CONNECTION IN EACH DIRECTION: REUNION 2026

                                        A Restorative Gathering for Solace and Survival

Imagine, or remember, a time when you lived in close community with kindred souls. You played and mourned together, and together, learned and honed your individual, unique magic.

You shared a wise, old house in a city that holds deep grief and the just rage of the unjustly oppressed, meeting it all with fierce, defiant joy.

Imagine, or remember, when this was your place, and these were your people.  

Your power blossomed as you grew in relationship to Spirit, as you opened your heart to the call to be of service in the world.

And now imagine that, in this time of upheaval, fear, anger, and uncertainty, you receive this message:

COME HOME                                      

      If you are feeling alone and afraid, in this world at this time, if you are feeling powerless,

                                                               this message is for you. 

       If you are overflowing with passion, and power, that you long to share with others,

                                                               this message is for you.                                                            

If, in this time, your deep heart wisdom calls you to resource yourself, with and in community, 

                                                                this message is for you.

                                                                                         Come home

             Let’s gather, for 3 nights and 4 days, to reunite and rest, to refuel and to rise.

                                        We’ll greet each other as family. We’ll trust the bonds

                                          — unseen, unknown, perhaps lifetimes old —   

                                                           that call us back together'

                       We’ll share our power and our practices, learn from each other,

                                                and lean in to what this time asks of us.

                         Our reunion will take place May 22-25, 2026  in New Orleans

This retreat is open to ALL practitioners of magic, healing modalities, art, change-making and/or community-building, who are 18 years and older — including practitioners of all genders, experience levels, and backgrounds. 

Our focus will be on the restoration of our bodies and souls, strengthening and deepening our personal practices and relationships with the spirits, and forging community bonds that will fortify us individually, deepen our grounding, and amplify our power as we rise to the challenge of these times.

We’ll gather in a stunning 1851 Greek Revival mansion on a gorgeous tree-lined avenue, just minutes from the oldest heart of the city. We will have exclusive use of the mansion during our time together. 

Imagine morning workshops in the spacious communal rooms, late-night gatherings in the kitchen, lazy afternoon porch sits on the gallery. You’ll also find quiet corners and cozy nooks in the house and yard for alone time and contemplation.

Which airport should I fly into? Please fly into Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) located about  20 minutes from the retreat venue. 

From the airport, TAKE A TAXI = flat rate $36 

How does payment work? A deposit of $500 is required to secure your spot. This deposit is non-refundable and goes towards the total cost of your retreat payment.  The remaining balance can be made in two equal payments due on February 15th and April 15th, although you may pay in full at any time.

What is the retreat cancellation policy? All payments made for this retreat are NONREFUNDABLE. If you decide not to attend after submitting your deposit, the deposit will not be refunded but can be applied to a future retreat. There will be no refunds provided due to cancellations for any reason, such as illness, injury, flight delays or cancellation, work or school scheduling conflicts, etc. However, if an unforeseen circumstance does arise and you need to cancel after making your full payment, you have the option to 1) find someone to take your place on the retreat, in which case you will be fully refunded after their payment is submitted, or 2) apply your payment to a future retreat (note that this will function as a credit; your payment will not be refunded). Cancellations made within thirty (30) days of the retreat start date will not be eligible to be applied to a future retreat — your entire payment will be forfeit.

What do I need to know about visiting New Orleans? We will be sending you an email before we gather with suggestions about packing, potential personal costs, and city comfort and safety.

Arrival day! Check in by 4pm. We’ll gather at 5pm to welcome each other home and set the container for our time together. We will toast to our reunion over dinner at the Vampire Apothecary in the French Quarter. Afterwards, Robin will lead us on a walking tour of the Quarter to encounter mystery and mint juleps!

Breakfast will be available in the kitchen from 8-9:30am. 

We’ll gather from 10am to noon for Morning Session (a workshop structure that will include intention setting, magical and/or energetic exercises, group discussion, trance work or divination… the specifics of our work together will rise out of the energy and intention of the day) .

After our Morning Session, we will take the trolley to Morning Call for beignets and traditional New Orleans cuisine. From there we will walk to the Cemeteries to discover the history of these stunning above ground memorials and discuss the magical practices associates with honoring our beloved dead.

On our way home we will stop at the Voodoo Spiritual Temple to learn more about the impact of this faith practice on the city and its people.

Evening Ritual will begin 8pm and will use all the wisdom and experience we gained today. Afterwards, a venture into the Quarter is optional.

Breakfast will be available in the kitchen from 8-9:30am.

Morning Session begins at 10am. We’ll continue our work together and move into magical preparation for the coming ritual.

We will then proceed to Congo Square where the organization invites folks from all paths to dance together in resistance, solidarity, and joy. With respect, we honor the ancestors and the history of the enslaved peoples of New Orleans.

Afterwards, we will share lunch and some time in the Quarter before heading back to our home to rest and prepare for the evening ceremony.

In the evening, we will gather for a co-created ritual to seal our work together

Doberge & Divination: time for treats and tarot

We will enjoy breakfast together, from 8-9am, 

leaving an hour to pack up and be ready for checkout.

We’ll gather one final time to thank and release the container, and to say our farewells.

Checkout is at noon.

Robin Murphy and Laurie Dietrich met over 20 years ago at Diana's Grove Mystery School. There they studied nature based spirituality, Jungian archetypal philosophy, and priestess leadership skills.  Both Laurie and Robin completed the three year initiatory path and joined the staff, until the closing of the center in 2011.

Their friendship continued and deepened over the years, as Laurie and others from Diana's Grove created a new organization, Expanding Inward, facilitating experiences based upon the teachings at Diana's Grove. Robin hosted many of these events in Kansas City.

In 2019, they found themselves both living in New Orleans.  They spent much of 2020 together, helping residents of the city navigate the pandemic, and broadening their magical knowledge. When Robin left to join family in Kansas City, and eventually the Pacific Northwest, they knew they wanted to join forces to create a safe and stimulating space for others to experience the magic and mystery of New Orleans,

Laurie (Mnemosyne) (she/her)  is a Diana's Grove-trained Priestess and a secular Buddhist. She is a Reclaiming witch, and teaches in that tradition, specializing in ritual skills like trance and aspecting, as well as death rehearsal and personal and communal shadow work. An artist and deathworker based in New Orleans, she is a wielder of narrative magiks, a holder of paradox, an eschewer of satisfaction, and a restless leaver of footprints that catch water.