Join Ella Dufrene, Katie “Pinto” LeBrun, and Ryan Bean for our 4th annual Madre Tierra Spring Equinox Retreat. This retreat offers a 4-day eco-getaway in which you will take a break from daily routine to quiet your mind, connect with nature, and tap into your inner peace. Our intention for this weekend is to provide a safe space which promotes well-being and self-care through various alternative, holistic, and expressive therapy teachings such as Yoga, Art Therapy, and Hula-Hoop. More info here

Price: $439 USD per person

Retreat Includes:

Daily Yoga classes. 3-night accommodation at Hostel in the Forest Linens & Towels Daily delicious and healthy vegetarian brunch and dinner (3 brunch, 3 dinners) All workshops Use of Hostel property and all amenities (Glass house, library, screen porch, labyrinth, trails, kitchen, refrigerators/supplemental food storage, pools, lake, fire pit, garden, art space)

PAYMENT OPTIONS In order to register for a this retreat, participants must call the Hostel at (912) 264-9738 to sign up, at which time the Hostel collects a $100 deposit (refundable up to 10 days prior to the event, you can pay for the event in full when registering if you wish). Spots are limited. Please send an email to ellarapha.art@gmail.com to confirm registration.

What to bring:

While the retreat offers basic supplies, please bring your personal art supplies. Snacks. There is a kitchen space to use between meals-please label and store in the community fridge if you get hungry in between meals. Organic bug spray and flash light. Long sleeved items that are light to cover up in case of mosquitos. Linens and towels will be provided, you can bring additional blankets. Cash to spend at the Hostel, there is a teacher/art gallery vending space with products for sale, or to pay for Hostel Coffee and merchandise. Cell phone use is not permitted in the common areas. Remember, we are here to unplug, destress, recharge, and connect with one another and nature. Please only use them in your lodging areas.

Visionary Goddess Retreat April 18-21

Join us for a Full Moon weekend in celebrating the sacred divine feminine and art as a spiritual practice- with visionary art workshops, sacred sweat lodge and meditation/healing activities at the beautiful Hostel in the Forest. This is the 4th annual Visionary Goddess Retreat, and we can’t wait to create with you all. For creative women and feminine spirits. No art experience necessary.

Your stay includes Lodging of three nights and three days in a tree house or cabin/bunkhouse on 133 acres of lush Forest. Two delicious vegetarian meals per day prepared by a holistic chef. (Brunch and Dinner) Access to all art classes/workshops.

Basic art supplies Canvas, easel, work space, limited paint and drawing supplies. (Please bring your personal paint/art supplies) Participation in sweat lodge and cacao ceremony. Access to Hostel space and amenities: lodging and cabin space (linens included) access to the geodesic dome library, art studio space, outdoor showers, glasshouse, private lake access, hiking trails and walking labyrinth.

Workshops and events Beginning Acrylics and painting techniques with Veronika Rose. By the Goddess: Capturing female power in paint,” 2 day workshop w/featured artist LeVar Carter. Discovering spirits in wood- painting workshop with Veronika Rose. Yoga Gong/sound healing with flower essence experience w/ Drea Silvestri Cacao ceremony with ecstatic dance with Zulaika Alvarez. Visionary discussion with Julie Wilder. Sacred Sweat Lodge and tobacco prayer. Easter flower banos and blessing with John Moore.

PRICE: $360 per person

TO REGISTER Call the Hostel in the Forest at (912) 264-9738 and pay a $100 deposit to reserve your spot. After confirming with the Hostel, please email Veronikaroseart@gmail.com and let us know you’ve signed up. The remaining $260 is paid when arriving to the forest. Cancellation and refundable up to 10 days (April 8th) prior to the event.

This is a pack it in, pack it out, leave no trace environment. Please take any trash you bring out with you.

Traveling with a friend or small group? The Hostel has rooms that fit up to 4 people. Let the hostel know who will be with you.

Food allergies? Let the hostel know as well.

First time sweat lodge? Check out the link here- http://foresthostel.com/sweat-lodge

What to bring: *For painting- Please bring your personal art supplies; Acrylic paints in Primary colors and black and white, portable Easel, (2) 16”x2canvas or wooden panels, set of brushes, rag, water cup and sketch pad with pencils or colored pencils. Please bring printed reference photos as we will not be able to access a printer or have internet during the classes. This is a cellphone and Wi-Fi free area.

Snacks. There is a kitchen space to use between meals-please label and store in the community fridge if you get hungry in between meals.

Organic bug spray and flash light.

Long sleeved items that are light to cover up in case of mosquitoes.

Linens and towels will be provided, you can bring additional blankets.

Items to add to the creativity altar, like crystals, feathers, offerings, tobacco etc, tapestries etc.

light cotton dress, skirt and shirt/towel for the sweat lodge.

Portable water bottle.

Cash to spend at the Hostel, there is a teacher/art gallery vending space with products for sale, massage treatments or to pay for Hostel Coffee and merchandise. (Limited credit card purchases for individual artists) Cell phone use is not permitted in the common areas as to respect those who are in meditation and prayer. Please only use them in your lodging areas. More info coming soon! Stay tuned for schedule and instructor info.

Winter Update:

As the leaves begin to drop with the changing of the seasons, so does the temperature. The birds and mammals of the forest have been busy collecting their winter food supplies and building warm sleeping areas. Similarly, the humans of the forest have been cooking up hearty soups and stews, while getting cozy at night with piles of blankets. Chilly days bring about long conversations around the warmth of the campfire, which is further enjoyed with hot beverages and musical instruments. And thanks to our well-loved wood stoves, the main dome and library are kept toasty warm with roaring fires throughout the season. Movie nights in the library and game nights on the screen porch are not uncommon this time of year. And while the lake may be too cold for swimming, it’s still a favorite spot for folks to take our canoes and kayaks onto the still, peaceful water.

With less hours of daylight, the chickens have been laying fewer eggs, while using this time to molt their old feathers in order to grow beautiful new ones. The ducklings we raised in the summer, have grown into full-fledged adults and spend their days lounging at the pond and exploring the puddles after it rains. Fall brought the migration of hawks through the forest, and many woodpeckers were seen frequenting our dead trees for tasty insects. Thanks to the cold temperatures, mosquitos and flies are now a thing of the past, and it is pleasant to get out and walk the T-trail without such distractions. Bats have also become a more common and welcome sight in the early evening hours, especially over the lake.

Winter has brought nights below freezing that narrowed our options from the garden. But thankfully, with a little love and care, our gardens have provided us with an abundance of unique greens, which are combined with wild foraged edibles to create some truly tasty salads! It’s been such a blessing to continue to eat fresh produce year-round, especially straight from our own soil! As we move toward spring, we look forward to growing a wide assortment of veggies in our main garden as well as the solar field gardens.

In summary, the winter is a very special time of year in the forest. A time for quiet reflection. A time for observation. And a time to gather in the warm company of new friends