Wild Inspiration: Reawakening the Heart of Creativity
- Saturday, July 25, 2026
What stirs in your creative spirit when you share space with the wild?
Join us for a rare opportunity to meet with Executive Director Susan B. Eirich and the rescued wild animals of Earthfire. Spend time with Kaya the wolf, Bramble Bear, Bluebell the bison, and others during a day-long creative retreat on the wild lands of Earthfire, adjacent to the South Leigh Creek Wildlife Corridor in Teton Valley. This custom experience offers exclusive access to the animal ambassadors of Earthfire and provides the chance to reflect on your encounters through various creative endeavors. We hope you find inspirational seeds that can bear fruit, and come away with a new way of envisioning the world through your encounters with the wild ones.
Artists, writers, innovators, and thinkers are invited.
We will offer a one-day retreat on Saturday, July 25 (maximum group size 12), and another in early fall, depending on demand.
Cost: $350 plus tax (includes lunch)
Retreat Schedule
8:30 – 9:00
Arrive
9:00 – 9:30
Welcome and Orientation. Susan will offer some background on Earthfire and its inhabitants, and you’ll be invited to share what drew you to participate in this retreat.
9:30 – 11:30
Meet the Wild Ones. You will be walked around the ranch in two small groups led by Susan and Associate Director, Heather Holcomb, and introduced to the sanctuary animals. While in the company of another species, what are the thoughts, insights, or emotions that occur in the absence of prior expectations? What kind of a project might grow from this encounter? Each of us can simply be, or take notes, whatever feels right for this brief time.
11:30 – 12:00
Picnic Lunch
12:00 – 2:30
Creative Time. Each participant will have the opportunity to re-visit sanctuary
animals of their choice. This is the time to bring out your sketch pads, paints, or writing journals.
2:30 – 3:00
Group Conversation: The Nature of Creativity. Susan will end the day by leading a discussion on how meeting the animals has inspired your own creativity. What did you take away from the day that will inspire future inquiry and work?
Facilitator
Susan B. Eirich
Author, psychologist and biologist, Susan B. Eirich, Ph.D. is founder and Executive Director of Earthfire Institute, a wildlife sanctuary and retreat center located in Teton Valley, Idaho, and author of Whispers From the Wild: An Invitation.
Retreat Price
$350 per person (includes lunch). Payment is required upon registration. A check can be mailed to P.O. Box 368, Driggs, Idaho 83422, or payment can be made via credit card (subject to an additional 3% transaction fee). Please indicate your preferred method of payment in your registration email.
Limited space available (12 participants maximum.) A second retreat may be scheduled in the fall, depending on demand.
Cancellation Policy: If you cancel your registration before May 21st, you will receive a full refund. If you cancel your registration after July 11th, 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 “Wild Inspiration 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.