Vision Quest Crete 7-21 Oct 2016 A Wilderness Rite of Passage Answering the Call Awakening To Life with Klara Adalena www.klaraadalena.com
The Waters of Life Once upon a time, there was a village where more and more people got sick. A young woman got so pained seeing one after the other of her dear ones get ill, that she went to the priestess asking her what she could do. The woman didn t think twice and answered: go find the waters of life. She didn t get the opportunity to ask anything more, didn t know what that was or where to find it. But something inside told her she needed to be alone in the mountains. She went, taking nothing with her but a walking stick and an empty gourd. She climbed higher and higher until night fell. She found a small tree that sheltered her. But as night was falling snow started falling, and she got so cold she shivered and shivered and until she thought her teeth would fall out. She must have fallen asleep though, for the next morning she awoke. She opened her eyes to a pure white world, covered with snow. But close to her, the ground was dark and warm. A few hairs were on the ground and in the snow around her she the tracks of deer, rabbit, bear, skunk, and many other animals. She shook a wolf s hair from her clothes and realized all the animals had come to keep her warm. Something in her awoke, and she started digging right there, and soon find a well with clear water. She filled her gourd and went back to her village. There she shared this story and the water, telling the people this was Life-Giving Water and they needed to sip from it. A hawk landed on her shoulder as she spoke. Soon the whole village was healthy and strong again, honoring the trees and animals that had shown them the way. The Calling Are you being called, like this woman in the story? Are you fed up with seeing the pain and hurt in your life and the world around you? Congratulations! This is the universal yet highly personal calling to awaken. Become the heroine or hero breaking free from a too limited vision of life, yourself and your surroundings and finding new vision. When we see life differently, we will live it differently. Changing and healing the way you hold life is the most effective way to generate change and healing. I invite you to come Quest with me and to come find the waters of life. It will open you up to the wonders of support waiting out there. Questing in Crete means going deep into the wilderness and high onto the mountains. Questing with me means going deep into yourself and finding the highest perspective on your life. The land of your quest will become part of the texture of your soul, and the raw pristine beauty of Crete will nourish your life ever after. Crete is an unparalleled place for your quest and with my 18 years of experience I will offer the space, wisdom and spirit to make this a true Rite of Passage. Dates: 7-21 Oct 2016. 3- Day Quest in the mountains embedded in a 15 Day Ceremony on Crete 1
Guidance during your preparation and integration time before and after your time in Crete Getting There You fly to Heraklion, Crete. Arrive anytime on the 7 th, departures anytime on 21nd. If you have time to spare, come a day or two early, we can always arrange an apartment for you. From Heraklion you take a bus or taxi to our location on the South side of the island. Details will be given after booking. Transport Depending on the group size there will be 1 to 3 jeeps at your disposal. We like to co-create and ask that participants share in the driving responsibilities. Crete Crete is rough mountains, sweet orchards, tiny houses and azure seas. It is said that in Greece the Goddesses and Gods came down to live on Earth. In my worldview the divine never separated from the earth, but I do understand this saying, for there are so many sacred groves, gorges, wells, waterfalls, hilltops, cliffs, and mountaintops.. Sage and thyme are abundant and mix with the sweet smell of pines to create that typical Mediterranean fragrance, lifting your spirit and opening your soul. I love to work with the energy of the land and will be taking you to many secluded spots which will be the perfect backdrop for the topic of the day. The areas where we go are more or less protected from the boom of tourism, and you will still find many unspoiled villages and mountain tracks, as well as the famous Greek hospitality. Safety I have found over the twenty years that I quest here in the wilderness, swim on the beaches, hike through the mountains and do open air ceremonies all over the place, that Crete is an uncommonly safe and friendly place for women and men to travel. There are few places on earth where I feel so free to be myself and do my thing wherever I stand, day and night. Of course, this does presume that you take care of the land (no fires!), and abide by the culture, like covering your body and upper legs with shirt and pants or skirts at all times- except the beaches, where skinny dipping is OK. 2
