April 2015, by Chrissy McFarren
For the past eight years, my husband, Dave McFarren, and I have been hosting and facilitating Shadow Work® seminars at our farm in Summit Point, West Virginia, which is about an hour-and-a-half west of Washington, D.C.
One of the things that participants love about being out at the farm is the connection to nature and the horses. During any given Shadow Work® weekend, some of our processes are bound to end up outside for a blessing or for the anchoring part of the process.
Because we have a bunkhouse at the farm, many participants also stay at the farm while attending one of our seminars, which gives them the opportunity to connect in a less formal way outside the container of the seminar. In the evenings, we often have a bonfire, conversation and music. It has been wonderful to witness the healing that happens during a Shadow Work® weekend and share the joy that participants feel when they stay here on the farm. It is clear to us that all of this was a stepping stone to our next chapter in Shadow Work®.
At the end of April 2015, we will become co-owners of Badger Creek Ranch, a working cattle and small guest ranch in the high plains of central Colorado.
The Ranch is completely surrounded by state and BLM land and holds a lease on 4,000 surrounding acres.
Our dream of having a retreat location in Colorado is the result of years of doing our own Shadow Work®, embracing our dreams, letting go, risking and believing. The blessing of this new chapter in our lives is that we get to share it with Shadow Work® participants. We will now be able to take Shadow Work® into the wilderness.
Dave and I are also blessed to co-own this ranch with a couple who are already on the Board of Directors for our nonprofit, Full Circle Farm Growth and Healing Center. Brian is a wilderness specialist and Natalie holds an M.A. in Eco-Psychology.
The four of us have crafted a four-day retreat, “Shadow Work® through the Way of the Horse and Nature: Exploring the Four Directions of Relationship.” Each day of the retreat is devoted to one of the four archetypal directions on which the Shadow Work® Model is based. The day is a blend of teaching, experiential wilderness processes, equine-assisted processes, riding (optional), and meditation.
Our intention for this four-day retreat is to fully integrate and anchor the four archetypes through the power of nature and the wisdom of the horses. We believe that when we open our senses to nature, get quiet and listen, we can remember to be aware, stand in our truth, bless and love. Our prayer is that each participant leaves the retreat fully alive and awake.
We are very excited to be offering two retreats during our first season at the ranch in 2015. One will be for men in August and the other will be for women in September. Our retreat flyers will be available soon at the non-profit website. In the meantime, if you’re interested, feel free to give us a call.
Chrissy McFarren is a Certified Shadow Work® Group Facilitator in Coaldale, Colorado.
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