Chinese NY Potluck February 15 @ 2pm

Chinese New Year Potluck, February 15 @ 2-7pm - Bring your best Asian dish to share! We are celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse. The year of the horse symbolizes energy, optimism, and freedom, often associated with taking action, unexpected adventures, and decisive victories. It's a time for dynamic, outward-facing energy, encouraging new beginnings, travel, and social connections. (I took the AI definition :) but how great does a year of this sound?! Gather with community for an afternoon of fun and good fortune!

Kelly will be offering her basket of silly fortunes! Come celebrate new beginnings!

RSVP for directions to the lodge.

https://emilybalivet.com/Eris.html

We’ve got room for 1 more lady at our annual Winter Women’s Retreat, February 20-22 - Fully enter into the WOMB of WINTER by giving yourself a “special winter time-out”...This gathering is intended to hold sacred space for each other - to pay attention to the serious inner work we are longing to do but often resist. Working with CHAOS will be our theme for the weekend. We are asking that everyone attending join us by Friday evening in time to open the Circle at 7pm - to create the matrix that will hold an atmosphere of intimacy where nothing is held back.

An optional Sisterhood Purification Lodge will be part of our weekend to release unnecessary resentments and patterns in order to free up our energy and be open to attracting our present desires. Women that come together with focused intent create magic! Meal teams and food sharing will keep the cost affordable. RSVP Kelly

Spring Equinox Purification Lodge, March 22, 1-5pm for details visit our calendar and RSVP Kelly

May 15-17 We are thrilled to offer our 5th Annual Eagle Dance!  Our personal and collective prayers are danced to the center tree.  The “tree of life” acts as an antenna to spirit as we pray for guidance from the Universe in the coming year.  Drummer singers maintain the heartbeat on a pow-wow drum during the entire dance and maintain the energy for us as we dance back and forth to the center tree.  The drum does not stop until we are complete! We will be fasting, and drinking water is optional and recommended.  The dance is a meditative/trance experience.  Dancing keeps us in our bodies and out of our head so we can receive “with care and with clarity” messages from spirit. The Dance allows prayers for manifesting a specific intent for self, the Collective, and others. We also pray to bring our beauty and purpose into the world around us. The people of Grandmother Earth need our prayers.  We have chosen to be alive in this special time and humanity is calling us to participate as we bridge the old world into the new one currently emerging.

Eagle Dance is an irreplaceable experience and well worth your careful preparation.  Our ceremonial land at Spirit Canoe Lodge has a lodge for teaching & cooking, communal lodging or camping, purification lodge, and Eagle Dance Arbor.   Let Kelly know of your intent to participate so we can help you with your preparations!

Visit our calendar for future SCL events

Winter Solstice

The healing gift of snow brings a purifying crystalline energy that nourishes the land, and feeds our soul… As a different form of water, snow is deeply connected to our emotions. In my tradition, snow sits in the North on the water wheel, which is also the location associated with the air and the mind. Snow quiets our mind and settles our emotions. This cleansing energy also brings nutrients from the clouds down to the earth. The crystal structure of a snowflake is unique. Each one is different yet made of the same stuff. Each human is a unique individual yet made of the same stuff. As single crystals fall amidst millions and billions of others we are reminded that we are part of the greater grandeur of mother nature and the universe. May we remember this Winter Solstice to focus on our common threads of humanity and suspend our thoughts of separation, and may those seeking shelter this season find comfort and warmth. If you would like to join us for our Winter Solstice ceremony December 21st contact Kelly to RSVP.

Winter Solstice Purification Lodge, December 21st @ Noon- Join us for the last gathering of 2025! Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and a time to slow down our pace. It’s been quite a year and we are all ready to be tucked into winter’s cozy introspective season and stop the external busyness. As nature pulls back we too are urged to pull our energy within. Time is precious and healing. When we align with the seasons, life makes more sense.

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony open to all those who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The Lodges increase our connection with the elements of creation, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, and purifies (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually). The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing. Join a community-circle of sharing, empowering us to make a jump in our personal and collective evolution.

There is no charge for this ceremony, however an exchange of energy to the fire crew and Kelly must be given to maintain balance. Extensive time and resources go into the preparation for each lodge. First timers must arrive 11am for orientation. RSVP Kelly with your email to receive the protocols and directions here.

Chinese New Year Potluck, February 15 @ 2-7pm - Bring your best Asian dish to share! We are celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Horse. The year of the horse symbolizes energy, optimism, and freedom, often associated with taking action, unexpected adventures, and decisive victories. It's a time for dynamic, outward-facing energy, encouraging new beginnings, travel, and social connections. (I took the AI definition :) but how great does a year of this sound?! Gather with community for an afternoon of fun and good fortune!

Kelly will be offering her basket of silly fortunes! Come celebrate new beginnings!

If the weather is challenging, you may book a bed or a room in the lodge and stay overnight. BYOB. Book with Kelly.

RSVP for directions to the lodge.

https://emilybalivet.com/Eris.html

Winter Women’s Retreat, February 20-22 - Fully enter into the WOMB of WINTER by giving yourself a “special winter time-out”...This gathering is intended to hold sacred space for each other - to pay attention to the serious inner work we are longing to do but often resist. Working with CHAOS will be our theme for the weekend. We are asking that everyone attending join us by Friday evening in time to open the Circle at 7pm - to create the matrix that will hold an atmosphere of intimacy where nothing is held back.

We will examine our inner male/female, receptive/active balance, and how our relationship with chaos affects our presence within our relationships, priorities and choices. Do we choreograph our life in a way that we are manifesting our dreams, or are we consistently overdoing without accomplishing our goals?

Many of our activities will include: Sharing Circles, Qigong, Dance, and Ceremony.

An optional Sisterhood Purification Lodge will be part of our weekend to release unnecessary resentments and patterns in order to free up our energy and be open to attracting our present desires. Many women have a personal vision they are seeding in coming together...so perhaps this is an intent we each share. Women that come together with focused intent create magic!

Meal teams and food sharing will keep the cost affordable. RSVP Kelly

Visit our calendar for future SCL events

Ancestor Purification Lodge, November 2nd

Life and death are the ultimate in paradoxical situations. To live means that something must die. No being or life form escapes this fact. I realize some of you are thinking about what you might be killing in every step you take…so take heart…the experience of death is likely more neutral and beautiful than we imagine. Acceptance of this can bring greater peace. As we live our life there are many death/changes that continually occur, and as we survive the small death changes we learn how to live more courageously. Awareness of how death operates in our life increases our ability to value the richness of life. This is called making death an ally. Join us as we have a discussion about how death operates in each of our lives. RSVP for The Ancestor Purification Lodge, November 2nd @ NOON "The Day of the Dead" or “Dia de los Muertos” is a celebration of our loved ones that have crossed over. This lodge will celebrate the human path and all who have traversed it. We acknowledge that the growth we attain in this lifetime heals and supports the past and future generations (especially our blood lineage) and that death is part of the process of life! Bring a photo of your loved one/s to place on our altar during our ceremony.