Climate In October the South side of Crete has a perfect climate, sunny for 97% of the time, temperatures at sea level between 20 and 30 degree Celsius, and hardly any rain. Winds vary from sensually sweet to wild and stormy. On the South side of Crete, where we are, the summer still lingers on even though on the Northern side weather cools off and clouds drift in. For our time higher in the mountain- when we will be out 24/24- count on the days being still warm to hot, with a strong sun, and during the night temperatures dropping to about 15 to 10 degree Celsius. Surroundings The direct surroundings of the apartments are jaw-dropping. The apartments are situated in between olive trees, and perched almost directly on the cliff to the emerald Mediterranean. You have access to an almost private beach among the cliffs, ideally situated for sun bathing and swimming. Behind the apartments are more olive trees, rocks, and pines, all inviting for beautiful hikes. A hiking trail starts directly behind the apartments, and I will be sure to show it to you! We start every day with a sunrise meditation among the pines, and there will be days when you see the sun rising out of the sea. Prehistoric Culture Crete has a rich legacy of Goddess culture, known as Minoan culture. Temple ruins are found all over the island, and rooting ourselves in this culture of the Sacred Feminine will add to the transformative power of your journey. The tradition of initiation ceremonies like the Vision Quest has been practiced on this island for over 5,000 years, and up till not so long ago young men would spend a night in a gorge before their marriage. Accommodation During the quest itself we will be the guest of the pristine mountains of Crete. During the days of preparation and integration we have a sweet and small apartment complex, beautifully situated with a stunning sea view from every apartment and a private beach at 3 min. walking distance. The facilities are simple but functional: shower, toilet, kitchenette, refrigerator and electricity. You have your own apartment, possibly sharing. Usually there will be no more than 2 in an apartment, if the group is full the bigger apartments will accommodate 3. The apartments each have 1 or 2 rooms, bathroom, and balcony with sea view. There is limited wifi at the reception that you can use, for more intense use of wifi there are internet shops at 2 km distance. 3
Eating and Shopping Most participants choose to live simple these weeks and buy local foods in the shop 1 km down the road, and cook in their apartments. The currency is euro s and you can pay by pin. For organic shopping, and luxury items you drive to Ierapetra, about a half hour drive. In case you choose to eat out, there are plenty of restaurants in the direct neighborhood, and I can tip you on those with traditional Greek hospitality and homemade dishes. Our Group Space: Nature All our group meetings will be in nature, at a variety of breathtakingingly beautiful places Program: Preparation Like in all Rites of Passage the program consists of 3 distinct phases: Preparation, Quest, and Integration. In Appendix 1 you will see a day to day example program. The actual form of the program will vary. During the 6 days of Preparation you will journey inner and outer landscapes. You honour the person you have been, and open yourself to the cracks in your psyche, where the new is emerging. Klara s expert psychological and spiritual guidance of this phase lays the foundation for a deep transition. The in depth preparation will ensure your safety in both physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realms, as well as paving the way for an incredible experience. Program: Quest The actual Quest consists of 5 days high in pristine mountains, of which 3 are spent alone. This will be a time dense with ceremony, and Klara is well known and loved for the sacredness and power of her rituals and ceremonies. You will really feel yourself entering the invisible world, the inbetween space, where bound by nothing you are free to expand your horizon and have new experiences. Klara and an assistant will be holding the space from a basecamp, forming your energetic connection to the outside world. Program: Integration In the Integration time there will be more ceremonies to tie the exp[erience to your soul and to expand into the gifts Mother Nature has given you. Through Klara s unparalleled mirrorings of your experience the process of understanding the depth and width of your experience will start.. and most participants agree that this process continues for years, if not decades. A Vision Quest will Klara nourishes your soul for years to come. Places You will Visit For some, this will be their only chance to visit Crete, and you can count on visiting some of the most secluded power places of the island, getting a taste of her soul like no other journey can offer. Some better and lesser known places you might visit: Knossos or other Minoan Temple, Sacred Mountain Tops, Oleander Gorge, Divine Private Beach, Full Moon 4
