Six women gathered in the crisp sunlit mountain air near Cashiers, NC for a day of connection, reflection, and intention setting for the upcoming Winter. Each participant brought with her her own wisdom and particpated fully in the experience. Below are images and readings captured from the day.

Discussing the significance of Winter from various cultural perspectives

Sharing a warm meal and heating ourselves internally

We have so much gratitude for the women who showed up so fully to this day long retreat. Thank you for not only doing this for yourself, but also for giving the gift of your wisdom, awareness, and journey to each one of us. We look forward to the next opportunity to mark the transition of seasons.

Winter Sleep

If I could I would

Go down to winter with the drowsy she-bear,

Crawl with her under the hillside

And lie with her, cradled. Like two souls

In a patchwork bed –

Two old sisters familiar to each other

As cups in a cupboard –

We would burrow into the yellow leaves

To shut out the sounds of the winter wind.

Deep in that place, among the roots

Of sumac, oak, and wintergreen,

We would remember the freedoms of summer,

And we would begin to breather together –

Hesitant as singers in the wings –

A shy music,

Oh! a very soft song.

While pines cracked in the snow above,

And seeds froze in the ground, and rivers carried

A dark roof in their many blue arms,

We would sleep and dream.

We would wake and tell

How we longed for the spring.

Smiles on our faces, limbs around each other,

We would turn and turn

Until we heard our lips in unison sighing

The family name.

-Mary Oliver

Collective Uplift

Finding Presence in Winter. November 2015

Winter Sleep

Aspen Roots Collective, PLLC