Friday 9/25/26, 10-1pm as part of the Spotfin Art & Nature Gathering at Cowee School.

“If we surrendered

to earth’s intelligence

we could rise up rooted, like trees.”

-Rainer Maria Rilke

Debuting as part of Bartram 250, Nature as Kin focused on our intrinsic connections to and reverence for our natural world, not as resource or commodity but something we are deeply enmeshed and in relationship with. In our second year exploring this gathering, we will be invited through the elements (earth, water, fire, air, space), to pause, remember, co-create, and continue nurturing a sense of belonging and place both within and around.

What to expect: 

A slow sensory meander down a gravel path for less than a mile, intentional poetry and prose to spark curiosity and deep remembrance, space for contemplative practice, and seasonal tea and snacks to conclude our time together. 

Please bring water, weather appropriate clothes and shoes, and a blanket or mat if you prefer not sitting on the ground. Expressive elements like a journal, watercolor, compact instrument, etc are also encouraged. 

Space is limited to 15 participants.

Your Co-Facilitators: 

Ashlyn Miller of Inner Woven is a practitioner, facilitator, and somatic therapist weaving at the confluence of mental health, holistic living, and spirituality to nurture a felt sense of dignity, belonging, and meaning. Madison Traviss is a forest bathing guide, facilitator, and founder of House of Fig where she stewards spaces of creativity, curiosity, and connection. Together, they curate sensory and seasonal common ground for their communities.  

To peruse more about House of Fig: www.house-of-fig.com

Details + Registration.

When: Thursday October 1, 4:30pm - 7:30pm

Where: We will meet at the Peggy Crosby Center (348 S 5th St. Highlands) to carpool/caravan to the trailhead. Parking is available in the lot behind the Peggy Crosby Center building as well as along 5th St.

Activity Description: Join Yoga Practitioner and Somatic Therapist Ashlyn Miller for an evening slowdown, connecting with yourself, others, and nature to cultivate a felt sense of belonging. Our time together will include a slow sensory walk, somatic inquiry, gentle yoga and meditation, nature journaling, and story.

“Belonging is less a question that needs resolving, but a relationship we cultivate with the places we inhabit, through which we may discover a profound connection to the world around us.'“ -Gabriela Gutierrez

Hiking Distance/Difficulty: We will move at a slow pace and hike approximately 1.2 miles roundtrip. The trail has approximately 200 feet in elevation change each way and includes uneven surfaces including rocks and roots. This hike is considered moderate.

What to Bring: Notebook and writing utensil, water, snacks, comfortable hiking shoes, and weather-appropriate clothing (the top of the mountain can be significantly cooler than surrounding areas). Please also bring sun protection and rain jackets in case of light showers.

FREE & OPEN TO ALL. Registration is Required. Space is Limited to 10 participants.

Details + Registration.

A space to take refuge from the noise and return to body, heart, earth, cosmos, source, center through intentional movement, somatic inquiry, meditation, and expressive arts. Wednesday, 10/7/26, 5:45-7:15pm ET, live via Zoom.

This practice lands three days before the new moon and will serve as time, space, permission, and support to slow down, tend, and go within, cultivating fertile soil for the new moon to take root.

As rhythmic, cyclical beings affected by the rhythms and cycles of earth and cosmos, it can be informative, insightful, and inspiring to engage in practices and ways of being that put us back into participatory relationship with the rest of life.

It has also been found in archaeological evidence from the caves in Southern France, that the cycles of the moon may have been one of the earliest forms of tracking time and engaging in ritual practice.

What to expect:

• Arriving and settling through body literate practices that respect the pace of the nervous system and animal body

• Gentle yoga and meditation to nurture prana/life force/the rivers of the body and deepen in connection to soul, life, and the wider than

• Time for integration through writing and/or drawing with intentional prompts

• Taking refuge in the goodness, intelligence, and love that lives inside and all around

• There are times when sharing during virtual classes serves a purpose and can help cultivate a sense of togetherness and there are times when remaining internal and maintaining a silent container are beneficial— this practice will lean into the latter and serve as an opportunity to take refuge in your practice

There is a Beautiful Creature

Living in a hole you have dug.

So at night

I set fruit and grains

And little pots of wine and milk

Besides your soft earthen mounds,

And I often sing.

But still, my dear,

You do not come out.

I have fallen in love with Someone

Who hides inside you.

We should talk about this problem--

Otherwise,

I will never leave you alone.

-Hafiz

Zoom Link will be sent 24hrs before we gather.

Registrants will have access to the Zoom recording for 30 days.

All bodies welcome.

Pricing Options:

• The generate tier ($25) is above market value, supporting equity and redistribution of wealth. This option is applicable if you have ample disposable income, generational wealth, or have enough resources to provide support for the rest of the ecosystem.

• The sustain tier ($18) pricing is the actual, full cost of the class and helps sustain Inner Woven services and connecting tributaries. Please choose this option if you have a steady income and can comfortably afford your basic needs.

• The access tier ($13) is to remove financial barriers to participation; a flexible, smaller financial commitment to ensure you stay connected. Please select this option if you are experiencing financial hardship, meaning you’re struggling with basic living costs, limited disposable cash, etc.

xx