28 July - 1 August 2023: Wild Mind Intensive at The Wild Pod, with Brian Stafford, MD, MPH

Venue: The Wild Pod at Bodhi Khaya, Stanford, Western Cape

Based on Bill Plotkin’s book, Wild Mind: A Field Guide to the Human Psyche, this 5-day intensive is an experiential exploration of our human psyches as unique expressions of the universal forces and patterns of nature. We will work with what we call the Nature-Based Map of the Human Psyche, which is, among other things, a comprehensive inventory of what can be right about a person, a “shadow” version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), mainstream psychology’s list of what can go wrong with people.

Our wild minds possess astonishing resources, untapped potentials and depths that we might not even know exist until we discover how to access them, cultivate their powers, and eventually integrate them into our everyday lives. In this intensive, we’ll access these depths and potentials - which we call the four facets of the self or the four dimensions of our innate human wholeness - and also the four sets of fragmented or wounded subpersonalities that form during childhood.

Rather than attempt to eliminate our subpersonalities (which is not possible) or to beat them into submission, we’ll cultivate the four facets of the Self and uncover the gifts of our subpersonalities. Our goal is to fully embody our multifaceted wild minds, commit ourselves to the largest, soul-infused story we’re capable of living, and serve the greater Earth community.

Discover:

• how to recognize and consciously cultivate the four facets of the self - your innate human wholeness

• how to identify the subpersonalities that supported you in childhood and adolescence to adapt to the challenges of family and social life, but ultimately became barriers to your full and authentic humanity

• practices and guidelines for cultivating relationships between the Self and your sub-personalities, enabling you to heal your sub-personalities, discover their gifts, and foster Self-actualization

• how each facet of the Self provides essential resources for the underworld journey (the descent to soul), its radical transformation of personal identity, and for living as a visionary artisan of cultural evolution.

We’ll explore the landscape of the psyche through a variety of practices, including creative expression, self-designed ceremony, solo exercises while wandering on the land, group work, movement, voice dialogue, journaling, and deep imagery work.

About Animas Valley Institute:

Mythologies from around the world tell of seekers whose arduous journeys into the underworld bestow boons to be brought back to the people. But the myths don’t tell us how contemporary people might undertake this journey…

Founded by Bill Plotkin in 1980, Animas Valley Institute offers a rich assortment of guided immersions into the mysteries of nature and psyche, including Soulcraft intensives, contemporary vision fasts, and training programs for nature-based soul guides.

Guide:

Brian Stafford has previously trained as a cultural psychiatry fellow at the University of Cape Town Department of Psychiatry. Now, he is a guide to the wilderness of nature and soul. He was called out of academic medicine to serve as a guide to the depths and to serve as an agent of cultural awakening and transformation. He guides with humor, playfulness, compassion, discernment, and a deep remembering of the fullness of what each human life can, should, and was meant to be. A native of Colorado and the former holder of an endowed chair and professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, he is an avid outdoorsman, teacher, writer, mentor, partner, and parent. He guides individuals and groups in Southern California, the Colorado River Basin, and wherever he is invited. He guides individuals to the place they most long and fear to go – the numinous depths of their soul. Brian currently makes his home in Ojai, California.

DATE AND TIME DETAILS:

July 28 - 1 August 2023

Start Time: 1pm

End Time: 1pm

LOCATION: Bodhi Khaya, Stanford

WHAT TO BRING: Bodhi Khaya offers shared or single cottage or cabin accommodation, linens provided. Camping is available for those who prefer to camp, yet is limited (first come, first serve basis). Participants are responsible for personal transportation to and from the program.

MEALS: Lunch will be provided but participants are responsible for bringing their own breakfasts, and ingredients to create delicious vegetarian ‘rainbow-style’ meals together. The group will be divided into meal teams to plan and prepare group dinners.

PRICES: Sliding Scale - ZAR14,000 - 18,500

Early Bird book and pay by 10 June ZAR12,500 - R17,000.

Rates depend on the type of accommodation selected as well as your budget. Paying a higher rate allows us to subsidise people who would otherwise be unable to come, thank you so much for your solidarity. Some scholarship monies are available, please mention your need on your booking email, and we’ll get back to you about it.

Please note a minimum of 8 bookings are required in order for this retreat to go ahead.

The embodiment of our Wildminds so that we can become expressions of our fullest humanity provides us with the essential resilience to begin a journey towards soul initiation. If you would like to continue from this programme into an exploration of soul encounter practices, we are presenting  Soulcraft Intensive on  August 3 - 7 2023  at the incredible Leshiba Wilderness. Animas - Soul Craft - Leshiba.

The Soulcraft Intensive is Animas Valley’s popular five-day experiential plunge into the wild depths of Soulcraft; a synergistic set of nature-based practices designed to evoke the life-shifting experience of soul encounter.