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony open to all those who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The Lodges increase our connection with the elements of creation, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, and purifies (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually). The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing. Join a community-circle of sharing, empowering us to make a jump in our personal and collective evolution.

There is no charge for this ceremony however an exchange of energy must be given to maintain balance and allow me to continue offering ceremony to the community. First timers must arrive 11am for orientation. RSVP Kelly with your email so I can send you the protocols and directions here.

2025 SCL Calendar!

• December 21st Winter Solstice Purification Lodge See our calendar here for more information.

• Women’s Winter Retreat February 2026 - TBA

October 18th Self-Healing with Qigong & Tai Chi

October 18th Self-Healing with Qigong & Tai Chi with Sybil Harmon, 10-5pm Join us for a day of cultivating our energy with the ancient practices of Qigong, Tai Chi, Breathwork, Forest Bathing, Chi Self-Massage, and Taoist Meditation. Beginners welcome. Sybil Harmon looks forward to sharing her 25+ years of training and teaching — creating a beautiful day together filled with calm, relaxing, happy Qi!  Have questions or to RSVP Sybil or Kelly for Lodging.

Wear loose fitting layers, tennis shoes, water bottle, bag lunch, snacks as needed, dish to share for Saturday dinner.

BONUS: Retreat to Spirit Canoe Lodge and spend Friday and/or Saturday evening. We can enjoy sharing a meal together after our full day on Saturday. 

REGISTRATION FEE $80 register/pay online here
LODGING $25/night Shared Room or $40/night Private Room

End of 2025 SCL Calendar!

• November 2nd Ancestor Purification Lodge

• November 21-23 SCL Board Gathering & Calendar 2026

• December 21st Winter Solstice Purification Lodge

Ancestor Purification Lodge, November 2nd @ NOON "The Day of the Dead" or “Dia de los Muertos” is a celebration of our loved ones that have crossed over. This lodge will celebrate the human path and all who have traversed it. We acknowledge that the growth we attain in this lifetime heals and supports the past and future 7 generations (especially our blood lineage) and that death is part of the process of life! Bring a photo of your loved one/s to place on our altar during our ceremony.

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony open to all those who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The Lodges increase our connection with the elements of creation, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, and purifies (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually). The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing. Join a community-circle of sharing, empowering us to make a jump in our personal and collective evolution.

There is no charge for this ceremony however an exchange of energy must be given to maintain balance and allow me to continue offering ceremony to the community. First timers must arrive 11am for orientation. RSVP Kelly with your email so I can send you the protocols and directions here.

Harvest Moon Purification Lodge October 5th

Harvest Moon Purification Lodge, Sunday, October 5th @ Noon. First time participants please arrive by 11am. I was excited to find out we are in the Harvest Full Moon energy (October 6th) for our Lodge! Also, a super moon (perigree) which means the moon is closer to the earth and appears very large on the horizon! It's an auspicious time to have a closer look at what’s on your horizon. Perhaps you have prayers that need amplification, old stories that no longer define you, and burdens ready to be released. The Lodge is also an integration for the folks doing their Night on the Mountain of Fear ceremony, and we honor their courage. Let’s celebrate Harvest Time and share the gratitude for summer's bounty. When we come together we realize how much it feeds our spirit that we are not alone and we grow together faster than we grow alone.We could use a few folks on the fire crew if you are inclined to be of service or plan to attend this lodge let me know! RSVP Kelly.

October 3-5, join our Vision Quest Weekend and get close to nature and see what she reflects back to you! We have room for a few more if you suddenly find your weekend open and ready to jump. RSVP

October 18th Self-Healing with Qigong & Tai Chi with Sybil Harmon Join us for a day of cultivating our energy with the ancient practices of Qigong, Tai Chi, Breathwork, Forest Bathing, Chi Self-Massage, and Taoist Meditation. Beginners welcome. Sybil Harmon looks forward to sharing her 25+ years of training and teaching — creating a beautiful day together filled with calm, relaxing, happy Qi!  Have questions or to RSVP Sybil or Kelly for Lodging.

Wear loose fitting layers, tennis shoes, water bottle, bag lunch, snacks as needed, dish to share for Saturday dinner.

BONUS: Retreat to Spirit Canoe Lodge and spend Friday and/or Saturday evening. We can enjoy sharing a meal together after our full day on Saturday. 

REGISTRATION FEE $80 register/pay online here
LODGING $25/night Shared Room or $40/night Private Room

2025 SCL Calendar!

• October 3-5 Vision Quest Ceremonial Weekend

• October 5th Community Purification Lodge

• October 18th Self-Healing with Qigong & Tai Chi

• November 1st Day of the Dead Dance - We are looking for a DJ with 5 Rythms, Ecstatic Dance experience otherwise we may need to cancel :( Contact Kelly if you know an experienced facilitator you can recommend.

• November 2nd Ancestor Purification Lodge

• December 21st Winter Solstice Purification Lodge

SCL Vision Quest Weekend October 3-5

When we touch nature with tenderness and awe…..we become part of everything. Mother Nature envelopes us with her nurturing and healing arms and while fully in her presence, all else disappears. We are part of her and a mirror of her beauty. The more we observe the details, the more beauty we can see….here see the different types of lichen and moss, tiny ferns, and succulents flowering, all on the surface and cracks of an ancient amphibolite monolith in our local mountains. Remember that the unbelievable beauty we see in nature is also a reflection of the amazing scenery that resides in each one of us. Join our Vision Quest Weekend and get close to nature and see what she reflects back to you! See our calendar below.

UPCOMING SCL EVENTS!

• October 3-5 Vision Quest Ceremonial Weekend

• October 5th Community Purification Lodge

• October 18th Self-Healing with Qigong & Tai Chi

• November 1st Day of the Dead Dance

• November 2nd Ancestor Full Moon Purification Lodge

Become the Architect with Brook Walker September 25-28

Brook Walker, longtime SCL supporter and valued community member has written her first book.  Years ago, I took a leap of faith to create the lodge as a space for healing and personal growth, it was a dream becoming manifest. One of my deepest convictions is to hold a space of inspiration for others to glimpse their potential, make fear an ally, and become the best version of themselves they can imagine. My dream continues to manifest as others are inspired to make their dreams a reality also…Congratulations Brook! Information on her weekend is below .

Become the Architect Weekend Immersion @ SCL
When: September 25th - 28th
Description: Become the Architect is an all-inclusive weekend immersive experience hosted by Brooke Walker, entrepreneur, author and former apprentice of the Sweet Medicine Path.

Step into a transformative field of clarity, intention, and inner design. This weekend immersive offers a living transmission of the principles in Brooke’s new experiential handbook, Become the Architect of Your Life: Your Antidote to Procrastination. In an accelerative and nourishing environment give yourself the opportunity, Thursday evening to Sunday morning, to relax at the peaceful and serene Spirit Canoe Lodge, and drop your unwanted limitations. This experience is designed for creatives, changemakers, and anyone ready to exit autopilot and enter a life crafted from alignment.

