Spirit Hollow

Vision Statement: Spirit Hollow, an ever-evolving, nature-based spiritual center, is a catalyst and crucible for personal and planetary transformation.

Tucked in the Taconic Mountains of Southwestern Vermont, Spirit Hollow is situated on 100 forested acres and surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest Land. The Center was co-created in 2000 by Emery and Tracey Forest, husband and wife team; they live on the land with their children and animal companions and share their lives with the trees, rocks, brooks and wild beings. In December 2004, Spirit Hollow received its IRS Code 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt status as a non-profit public charitable organization.

Spirit Hollow is both a wilderness retreat and a non-profit organization. Workshops are held in the Sky Yurt, one of the Center’s two yurts (from Pacific Yurts), that offers a beautiful view of West Mountain. The Brook Yurt, which is nestled between two sweat lodges and a flowing brook, serves as a guest house and space for smaller gatherings. In the geodesic dome, Tracey and Emery live and conduct private healing sessions, and ceremonies are held both around the fire circle and in the Medicine Wheel Garden. In the woods that surround us, there are trails to wander and streams to meditate by, and Vision Quests (see Vision Quests for more information) take place farther up the slopes of Grass Mountain.

Workshops and ongoing trainings on core shamanism are taught mainly by Tracey and Emery; however, every year more and more guest presenters are bringing their work to Spirit Hollow on a variety of holistic topics. Additionally, we offer free monthly sweat lodges to create spiritual community. (see Calendar)

We have begun a Capital Campaign to raise money for expanding our facilities. Our plan is to be able to accommodate to 40 people for residential trainings and camps, so we may share more deeply the transformational power of the mountain, the streams, and the forest with a wider circle of the Great Family. Email to find out how you can become involved with Spirit Hollow! (); you can also make a donation by going to the Donation page and downloading the PDF donation form.  We now offer the option of membership as well.

We also, however, recognize that rising fuel costs and general fear and uncertainty pose growing obstacles to attending workshops of this nature.   As a result, we chose, beginning with our ninth year of SEEING WITH THE HEART, to offer this intensive training in core shamanism BY DONATION ONLY.  This ancient Work of Love, Transformation and Community becomes ever more precious and necessary in times such as these. Because we at Spirit Hollow believe no one should be turned away from this work by money or fear, tuition will now be on a pay-as-you-can-afford basis.  We are dedicated, as a non-profit, to offering this work to everyone interested, regardless of ability to pay; click on the link for more information on Seeing with the Heart and the donation-only approach. If you have a desire to learn these incredible, life-changing techniques and really wish to be part of a spiritual community, YOU ARE WELCOME, even for the smallest fee or for work exchange.