Cliff, Gaia Waterfall Temple, and more. Which ones we actually go to will depend upon moon phase, weather, and group energy, to name a few. Group Under Klara s guidance the group becomes a true community, where each and everyone is loved and honored for the divine light within, and accepted with strengths and weaknesses. Bonds are formed for life, and the experience of this level of group spirit often form a big treasure and inspiration. The group size varies between 4 and 8, and we do limit the group at this number to safeguard personal guidance and a wide personal space in the mountains. Your Investment Your investment The booking fee is 2775. Early Bird discount up till 1 April 200, up till 1 May 100 Deadline for booking: 1 August Additional costs The fee is for the program plus the rental of jeeps. Count on a few extra s: accommodation, about E 300 and more if you want an upgrade food (good and cheap restaurants or cook in your apartment and dine on the balcony with spectular sea view) travel to Crete and transfer basic equipment for camping in nature (sleeping bag, small tent, etc. Try to borrow if you don t have it) Booking The booking procedure consists of 6 steps: 1- Go to the webpage and click the booking button. This completes your booking by paying the holding fee. This fee will guarantee that I hold your place for two weeks. 2- Write me an email through the contact form introducing yourself and include a letter of intent. Please use our tips for the letter of intent: Click here to open Tips for Letter of Intent>> 3- Send it to the email address included and I will connect to you to set a date for a 1 to 1 skype interview within this two week period. 4- At the end of the interview I let you know whether I feel you are ready for this adventure. If so, you will pay the remaining sum within 7 days and you are fully 5
booked. You pay through this link: http://www.klaraadalena.com/shop/uncategorized/rest-payment-vision-quest-full/ 5- Fill out and send us the health survey that you received in the confirmation email upon booking. Send to klara (at ) wildwisewoman (dot ) org 6- Book your flight to Heraklion, and book a travel and cancellation insurance Appendix: Example Program Standard day rhythm: 6.40 7.30 Sunrise meditation including basic astronomy and astrology, 7.30-12.30 Excursion/ teaching/ group work, 16.30 18.30 Evening program. The outline of the program is archetypical and always the same, yet details can shift around. I cocreate this program with nature and the weather, and can guarantee of no item that it will happen. Check in daily on the program for next day. Day 1 Arrivals, explore the private beach, do some shopping and unwind. For those who arrive early: Afternoon: welcome with local Dictamus tea, optional Masterclass 4 * 4 driving in rough mountain tracks Day 2 Morning Water shiatsu and bodywork on beach, inc. dreamwork, history of ancient priestess cultures and their mystery rituals, 1 hour mini Vision Quest in nature held by Klara and team Afternoon: Light hike and Ceremonial greeting of Crete Evening Checking in, understanding the taboos, rooting our journey inthe tradition of ancient mystery rituals, more on holding space for each other, space for sharing your experiences Day 3 Day 4 Long Excursion to Ancient Temple, eg. Knossos or Praisos, optional dreamwork, nature hike or museum, opening to the language of nature Morning Drive to higher mountain flanks, 3 hour mini Vision Quest, teachings on holding the space for each other in experiences of awakening of the soul and the heart, inc. practice Evening Sharing, more teachings on language of Gaia, practical, emotional, mental and spiritual preparation for your Quest part 1 Day 5 Morning Completing practical and mental preparation, more explorations, of holding the space for each other in experiences of awakening of the soul and the heart, possibly including dreamwork Evening Completing emotional and spiritual preparation Day 6 Before Dawn Star Solo 6
Morning Mirroring Evening Packing the cars, intimate and sacred short session Day 7 Early Morning Drive into high mountain area, setting up basecamp, finding your own spot for your Quest, creating Medicine Wheel Evening Sacred Space, attuning to Gaia, entering the ritual silence Day 8 Sunrise Passing the threshold, Vision Quest day 1 Day 9 Vision Quest day 2 Day 10 Vision Quest day 3 Day 11 Vision Quest 4 th Sunrise Morning Returning over the threshold, drive out of the mountains, ritual cleansing in the sea. Whole day still in silence. Evening Opening the silence, ceremony for celebration of food Day 12 Morning Diary writing, sharing of the stories within sacred space, mirroring of the essence of your experience and the messages you received from Gaia Evening continuation of morning Day 13 Morning Hike to Sacred Nature Temple, sharing and mirroring part 2 Evening Coyote fire ceremony on beach, releasing ceremonial space Day 14 Morning: Hike in gorge, gratitudes and reflections, transiting to normal awareness Evening: Dinner at local seashore restaurant Day 15 Departures Last updated: 1 June 2016 7