Spirit Hollow

Vision Quest at Spirit Hollow

The vision quest is an ancient American tradition. Known many Native Americans as ‘Crying for a Vision,’ it is a time when a man or woman goes alone onto the mountain to pray for a vision ‘that the people may live.’ It is a quest not undertaken for selfish gain, but a sacrifice made in hopes that the spirits will take pity on the supplicant and grant him or her a vision that will bring new life to the people.

While the vision quest is best known in its Native American form, virtually all the world’s religious and spiritual traditions trace their lineage to this timeless source: Moses in the wilderness, listening to the burning bush.; Jesus in the desert, tempted by the Devil.; Mohammed in his cave, transcribing the Koran; Buddha under the Bodhi Tree, understanding the Four Noble Truths; Dr. Usui on the mountaintop, receiving the Reiki symbols. Countless men and women have gone alone into nature and returned with a vision to help their people live. Centuries later, the voices these individuals heard, the visions they experienced, continue to help billions of humans find their way on this earth.

Although these old visions are still with us, the native American model shows that vision is not static, is not the property of any one person, ethnic group, or faith. Vision is by definition alive, vibrant, accessible to anyone with an open heart. Furthermore, the need now for new vision possesses an urgency perhaps never before felt in human history. Never before have so many needed so much in order to live.

At Spirit Hollow, we seek to continue this ancient tradition by taking four-six committed individuals at a time and working with them as they prepare for a personal encounter in nature with the sacred. At least six months are taken beforehand working with each participant to define the issue or question which in turn will define his or her quest. For some, the time alone on the mountain marks an ending– divorce, job change or other life transition; for others, it marks a new beginning. For all, it is a significant rite of passage.

The quest itself involves spending four days alone atop Grass Mountain in southwestern Vermont. Three days before are spent below at Spirit Hollow preparing for the quest through shamanic journeying, guided visualization, talking stick, and solo work in the woods nearby. In turn, three days are spent after the quest preparing for reintegration– working to understand one’s vision and how to manifest it in one’s life. There will be a sweat lodge both before and after the quest.

Vision Quest is led by Emery Forest, who himself has quested several times on Grass Mountain and other places in the United States and who underwent a long apprenticeship with his uncle, a shaman of Sioux and Apache descent.  He has trained with Michael Harner and extensively with  Sandra Ingerman, both of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Emery has been doing shamanic healing and teaching and leading sweat lodges for over ten years. He is also a Certified Wilderness First Responder.  Emery has been leading others on vision quests for over seven years.

Tracey Forest, shamanic teacher and healer, graduate of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies Three-Year Program in Advanced Shamanism under the direction of Michael Harner, and creator and co-facilitator of Women’s Transformational Quest, has also quested on the slopes of Grass Mountain and has been assisting others in encountering their souls for over 15 years. She leads some of the preparation work and cooks nutritious, yummy meals for the questers. Feeding people in all ways is part of her life work, and as such, she puts great love into all meals she creates in the tradition of “prasad” or blessed food.

Robert Patton,  Spirit Hollow Board member and webmaster and graduate of the very first Seeing With the Heart, has been a student and practitioner of shamanism for eight years. His interests lie in psychopomp work and in legends, myths and ritual practices from around the world.  One of Robert’s many gifts is to bring through beautiful songs from Spirit and he spends an afternoon teaching questers sacred songs to be used on the mountain to help them focus their intent as they “cry for a vision” and open to receive Spirit.

Inquire early. Preparations are extensive and places are expected to fill early. Cost is on a sliding scale, from $700 to $900, which includes six days of home cooked meals and lodging in our yurt.

Please call or e-mail us for more information at 802-447-3895 or spirithollow@wildblue.net