Rooted in Brooke’s lifelong study of cognitive freedom and her undying desire to seek beyond, the immersion aims to bring you closer to that more authentic version of yourself. Work with the power of group intelligence to expose core limiting beliefs. Bring your stuck points and real life challenges. Through guided exercises, embodied inquiry, shared reflections, and plenty of fun, uncover the hidden beliefs shaping your current reality and remember your innate capacity to design life from your most authentic self. We will traverse the spiral—of release, revelation, and re-alignment—through potent practices drawn from Brooke’s book, including visioning, belief re-coding, and intuitive embodiment.

Friday and Saturday are the heart of the journey, with intentional time for contemplation, connection and expansion.

This is not a workshop. It is an invitation—a call to return to the architecture of your own knowing.

”You’re part of a collective rising, a movement of visionaries shaping realities that inspire and unite.” - Brooke P Walker

For inquiries and questions contact Lisa

Investment:
• $2,200 – All-inclusive stay (meals, lodging, full programming)
• $1,300 – Commuter/day-pass rate (includes meals + full access to sessions)
REQUEST A SPOT REGISTRATION FORM
SPECIAL OFFER for apprentices of the Sweet Medicine Path:
• $1,600 – All-inclusive stay (meals, lodging, full programming)
• $700 – Commuter/day-pass rate (includes meals + full access to sessions)

Upcoming SCL events!

• October 3-5 Vision Quest Ceremonial Weekend (new date) More info here

• October 5th Community Purification Lodge (also integration for the vision quest participants) More info

• October 18th Self Healing QiGong & Tai Chi with Sybil Harmon More info here

• November 1st Day of the Dead Dance

• November 2nd Ancestor Honoring Purification Lodge

• December 21st Winter Solstice Purification Lodge

Spirit Dance & Full Moon Purification Lodge, August 9-10

Summer is flying by! Our ecstatic dance will be under a full moon of August @ 7pm. Dancing begins @ 8-11pm.  Together we honor Sister Moon, the Elements, and Worlds of Grandmother Earth, and how we as humans must come into greater alignment with them .  The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  In a world seemingly gone mad there is one thing we can do that will make a difference now….DANCE!  Camp or stay over for our Lodge on Sunday.

Matt Wasson will be our DJ for the dance.  He brings his AZUL musical expertise and creativity with a soulful beat to connect our spirits, make our feet move, and seduce our body to move without thinking.  Matt is tailoring a dance set to connect us with nature and the energies of the Full Moon.

Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme!  We are mending our communication lines with the nature and Grandmother Earth by honoring the plant, animal, mineral, and spirit world (ancestors).  Ideas include…weather & elemental spirits, animal totems, fairy and gnome realm, mythological creatures (dragon, mermaid, etc…)

Cost: 20-40$ sliding scale donation.  Donate your time to help prepare the arbor space and dance free!  Details about what to bring and dance location are sent out once you RSVP.

Upcoming SCL events!

• August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

• August 10 Full Moon Community Purification Lodge

• August 24 Harvest Potluck Celebration

• October 3-5 Vision Quest Ceremonial Weekend (new date)

August 10 Full Moon Purification Lodge

We gather at Noon. New folks arrive @ 11am for an orientation. This event follows the Full Moon Spirit Dance event. RSVP for on or both. Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship. The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust. There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

July Events @ SCL

After a soaking rain, a July walk in the forest brings the occasional sighting of a red eft. Literally, I screech with pleasure when I see one. The eastern newt is a most unusual member of the salamander family. Salamanders are a sign of ecological balance. They absorb water directly through their skin and cannot survive in contaminated waters. Newts are born aquatic, they go terrestrial in the eft phase for one to several years in a day glow orange suit, and then return to water as an adult exchanging feet for fins and turning olive brown. Amphibians have a “double life”. They bridge water and earth. Masters of metamorphosis they teach us how to be more adaptable in our own lives. Their slow and measured walk connects them deeply with the earth’s energy and prepares them for the next physical transition. As much as we’d like for things to happen quickly in our lives, change has it’s own timing, and if we find the right pace it can happen without the struggle. Slowing down increases our presence, connection to everything around us, and we have a clearer picture of reality. Moving too fast, we miss things that could be helpful. A wise person once said “slow and steady wins the race”…or was that Master Turtle?

Upcoming SCL events!

• July 20 Community Purification Lodge (almost full)

• July 26 Enchanted Whisks: Crafting Homemade Brooms Workshop

• July 27 Bound by Bristle: Crafting Magical Hearth & Kitchen Brooms Workshop(room for 1 more)

• August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

• August 10 Full Moon Community Purification Lodge

July 20 @ 1PM Community Purification Lodge

New comers arrive at Noon for an orientation. This sacred ceremony is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  Come join us in a circle of reflections that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. RSVP

July 26 & 27 Enchanted Handmade Brooms and Whisk Workshop

We are excited to welcome Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa to SCL for this special broom making retreat. She specializes in both functional sweepers as well as symbolic and ceremonial pieces. Gather 'round for a charming and hands-on journey into the world of broom craft. In this magical workshop, you'll learn to weave your very own whisk or full broom by hand, using natural broom corn, twine, and traditional techniques passed down through generations. Perfect for beginners, dabblers, and curious makers alike, this workshop invites you to slow down, weave with intention, and leave with a completed whisk broom (or two) and the skills to make more. All materials are included. Come as you are! Bring your own lunch or a dish to pass for potluck. Choose a one or two day class. REGISTER

August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

Our ecstatic dance will be under a full moon of August.  The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  In a world seemingly gone mad there is one thing we can do that will make a difference now….DANCE!  Matt Wasson will be our DJ for the dance.  Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme! Donate what you can. RSVP

August 10 Full Moon Purification Lodge

This event follows the Full Moon Spirit Dance event. RSVP for on or both. Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship.  Women’s fertility cycles align with her, optimal planting times have historically been practiced, and our planet’s water masses ebb and recede with her gravitational pull.  The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust. There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

July Events @ SCL

After a soaking rain, a July walk in the forest brings the occasional sighting of a red eft. Literally, I screech with pleasure when I see one. The eastern newt is a most unusual member of the salamander family. Salamanders are a sign of ecological balance. They absorb water directly through their skin and cannot survive in contaminated waters. Newts are born aquatic, they go terrestrial in the eft phase for one to several years in a day glow orange suit, and then return to water as an adult exchanging feet for fins and turning olive brown. Amphibians have a “double life”. They bridge water and earth. Masters of metamorphosis they teach us how to be more adaptable in our own lives. Their slow and measured walk connects them deeply with the earth’s energy and prepares them for the next physical transition. As much as we’d like for things to happen quickly in our lives, change has it’s own timing, and if we find the right pace it can happen without the struggle. Slowing down increases our presence, connection to everything around us, and we have a clearer picture of reality. Moving too fast, we miss things that could be helpful. A wise person once said “slow and steady wins the race”…or was that Master Turtle?

Upcoming SCL events!

