Hi Wildling
We're really excited to meet you in real life. Before then, we'd like to get to know you a little better and share some more information with you.
Please carefully read through the following information. This page may be updated in the lead-up to the weekend so please bookmark it for quick reference.
Preparing for your retreat...
Hello Wildling
I'm Michelle, and this is my little Teckle, Chico. We're both really excited to meet you in a few weeks and can't wait to share our home with you. I'll be your main point of contact and host during the retreat, so if you have any questions at any time, get in touch.
You many have been on many retreats before or perhaps this is your first, either way, we want to reassure you that it's totally natural to feel a little bit apprehensive about joining a retreat, especially if this is your first time, but we promise we'll make you feel right at home. The Rewilding is located across our family farm and where I was brought up so I hope you can think of this weekend as coming to visit a good family friend with a group of pals, ready for an adventure. Myself and my family are very connected to the land and the local area and we can't wait to show you around. We'll walk you through the experience day by day and everything we do is inclusive and open to beginners, yet we expect you'll experience a lot of firsts whilst your with us.
Key Information
Dates | 5th to 8th May 2023
Check-In - 2 pm 5th May
Check Out - 4 pm 8th May
Address | Patty's Barn, Hillam Lane, Cockerham, Lancaster, LA2 0DY
Google Maps Link and more info on how to get here can be found here
Lead contact | Michelle Parry, 07502726596, hello@the-rewilding.com
Making an Offering
We hope that during your time with us you experience a balanced exchange both with our location and amongst the group.
A ritual we practice at every Rewilding retreat is making a small offering.
We do this as part of our human rewilding journey, looking to the past to relearn from our ancestors, how they built relationships and shared resources and knowledge. Indigenous communities around the world practice gift-giving and making an offering as a way to create bonds that open the relationships between us. This is very different from how we gift in the modern Western world where there is often an expectation and obligation in return.
However this form of giving is ‘something for nothing', something that cannot be bought or sold, and there is no obligation. Often these gifts are something that will be passed along, as the more something is shared the greater its value becomes.
We are experiencing this same gift-giving on a daily basis from nature, the abundance of food, water, light, and so on. Part of relearning this practice in this way is to return gratitude for these gifts of abundance. The more we practice gratitude the more nourishment we receive from the gifts. Without gratitude and reciprocity, these gifts will eventually cease.
We invite you to make an offering to the group or location. It is not of monetary value or something that needs to arrive in multiples but simply a thought of connection, a gift from nature, or some words or poetry that are meaningful to you. We will share these with one another when we come together. There will also be an opportunity at check-in to have a look around the site, collect some wildflowers or find a treasure/stone or something you can place for this. Please do not overthink this and it is not necessary to bring anything in multiples.
More about you
We'd like to get to know you a little better and collect some more information from you so we can make sure you are safe during the retreat. Any information shared will not be shared with anyone outside of The Rewilding.
Please complete the form by clicking the link HERE
Participation Agreement
Both you and any other guests in your booking need to complete the Participation Agreement form in advance to allow you to participate in the retreat. This will be sent to you via email where you can sign the document with an electronic signature. If you do not complete the participation agreement, unfortunately, you cannot participate in the retreat. If you have any questions please let me know by contacting hello@the-rewilding.com
Technology & Social Media
One of the fundamentals of human rewilding is immersing yourselves in your own senses. Removing distractions from the outside world and slowing down the pace. In order to get the best out of your retreat we encourage you to take a digital detox. We understand that you may need to check in with work or family however we encourage you to ask them to respect your time away in advance, and for you to take this as an opportunity to reduce your online connectivity.
Check in and Check Out Times
The retreat opens for arrivals from 2pm on the 5th May. Check out time on 7th May, departure day, is at 4pm. We politely ask you to adhere to these times so we can prepare the retreat in time.
Terms & Conditions
Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions before your arrival and let us know if you have any questions.
Photography & Filming
We will at times take photographs during retreats for our website and promotional material, including adverts. If you do not wish to be included in this please let a member of staff know about this on your arrival.
We encourage you to share your experience however please be considerate of others who may not wish to have their image shared online.
On retreat
We welcome your feedback and will give you a feedback form at the end of the experience to help us improve. We expect you to have an amazing time but if for whatever reason something is not right we would much rather the opportunity to fix the issue than you leave the retreat disappointed. Please do let us know about it in person during the weekend and we will do everything we can to fix it.
If at anytime before and during the retreat for that matter, you have any questions please feel welcome to contact Michelle, who will be your host, at anytime by emailing hello@the-rewilding.com
What to bring
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Water bottle to fill up and stay hydrated
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Sturdy walking shoes/ trainers that you are comfortable getting muddy, wellies if you have them
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Warm socks
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Slip-on and off shoes e.g. flip flops/sliders
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Swimwear/ clothing you are happy to get wet
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Comfortable clothing/activewear
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Warm fleece/jacket/clothing
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Waterproof jacket
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1 or 2 sets of casual relaxation clothes
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We have plenty of blankets but if you do wish to bring your own then please feel welcome to
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Medications if required
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Journal, we do have everything you'll need to journal but if you already have your own journal you may wish to bring your own.
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Camera (optional)
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Binoculars (optional)
What not to bring
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Towels or linen
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Hair dryers (provided)
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We provide shampoo and shower gel in the cottages