Alive in the Web: A Weekend Immersion in the Work That Reconnects

Voluntown, CT, USA

SW
Still Waters Retreat
  • Email address verified
24 reviews
Mar 22 - 24, 2019
Group size: 5 - 11
Alive in the Web: A Weekend Immersion in the Work That Reconnects
Voluntown, CT, USA

Still Waters Retreat
  • Email address verified
24 reviews

Mar 22 - 24, 2019
Group size: 5 - 11

About this trip

We are alive at a time of growing uncertainty and tremendous loss. Countless species, ecosystems, and human cultures around the world are endangered. How do we respond to this loss, and the daily barrage of distressing news? What do we do with feelings of overwhelm and despair? Where do we find inspiration for taking part in collective efforts for positive change?


Join a small community of 10 participants for this immersion in the Work That Reconnects, an interactive body of work known worldwide for empowering activists in movements for social justice and ecological protection. Joanna Macy and her colleagues have been evolving this dynamic theory and practice over the course of four decades, inspiring many thousands of people to engage wholeheartedly in The Great Turning to a life-sustaining society. 


Drawing on Living Systems Theory, Buddhist thought and practice, and Deep Ecology, the Work That Reconnects offers a way of seeing the world as our larger living body, helping us re-examine the harmful assumptions and attitudes that now threaten all communities of life on Earth. A current evolving edge of the work is to actively address the systemic roots of power, privilege and oppression in our society in order to create spaces that are respectful and inviting for all. Learn how to be fully present to the suffering of our world and experience a shift from feelings of despair and apathy to enthusiasm for collaborative action and collective liberation.


This is at a special discounted all-inclusive rate of $275 per participant. We are setting the current group number to 10 and there will be a wait list after that. The wait list will be tapped if we have a warm spring to enable cottage camping for additional guests. This will be determined in mid-March. 


Reservation Information

Friday, March 22 - Sunday March 24, 2019

Up to 10 guests total in Main House

Additional in cottages (up to 5) if desired and weather suitable


Main House Five Guest bedrooms (shared if more than five guests): 

First Floor:   Water Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

Earth Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

Accessible full bath with accessible shower plus one half-bath

Second Floor:  Sunrise Bedroom: One Queen and one Twin XL bed

   Moon Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

   Stars Bedroom: Two Twin XL beds

   Two shared full baths


Cottages Oneness & Duality: Up to five beds available in unheated rustic artsy cottages.


Bedrooms are first come, first served and are not pre-assigned. All beds are made with thoughtfully appointed, comfortable sheets, blankets, and pillow. Each guest is provided with one towel set. Please bring your own eco-friendly toiletries and if you have a favorite pillow, feel free to bring that, too. 


Wifi throughout main house and sporadic areas on the property.  We suggest social media be restricted to one hour before dinner on the first night then put devices away until the end of the retreat. 


All meals are served family style in the Still Waters Dining Room and/or with outdoor seating when weather-permitting. We use non-GMO, local and organic ingredients whenever possible. We work with chefs that align with these preferred principles whenever possible. 


Arrival Date: Friday, March 22, 2019, Check in between 4:00 - 5:30 PM

Departure Date: Sunday March 24, 2019, Check out 2:30 pm 


Includes all accommodations, vegetarian meals and site usage. Includes all required CT Bed & Breakfast Occupancy (11%) and Sales Taxes (6.35%).  


Meals include: 

Friday night dinner

Saturday breakfast, lunch & dinner

Sunday morning light snacks

Sunday brunch


Still Waters Retreat Center artist-owners Tao & Amy LaBossiere will be onsite all weekend to support the group. 

About the Group Leaders

Workshop Facilitator

Kirstin Edelglass is a wilderness guide, ecological educator, psychosynthesis counselor, and co-founder of the New England Council Collective. She began studying with Joanna Macy eighteen years ago and facilitates Work That Reconnects in a variety of settings, including as Joanna’s assistant. The initiator of the Earth Leadership Cohort for young adults, she enjoys strengthening communities and promoting solo experiences in the natural world. Kirstin lives in Marlboro, Vermont with her husband and two daughters.


