Council of All Beings - A Nature Makers Event

The Council of All Beings was a ritual originally created by Joanna Macy and John Seed in the 1980's, as a way for people to learn how to hear and speak from the voices of the animals, plants and natural beings. You are invited to participate in a 2-day event culminating in an artist-driven Council of all Beings gathering.

 As artists we often give voice to those that have no voice and bring life to what needs to be seen or felt.  We are nature and yet modern humans are causing so much harm to natural systems and beings.  This ceremony allows us to give voice to the natural world and empowers us as humans to learn from our wild kin on how to live in right relationship with the more-than-human world.

More Questions? Check out the video of our info session - HERE

** This program is intended for ages 18+. If this presents a barrier to participation, please contact Justin Pegnataro at justin@justinwildheart.com for more info. **

Registration Fee: A sliding scale is available. All ticket tiers include all activities, supplies, meals during the program, and overnight accomodations. If you have a financial burden to participation, some scholarships and volunteer opportunites are available. Contact Justin Pegnataro at justin@justinwildheart.com for more info. 

After you register, you will recieve a link to a form to submit additional information about dietary restrictions, etc. 

Schedule:

The ceremony will be for a day and a half and begin with a brunch and gathering where we can arrive and prepare for the work to come.  Participants are welcome to stay overnight or just participate during the day. 

Saturday:

--> We will hold exercises and experiences meant to slow us down and help us to attune to the wild world.  We will have some time for building masks, and some night time magic planned after a local family-style meal.  

11am - Arrival

12:30-7:30pm - Programming

7:30-9:30pm - Nighttime Activities

Sunday:

--> We will become our wild beings and hold our council of all beings ceremony.

9am-1pm - Final Preparations

1pm - Ceremony

4:30pm - Closing & Departure

We will be building masks or puppets to represent our wild beings.  We encourage you to begin building at home, and will have time, and materials for you to finish your creations during the retreat.  The mask will be made mostly with natural materials.

Accomodations:

Sticks and Stones Farm is a rustic bed and breakfast.  Both programming and overnight accomodations will be in a two large cabins heated by wood.  While there will be bedding and wood stoves for heat, we recommend bringing a sleeping bag or heavy blanket for added warmth. Please note, that the indoor overnight accomodations will be in a shared communal space. If you desire privacy, tent camping can be possible or you're welcome to book your own cabin through Sticks and Stones HERE. 

What to Bring:

Warm clothing and layers including a winter jacket

a few pair of Wool socks

Hiking boots

The start of a mask you are working on

and any tools or natural materials for building.

Water bottle

headlamp or flashlight

Toiletries

Snacks

Bedding or sleeping bag

Tent and sleeping pad if you are camping out

Mask or puppet

About the Team:

Justin Pegnataro - Justin is dedicated to helping people live vibrant healthy lives filled with connection and purpose.  His own journey began over two decades ago when he moved into the forests of Connecticut for four months and lived with just a sleeping bag, knife and sack of rice.  Since then, Justin immersed himself in the natural world, and through it, he embarked on a hero’s journey of personal growth and transformation.  In 2007, Justin founded Two Coyotes Wilderness School for children and families that connected people to the wildness of nature and the wilderness of their own internal landscapes.  Over that time, Justin mentored hundreds of children and adults in discovering who they are, claiming their personal power and in finding a deep sense of belonging within their own communities and the more-than-human world. www.justinwildheart.com

Adelka Polak - founder of Sova Dance & Puppet Theater, based in CT & mainly serving schools, arts venues and community organizations in New England and NYC, including performances at Madison Square Park and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. In 2023 we had our first tour that included Wolf Trap Children’s-Theatre-in-the-Woods, the Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry, and the Puppet Showplace Theater!  Adelka is a dancer, puppeteer, mask-performer and movement director whose work has brought her to Denmark, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Taiwan, Scotland and Turkey. www.sovatheater.com

Heather Henson - founder of Green Feather Foundation, is a second-generation puppet artist whose work promotes healing for the planet. After studying at the Rhode Island School of Design and the California Institute of the Arts, Henson has focused her efforts on supporting other independent puppet artists, producing her own award-winning environmental spectacles, and bringing people and nature into reciprocal harmony through hands-on educational experiences. By supporting Indigenous knowledge keepers who are reviving traditional practices, Henson strives to support a sustainable and healthy world for generations to come. Henson sits on the Board of Directors for The Jim Henson Company, is President of the Jane Henson Foundation and a trustee of the Jim Henson Legacy. She is also Board Member Emeritus of the International Crane Foundation and the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center.

More Questions? Check out the video of our info session - HERE