• July 20 Community Purification Lodge (almost full)

• July 26 Enchanted Whisks: Crafting Homemade Brooms Workshop

• July 27 Bound by Bristle: Crafting Magical Hearth & Kitchen Brooms Workshop(room for 1 more)

• August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

• August 10 Full Moon Community Purification Lodge

July 20 @ 1PM Community Purification Lodge

New comers arrive at Noon for an orientation. This sacred ceremony is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  Come join us in a circle of reflections that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. RSVP

July 26 & 27 Enchanted Handmade Brooms and Whisk Workshop

We are excited to welcome Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa to SCL for this special broom making retreat. She specializes in both functional sweepers as well as symbolic and ceremonial pieces. Gather 'round for a charming and hands-on journey into the world of broom craft. In this magical workshop, you'll learn to weave your very own whisk or full broom by hand, using natural broom corn, twine, and traditional techniques passed down through generations. Perfect for beginners, dabblers, and curious makers alike, this workshop invites you to slow down, weave with intention, and leave with a completed whisk broom (or two) and the skills to make more. All materials are included. Come as you are! Bring your own lunch or a dish to pass for potluck. Choose a one or two day class. REGISTER

August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

Our ecstatic dance will be under a full moon of August.  The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  In a world seemingly gone mad there is one thing we can do that will make a difference now….DANCE!  Matt Wasson will be our DJ for the dance.  Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme! Donate what you can. RSVP

August 10 Full Moon Purification Lodge

This event follows the Full Moon Spirit Dance event. RSVP for on or both. Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship.  Women’s fertility cycles align with her, optimal planting times have historically been practiced, and our planet’s water masses ebb and recede with her gravitational pull.  The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust. There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

Summer Solstice at Spirit Canoe Lodge

As I head off to my annual journey to Arizona for our Sundance ceremony, I invite you to consider what needs to be danced out in your life to have better balance and stay focused on your personal priorities and the evolution of your dreams?  We all seem to be in a bubble of survival that pushes us to the edge of what we think we can hold.  While we are in this bubble we often miss connecting with others who are also in their bubble and many miscommunications can happen along the way.  This Summer Solstice, reach out to others and consider that we are all doing the best we can...even when it does not seem that way.  There are many lessons we must learn the hard way before there is a shift of awareness.  Use heart-to-heart communication to clear muddy communications.  Let go of the need to be right...in order to get it right (Brene Brown).  The collective awakening that we need each other more than ever IS happening!  We are offering a variety of in-person events this summer to empower you. There is a ceremony for you if you're ready to jump… and jump we must for personal and collective change.

Upcoming SCL events!

• July 17-20 Vision Quest weekend

• July 20 Community Purification Lodge

• July 26 Enchanted Whisks: Crafting Homemade Brooms Workshop

• July 27 Bound by Bristle: Crafting Magical Hearth & Kitchen Brooms Workshop

• August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

• August 10 Full Moon Community Purification Lodge

July 17-20 Vision Quest Weekend

A full day of ceremony and overnight vision quest to identify and confront your fears in each of the 8 directions, to accept change as your greatest teacher, to know that you have nothing to fear except fear itself, and to align with your natural self and experience your oneness with the Everything. This first gateway ceremony is an intensive day and you will be taken to the edge of what you “think” you can hold. It is part of the process. You will be fasting for 24 hours, drinking only water. REGISTER

July 20 @ 1PM Community Purification Lodge

This sacred ceremony is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  Come join us in a circle of reflections that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. RSVP

July 26 & 27 Enchanted Handmade Brooms and Whisk Workshop

We are excited to welcome Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa to SCL for this special broom making retreat. She specializes in both functional sweepers as well as symbolic and ceremonial pieces. Gather 'round for a charming and hands-on journey into the world of broom craft. In this magical workshop, you'll learn to weave your very own whisk or full broom by hand, using natural broom corn, twine, and traditional techniques passed down through generations. Perfect for beginners, dabblers, and curious makers alike, this workshop invites you to slow down, weave with intention, and leave with a completed whisk broom (or two) and the skills to make more. All materials are included. Come as you are! Bring your own lunch or a dish to pass for potluck. Choose a one or two day class. REGISTER

August 9 Full Moon Spirit Dance

Our ecstatic dance will be under a full moon of August.  The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  In a world seemingly gone mad there is one thing we can do that will make a difference now….DANCE!  Matt Wasson will be our DJ for the dance.  Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme! Donate what you can. RSVP

August 10 Full Moon Purification Lodge

This event follows the Full Moon Spirit Dance event. RSVP for on or both. Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship.  Women’s fertility cycles align with her, optimal planting times have historically been practiced, and our planet’s water masses ebb and recede with her gravitational pull.  The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust. There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

Eagle Dance! May 23-25

May Day in the Fairy Garden was enchanting. The faeries were visible to the naked eye, dancing around the May pole and celebrating cross-quarter day, the mid-point between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Fertility rites were part of the celebration. Flowers and tiny clothes were strewn about the trilliums and ferns. What happens in the garden stays in the garden :) Legend has it that the Little People were here first, preparing the earth for the arrival of humanity. Probably a really good thing seeing as how humans can be a surprising hot mess, and lately human behavior has gotten even nuttier as the shifts are happening. I can see clearly the elementals, faeries, gnomes, and hobbits ringing the bells of our arrival. This parallel world of the Little People help maintain balance in the natural world and offset some of humanity’s impact on our planet. Basically they clean up after us, and teach us not to be “oh so serious”. Their mischief includes creating confusion, hiding our keys, and generally use us as an entertainment streaming channel that is totally free! There is a human drama channel, a mystery channel, action channel, comedy channel, Brit Box, and Oscar award winning channel. Take the time to remember them by leaving a plate of food for them each full moon in a special place outdoors. Be sure to include all 5 food groups + dessert + libation +coffee. They love all the same stuff we do! When you are in nature take the time to tune into them, lighten up, and lighten our world! Please join us for the upcoming Eagle Dance weekend! A great opportunity to heal old wounds and dance your dreams awake or be of service! See the info below.

Eagle Dance participant’s shields

May 23-25 is our 4th Annual Eagle Dance!  Humanity is calling for us to dance for change!We dance our personal and collective prayers to the center tree.  The “tree of life” acts as an antenna to spirit as we pray for guidance from the Universe in the coming year.  Drummer singers maintain the heartbeat on a pow-wow drum during the entire dance and maintain the energy for us as we dance back and forth to the center tree.  The drum does not stop until we are complete! We will be fasting and dancing during the day until the energy loads and bursts up the tree and into the collective with our prayers. Drinking water is recommended.  The dance is a meditative/trance experience.  Dancing keeps us in our bodies and out of our head so we can receive “with care and with clarity” messages from spirit. The Dance brings healing to those in need and amplifies your intent. towards manifestation.Seriously, what you pray for happens:) We also pray to bring our beauty and purpose into the world around us. The people of Grandmother Earth need our prayers.  We have chosen to be alive in this special time and humanity is calling us to participate as we bridge the old world into the new one currently emerging.