Retreat Organizer

Julie (Hai Lien) Wagner has deep family roots in the land and shoreline of CT. She is a certified Master Wildlife Conservationist and Master Bird Conservationist and volunteers for several environmental non-profits. She is an ordained Dharma teacher and leads asangha at the Hai An Pagoda in New Britain, CT. Professionally, Julie is Professor at UConn where she conducts behavioral diabetes research with the neediest populations. She is married and enjoys hiking, reading, birdwatching and skeleton articulation.


Questions? Contact Kirstin at kedelglass@marlboro.edu , or Julie at juwagner@uchc.edu 

What to bring

Comfortable outdoor shoes for walking and hiking

House slippers for main house (we have some guest slippers available)

Sunscreen, if desired 

Bug repellent, if desired

-  warm clothing for chilly evenings around the bonfire

-  warm hat

-  rain jacket, umbrella

-  flashlight

-  water bottle

-  travel mug 

-  notebook and pen

-  cushion to put on your chair

-  earplugs if you are a light sleeper


OPTIONAL ITEMS:

-  musical instrument and/or songs (for sharing music Saturday evening)

-  favorite poems

-  a copy of the book Coming Back to Life by Joanna Macy and Molly Brown which can be found at: https://workthatreconnects.org/category/books/

Reservations, Cancellations, Refunds

Reservations are first come, first served. We know that plans can go awry. However, we rely on your Reservation Deposit and a cancellation costs us time and money. We are not a big hotel chain that can offer same-day cancellations. When you enter into a Rental Agreement with us, you are informed beforehand that our Refund Policy is as follows: If an advanced cancellation is necessary (90 days or more in advance), 50% of your Reservation Deposit and Payments may be applied to a future reservation and is otherwise forfeited. After this time frame, cancellations will be considered a No-Show, and there will be no refund. Once you arrive at Still Waters, No Refunds will be given due to the weather, your change of plans, or an early departure. We are not responsible for acts of God and nature including power outages.

What’s included

  • Bonfires
    Weather-permitting
  • Hiking
    Take a self-guided hike on our fire road in the private woods. See sculptures thoughtfully placed as you commune with nature.
  • All taxes
    Includes CT State Occupancy and Sales Taxes as required by law.

What’s not included

  • Alcohol
    Please refrain from excessive alcohol or any drug use while on retreat.
  • Travel
    We are 30 minutes from Westerly, RI; 1 hour from Hartford, CT; 45 minutes from Providence, RI; 1.5 hours from Boston, MA; and 2.5-3 hours from New York City
  • Insurance
    Personal, medical or trip cancellation insurance

Available Packages

Trip Price
$275

Your Organizer


SW
Still Waters Retreat
24 reviews
An artist-owned retreat center with your hosts, Tao and Amy LaBossiere. Still Waters is nestled among 88 acres of conservation forest and a private, 12-acre pond. We offer artfully appointed, rustic and comfortable lodging and retreats for small groups and individuals/couples.

