Reconnection Ecology®: A Story-Sharing Retreat

Led by Dr. Susan Eirich and the Animal Ambassadors of Earthfire
  • Saturday, September 6 –
  • Sunday, September 7, 2025

This event has passed. If you would like to learn about upcoming events at Earthfire, please visit our Retreats page.

Retreats

As children we are naturally drawn to other living beings, eager to feel communion with other life forms. This joy is sometimes taken from us by the difficulties that life presents, but it is always there deep inside us. When we experience profound moments in nature, that connection is reopened, offering powerful personal healing. This is the essence of Reconnection Ecology®, a practice that reawakens us to our deep natural connection to wildlife and nature, expanding our sense of community to include all living beings, and driving us to protect habitats for all Life.

We invite you to join us for this unique retreat in early September. Sharing our powerful experiences in nature can be a portal into a richer connection with nature and ourselves. In this retreat, we can delve into their meaning, validate their importance, enrich our lives, and evaluate their real-world impact.

After a brief welcome and sharing, you will meet the Earthfire ambassador animals—our wolves, bears, and bison, among others—so you can experience what it is to intimately encounter a wild being. You will be encouraged to sit quietly and simply enjoy the companionship they offer. Mid-day, a picnic lunch from a gourmet local deli will be provided, followed by conversation and time for reflection. That evening, Susan will lead a story-sharing circle around the campfire, inviting participants to share their experiences with the natural world and explore the insights and new wisdom they imparted.

Day two will include a second visit with Earthfire residents, followed by time for quiet reflection. In closing, Susan will lead an exploration into the importance of these encounters and how making Reconnection Ecology® an ongoing part of our lives can affect the larger world as well as our personal ones.

By attending to our profound experiences in nature, sharing them with others, and giving them the real importance they warrant as a guiding light, we can reawaken to our innate joy in being alive and to our full potential. We can discover our place within this glorious universe and be inspired to do what is required to save what matters most.

Cost: $450 (includes lunch)*
* A minimum of eight participants will be required for this retreat

All participants will receive a complimentary copy of Susan’s book, Whispers From the Wild: An Invitation.

Susan Eirich holding a baby coyote
Susan and Pimpernel the Coyote
Dark gray wolf standing on a rock in a grassy field
Destiny the wolf

Retreat Schedule

Day One

  • Welcome and orientation
  • Meet the animals
  • Spending time with the animals
  • Picnic lunch (included)
  • Group conversation
  • Personal reflection time
  • Evening Story-Sharing Circle around a campfire

Day Two

  • Animal visit
  • Personal reflection time
  • Reconvene for final group conversation

Retreat Price

$450 per person (includes lunch on Saturday). Payment is required upon registration. A check can be mailed to P.O. Box 368, Driggs, Idaho 83422, or made via credit card (subject to an additional 3% transaction fee). Please indicate your preferred method of payment in your registration email.

Retreat Price Includes:
All retreat sessions, including evening Story Sharing campfire circle
Saturday Lunch

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration before August 28th, 2025, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel your registration after August 28th, 2025, you will forfeit a $50 administration fee. If your spot can be filled by another participant, you will be fully refunded.

To register, please email office@earthfireinstitute.org with the email subject line “Reconnection Ecology Retreat.”

Retreat Location

Earthfire Institute
5507 N. Baseline Rd.
Tetonia, Idaho 83452

Earthfire Institute is a Wildlife Sanctuary and Retreat Center located at the base of the Teton Mountains in Tetonia, Idaho. Founded in 2000, Earthfire’s mission is to reawaken our deep connection to wildlife and nature through Reconnection Ecology®, expanding our sense of community to include all living beings and moving us to protect thriving habitats for all Life.

Transportation

Closest Airports

  • Idaho Falls, Idaho (IDA) 52 miles from Earthfire Institute, approximately 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Jackson, Wyoming (JAC) 49 miles from Earthfire Institute, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Salt Lake City, UT (SLC) 283 miles from Earthfire Institute, approximately 4 hours 10 minutes

Local Transportation while in Idaho

Rental cars and carpooling highly encouraged. Limited local transportation available (no Uber, Lyft, public transportation, etc.).

Lodging

This retreat does NOT include lodging. Teton Valley offers a wide variety of lodging options, from camping to B&Bs to full-scale resorts. You can find a list on discovertetonvalley.com.

Because of our proximity to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, lodging in the valley fills quickly. We encourage you to book early.