A passage rite in the forest for the encounter with your innermost being and initiation into a new phase of your life.
A passage rite in the forest for the encounter with your innermost being and initiation into a new phase of your life.
When the summer is rising, we invite you to dive into the infinite time,
into your unique solo time in the forest, into your vision quest.
You will be by yourself and fasting, four days and four nights in nature. A nordic sweat lodge serves as preparation for your solo time in the forest. The vision rite will serve you to find your own truth and to receive insights on what is essential for you in your life.
In the months before the quest, you will prepare yourself, become conscious of what you want to leave behind, clarify your intention. We will provide you with simple rituals that will help you understand your personal intention better and align you for the transition into the new phase of your life.
Klein Hundorf, Mecklenburg, Northern Germany
Guided by Manuela Bosch
We also host sweat lodge rituals for the following events: Candlemas, Beltane, Samhain and the Spring and Fall Equinox. More information on request.
The practice of going into nature, fasting and in solitude to find a deeper truth, is many thousands years old. Traces of these practices can be found in the big world-religions, as well as in European pagan traditions. Jesus fasted in the desert, Buddha found his enlightenment under a tree. These rituals also existed here. The Germanic tribes sent young men into the wilderness, where they were first initiated by experienced elders and then staied alone. Sometimes they had to survive for months in the forest.
These old traditions have inspired modern lineages, like the "School of Lost Borders". Since the seventies, they developed the work further to be more accessible to people in modern civilisation. We feel they have done that with best possible respect towards the native traditions. It is also very close to our heart to respect and honor all indigenous lineages, as well as modern traditions, in particular the quest work of the Lotusheart, as well as those that were before us.
The Betula & Mamabuche rite is based on the essence of the old traditions: Fasting, being in solitude in nature and watching, being with intention. It also builds on the modern schools. They have inspired us to offer a guided preparation time in the months before, as well as a time for preparation and integration on site.
Our work today has developed during the last years, out of our circle and our lives, knowledge and practices. Even more Betula & Mamabuche is informed by this piece of earth, all its inhabitants, especially Mamabuche, Klein Hundorfs’ old red-beech tree, the custodian of the place. Klein Hundorf itself bears witness to an ancient site. Remains of the about 6,000 year old megalithic tombs of the Huns are located near our quest area.
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TESTIMONIALS
"I want to thank Manuela and her team for providing an experience that already has great impact on my life. I appreciate the way she was holding space for individual experiences and transformations and guided everyone in a way that felt safe and very profound!" – Ela Kagel
"My vision quest with Manu was truly transformative. It's a unique opportunity to come home to yourself and find stillness in nature (and the best things come out of stillness). Manu supported my individual process and guided our group in a way that was informed by tradition yet also deeply her own. Amongst the many 'transformative experiences' out there, a vision quest stands out, and Manu is a great person to do it with." – Ocean Martin Ebeling
"The vision quest with Manuela was an incredibly deep and transformative experience. As I approached my 30th birthday, I was looking for a way to mark the transition into adulthood and this was the perfect container for that. The facilitators were fantastic and the community of people I met was amazing. Also the sweat-lodges were a particularly special part of the experience. Overall, I highly recommend this vision quest to anyone looking to deepen their spiritual practice and gain a greater understanding of themselves and their place in the world." – Robin Hotz
"It was one of those things where I could experience a shift from my past body to my future body. It was the push I needed to get my wheels going from locking myself up in the mental to embodiment and engaging with life. The vision quest was, and still, is a profound experience for me and Manu held it in such a beautiful way." – Seif Sallam
It's about stopping the doing, that can be the hardest thing we can do. It’s about being alone in knowing you are deeply connected. It's about being with nature, with our ancient parents, the Earth and the Sky. To understand something deep, to understand that Earth loves you and that you love this Earth. It's about curiosity. It's about silence. To be silent within, so you can hear your inner voice.
What exactly is your quest? Only you know this.
You are going for a certain question, or wish, a love, a calling, your health, or simply the peculiar feeling that you want to do this. That it is time to take the next step. That you want to open yourself to the unknown, to what you can not see and touch, yet essentially matters. In nature and inside you all the answers and wisdom are contained. You give space to experience that.
The vision quest is a conscious rite of passage, in which an old life is left behind and a new life is initiated.
Your threshold into your new life phase is your four days and four nights solo ritual. There is a place in nature just for you. There you will be held. During the whole time you will be at your chosen place. The last night is the so-called "night of destiny" in which you will stay awake to complete your rite of passage. To make this big step, you prepare with care. In the months before we will provide you with rituals and practical information, so you'll be able to make a step as big as your heart's longing.
While you are in your place, people from the Betula & Mamabuche circle will be there for you.
We are guarding the light for you, waking and praying in all the hours of your solo time until you return. Then you are welcomed and received back in the mother camp. You will be acknowledged for the step you did.
In this article you can read more about the practice of the Vision Quest.
There will be a sweat lodge to prepare your solo-time.
Our sweat lodge is a cleansing ceremony and prayer space, inspired at its core by an old Icelandic tradition that is kept and taught in Klein Hundorf by Dana Richter. She is also informed by indigenous American and modern European traditions.
In a dark prayer room made of branches and blankets, sitting on the earth, heated by glowing stones, we sweat in the steam. We pray inside what we call „the womb of the earth“. This direct contact with the elements fire, water, earth and air supports a deeper connection with our body, feelings and our spirit. The lodge serves for purification and strengthening of your intention and will be held in the days before the solo-time.
The Quest will take place in the nature preserved landscape of the community village Klein Hundorf in western Mecklenburg, Germany. There is the forest, where Mamabuche stands, a large red beech, which gave our seminar its name. Our base camp is situated in a protected area at the edge of the community land and those who go on the Vision Quest can find their places in the forest, at the edge of the forest, in the meadow or in the hedges and bushes. The area has a rich flora and fauna. For a long time, shamanic, ecological and holistic work has been done here. Aleardy about 6,000 years ago, in the neolithic age, the Huns, indigenous German lived here. They gave the village its name. The ruins of their stone tombs can still be found nearby.
We offer a sliding scale for the seminar fee within the scope of our possibilities. The lowest scale is for people with low income (less than 1.500,-/month), the highest orients towards people that can spend the same and more on retreats/trainings of this scope. Further reduction in exchange of help is possible, yet limited and depends on experience and skills.
Seminar fee ranges in total between 900,- and 1200,- Euros.
How are the costs made up? The amount includes the work in the months before the quest, the individual on-boarding and preparation, as well as our organizational work of 300,- Euro. Another 300,- to 600,- Euro (here is the sliding scale) are suggested for the 10 days Vision Quest on site. Additionally the expenses for infrastructure, the team, food and equipment amounts 300,- Euro.
Not included is your journey to Klein Hundorf at 19205 Gadebusch (arrival by train via Holdorf (Meckl)), and your equipment for the time in the forest (sleeping bag, mat, tarps, rain trousers, etc.). A detailed packing list will be provided for you. We are happy to advise you on risks and health restrictions. The Vision Quest is for adults over 18 years of age.
We serve organic food during the six days you don't fast. Expect simple vegan food, suitable for fasting, that we will prepare together in the camp kitchen.
Upon registration a non-refundable and non-transferable fee of 300,- Euros is due.
It is recommended to register several months before. The time from then until the vision quest serves for the personal preparation with rituals and practical things. We will guide you. The places are limited to a maximum of ten participants. Part of the registration process is a personal conversation. Send us an email to start this process.
Contact
anmeldung(ät)betulaundmamabuche.org
+49 177 3722 580
Link to Telegram-Channel
Anmeldung Manuelas' Newsletter