Reviews

This was such an unexpected great trip for me and my boyfriend. We were referred to Stillwater last minute trying to book accommodations for a wedding close by, and it was the best referral I have gotten to date. We had to come in late our first day due to festivities, but we wish we were able to able to spend a full weekend at Tao and Amy's bed & breakfast and retreat center. The two of them were so accommodating to us both. The house as a whole was beautifully rebuilt by Tao and Amy since a fire in 2014, and each room used objects from the first house- including as much wood as possible. They were decorated in a way that made me want to photograph them and put them in a magazine. Before even talking to them about their lives, we knew they had to be artists. The room we stayed in was awesome to the point where I needed to ask about the pillows and bedding. Amy and Tao went out of their way to make breakfast for four guests, as if we were a retreat-sized group, which was so kind of them. We got to meet the other guests over breakfast and try Tao's famous savory corn cakes- something I will try to recreate for years to come. When it was almost time to go, we were lucky to get a tour of the property and cabins from Tao, who has lived here is entire life! Words don't do Stillwater justice, from the space they created, the trails they have for hiking, the accommodations for weddings, retreats, or special events, and the beautiful pond and landscape surrounding the main house. As a found object / mixed media / installation enthusiast myself, it was very exciting to hear and see what went into building pretty much everything at Stillwater. Each cabin on the property was unique, and felt like being in one of Tao's own installations. I could totally see my friends and family coming here for a wedding, retreat, or weekend to hang, and loving every second of the relaxation and environment they would be staying in! Staying here felt like we were truly immersed in something peaceful, artistic, and refreshing. We definitely would like to return for a weekend where we have no plans, as you could spend the entire day relaxing on the property or chatting with Tao and Amy. Thank you again for such a lovely visit and the chance to meet you both. We look forward to seeing you again and sharing word on our time here with friends and family.
By Danielle L for Overnight stay for Danielle Dimond on Oct 04, 2019
As always, Amy and Tao outdid themselves to make our retreat something truly special. Wholesome, delicious food beautifully presented, superb accommodations, and wonderful grounds to enjoy. I loved being out on the kayak and I appreciated the opportunity to create fresh flower arrangements with cuttings from the property. Can't wait to return!
By Julie W for Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji on Sep 30, 2019
TD
we had a wonderful retreat. Thanks to Still Waters, our every need was met, from dietary concerns, cleanliness, comfortable beds and linens, quiet ,. this is by far the best place I have held retreats , both in the USA and Europe. There was very little energy needed for logistical concerns, which offered us as organizers of the retreat, to focus on the nature of the retreat. We will be back! Tom Duva
By Tom D for Silent Meditation Retreat with Thay Doji on Sep 29, 2019
A beautiful location tucked away in the woods in Connecticut Pristine location on a beautiful lake ideal for Kayaking and canoeing The property is very well manicured. With tall majestic evergreens and maples. The cabins are very well maintained, clean and modern. Inn-keepers Amy and Tao are a delight. This was the perfect weekend get away to unplug and recharge. We came from Eastern Long Island, hopped on the Orient Point Ferry and was there in no time. Very conveniently located. We stayed in the main house and took advantage of the meal services and was delighted with every service. Wholesome home cooking made with love. Big portions and great selections. 4 Stars all around. We definitely want to come back in the Autumn to see the foliage colors - I bet its amazing. A truly glorious retreat -
By Christina F for Private Couple's Retreat for Chrissy & John: Deposit only on Sep 10, 2019
KM
My second retreat at Stillwater's Retreat Center and it continues to be a restorative and heart-opening experience. Peaceful environment, comfortable accomodations, excellent meals and great and welcoming hosts in Tao and Amy. Highly recommend this retreat center for established groups of 10-12 people for weekend or weekday retreats.
By Ken M for Befriending Everyday Life: A Buddhist Retreat on Aug 06, 2019
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References

I had the opportunity to co-lead a Buddhist retreat at Still Waters this past weekend. We could not have found a better place for our retreat. The accommodations were wonderful. The grounds were beautiful, but most beautiful and important was the love we all felt from Amy and Tao. They really go beyond being good hosts. I could tell that they cared about what we were trying to achieve at our retreat. Two of the topics of our retreat were love and spiritual friendship. Learning how to love and develop spiritual friendships are very important life lessons. Tao and Amy are fine examples of both.
By Michael G on 29 Jul, 2019
My experience at Still Waters Retreat was beyond words. The atmosphere, the food, the hospitality of Amy and Tao was more than welcoming, it was a graced experience. You can tell that the essence of the fantastic people they are is in every aspect of this home, the food and the grounds. Andrea M.
By Andrea M on 13 May, 2019