What is a vision fast?

The vision fast (also known as vision quest*) is an initiatory rite of passage. Rites of passage ceremonies were practiced for centuries by our ancestors but have now nearly been forgotten. The vision fast we offer is an ancient modern-day psychotechnology that supports individuals in navigating the complexity of these times while also marking, honoring, and celebrating life transitions. The fast involves time alone in wild nature, with minimal or no food, when participants step away from distractions and daily routines and open to a larger conversation with the world and their inner depths. 

During the fast, we take time to honor life's changing seasons – personally, collectively, and, in this instance, historically – and inquire "Who am I? What makes me come alive? What am I leaving behind? Who am I becoming? Who are we becoming? What are my gifts and to whom do I offer them?"

The fast is a ceremony of stepping into our true nature. In this process, we come into a sense of belonging in the greater community of Life and connect to a deeper purpose. 

Traditional rites of passage consist of 3 phases: severance, threshold, and incorporation. In short, we are severed from life as we have known it (leaving our normal plugged-in life to be with the wild Earth); we cross the threshold into a liminal space (4-day solo with no food or shelter); and then we return to our communities (to whom we offer the gifts we have received).

*Note: This practice goes by many names and has roots in many cultures. We acknowledge our lineage with the School of Lost Borders and Native American teachings and teachers, among others. We also acknowledge our own living connection to the land we call home. Our program, which has been developed for young adults living in our modern society, is not a Native American Vision Quest.

Where will the vision fast take place?

The fast will take place on private land in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Pilot, Virginia.

The closest airport is the Roanoke-Blacksburg regional airport. We can arrange to pick you up and shuttle you to base camp (about an hour away).

Charlotte-Douglass International airport is approximately 2.5 hours away.

What happens on a typical vision fast?

The first 2 days are spent in council, building community and preparing for the solo. During this time, we review safety protocols, support participants to clarify their intent for fasting, and study the Four Shields, an Earth-based framework of human development. 

The next 4 days are spent alone on the land, with no shelter, food, or human interaction. Participants go out with 4 gallons of water and a tarp for shelter in the event of inclement weather (those who need to can take out minimal food). This is the threshold stage of sacred time and space, a realm between the old life and the life that has yet to come. During this time, participants create their own ceremony (possibly informed by the Four Shields framework) to reflect their background, intention, values, and what they are honoring/claiming/releasing in their life. Participants are strongly encouraged to journal during this time. 

When participants return from their solo time, we break the fast together. Then we spend 2 days sharing stories from the time on the land, mirroring the beauty and meaning of each journey and helping participants to identify and claim the gifts from the ceremony. We also prepare for incorporation, the final stage of a rite of passage, when participants return home and re-establish a rhythm there. We will continue meeting virtually through December (one 1-on-1 coaching/mentoring session and one group council per month).

Why a vision fast?

Broadly speaking, the objective is an encounter with soul through direct connection with Self and Nature in communion with others, human and non-human. Intentional solo time on the land with no food (or minimal food for those who need it) makes us more permeable to the profound mirror that is the animate Earth.

Prior to the fast, we work with story and intention to gain clarity on what is evolving in the life of each participant. This content then forms the focus of the solo time. The outcome of the overall quest experience is healing and an increased sense of wholeness, including a deeper direct-knowing of what Life is calling us to (what we are claiming) and what we must consciously let go of (severance).

When we take the time to come together in sacred ceremony, we grow in compassion and in Being. We are able to recognize our kinship with the larger human community and the more-than-human world. We change the world as we are changed, one story and one person at a time.

Is the vision fast safe?

We abide by rigorous safety protocols, including training participants in safety proficiency. All guides are certified in Wilderness First Aid, and at least one guide is certified as a Wilderness First Responder. While we may be out of cell reception during the fast, we carry a satellite communication device for emergencies, and we are less than an hour from several hospitals.

What to bring?

A detailed guide will be provided well ahead of time to support participants in preparing physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We will also cover preparation in one of our Zoom meetings prior to the vision fast. Participants should come ready to camp, with their own tent, sleeping pad, and sleeping bag (a more detailed packing list will be provided). All meals will be provided, but participants are encouraged to bring any snacks they may want.

This is a drug- and alcohol-free event. All substances, including cannabis, are strictly prohibited.

What happens after the vision fast?

The final phase of the rite of passage is called incorporation, when participants return home to their family and communities bearing the gifts of a new self. We acknowledge that we do not go through this initiatory process for ourselves alone; we step into this crucible to claim our sacred role in helping to keep the heartbeat of the world alive.

Unlike many one-and-done programs, we are committed to providing ongoing support and connection (1-on-1 coaching and group council) following the fast. During this time, we help participants wrestle with the question of how to weave their vision and purpose into their life. This support is essential as participants re-enter society and work to maintain connection to the healing power of the living Earth and their own living spirits.