Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees Retreat at Prairiewoods (in person)

Overview

We live in uncertain times, poised on the edge of increasingly rapid change and loss for Earth, ourselves and all that we love. Our connections to the living world have frayed, and it’s difficult to find our way back to the relationships and possibilities for which we long. Yet, there is wisdom available to us for living in these fraught times; there is guidance close at hand that can point the way to healing and wholeness for our days and the times beyond. In this weekend retreat at Prairiewoods (120 East Boyson Road in Hiawatha) with author Leah Rampy, PhD, we’ll look to the ancient spiritual and ecological wisdom that trees have to offer. Trees, our elders who have graced Earth far longer than the human family, demonstrate living in community and collaborating for mutual benefit. They invite us to open more fully to the awe and wonder of this world, allowing our awareness of sacred oneness to deepen. In the company of trees, we’ll be called to bear witness to loss and to expand our hearts to hold our grief alongside joy and beauty. With group conversation, optional practices, and spacious time for wandering or sitting in silence with trees, we’ll seek to enliven our understanding of resilience, healing and hope and bring home the blessings of this retreat time. Leah Rampy, PhD, is a writer, speaker and retreat leader who weaves ecology, spirituality and stories to encourage deeper connections to the natural world. She is the author of the multi-award-winning Earth and Soul: Reconnecting amid Climate Chaos (Bold Story Press, 2024) and co-author with Beth Norcross of Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees (Broadleaf Books, 2026). Leah leads retreats and seminars for Shalem Institute, Center for Spirituality in Nature, Friends of Silence and other organizations. She is founder and leader of Church of the Wild Two Rivers and the volunteer group Save Our Soil. Leah resides with her husband in a co-housing community in West Virginia. The cost of this weekend retreat is $255 and includes sessions, lodging, and Saturday breakfast through Sunday lunch. The commuter fee is $180 and includes sessions and Saturday and Sunday lunch. For more information or to register, contact Prairiewoods at www.Prairiewoods.org or 319-395-6700.