Blue Mountains Animas Quest

THE ANIMAS QUEST This contemporary Western embodiment of the ancient, pan-cultural vision fast is a dynamic wilderness rite for men and women seeking greater depth and clarity about life purpose and meaning. As a rite of initiation, the quest is a ceremonial descent to the underworld, in which you die to your familiar way of belonging to the world, uncover the passion and wisdom of your soul, and retrieve the gift that is yours alone to bring to the world, enhancing personal fulfilment and genuine service.

The Animas Quest catalyses the encounter with soul by temporarily displacing everyday consciousness through five primary means: 1. solitude for three or four days and nights while 2. fasting (i.e., drinking water only), 3. being fully exposed to and enfolded within the forms and forces of nature, 4. enacting a series of ceremonies, and 5. employing a set of practices (soulcraft) that support you in crossing into the mysteries of nature and psyche.

Most often, our quests take place over a total of 11 days, 8 – 11 of which are spent in the wilderness. Preceding your time of solitude are five full days of preparation activities that enhance your ability to benefit from the fast. The first two and a half days of these five will be held at a car-camp before we journey to our wilderness base camp (or, on some programs, remain at our car-camp).

During the five preparation days, we work with dreams, poetry, deep imagery, ceremonial drumming and dance, dialogues with nature, the way of council, and other practices to help us slip out the door of our everyday lives and access our own deeper, wilder currents. The heart of the quest consists of the solo: three days and nights without human companionship in nature, fasting, engaging in personal ceremonies, saying yes to the mysteries of soul, tending the true mythos of your life, praising and grieving, and birthing a vision. Upon your return to base camp, there are three days of reincorporation activities, preparing you to embody among your people what you received on your fast. The last of these three days takes place back at the car-camp.

WOLLEMI NATIONAL PARK Wollemi’s landscape has been sculpted over millennia into a magnificent network of soaring sandstone escarpments, plunging gorges and canyons, winding river valleys and awe-inspiring geological and geomorphological features such as pagoda rock formations, basalt-capped mountains and diatremes. The area that is now Wollemi N.P. has held significance to Aboriginal people for at least 12,000 years. Evidence of this connection can be seen throughout the park, including ceremonial grounds, stone arrangements, grinding grooves, scarred trees and rock engravings. http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/wollemi-national-park

No previous backpacking experience is required (in fact, many of those who have quested with us have never before been camping or backpacking). Participants are responsible for their personal camping gear, 3-7 personal lunches, and personal snacks.  Details will be included in the preparation materials sent out after registering.

Cost:

Full $2100.00. Early bird (before Nov 1) $1890.00
Scholarship (by application) $1470.00. Early bird (before Nov 1) $1323.00

For more information and bookings see Soulcraft Australia here.