The Vision Quest is a retreat for those seeking to re-evaluate and re-energise their daily lives in communion with the natural world. It begins at the time you commit to this adventure. This is the Outset, the preparation period, which can work at both the conscious and the subconscious levels. It is also practical, emotional and spiritual in its workings.

The second stage is the Departure. When you leave home, this is a leave taking from the world of the everyday, a shift in intention towards the numinous.

When you reach the Base Camp (a farmhouse near Lake Bala, Wales), you will be welcomed by the facilitators and shown to the accommodation in this relaxing, comfortable and rustic venue. A meal will be served at 8-9pm on the Thursday and the facilitators and participants will get to know each other. That evening there will be a meeting, and an explanation of the ground rules for this retreat.

The vision quest is essentially a treat for yourself, a gift to your emotional and spiritual well being. It will begin to reveal itself the following morning when you go out into the wild to find your place of retreat. There will be a guided tour of the vast terrain to which we have access, ancient lands of field and woodland, moors and streams, and a large reservoir.

This land that we will live in has much timber, allowing you to sit at your own fire, with water nearby, or trees around you, or just the sky above. This may be a time of changeable weather, and although we have so far been lucky in the past, you must be prepared for any weather. (We have set this at the beginning of May, as this later springtime is usually delightful. It is said: 'there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothing'). Whatever the climate, it will enhance and reflect what is going on within you.

For this is the crux of the Vision Quest - the Being. There is no doing. You are encouraged not to take any literature, mobile phone, indeed any stimulus that might distract you from yourself in the now (a journal or note book may come in useful however). If you are confident of your metabolism, you are encouraged to fast for the duration of the Being. It is essential to drink, cold or hot, to keep yourself going. Otherwise, if necessary, eat minimally, nuts and raisins and a little fruit to keep your blood sugar levels up (you could bring a pot to heat up a drink or a simple soup over your camp fire). If in doubt, consult your doctor before the event.

You will be on your own for three days alone in the wild. You will be faced with yourself. All usual and expected thought will pass within a few hours allowing you to come to a new place in yourself, perhaps a quieter place from where you can hear your inner wise voice once again.

As you slow down and relax into this state of Being, old memories and feelings may return, and new thoughts, sensations and feelings may emerge. Your few days alone will take on a quiet rhythm, which you will soon realize is your more natural rhythm. Remember this, for it will seem very precious and meaningful to you when you return home. Take note of the dreams that are revealed to you. It will be as if real magic is abroad, and many aspects of the natural world around may well take on great significance.

The culmination of the Vision Quest is the Long Night, the last that you stay out in the field. You are encouraged to remain awake and alert through this Long Night, whatever the weather. Try to stay outside of your shelter or your tent, maybe beside your campfire. This is a time of prayer, of meeting your edge, of difficulty maybe, of pushing your boundaries. It is the time of revelation, perhaps even of vision.

When the day has fully broken, you may pack up your camp. This is the time of the Return of the Hero, the one who has come through, and you will find your way back to the farmhouse Base Camp to meet the others who have also shared this extraordinary time alone, out on the hills, not so very far away from where you were.

You will come back to a good breakfast and later, a hearty task of work together as a team. When you all tire of this physical labour, there will be a gathering in comfort to mull over the experience we have each been through, and the opportunity to share what we would like to reveal of the last few days and nights.

This will be both a debriefing and a celebration. It will also be a preparation for the Homecoming the following day. The re-entry into the familiar world must also be approached sensitively. You will have encountered some powerful experiences, physically and emotionally, and they need to be carried home with great care, if they are to feed your life ahead with meaning and with integrity.

Be aware that at all times through this Vision Quest you will be held from a distance by one of the facilitators. At no time will you be far from help. The Vision Quest is not a competition. It is not an endurance test. You do as much as you feel able to do, no more, and at any time out in the wild, you will be welcome to return to Base Camp, for company, for succour, or for any help we can offer you.

As facilitators we are there simply to serve you, and to assist your well being throughout the time you are with us.