Retreat · Jan 12, 2024 – Jan 14, 2024
New Year Ritual Retreat 2024
- When
- Fri, Jan 12, 2024 – Sun, Jan 14, 2024
- Format
- In-Person
- Location
- Rivendell Retreat Centre, Bowen Island, BC, Canada
- Schedule
- Friday 3pm - Sunday 3pm
This weekend retreat welcomed 2024 with ritual and ceremony at Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island. Participants released what they needed to let go of from the previous year, found stillness in the present moment, and created story vision boards to guide the year ahead.
The retreat was for people of all ages and stages who wanted to invite more ritual into everyday life and begin the year with intentional community, whether they were new to ceremony or seasoned ritualists.
Over three days, participants explored rituals to release what was, find presence in the moment, and set intentions for the future through meditation, movement, art, music, nature, and story visioning.
The retreat was hosted at Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island, BC, in the Lodge at Cates Hill, surrounded by forest, lakes, ocean views, hiking trails, a community labyrinth, and quiet spaces for reflection.
The retreat included six catered vegetarian meals, with snacks throughout the weekend and accommodations for most dietary needs with advance notice.
Registration included two nights of accommodation, six catered vegetarian meals, workshop supplies, and retreat treasures. Travel to and from Bowen Island was not included.
Itinerary
- Friday, January 123:00pm onward
Arrival and opening circle
Participants arrived by 3pm, gathered for opening circle at 4pm, shared dinner, and began rituals to release 2023.
- Saturday, January 13
Story visioning and creative ritual
The day centered on crafting vision boards, creativity and intuition with Kate Shepherd, time in nature, and community connection.
- Sunday, January 143:00pm departure
Sharing stories and closing circle
Participants shared their stories and set intentions for the year ahead before leaving Rivendell around 3pm.
Facilitators
Megan Sheldon
Megan Sheldon (she/her) is a cultural mythologist, humanist celebrant, end-of-life doula, and co-founder of Be Ceremonial, the world's first guided ritual and ceremony platform. She is the author of Ritual Without Religion: A Humanist Guide to Creating Secular Ceremonies, and has spent years crafting ceremonies across the life cycle, with a focus on grief and the less visible moments of change and transition.
Kate Shepherd
Kate Shepherd, founder of Morning Moon Nature Jewelry and Creative Genius Inc., is a celebrated artist and podcast host, making waves in the world of creativity. Yet Kate’s story is not just one of artistic achievement; her true passion and calling is for supporting the human spirit to return to its creative roots. Kate believes Humanity is Glitching™ because we have collectively become disconnected from our inner creative gifts, and through her podcasts, meditations, writing, and workshops, she dedicates herself to helping as many people as she can to find and activate their intuition and creativity.
Her podcast “The Creative Genius Podcast,” empowers others to find their creative voices, too, it ranks among the top 1% of podcasts, globally. Kate resides in North Vancouver with her two kids and rescue dog, Maggie.
