The land is largely untouched by modern human impact, but the ancestral traces are rich and varied. On this beautiful land, a river, rocky hillsides, caves, meadows and floodplains filled with fynbos and the tracks of otter, buck and small mammals welcome questers.
A handful of books we like:
Steven Foster and Meredith Little
Bill Plotkin
Angeles Arrien
Hyemeyohsts Storm
Malidoma Patrice Somé
David Cumes