Eagle Dance is a one day Sweet Medicine SunDance ceremony. The dance is an irreplaceable experience that can reboot your life. Sunday we will have a purification lodge to integrate our ceremony. Dancers and service people are welcomed to participate.

There are many preparations for the dance. If you feel called to dance, make the commitment, don’t be swayed by the preparations, they are doable! We will host a few craft days or connect you with an experienced dancer to guide you in the preparations of learning to make a shield and find the special regalia you need for the dance. RSVP to reserve a space and receive the prep list. Register by May 5th to receive the discount. Cost 125$ lodging extra. See details and registration page here

Garden Expansion & Fence Project We are well underway with the expansion of our food and herbal garden. Locust posts and T-Posts are installed and we are ready for pulling the fence. We need volunteers to help complete the fencing. Come as you are available. Scheduled work days are May 9, 10, 16, 17. Our desire:  The creation of a community garden in which all those in need and lend a hand will share in our abundance.  Our interdependence is part of what makes us stronger and knowing we can truly rely on one another when needed enables us to live within mutual benefit and welfare.  Let me know if you can lend a hand. I’ll be offering a meal and lodging for all who volunteer. RSVP Kelly for more info or directions here. 

July 26 & 27 Enchanted Handmade Brooms and Whisk Workshop We are excited to welcome Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa to SCL for this special broom making retreat. She specializes in both functional sweepers as well as symbolic and ceremonial pieces. Gather 'round for a charming and hands-on journey into the world of broom craft. In this magical workshop, you'll learn to weave your very own whisk or full broom by hand, using natural broom corn, twine, and traditional techniques passed down through generations.

Whether you're drawn to the humble beauty of handmade tools, the lore of old-world crafts, or simply the delight of creating something both functional and enchanting, this class offers a little something special. Each whisk broom you make will carry the mark of your hands—and maybe a bit of magic, too.

Perfect for beginners, dabblers, and curious makers alike, this workshop invites you to slow down, weave with intention, and leave with a completed whisk broom (or two) and the skills to make more. All materials are included. Come as you are! Bring your own lunch or a dish to pass for potluck.Choose a one or two day class.

Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa has been a weaver since 2016. While she is primarily trained in traditional Appalachian broom making, Nam Joti has also developed her own unique style over the years. Nam Joti is passionate about bridging the gap between Old World traditions and modern day living. Her work is a form of Functional Folk Art, rooted in practical application and ancient spirituality. She is not only a weaver of brooms, but also of

Visit Nam Joti Kaur Khalsa website to learn more: https://www.broomsandbaskets.com/

Register here: https://spiritcanoelodge.org/calendar/2025/7/25/broom-making-workshop

Spring gatherings @ SCL

Spring Greetings! Happy All Fools Day! No joking here, just gratitude.... After the destruction of Helene and a colder winter, spring reminds us that the circle of life continues no matter what. Blood root is one of my favorite spring harbingers, along with violets, and the sheer excitement of spotting your first morel camouflaged in leaf litter. With our much needed rain and warming soil it is time to start looking! Our garden sanctuary is starting to show signs of life too. The ramps are up, the goldenseal buds popping out, trilliums shooting up, the purple tips of blue cohosh, and solomon’s seal teasing the deer with their delicate tips. If you’d like to lend a hand this season in our medicinal gardens please let me know! We have a couple of events coming up this month including a volunteer day to expand our community gardens, read on below or see our calendar here for more information.

Our new Purification Lodge! Our rebuild weekend was amazing. We had 15+ wonderful humans show up over the weekend, including a few that had never been here before and took the jump! We shared hard work, meals, and a whole lot of laughter. Just as the sun was setting the lodge was completed. Many thanks to Olivia, Josh and Jack for bringing in willow! Thank you Carol Anne, Amanda, Nicole, Alex, Tia, Elin, Dale, Jimena, Kat, Jenny Jean, Taylor, Holly, Sybil, Emily, and Andrew. The lodge holds the heart space for healing here at SCL and your contribution of time to rebuild this womb space benefits all who attend ceremony over the next few years.

April 5th Honoring of an Elder This day we celebrate Dianne Vetter with her 60 year Rite of Passage. Dianne is on SCL Board of Directors, long time friend, teacher, women’s advocate, and bringer of fun and laughter. If any of you have gotten to know and appreciate her contributions to the lodge contact me to be involved or send a personal story of how Dianne has influenced your life!

April 12 - Full Moon Lodge Spring is the time of transformative change not merely because of the changing seasons, but because of the stability the earth provides. We might see springtime as the time to think about our hidden beauty. We are just like the beautiful flowering tree that births a stream of continuous beauty despite feeling perhaps we do not. We marvel at the beauty of our friends and those around us, yet often cannot see our beauty, our magic. At this Full Moon Purification Lodge, we will reconnect with our inner strength, our beauty, through ceremony, a process of balancing, to help us create the abundance we seek.

Micki Eagle Eyes – is pouring this full moon purification lodge. Micki is continuing her training and Kelly will be supporting her on fire crew. RSVP directly to Micki to attend by emailing mickikjpd@aol.com. We will gather on Saturday, April 12 at 1 pm, or noon if you are a new participant. RSVP for all the details and gifting protocols.

April 6 & 13 Community Garden Volunteer Days After Farmer Nathan created these beautiful growing beds with his expertise and a borrowed broad fork, we decided it will be worth the effort to expand the garden to feed ourselves and more of the SCL community (not the deer :) Our desire:  Is the creation of a community garden in which all who lend a hand will share in our abundance.  Our interdependence is part of what makes us stronger and knowing we can truly rely on one another when needed.  April 6 @ 10-4pm: We will be marking the space and digging post holes for the fencing. April 13 @ 10-4pm: We will be hanging the fence and gate. Let me know if you can lend a hand. I’ll be offering food to all on our work days. RSVP Kelly for more info or directions here. 

May 23-25 is our 4th Annual Eagle Dance!  Our personal and collective prayers are danced to the center tree.  The “tree of life” acts as an antenna to spirit as we pray for guidance from the Universe in the coming year.  Drummer singers maintain the heartbeat on a pow-wow drum during the entire dance and maintain the energy for us as we dance back and forth to the center tree.  The drum does not stop until we are complete! We will be fasting, and drinking water is optional and recommended.  The dance is a meditative/trance experience.  Dancing keeps us in our bodies and out of our head so we can receive “with care and with clarity” messages from spirit. The Dance allows prayers for manifesting a specific intent for self, the Collective, and others. We also pray to bring our beauty and purpose into the world around us. The people of Grandmother Earth need our prayers.  We have chosen to be alive in this special time and humanity is calling us to participate as we bridge the old world into the new one currently emerging.

