Rewilding Queer Spirituality
A nature retreat for LGBTQIA+ folx and our allies
At the end of the 1960s, a willful child was born into a Southern Baptist family. Raised on a steady diet of vacation Bible school, Wednesday night suppers, and twice-on-Sundays back-pew sitting, this child grew up surrounded by tradition. Like many, she was encouraged to follow a certain path: marrying a nice man, raising a family, and keeping close to the values she was taught.
But life had other plans. This gal went on to get married and have a beautiful daughter. Over time, I began to understand my own humanity deeply enough to come out as a lesbian. I graduated from seminary, found love with a woman, and eventually moved to The Netherlands. Today, no longer going by the name given to me at birth, I am a certified nature therapy guide and ecospiritual caregiver, living into my calling: sharing the healing power of nature with those who need it most.
Now, I’m excited to return to the States for a special occasion, with the support of my friend Rachel Pinto. November 7-10, 2024, we’ll be hosting Our Sacred Nature Retreat just outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. This retreat is a welcoming space for queer folks and our trusted allies to reconnect with nature and embrace a journey toward wholeness.
Why a Sacred Nature Retreat?
For me, nature has become a sanctuary—a sacred place where the masks society asks us to wear can be gently set aside. In the lush European forests and the open expanses of Dutch polders, the pressures to conform dissipate, allowing authenticity to bloom. It’s in nature that I’ve found the freedom to explore who I am, beyond the labels and constraints of the human-made world.
For queer folks, this connection to nature can be especially powerful. In a society that often dismisses, marginalizes, or outright rejects our identities, the natural world offers an unconditional embrace. It invites us to rewild our spirits, defying the limitations and expectations of the domesticated world.
In the sanctuary of the forest, the Ultimate whispers through rustling leaves and sunlight dancing on water. Here, the rigid boundaries of gender and identity dissolve, replaced by an expansive, accepting presence. Nature invites us to step into our authentic selves, to feel connected to a world that celebrates diversity in all its forms.
Queer spiritualities are like a luminous tapestry, woven with radiant colors that harmonize with the vibrancy of life. At its heart, this spirituality recognizes the interconnectivity of all beings, urging us to honor every expression of love and desire. In embracing our queerness alongside the natural world, we find a deep communion with the Earth—a nurturing force that guides us toward a compassionate existence.
What to Expect at Our Sacred Nature Retreat
At Our Sacred Nature Retreat, we will immerse ourselves in gentle, nurturing activities designed to foster a sense of kinship with our innermost truth, each other, and the more-than-human world. Together, we’ll engage in:
And wow - Flamy Grant, y'all!
That’s right, we are over the moon to announce that Award-winning and Billboard-charting artist Flamy Grant will be joining us for the 2024 retreat.
Flamy is a shame-slaying, hip-swaying, singing-songwriting drag queen from western North Carolina. Her 2022 debut record, Bible Belt Baby, reached the #1 spot on the iTunes Christian Charts (the first drag performer to achieve this feat) and was nominated for Best Pop Album at the San Diego Music Awards. She is a winner of the 2023 Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition and a 2023 QueerX Award nominee for Best Drag Artist and has been featured in Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, People, and more. Her music has nearly half a million streams on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon music. A powerhouse vocalist and intrepid songwriter who blends folk, gospel, and roots, Flamy drags you into a therapeutic, theatrical mix of storytelling and song.
This retreat is intended to breathe life into the hearts of those who may have felt isolated or marginalized, fostering a sense of belonging, empathy, and unwavering support. Nature welcomes us all without judgment, and in this space, we can honor each other fully and unconditionally.
Join Us This November
If you or someone you love is yearning for a retreat that celebrates their presence—whole and unqualified—within the warm embrace of nature, I hope you’ll consider joining us. Our time together promises to be an opportunity for deep reflection, connection, and healing, held in the sacred space that the natural world offers.
Together, let’s step into the forest, where the boundaries between who we are and the world around us fade away, revealing a truth that is tender, fierce, and beautifully our own.