Offered by Kirsten Rudestam, Jean Leonard and Emerson James. As practices, kinship and queer ecology can help us get in closer touch with the truth of who we truly are, as well as strengthen our inherent connection with the more-than-human world. In queer ecology, at the scale of the individual, to be queer is to be mutable; queerness signifies that which is unfixed and in a constant process of becoming. At the scale of the collective, queerness is relational, symbiotic and supportive.*  In this retreat we apply these lenses of kinship and queer ecology to explore the paramitas, a set of 10 qualities or perfections of character, that, once honed, lead to liberation of the heart and mind.

Drawing on the wisdom of the land, this retreat weaves together three strands of practice: silent meditation periods, experiential nature-based practices, and small group discussions. These three strands will support us in opening to the questions: How might we deepen into a greater sense of interbeing through the flexible spaces of queer ecology? How does recognizing conditionality and relationality transform and inform our connections with and compassion for ourselves, others, and our more-than-human kin? For more information see RMERC’s website.