CA Women’s Vision Fast

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Nov 5th, 2024 - Nov 16th, 2024 | Death Valley, California | Betsy Perluss, Cynthia Morrow

“I see the Feminine defined as a reconnection to the Self, a commitment to the wildness within our instincts, our capacityto create and destroy; our hunger for connection as well as sovereignty, interdependence and independence, at once.” –Terry Tempest Williams

Like the waxing and waning of the moon, our inner essence is reflected in the creative forces of nature, in the continual movement of light and dark. Throughout the stages of our lives, we flow between the stages of birth, death and re-birth.

You know in your bones the ancient practice of rites of passage. This is a time to go out alone, be held by the earth and the spacious desert. For four days and four nights, there is space to remember your wholeness, sink into your dreams, and release what no longer serves. Here we can clear away the distractions of busy life and tune our ears to our inner voice and nature.

It may be time to ask questions, such as: What needs to be let go? How can I come back to center? What deeper truths are unfolding in my life? How can I tend to my own dreams? And how can I give and receive from a place of nourishment?

Program Overview: This ceremony involves several days of preparation, 4 days and nights of fasting/living alone in a wilderness place, and a few days of incorporation.

PREPARATION:  You will be readied physically, psychologically, mentally, and spiritually, that you might fully benefitfrom this solo experience in the wilderness. You will be given an ancient means of looking into the mirror of nature (“The Four Shields”). Preparation will also include the study of symbols, archetypes and ways common to vision fasts and rites of passage.

SOLO FAST:  You will cross the threshold and enter into your ceremony, making it your own. You will live alone in the wilderness as so many have done before. Your teachers will maintain a safe perimeter around the area and make sure you have sufficient provisions. Safety is our utmost concern and you will be given the tools necessary to support your well-being.

INCORPORATION:   During the final days, we will join together for the sharing of stories.  The guides will listen, help you to understand, and challenge you to give your vision practical feet—to live the life you have rightfully claimed as your own!

We welcome all women, transgender, and gender non-conforming people to this ceremony. We also welcome and invite in all forms of gender identity and expression and see our diversity as a gift to the whole.

Program Questions Contact: Betsy Purluss at [email protected]

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TUITION: $1,000 - $3,000
DEPOSIT: $300

Sliding Scale: To honor the vast difference of financial resources among us, all of our program tuition is based on a sliding scale. We set forth no criteria and ask that you pay what is appropriate for your circumstances and access to financial resources. You can see recommendations on using the sliding scale here. If the low end of the sliding scale is still too much, scholarship assistance is available , please reach out to the office for more info.

Cancellations: Cancellations are hard on the participant, the School, and the guides. We respect the unpredictability of life, and we are diligent about running an organization sustainably.

  • If you cancel 60 or more days prior to the start date of your program, you will receive a full refund of any tuition paid, minus any deposits.
  • If you cancel 59 days or less prior to the start date of your program, and we can fill your spot, then you will receive a full refund of any tuition paid, minus any deposits.
  • If we cannot fill your spot, and you cancel within 59 days of the start of your program, then we hold you accountable for paying the tuition at the lowest end of the sliding scale.

Submit Waitlist form

This program is full; however, you may add your name to the Waitlist by clicking the Waitlist button below.

Submit enrollment form

 Please fill out and submit the enrollment form and then pay the program deposit below. Before you pay the deposit, please read deposit section below, all deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. After your enrollment form is complete, please submit all health and liability forms.

Pay program deposit

Deposits: This deposit signifies your commitment to the program and is deducted from the tuition balance. All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. They cover the work of the specific course you signed up for, including all communication involved as well as the fee that guides pay to the school administration for the course accounting. 

Additional Deposit: Some programs require a second deposit to help us affirm commitments. Last minute cancellations make it hard to fill openings and incur a loss of income to the School and the guides.

Tuition Balance: Balance of tuition can be paid before or upon arrival. Simply deduct any deposits made from the amount you’ve chosen on the sliding scale.

Additional course details & Materials

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We will hold camp among the creosote bushes and open expanse of the desert of Death Valley National Park, in the lands of the Timbisha Shoshone. Exact location to be announced. We encourage people to arrive on Monday, November 4th, the evening before we officially start. The group will then come together for its first meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 5th. We will complete our ceremony no later than early afternoon Saturday, November 16th.
ADDITIONAL FEES: Camping fees are usually between $20-$40 for the entire time depending on group size. Any additional fees will be collected at the time of the program. You will be responsible for bringing your own food and equipment, though we can provide some gear if needed. We ask everyone to come prepared to live self-sufficiently. You will need to bring shelter and clothing suitable for a full range of inclement weather.

You will be responsible for bringing your own food and equipment, though we can provide some gear if needed. We ask everyone to come prepared to live self-sufficiently. You will need to bring shelter and clothing suitable for a full range of inclement weather. 

All participants must submit the required health questionnaire and liability form.

If you have questions about the enrollment process contact us at [email protected] or call 760-938-3333.

Tüpippüh (also known as Death Valley) is home of the Timbisha people and is the name of their ancestral and contemporary homeland. Miners came to this area in 1849 and the Timbisha’s land was stolen to create Death Valley National Monument in 1933. The Timbisha were allotted a 40 acre reservation in the park and also forced onto other reservations and into towns in the area.

To learn more about our commitment to regenerative relationships please visit Cultural Relations.