Sacred Conversations Retreat
June 6-9 2027 | Whidbey Island, Washington
"There is a mysterious union that happens when we enter into relationship with the wild and practice sacred conversation." - Victoria Loorz, Church of the Wild
Somewhere beneath our usual ways of noticing, there lies a capacity to enter into the sacred conversation of the living world.
On Whidbey Island, morning light filters through ancient Douglas fir and western red cedar. Bald eagles circle the marine air, squirrels chatter from the canopy, crows caw, the tide carries her steady rhythm over weathered shores, leaving behind the rich, salty scent of bull kelp and cedar drift. When you slow down and listen with reverence, you remember that the whisper of nature’s interconnected kinship includes you.
The Sacred Conversation Retreat is four days of contemplative presence with the wild ones.
Led by Victoria Loorz—author of Church of the Wild and founder of the Center for Wild Spirituality—this intimate experience invites you to remember how to listen for the call of the Holy Wild and rekindle kinship with the living world.
Through eco-spiritual practices from Seminary of the Wild Earth, we gather to remember the reality of unbroken relationship with one another and the more-than-human community that hosts us. We will wander the forest paths, sit beneath ancient cedars, engage in conversation with soul and soil and deer and owl and spirit. We will journal and share with one another, sing, dance, drum and be drummed, and remember the stories of our belonging. We will honor our encounters with ceremony.
Whether you are just beginning your journey into wild spirituality or are immersed in this work, this space is open to all.
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Some will be preparing for Seminary of the Wild Earth or discerning their participation.
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Graduates will be engaging in a Wild Ordination ritual to mark the close of their journey.
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Alumni will join because the practices have become part of their lives and they want to connect with each other in person and renew their vows.
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Others simply feel a tug, a call of the wild, they cannot quite explain and want to follow it long enough to listen for meaning.
You do not need prior experience. Only a willingness to be attentive.
The Whidbey Institute holds 100 acres of forest, meadow, and trails in the heart of South Whidbey Island, a collection of gorgeous buildings nestled among ancient cedars and Douglas firs. The land remembers older human stories as well, sitting on the ancestral homelands of the Coast Salish peoples, including the Snohomish, Suquamish, and Swinomish tribes. We come as guests, practicing respect and reciprocity with the place that receives us.
What to Expect:
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Contemplative Practices: Nature-based invitations to listen to the teachings of the forest and the water.
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Sacred Ritual: Fire ceremonies in a shared circle, star-gazing without light pollution, and rituals that honor the living Earth.
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Spacious Wandering: Dedicated time to follow the "quiet nudge" of your own soul across the 100-acre sanctuary.
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Nourishing Hospitality: Locally grown and prepared meals with both private and shared accommodations available.
