CA Women’s Vision Fast

Nov 4th, 2026 - Nov 14th, 2026 | Lemoigne Canyon, Death Valley, Ca | 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.
“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 benefit from 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 Overview: The 12 day ceremony involves four days of preparation, four days and nights of fasting alone in a wilderness place, and four days of incorporation. You will be readied to physically, psychologically, mentally, and spiritually benefit from the experience of time alone 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 the world over. Following the solo, you will participate in story council and incorporation.
Program Questions Contact: Cynthia Morrow at [email protected]
Additional course details & Materials

TIME AND LOCATION: Lemoigne Canyon, Death Valley. We will rendezvous at Panamint Springs Resort (http://www.panamintsprings.com/) at 9am on November 4th with our last meeting finishing by mid-day on November 15th. The morning we rendezvous we will caravan to a backcountry site for the 4 days of preparation and the 4 days of the solo fast. For the final 3½ days of incorporation we will be in a group campsite at Panamint Springs Resort. The School makes no provisions for meals or equipment, though we will offer a communal meal the morning you emerge from the threshold. More detailed logistical information will be sent out a few months before the course begins. ADDITIONAL FEES: $30 Park entrance fee & Camping Fees TBD 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.