Modern Rites
A 5-Day Nature-Based Rite of Passage for Adults
Apply NowDate:
July 24-28, 2023
Themes:
Life Transitions & Nature Immersion
Location:
Eastern Sierra Mountains, California
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Modern Rites Retreat
Are you in the midst of a major transition in your life?
Is a chapter coming to an end, or is a new one beginning?
Do you desire support and time to seek clarity and direction?
We invite you to join us on a 5-day Modern Rite of Passage.
Together, we will drop beneath the surface of our own psychology and relationship
to the world around us as we pursue insight about who we are and where we are heading.
Using a combination of individualized 1:1 counseling, the power of groups & community, self-designed ritual, embodiment practices, and natural-altered-state practices like breathwork, we’ll embark on a power journey together. Our time will culminate in a 24-hour solo fast in the wilderness, followed by dedicated integration support to help you land your next steps feeling supported and connected. You’ll leave the retreat recharged, inspired, and profoundly connected to yourself, others, and the world around you,.
What is a "Rite of Passage"?
Cultures around the world have centered rites of passage for millenia - transformational ceremonies that would help facilitate major transitions - the birth or naming of a child, death, life transitions, and, most famously, the transition from childhood into adulthood.
In modern western society, we no longer have meaningful experiences that mark and facilitate major life transitions, even though most people experience an extraordinary amount of significant transitions each decade - whether you’re moving, transitioning into a vocation or calling, beginning a relationship or ending one, preparing to welcome children or make a major leap in your career - change is more constant than not.
We aim to change that.
This retreat is for you if...
- You are in the midst of a major life transition
- You are craving support in this process
- You are in need of dedicated time for yourself
- You want more access to nature in your life
- You are willing to digest what you’re leaving behind
- You are ready to clarify what you’re moving towards
- You are taking bold steps forward
- You are letting the process unfold
- You are tingling as you read this
Rites of Passage are traditionally divided into three states: Preparation, Initiation, and Integration.
At the Modern Rites Retreat, we follow this time-tested map with some modern twists.
Before the Retreat - Preparation
Our journey will begin with two online group zoom sessions prior to our live retreat, where we’ll begin to build community, learn foundational models for human development and rites of passage, and begin to reflect on and share our intentions for embarking on the retreat, along with covering all retreat logistics. You’ll also receive one individual 1:1 counseling session via zoom before the retreat starts.
The Retreat - Initiation
We arrive at Montaia Basecamp on Monday by 5pm, where we’ll prepare for the journey both psychologically and physically, and open the retreat together. Tuesday morning we’ll dive deeper into articulating and reflecting on the transitions we’re each calling in; and in the afternoon we’ll depart for the trailhead and hike a few miles into the backcountry. Once there we’ll set up a basecamp and prepare for your 24 hour wilderness solo experience.
The Wilderness Solo:
On Wednesday morning at sunrise, you’ll depart in silence for your wilderness solo fast. You’ll sit with your biggest questions, with the tools you’ve been cultivating, through the day and the next night.
On Thursday morning you’ll return, and we’ll gently begin to integrate and harvest from our solos. That afternoon, we return to Montaia to rest and continue to integrate.
After the Retreat: Integration
On Friday morning we’ll travel to hot springs for sunrise, spend the rest of the morning landing next steps, sharing gratitude and witnessing each other, and depart by 1pm. In the weeks following the retreat, we’ll provide follow-up support for integrating what you experienced during the solo and on the retreat - in a group zoom call two weeks following the retreat.
Your Retreat Guides
During this journey, Porter Eichenlab will be your lead guide and facilitator, assisted by Montaia basecamp's Founder, Kaela Atleework. To learn more about Porter's work, please click the link below.
The Space:
Montaia Basecamp
This regenerative co-living space is designed to facilitate communal living in a remote region of California. This is a space of practicing togetherness, where we learn to weave a tapestry of connection between humans and the world around us.
Here at Montaia Basecamp, we focus on developing our relationship to community and to the surrounding wilderness.
The Place:
Eastern Sierra Mountains, CA
Montaia Basecamp is nestled in the neighborhood of Swall Meadows (30min) from the nearby towns of Mammoth lakes and Bishop, CA. Our back door opens into hundreds of miles of Inyo National Forest, a beautiful expanses of wilderness. There are countless hiking trails, world-class bouldering/sport/trad climbing routes, and natural hot springs in the surrounding region.
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"What will you do with this one wild and precious life? "
-Mary Oliver
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What to expect
24-28, 2023
A 5-Day Nature-Based Rite of Passage for Adults
Life Transitions & Nature Immersion
Eastern Sierra Mountains, California
Your Hosts
Porter Eichenlaub - Expedition Guide
Porter has been teaching, counseling, and running Rites of Passage for 15 years. He is deeply passionate about creating transformational experiences that sustain change for individuals and groups across the lifespan. He has worked with thousands of youth programs and trained hundreds of educators across the U.S. He currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he dances, explores the wilds, and is currently completing his licensure as a therapist. Porter most recently hosted a Modern Rites Expedition based out of Montaia Basecamp in 2023.
Kael/a Atleework .
Wilderness Guide
Kaela was born and raised in the Eastern Sierra, and is the daughter of a local mapmaker. With a background in team building and international community organization, Kaela is devoted to creating experiences that provide exposure to deep nature paired with intersubjective practices. She has organized immersions in over 10 countries and considers herself a human connectivity researcher and a steward of the natural world.
Land Acknowledgement
We recognize and honor that the land that we live upon is the traditional territory of the Numa (Paiute) people. It was first known as Payahǖǖnadǖ, land of flowing water.
FAQs
The cost of the retreat is $500 for a shared room/camping while at Montaia Basecamp, and $600 for a private room at Montaia. This includes all meals, accommodations, the full retreat, 2 group zoom calls prior to the retreat start, one group integration zoom call after, and (1) personal 1:1 counseling call prior to the retreat. This does not include transportation costs to and from the retreat, or the cost of your camping gear for our 2 nights out in the backcountry. We will teach and assist the process of packing and minimizing gear, but we are not a gear rental company. If you don’t have everything you need to spend two nights in the backcountry, we strongly recommend borrowing from friends or finding used gear. We’ll provide a list of essential and recommended gear upon registration. We don’t want gear to be an impediment to anyone wanting to join this retreat, so if in doubt please apply and we’ll work with you.
We will be hiking 5miles into the back country with 30lb packs at approx 9-10k elevation. The next day you will be solo hiking 1-2 miles and setting up camp on your own. On the final day you will return to the main camp and we will pack up and hike out together, a total of 6-7miles.
We ask that you supply all of your basic backpacking gear, but we will have rental options for those that cannot equip themselves. Here is a link to the detailed gear-list that we use for all of our expeditions.
Fasting is an optional part of your daylong solo experience during the Rites of Passage journey. It is generally considered a safe practice, but consult your physician if you have any hesitations about doing a 24-hour water fast.
Begin your journey.
Dedicate this time to immerse yourself in nature.
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