Spiritual Activism in a Changing World
Due to unforseen circumstances, this retreat has been postponed. If you’d like to receive alerts about this and other events at Earthfire Institute, be sure to sign up for our newsletter.
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience a weekend retreat with Dr. David Loy, eminent Buddhist teacher and scholar, Earthfire founder Dr. Susan Eirich, and the rescued wild animals of Earthfire. The retreat will take place on Earthfire’s native land, located on the western slope of the Grand Teton Mountains.
Led by David and Susan, you and the sanctuary residents of Earthfire will engage in a “multispecies” dialogue. Time will be spent in teachings, meditation, journaling, and visiting with the individual animals of Earthfire, including brown bear brothers Bramble and Ramble, Kaya the wolf, Lightfoot the fox, Nima the white bison, and Tahi the cougar, among many others. Our Earthfire ambassadors delight in meeting new people.
Over the course of the retreat, we will explore wisdom traditions, grounded by insights gained from our time spent with the vibrant physicality of the animals. How does interacting with their individual presences affect us? Our goal is to integrate intellect and emotion, science, spirituality, and heart—the way Life truly works.
We invite you to share with us this experience that has the potential to profoundly change your worldview.
Retreat Schedule
Friday, September 19
7:00 – 8:00 PM
Opening circle, welcome, and introduction
Saturday, September 20
9:00 – 12:00
Teachings/meditations and visit the animals
12:00 – 1:30
Picnic lunch and Q&A
1:30 – 4:30
Teachings/meditations and visit the animals
4:30 – 5:00
Q&A and discussion of the day
Sunday, September 21
9:00 – 11:30
Teachings/meditations and visit the animals
11:30 – 12:00
Q&A and retreat wrap-up
Facilitators
David Loy
Author of Ecodharma, Buddhist Teachings for the Ecological Crisis, and professor of Buddhism and Comparative Philosophy, David is committed to addressing the ecological implications of Buddhist teachings for our present situation. Among many other publications, David is the co-editor of A Buddhist Response to the Climate Emergency, which includes contributions by the 14th Dalai Lama, Thich Nhat Hanh, the 17th Karmapa, Robert Aitken, Joanna Macy, Bhikkhu Bodhi, Joseph Goldstein, Matthieu Ricard, Lin Jensen, and many others.
Susan B. Eirich
Psychologist and biologist Susan B. Eirich, Ph.D. is founder and Executive Director of Earthfire Institute, a wildlife sanctuary and retreat center located in Idaho, USA, and pioneer of Reconnection Ecology®, a framework created to reawaken our deep relationship to wildlife and nature through story sharing. Her book Whispers From the Wild, An Invitation is available at www.susanbeirich.com.
Retreat Price
$795 per person. Early Bird Pricing: now through June 19 is $495.00. 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
Saturday lunch
Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration before June 15, you will receive a full refund less a $50 administration fee. If you cancel your registration between June 16 and August 18, you will receive a 50% refund less a $50 administration fee. If you cancel your registration after August 18th, we will be unable to refund you. If your spot can be filled by another participant, you will be fully refunded, less a $50 administration fee.
To register, please email office@earthfireinstitute.org with the email subject line “Spiritual Activism 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.