Is this a conference or a retreat? Both!
- Both. Yes, it’s a conference, with speakers, learning and programs designed for professional and personal development, with topics to stimulate and challenge you. You’ll exchange ideas, converse intelligently, and network with experts, practitioners & novices.
- It’s also a retreat. Step away from life’s demands. Select programs for you. Breath. Pace. De-focus. Laugh. Cry. Dream. Explore. Discover. Stretch. Reach within. Mindshift your thinking. Renew your spirit. Ignite your creativity. Twirl a little. Own your power. Be.
Listen to me. We’re here to make a dent in the universe. Otherwise why even be here?
~Steve Jobs
What is Creativity?
- From dealing with Change, to enabling Ideation & Breakthrough, to artistic endeavors, to the development and implementation of novel and useful ideas.
- At The Journey, creativity includes: exploring your creative & cognitive thinking; creative problem solving tools & techniques; processes to ignite & express your innate creativity & creative style; creativity in the workplace, in schools & at home; and discovering & unleashing your creative spirit.
Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.
~Ayn Rand
What is Spirituality?
- From dealing with Change, to enabling Growth & Universal truths, to spiritual endeavors, to the development and implementation of your soul’s purpose
- At the Journey, spirituality includes: exploring your spiritual & cognitive thinking; chakras, energy & healing, processes to recognize & understand your soul, guide, soul mates & past lives; processes to ignite spirituality in the workplace, at home & in relationships; and discovering & unleashing your spiritual creativity.
Some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity. ~Gilda Radner
Why the Journey?
- Co-sponsors Whitney Ferré & Bill Olsen believe that our life, our life’s work and relationships with others in our life… are all a Journey. The Journey is made easier, its route more joyful, its resulting outcomes richer, and the common good better served, when Creativity and Spirituality are included in supporting roles. From very different backgrounds, they each answered the call to creativity and came to realize the benefits of understanding and applying both creativity and spirituality in their respective Journeys. When their paths crossed, they asked; “Why not host a retreat focused on all of this? Creativity. Spirituality. It’s a Journey… Ours! Let’s share it. If not now, when?”
- For more information, see “About the Journey” and About your co-hosts”
You are BOTH the ART & the ARTIST. ~Whitney Ferre’
Is this serious… or touchy-feely?
- Yes, it’s serious learning, and yet much of it will include interactive, applied learning. There will be plenty of practical, thought-provoking programs by professional presenters. There will also be plenty of hands-on programs that fuel your mind, feed your soul and warm your heart. Hand-shakes to fist-bumps to heart-felt hugs, your involvement is up to you.
Who should come? (Is this for me?)
- Career-minded professionals (consultants, facilitators, coaches, guides, advisors, educators, trainers, entrepreneurs, artists, & more)
- Experts & authors, practitioners & wanna-be’s, seekers & novices.
- At a crossroads between careers? between lives? or between loves?
- Your friend told you to come? Just curious? Yes, you, too.
The only journey is the journey within. ~Rainer Maria Rilke
Will CEUs be made available?
- We are exploring this. Yes, it’s possible. Contact us directly.
What should I tell my boss? My spouse? My life-partner?
- The Journey is a professional and personal development conference, focused on two key principles, creativity and spirituality, that you can apply to your objectives. Both are being increasingly applied in business, associations, education, homes, teams, and in relationships to achieve heightened appreciation for self-worth, growth, happiness, and efficiency. The Journey will be held at a retreat venue that is designed to allow participants to tailor the program to their specific learning objectives. Participants will come away with greater appreciation and understanding of concepts and skills they can use both right away and on the Journey ahead.
- Bosses, you should come, too! Come to the retreat and learn more about our private Journey retreats that we’ll tailor to your organization. The private Journey would be ideal for management groups, teams and new-start projects, and any organization that wants to enable their workforce from the boardroom to the shop floor, to heightened awareness and accelerated performance. When you learn to connect with your team and your customer on a creative & spiritual level you will maximize your potential and achieve a new level of business success. Discover and accelerate your team’s creative and spiritual talent, within.
Journey from the self to the Self and find the mine of gold. Leave behind what is sour and bitter and move toward the sweet. ~Rumi
What are the lodging accommodations? There are three lodging grades available:
- Venue Bunkhouse: About 60% of the venue’s lodging is bunkhouses, with single-person bunk-beds, arranged 10 – 16 beds to a room. The bunk-beds have concrete floors and shared bathrooms. Available Friday & Saturday nights only. This is the lowest cost option ($45/person/night).
- Venue Lodge: About 40% of the venue has lodge rooms, lofts, and “nice” bunk rooms. These are arranged as 3 – 10 beds to a room. The Lodge rooms have tile floors and shared or semi-private bath rooms. Available Wed.-Sat. nights (includes pre-retreat). This is a moderate cost option ($60/person/night).
- Off-Venue hotels: Couples or individuals may prefer local hotels, reserved under a group rate program. Off-venue lodging requires a 45 min drive, each way, either with your own transportation or our shuttle service (fee TBD). This is the costliest (~$100-140/room/night).
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the only one who’ll decide where you’ll go. ~Dr. Seuss
What should I wear?
- Very casual. Shorts/casual pants & sandals if you wish. Bring a jacket for potentially cool days & chilly nights. With lots of program options, also consider bringing your hiking shoes, running shoes and dancing shoes, too.
Does the Journey include a Youth program or childcare options?
- We will consider these in future Journey retreats, but will not be able to
include these programs in this inaugural event.
What is included in the fee(s)?
- The program fee includes:
- Conference, program selection(s) & participant materials.
- All meals during your program.
- Conference tote bag, guidebook, journal, pen, completion certificate, etc.
- It does NOT include:
- Lodging (options are priced separately)
- Alcoholic beverages (available for separate purchase)
- Ground transportation (if required, at additional fee)
- Products & services offered for sale by presenters. (as desired – pay direct)
What are the objectives of the retreat?
- The Journey brings together world-class speakers, workshop leaders, authors & practitioners together with those who seek to learn, explore, discover, think, dream and ultimately, to apply for the greater good along their own Journey ahead. The Journey presents three areas for each participant to explore (and ultimately apply, to your personal objectives):
- Creativity.
- Spirituality.
- Journey… yours.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.
~Robert Frost
What programs & optional activities are available?
- Pre-retreat on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.
- ½ day & evening programs
- Retreat program on Friday 2:00PM – Sunday Noon
- Plenary / general session with keynote speaker(s) & with co-hosts
- 90 minute & ½ day concurrent program options
- Movement & reflective programs in early morning & evenings (eg. Yoga, TaiChi, Nia, meditation, guided Journaling, Sufi dance)
- Spiritual cleansing & healing (eg. guided meditation, energy work, biodanza)
- Activities to discover your creative & spiritual talents
- Creative painting projects
- Journey, the book – all participants become contributing authors.
- DJ dancing
- Post-retreat Sunday afternoon & evening
- Nature hike & campfire
- Local tour & campfire
The journey between what you once were and who you are now becoming is where the dance of life really takes place. ~Barbara DeAngelis
We hope you join us on…The Journey. Click HERE to register.