Eagle Dance is a one day Sweet Medicine SunDance ceremony. The dance is an irreplaceable experience and well worth your careful preparation.  Our ceremonial land at Spirit Canoe Lodge has a lodge for teaching & cooking, communal lodging or camping, purification lodge, and Eagle Dance Arbor.   There are many preparations for the dance. We will host a few craft days or connect you with an experienced dancer to guide you in the preparations of learning to make a shield and find the special regalia you need for the dance. RSVP to reserve a space and receive the prep list. See details and registration page here

See our Calendar for more upcoming events

Lodge Rebuild March 21-23

Late Winter Greetings! Is anyone ready for spring? The fairies and gnomes are. The wood frogs have made their journey to the pond to mate and lay their eggs. Crocus are peeking out. Bluebell leaves are poking their leaf tips out. The trout lily tribe in the holler will march out in force very soon. The new fairy house (compliment of Carol Anne) was just delivered. Things are looking up :) Of course a winter backlash is to be expected through early May but signs of spring lighten the heart and inspire things to come. What will we plant, in the fertile spring ground and in ourselves?

Our Winter Women’s Retreat was amazing. Our theme of PRESENCE was just what everyone needed as we enter even deeper collective chaos. The outer world is a reflection of our inability to quiet the mind. When we stop talking and listen deeply, the power to diffuse a situation is present. When we are in reaction our ego is activated and feeds the flames of chaos. No matter our opinions and beliefs, learning how to hold neutral presence enables us to see reality as it is even when things are not as we wish. During our time together we learned just how difficult it is to simply be in the moment, listen objectively, and hold space for ourselves, others, and life itself. It’s a muscle we must train into if our outer reality is to be the loving peaceful home we desire.

March 21-23 Rebuilding our Purification Lodge & Spring Equinox celebration: The Purification Lodge ceremonies have been the foundation of our community here, and attracts those who are seeking healing, growth, and other like minded humans. Every 2 years our lodge needs to be rebuilt. It’s a community endeavor to remove the old structure, cut new saplings, dig holes for the lodge poles, re-paint the stepping stones, and prepare the tobacco ties. On Sunday we have a consecration purification lodge ceremony for the community that has helped in it’s rebuilding. All those lending a hand over the weekend are welcome to stay over at no cost! RSVP Kelly

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony that is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.

There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. *If you are new to the Sweet Medicine SunDance path purification lodge, you must RSVP to receive the protocols about how to prepare for this ceremony.

May 23-25 is our 4th Annual Eagle Dance!  Our personal and collective prayers are danced to the center tree.  The “tree of life” acts as an antenna to spirit as we pray for guidance from the Universe in the coming year.  Drummer singers maintain the heartbeat on a pow-wow drum during the entire dance and maintain the energy for us as we dance back and forth to the center tree.  The drum does not stop until we are complete! We will be fasting, and drinking water is optional and recommended.  The dance is a meditative/trance experience.  Dancing keeps us in our bodies and out of our head so we can receive “with care and with clarity” messages from spirit. The Dance allows prayers for manifesting a specific intent for self, the Collective, and others. We also pray to bring our beauty and purpose into the world around us. The people of Grandmother Earth need our prayers.  We have chosen to be alive in this special time and humanity is calling us to participate as we bridge the old world into the new one currently emerging.

Eagle Dance is a one day Sweet Medicine SunDance ceremony. The dance is an irreplaceable experience and well worth your careful preparation.  Our ceremonial land at Spirit Canoe Lodge has a lodge for teaching & cooking, communal lodging or camping, purification lodge, and Eagle Dance Arbor.   There are many preparations for the dance. We will host a few craft days or connect you with an experienced dancer to guide you in the preparations of learning to make a shield and find the special regalia you need for the dance. RSVP to reserve a space and receive the prep list. See details and registration page here

See our Calendar for more upcoming events

Chinese NY Feast & Winter Women's Retreat

Winter Salutations! I love this picture of the snow covered arbor.  The spontaneity of someone creating a snow heart emoji, and the way the sun suddenly bursts through the clouds to create an upside down shadow image of the people and the center tree.   The as above, so below image is a beautiful message from nature. The light of awareness shines with clarity, changing our perception enough to feel the hidden hope within the shadow.  So it goes…our human experience. 

Our winter deep freeze has been intense.  Many of us have had emotions surface so they can be felt and released.  Personally it’s been a time of atonement and finding peace with the many parts of my life that are waiting for resolution in a mysterious timing only the Universe knows. Perhaps, you can relate? I was fortunate to stay close to home with others during the deep snow.  Sharing meals, playing Rummikub, and finding quiet kinship amidst the turmoil of our external world was the best New Year’s gift ever.   

Here are a few upcoming events I’d like to invite you to!  February 1st is our second annual Asian feast celebrating the Chinese New Year.  February 21-24 is our yearly Winter Women’s Retreat.  March 21-23 we will rebuild the purification lodge and celebrate the Spring Equinox.  See our full calendar here.

February 1 @ 2pm Celebrate the Chinese New Year and the year of the Snake with us! Bring your best Asian dish to share! Gather with community for an afternoon of fun and good fortune! If you’ve never been to the Lodge this is your chance to visit. Kelly will be offering her basket of silly fortunes! Come celebrate new beginnings! BYOB RSVP for directions to the lodge. If the weather is challenging, or you are traveling from afar, you may book a bed or a room in the lodge and stay overnight.

February 21-23 (24th optional) Winter Women’s Retreat Fully enter into the WOMB of WINTER by giving yourself a “special winter time-out”...This gathering is intended to hold sacred space for each other - to pay attention to the serious inner work we are longing to do but often resist. We are asking that everyone attending join us by Friday evening in time to open the Circle at 7pm - to create the matrix that will hold an atmosphere of intimacy where nothing is held back. There are 4 open beds remaining. Register here.

An optional Sisterhood Purification Lodge will be part of our weekend to release unnecessary resentments and patterns in order to free up our energy and be open to attracting our present desires. Many women have a personal vision they are seeding in coming together...so perhaps this is an intent we each share. Women that come together with focused intent create magic!

Meal teams and food sharing will keep the cost affordable.

March 21-23 Rebuilding our Purification Lodge & Spring Equinox celebration: The Purification Lodge ceremonies have been the foundation of our community here, and attracts those who are seeking healing, growth, and like minded humans. Every 2 years our lodge needs to be rebuilt. It’s a community endeavor to remove the old structure, cut new saplings, dig holes for the lodge poles, re-paint the stepping stones, and prepare the tobacco ties. On Sunday we have a consecration ceremony/sweat for the community that has helped in it’s rebuilding. All those lending a hand over the weekend are welcome to stay over at no cost! RSVP Kelly

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony that is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.

There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. *If you are new to the Sweet Medicine SunDance path purification lodge, you must RSVP to receive the protocols about how to prepare for this ceremony.

Solstice Lodge December 21 @ 1PM

The starkness of winter can be a beautiful time. Bare branched skeletons on the mountain ridge holding their own against cold relentless wind. The wind makes them stronger as roots grip firmly to their rocky home. A clear indigo sky hosts shimmering jewels holding presence, mystery, and seeds of hope. Cozy in my bed, the howling wind is my night time meditation. A sliver of moon moves west across my window pane down through branches on the horizon and into another’s view a continent away from me. Bearing the seasons of life is full of surrender and quiet joys. Join us for the last gathering of 2024 with other like minded souls.

