This article is written by a participant of all the Wisdom Women retreats held at Tara Mandala the last three years:
“Nadine, a beautiful teacher is convening a retreat in sacred sexuality and embodiment. This is the fourth year Wisdom Women has had this September gathering in Tara Mandala, and this year is a very transformative and organic time, as the wider organization Wisdom Women has ‘completed’ and it is in the phase of releasing its work into the world. Nadine was a founding member of Wisdom Women and is part of the creative process moving into its next form, and she is the person whose life is an expression of this offering.
To be more practical, Tara Mandala is a beautiful Tibetan Buddhist retreat center outside of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The land is exquisite, the setting is exquisite, the place is radiant. It is the only center devoted to the feminine aspects of the Buddha in the West and is led by Lama Tsultrim Allione, a very powerful woman in embodiment, and in particular the critical importance of women’s embodiment at this moment in time. We have been lucky enough to have her Tara Mandala and Tara with the blessings of Lama Tsultrim welcome us there for 4 years. She has written remarkable books such as ‘Women of Wisdom,’ ‘Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Teachings for Resolving Inner Conflict,’ and ‘Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine.’
Photo: Nadine Keller. Together with her partner, Andrew Keller, Nadine will lead the Relationship as Sacred Practice Retreat on September 6-9. Click for more.
We practice and do our work within the Temple, which one must experience to describe. We eat and share delicious nourishing meals in the beautiful communal area, prepared by Tara Mandala staff. There are a range of accommodations. The setting is transforming.
This gathering at its roots has been a weave that has supported many others birthing new projects, circles, works, relationship and powerful growth in their lives. Please if you feel a call or whisper, know that you have a friend and a connection here. Sisters are welcoming you into the circle. I am also personally extending this invitation to you … because I want to demystify the description… and I would have needed that demystifying most years in my own journey.
This will be a safe, holistic space.
This year, we are for the first time inviting men, some who will be partners of some women attending. My husband will not be coming, but he knows the door is open to him. You do not need to have a partner present. You do not need to have a relationship in your life. Nadine is incredibly gifted in working with the masculine and the feminine, and I know this will be a new and integrated part of the weekend. There will be a significant component which will also be women solo, and men on there own, and this has been one of the most powerful elements and experiences for me. I have experienced incredible, organic (i.e. not preplanned) Rites of Passage in my experiences at Tara Mandala – including adolescent to young woman, young woman to mother, mother to self-mothering, and this year will likely touch on crone. We have used mud, water, and the practices which have emerged from the land.
I would like to demystify all of this, and also say some practical things. There is ‘no intimate touching.’ No expected revealing. This is not a ‘sex’ retreat, despite the words of sexuality. Sexuality here means essence, energy, relationship, depth embodiment and accessing our most powerful creative forces we each have in our sexuality. This is not therapy. This is not drug based. There is no pressure to do things. There is no hierarchy. This is a beautiful center. This is beautiful land. You can move about the land. It is about 15 miles down a dirt road and in a beautiful setting. There are 5 free roaming horses on the property. The food is excellent. There is an amazing hot Springs with over 30 pools on a river down the road… Pagosa Springs.
Please know you are welcome and part of the weave. Know that no matter what you do with this invitation, it is perfect. This is how we co-create. We put the invitation out there. We sit in the field. We let the weave happen. You are creating the event, no matter how you respond.
This is all being co-created now. Feel in… trust the blessing… and trust the weave…
A chance to be practical and a chance to receive and explore the mystery.
With love, R~”
All Photos courtesy of Nadine Keller.
