“in all the falling,
flawing, failing.
there is the grace
of learning.
of shedding an old life.
for a new you.
let a new life happen to you.”
we belong to
each other.
in early march, 2020, the navigator retreat began as a gathering for women, and folks that identify with women’s communities, ready to both shore up and slow down, in the wonky, rush-about worlds we were living in then. to intentionally create community in a time we were most craving more purposeful connection and easeful belonging. wanting a remedy to what felt like too much energy spent online and behind screens, and dreaming up a way of sharing real space with others for a meaningful amount of time. sleeping by, waking with and being together.
little did we know.
we launched just two weeks before the pandemic stay-at-home orders asked us to distance from each other even more. we plunged into a topsy-turvy world that had us apart, filled us with fear, kept us inside. it meant more togetherness (so much togetherness) than ever for some, and further isolation for others. kids and teens without each other to reflect off. babies not learning our faces. we’ve been riding ripples of grief; what we knew won’t be the same.
and also. we’ve needed these risings, these reconciliations. we’ve needed to re-examine.
{ we re-make. we rebuild. }
we’ve been shifted at such singular (and global), cellular (and pervasive) levels, it feels too soon to try to find language to describe it.
how do you tell the story of the way you’ve been rearranged?
for now, we just need reminding that we aren’t, in fact, alone, or even really apart; we are interconnected. a part of each other. knitted together. we’re murmurations, vibing off the sevenish closest beings in our sphere. we’re meant to ripple from each other.
after knowing deep isolation, we get to gather again. as in, most of us can sit safely in circles together, criss-cross applesauce or however we’re comfy, and get curious. discover each other again. learn from our circumstances, from our faces. from our stories. from the pages.
from what comes up when we come together.
we can write/rest/make art/find quiet/contemplate. we’ll read/breathe deeply/reimagine/excavate.
we can dance if we wanna.
we’ll pocket tools for dismantling and restructuring; that we make our own maps. it’s time for new plans.
we’re offering comfort, and also know discomfort’s where the growing gets good.
may we leave this time closer to who we are than when we came, and closer to another than when we began.
and not forget that nearness and connection aren’t a given, but the dearest gifts we have.
you belong here.
our true north
we believe in truth-telling. beauty-hunting. reciprocity and belonging.
we transform ourselves when shedding stories we’ve been stuck in.
we believe in the strength and resilience of women fully in their wholeness; that we’re a force to be reckoned with.
that our liberation is bound together. that justice needs us all. that the world needs our care, repair, and compassion.
we believe in the collective energy of our whole wild open hearts.
{how bright might we be if we reflect each other’s brilliance?}
about amy
amy’s an adventurer, writer, facilitator and photo-maker…so, mostly just a story lover.
she’s also a recovering secret-keeper and a newly-minted boundary-setter. a lifelong learner.
having had her world changed by learning to breathe and telling more truth, she knows now that the reclamation of our stories can be maps to our redemption.
she believes in the beauty of community and belonging, and has been dreaming up ways to gather like-hearted folks since she was small. navigator is her version of a love letter.
about myriam
an expert facilitator and guide, myriam’s also an alchemist in every way.
as a coach, artist, magic-maker and food wizardess, she’ll be nourishing us with both her poetry, presence and most delicious meals, and always the possibility of a random dance party.
about shelby
shelby is a stunning photographer; more, a storyteller in word and with image, making magic out of the most mundane, and with a way of reflecting back to you the world, and yourself, in a way that gives you hope and makes your eyes shine.
she’s typically there behind the scenes, to document the sweet stuff, offer gorgeous portraits, and teach us all a group hug called “the cinnamon roll”
(but this october, as shelby can’t be there and we’ll miss her terribly, we’re so excited to welcome andrea jenkins!)
about andrea
a mover, a shaker, a photograph maker-- a documentary photographer and writer based in the american south, andrea is wholly devoted to distilling the gold in the ordinary around her.
this october, andrea will be joining the navigator squad and offering gentle movement practices in the morning, capturing the magic of our days on any number of her cameras, and making polaroid portraits you can take home- art for your heart to remember by.
about angie
angie is a spiritual director, jungian journaling expert, archer, activist, and all around force.
she’ll be leading us in a meditative archery and journaling experience to work through places we’re stuck; shaking out of old skins and leaving with new lightness.
also, a pretty fierce new skill.
about you
you’re in the business of change-making. chance-taking. spirit-finding. story-sussing.
you’re learning to apologize less.
you’re connected to the collective. you know we really aren’t free until all of us are.
you understand that doing our inner work is necessary to better our outer world.
you’re readier for reflection.
you might feel worried, weary, stuck; we’ve got you.
you may need provisions, nurturing and rest; that lives here too.
we’re in this together.
what it is
navigator is a community for women, finding their way; writers, activists, artists, healers, folks interested in unlearning faulty stories and delving into our truths, even the hard ones. in hopes of healing the generations behind and before us, through shadow and thought work, meditation, connection, and “writing down the bones”. we connect through a comfort-filled newsletter, this in-person, reoccurring, covid-conscious retreat, and soon, smaller workshops and ways to connect face to face.
what it was
the first navigator happened in october, 2021, and looked and felt like this.
(song by the brilliant vagabon)
where the
magic happens
navigator’s next gathering is a long weekend in a stunning space right above the unmatched oregon coast, on the original land of the siletz and tillamook tribes. a portion of navigator funds are donated to the siletz tribal arts and heritage society as right relationship is crucial to our collective healing. the house sits up above the pacific, where we’ll enjoy deep comfort, vibrant food, and ocean views throughout the space.
investment
navigator is an all-inclusive experience as soon as you say yes.
shared rooms and twin beds are $1200 for 3 nights, and include all gourmet meals, treats, adventures and activities. there are 2 king master suites at $1550 per person but we hope you’ll bring a friend/share a bed and we’ll take $300 off. feel like this is meant for you and need creative or monthly payment plans? we can do that!
please reach out and let’s chat. we mean to keep this experience accessible.
every navigator retreat will offer one spot as full or partial scholarship for a weary heart. ask us about applying.
“i wish i could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness,
the astonishing light of your own being.”