Solstice Purification Lodge, December 21 @ 1PM Join us for the last gathering of 2024. Bring a wrapped gift to exchange and a potluck dish for sharing. Newcomers arrive at Noon for a full orientation. RSVP Kelly

Winter Solstice is a special time to align with the season of Winter. This year's ceremony falls on the exact day this year! The shortest day of the year is a message to begin slowing down. I can hear many of you snickering inside "slow down? right..." in this world that only seems to be speeding up. However, when we slow down we actually increase our presence and ability to see more accurately the world as it objectively exists. With greater presence we see more clearly the choices that serve our higher good rather than moving so fast that we act in haste. The deep dark dreaming space of winter lets us gestate our desires without yet taking action. Spring encourages those dreams to awaken.

Shamanic Purification Lodges are a sacred ceremony that is open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans. The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing. Come join us in a circle of reflections that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level. There will be a potluck after the ceremony.

There is no charge for the ceremony. Donations or an energy exchange for lodge maintenance are appreciated. *If you are new to the Sweet Medicine SunDance path purification lodge, you must RSVP to receive the protocols about how to prepare for this ceremony.

A Gathering of Gratefulness, November 2nd @ SCL

Northern Lights over Ashe County, NC by Kim Hadley

The destruction left behind Hurricane Helene is no match for the beauty and resilience of our mountains and the people who live here. Nature recently provided a visual message of hope in the form of Northern Lights here in Appalachia. While there is much to grieve and let go of, there is even more to be thankful for and celebrate. Nature is wild and unpredictable and why many of us chose to live here. This wildness is in our hearts and we are willing to risk putting down roots that nourish our soul. An extraordinary life is one full of risk. While a disaster like this can make us feel powerless and it’s losses shake us to the core, it is also a reminder that we are still in choice about how we cope afterwards. The human spirit is a power to be reckoned with. The way our communities have supported each other in a time of need is all the proof I need to understand how interconnected we truly are. Our roots just got deeper and know I belong here more than ever…. and I for one am staying put!

A Gathering of Gratefulness, November 2nd, 12-8PM This event is replacing our Day of the Dead Dance. There was a small landslide on a portion of the arbor where we hold our dances, and…well, everyone’s thoughts are elsewhere these days. Our thinking is that we all could use a day of celebrating our strength and resilience as mountain folk. A “free day” to forget our worries, be grateful for all that we have, enjoy each others company, and be nourished by the sacred land we call home. As always there are tasks to help with if you feel called to lend a hand here. I know many of you have given tirelessly, and if you are one of them we invite you to just come and be fed. The most important thing is to be in fellowship with others and recognize the unique gifts we are to each other. Later in the day, we’ll have a brush burning bonfire if the weather is suitable. If you’ve never been here before RSVP for directions. Those of you traveling from afar let me know if you’d like me to save you a bed.

• Stop by to visit anytime during the day

• We will have food to share with all who stop by, and if you’d like to bring a potluck dish to share, please do.

• We will have an Ancestor Altar set up to honor our loved ones that have passed and hold prayers for those in need at this time. If you’d like to contribute your energy to the altar, you may bring a personal item, a picture, a candle, make a prayer bundle for yourself and the collective.

• If you’d like to lend a hand: We have chainsaw work from fallen trees in our medicinal garden area, wood splitting, making kindling, and moving new firewood, re-planting the landslide area in the arbor, digging out the spring over flows, and building a new raised bed in the galactic greenhouse!

• Optional Healing Lodge on Sunday. See the info below.

Sunday, November 3rd @ 1PM- Healing Purification Lodge To Re-Assemble Ourselves Post Traumatic Life Experiences: This special ceremony is…for everyone.  It is especially important right now for those who have suffered loss from the devastating floods here in the mountains.  Being human means we all meet challenges that are incomprehensible, pain that seems too much to overcome, and obstacles that seem insurmountable.  Traumatic experiences leave us with “triggers”, and it is not always as easy as “making lemonade” to get over them.  They will always be with us.  To the extent that we integrate these experiences and face them is how we move forward in our lives.  We all have imprints from painful life experiences.  No doubt some are worse than others and we each deal with them in different ways.  Traumatic experiences “take us apart”.  Something unimaginable has happened and it has changed our entire reality.  In this ceremony we have an opportunity to begin “putting ourselves back together”.  Whether you have an old trauma still causing pain, or a brand new one this ceremony is for everyone.  We all have “stuff” that builds up and needs to get cleared…let’s de-frag and reboot our spirit! 

Together we pray for understanding what has happened to gain a deeper internal mirror of self-reflection… a perspective shift on an event or problem.  We shall send prayers to our “enemy or tyrants”.  These may be people or events that push our buttons.  We acknowledge the triggers and ask to see more clearly any distortions in our perceptions.  We give-away resistances and all that blocks our way to greater balance, peace, and healing.  This letting go opens our hearts, releases resistance, and brings clarity to our troubles. We can see the bigger picture and a new way forward. 

RSVP to Kelly.  Newcomers arrive an hour earlier for a full orientation.  There is no charge for this ceremony.  Gifts and donations are requested for Lodge expenses, Kelly, and the fire crew.

December 21st, Winter Solstice Purification Lodge @ 1pm Join us for the last gathering of 2024 at Spirit Canoe Lodge! Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year and a time to slow down our pace. It’s been quite of year and we are all ready to be tucked into winter’s cozy introspective season and stop the external busyness. As nature pulls back, we too are urged to pull our energy within. Time is precious and healing. When we align with the seasons, life can make more sense.

There is no charge for the ceremony.  Donations or an energy exchange for Kelly and the fire crew are a necessary part of participation.  RSVP to reserve your spot and receive the protocols that prepare you for this ceremony.

Shamanic Purification Lodges in the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path tradition are  a sacred ceremony open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and for those who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  We come together so we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  

I look forward to the pleasure of your company! Kelly Jumping Mouse

Spirit Dance August 17 @ 6PM

Saturday evening, August 17th Our ecstatic ceremonial dance will be under the almost full moon of August.  We will be honoring the 5 Elements and 5 Worlds of Grandmother Earth and how we as humans must come into greater alignment with them. The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony to truly know how interconnected we are with everything.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  As we gain greater inner peace and harmony our outer world begins to change also.  In this way we contribute in a simple way to the need for change in our world. Being part of the change does not always have to be hard work :) This will be a joyful evening! Dancers please arrive no later than 6PM. This will be a substance free event. RSVP

Matt Wasson is our 5 Rhythms Guide and DJ. He has created 5-40 minute sets for each of the elements/worlds. We will be dancing for 200 minutes! Sandra Diaz has graciously offered to add a cacao ceremony to open our hearts and senses as we unfold into a night of dance. Kelly Jumping Mouse will be calling in the powers of the 4-directions and 5 Worlds.

Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme!  We are mending our communication lines with the worlds of Grandmother Earth and honoring the plant, animal, mineral, human, and spirit world (ancestors).  Ideas include…weather & elemental spirits, animal totems, fairy and gnome realm, mythological creatures (dragon, mermaid, etc…)

Suggested donation of 20$.  Donate your time to help prepare the arbor space and dance free!  Details about what to bring and dance location are sent out once you RSVP

Optional:  A Full Moon Purification lodge will be held on Sunday @ Noon the following day.  RSVP for lodging or camping if you decide to stay over for one or both events.

Full Moon Purification Lodge, August 18th @ Noon - This Lodge is on Sunday after the Spirit Dance.  Please RSVP if you are attending one or both ceremonies.  There will be a limit of 25 participants. Newcomers arrive at 11am

Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship.  Women’s fertility cycles align with her, optimal planting times have historically been practiced, and our planet’s water masses ebb and recede with her gravitational pull.  The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust.

Shamanic Purification Lodges in the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path are  a sacred ceremony open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  We come together that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

There is no charge for the ceremony.  Donations or energy exchange plus tobacco for Kelly and the fire crew are a necessary part of participation.  If you are new to our purification lodge, you must RSVP to receive the protocols that prepare you for this ceremony.  If you are new to this ceremony please arrive one hour earlier for a full orientation.

I look forward to the pleasure of your company! Kelly Jumping Mouse

Spirit Dance August 17

Our ecstatic ceremonial dance will be under the almost full moon of August.  We will be honoring the 5 Elements and 5 Worlds of Grandmother Earth and how we as humans must come into greater alignment with them .  The dance is meant to be a prayerful, internal connection with ourselves and nature to gain greater insight and harmony.  As we develop a closer and caring relationship with nature, we find the solutions we seek are all around us in support!  In a world seemingly gone mad there is one thing we can do that will make a difference now….DANCE!  Being part of the change does not always have to be hard work :) This will be a joyful evening! Dancers please arrive no later than 6PM. This will be a substance free event.

Matt Wasson will be our DJ for the dance.  He brings his 5 Rhythms musical expertise and creativity with a soulful beat to connect our spirits, get our feet moving, and seduce our body to move without thinking.  Matt is tailoring a dance set for each of the 5 Elements & 5 Worlds. Be prepared to dance 5 - 40 minute sets!  200 minutes of ecstasy with nature!

Costumes Encouraged:  Please wear regalia with a nature theme!  We are mending our communication lines with the worlds of GME and honoring the plant, animal, mineral, human, and spirit world (ancestors).  Ideas include…weather & elemental spirits, animal totems, fairy and gnome realm, mythological creatures (dragon, mermaid, etc…)

Cost: 20-40$ sliding scale donation.  Donate your time to help prepare the arbor space and dance free!  Details about what to bring and dance location are sent out once you RSVP

Optional:  A Full Moon Purification lodge will be held on Sunday @ Noon the following day.  RSVP for lodging or camping if you decide to stay over for one or both events.

Full Moon Purification Lodge, August 18th @ Noon - This Lodge is on Sunday after the Spirit Dance.  Please RSVP if you are attending one or both ceremonies.  There will be a limit of 25 participants. Newcomers arrive at 11am

Sister Moon is an integral part of our life on Grandmother Earth.  The moon rotates around the earth.  Her face is lit by Grandfather Sun.  The earth’s shadow creates the moon phases in this magical rotation.  You could say she sees everything and knows everything as she witnesses our daily rotation.  Humanity is deeply impacted from this relationship.  Women’s fertility cycles align with her, optimal planting times have historically been practiced, and our planet’s water masses ebb and recede with her gravitational pull.  The full moon is the peak energy of the last 28/29 days of our life.  A lot has happened, a lot has been exposed, and as we look ahead…there is much to plan for.  Bring to our gathering what has been exposed within you this past month, this past season, and the willingness to continue on into the unknown with hope, faith, and trust.

Shamanic Purification Lodges in the Sweet Medicine SunDance Path are  a sacred ceremony open to all men and women that desire to connect with the elements, the worlds of Grandmother Earth, to pray (for self, life and others), to purify (emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually), and who choose to grow and evolve as humans.  The alchemy of this ceremony creates a safe space for us to let go of what no longer serves us and connect with Spirit to receive guidance and healing.  We come together that we can make a jump in our evolution on a personal and collective level.  There will be a potluck after the ceremony.  

There is no charge for the ceremony.  Donations or energy exchange plus tobacco for Kelly and the fire crew are a necessary part of participation.  If you are new to our purification lodge, you must RSVP to receive the protocols that prepare you for this ceremony.  If you are new to this ceremony please arrive one hour earlier for a full orientation.

I look forward to the pleasure of your company! Kelly Jumping Mouse

Garden Gala June 1st @ 1-7pm

Our Garden Gala & Fundraiser is June 1st, 1-7pm We have not had this event for a few years and our volunteers are going ALL out! If you’ve been wanting to check out the Lodge to find out more about our community, this is the perfect opportunity to dip your toes into nature, walk the land, visit the springs, and meet the people that help make it such a sacred place. We have some amazing food, family friendly activities, and some wonderful local donations in our raffle. If you’ve never been here before contact me and I’ll send you directions. The place is not visible from the main road. Kelly@SpiritCanoeLodge.org Your ticket $25 adult - $10/child, includes food, 1 herbal cocktail/mocktail, a raffle ticket, and any of the activities below. Here is our schedule for the day!

• 1-3pm – Tobacco Ties & Crystal Bowl Prayers with Carol Anne

• 1-3pm – Art Activities in the Arbor with Pari

• 1:30 -2:30pm – Medicinal and Native Plant Walk  

• 2:30-3pm – Parachute Play with Jenny Jean

• 3-4:30pm – Ecstatic Dance in the Arbor with Matt Wasson

• 4:30-5pm – Parachute Play in the Arbor with Jenny Jean

• 4:30-6pm - Art Activities with Carol Anne

• 4:30-6pm - – Tobacco Ties & Crystal Bowl Prayers

• 5pm - Medicinal and Native Plant Walk  

• 6:15pm – Raffle Drawing at the House! 

Donated Raffle Items: (FYI it’s not to late to donate let Kelly know)

• River Girl Fishing Co: 3 hour, 3 tube float

• Massage or Astrology session with ZAN

• SCL old espresso machine

• Sacred Egg Immersion Float Pass

• Photography Session with Ashley Warren

• Southern Gothic - Escape Room experience for 6 people

• Tea Basket

• 1 hour Sound Healing with Reiki session with Adara Collective

• Pottery Basket from Carol Anne

• 2 night stay in Raleigh Home with Dianne (haha separate rooms!)

• 180 Float Spa: Float & Sauna package

• Magick Basket of crystals and more

• Sound Healing or massage with Christian

• Angels by Sybil

• 2 night stay in the Hobbit House

• Foot massage basket (Carol Anne & home crafted nail polish (Olivia)

• Kelly’s photography

• $200 gift certificate toward a SCL event or lodging

• All the water bottles that have ever been left here are now for sale!