When Raccoon, the eco-therapist, reaches down into his or her bag of medicine, is the vision fast there? The therapeutic power of a four day and night fast (or a one day and night fast), should be at the fingertips of every teacher, professional, or guide who has personally experienced the therapeutic power inherent in the wilderness passage. The two-week vision fast training is an introduction to a classic modern rite of transition. Usually, the training involves the personal experience of a four-day and night fast in a wilderness place. Throughout the preparation, threshold, and incorporation phases of the training, the trainee must wear two hats: apprentice to the initiatory process and the one who is being initiated. Warning: It is not always easy to be subject and subjectee.

Though the training itself does not constitute credentials to immediately become a vision fast guide, it does give the student an understanding of how the principles of the vision fast can be applied to a profession, community, or client. Trainees are encouraged to learn the form, the process, and then to give it their own unique expression within life and work.

The first five days are given over to preparation (severance). Morning and afternoon meetings are the norm. Instruction includes: the mirroring dynamics of story councils; screening and preparation of candidates in four areas: physical, psychological, mental, and spiritual; the four shields of human-nature; the sacred and the profane; the dynamics of fasting; self-generated ceremony; the power of taboos, death lodge;purpose circle; the mirror of nature; and the shaping and confirmation of intent.

On the sixth day, Trainees go out looking for a place to fast and set up communication stone piles with their buddies. On the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days, the trainee lives alone and fasts in a wilderness place (Threshold). Sometimes, trainees will choose to remain in basecamp as support persons during the fast.

On the morning of the eleventh day, the fasters return to basecamp (Incorporation). That evening the group will go out for a celebratory feast in Santa Fe. On the twelfth and thirteenth days, each story is told in the council of elders. The elders witness, mirror meaning, and empower intent. On the fourteenth day, we look at the process that has just unfolded from a training perspective.

Prerequisite: at least one vision fast.

Preparing ahead of time: Every trainee must ask:What am I going out to mark, celebrate, or confirm? What is my intent? Who will benefit from my training (Who are my people)?

Time & Location: We will hold camp among the Pinyon and Juniper strewn landscape near Cochiti Lake, NM. We encourage people to arrive on Saturday, Aug 28th, the night before we officially start. The group will then come together for its first meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday the 29th. We will complete our ceremony on the afternoon of
Saturday Sept 11.

Practical preparation: The School makes no provisions for meals or equipment. We ask everyone to come prepared to live self-sufficiently. You will need to bring shelter and clothing suitable for a full range of inclement weather. We request all participants to purchase the vision fast handbook, “The Trail to the Sacred Mountain” available from Lost Borders Press. Consult this resource for a detailed equipment list to help with preparation.