FOUR CORE ELEMENTS OF THE VISION QUEST
The Vision Quest (or Vision Fast) program has four elements that serve as both challenges and supports for the days: solitude, immersion in nature, fasting, and community.
1. SOLITUDE
Solitude to the stuff, you are ready to go for a three day Quest and will be a part of mystical and initiatory paths throughout human history. It puts us in touch with ourselves and our world, inviting us to discover our own deepest nature and to open ourselves to the richness of our inner soul life.
2. IMMERSION IN NATURE
Immersion in nature takes us back to the truth, that we are part of the great mystery and not separate universe. We return to our place in the natural world with humility and gratitude, finding renewal and reflection in the wonder of creation.
3. FASTING
Fasting is a ancient cross-cultural practice, one that opens the mind and heart. Most people are able to fast during the period of the Vision Quest, generally 3 days and 6 L. of water.
COMMUNITY
The gifts from understanding, love and compassion help renew and nourish the whole of society. On our Vision Quest program, we work to develop community in the field, so that group members feel safe to speak from the heart, knowing that the container of community will hold them. This allows for deep sharing and witnessing; from there, the healing circle of community is carried home to loved ones, and out into the world.
THE JOURNEY
1. TRANSITION AND ORIENTATION IN COMMUNITY
The aspirant begins at a campground near the wilderness, where we will meet the place, get acquainted and begin preparations for the quest. We’ll review flora, fauna, first aid and safety procedures. Then we set up a base camp and leaving.
There is time for sharing with other participants and staff, or for just sitting quietly. You have a morning to look for your solo site, going in the direction you feel called to explore. Safety concerns are addressed again in the field, and you will have a buddy from the group that is pledged to help you if the need arises–but you will not see each other unless you finish. You will hist a flag on the stonewall for our stuff each day, a small reminder of the spirit and heart you share with others on this path and signal that you are fine.
On the last evening together, the whole group will meet in council circle, where you’ll have a final opportunity to share deeply of hopes and fears. The next morning you celebrate at sunrise to bless you.
2. THE SOLO
During the Vision Quest/Vision Fast solo, you enter sacred time and space, living by yourself in the wildness of nature. In the weakness of fasting , you become more open and transparent. You live between the inner world of dreams, feelings, fantasies and the outer world of cold night air, the warming sun, the sound of a coyote howling, the sight of a lizard doing push-ups, the vast view of a desert plateau. You may be visited by dragons whose names are loneliness, boredom, fear, and regret–among others. You engage them with your heart and spirit, recognizing them as worthwhile opponents. They push you into your depths.
Time can slow down on a Vision Quest, and the stillness of the desert can be very powerful. As your thoughts begin to empty out, you can look into the pool of your own being, noticing how you are, what your dreams are made of, what you need to let go of. The sacred dimension is present there, and you can enter it naturally. It is possible to feel connected to everything, to the small fly buzzing, to the cactus in its rocky home, to the moon and stars wheeling overhead at night.
3. THE NIGHT VIGIL
On the last evening you build a circle of stones to represent your life, entering it at dusk and remaining awake until the dawn releases you. During the long night, you can sit, stand, dance, sing, pray, or just huddle from the cold. You are bearing witness to your own death and rebirth. What is important to carry into your new life, and what needs to be left behind? You ask Spirit to help you find your way. Your prayers are answered as the first rays of sunlight pierce the darkness. It’s time now to come down off the mountain and begin the journey back.
And the sunset itself in waves of ether
Is such that I can’t say with certainty
Whether day is ending, or the world, or whether
The secret of secrets is again in me.
~Anna Akhmatova
4. THE RETURN AND INTEGRATION
The return from the Vision Quest/Vision Fast is often a time of great energy and joy, celebrating the healing and wholeness that you have found. After participants return to base camp, we’ll share a delicious breakfast, then spend the balance of this day, and the next two, exploring the teachings of the Quest, reflecting the beauty and meaning of each story, and the challenges posed for the return. The task here is to re-enter your life, bringing your unique gifts and opened heart back to family, friends and community. As Mirabai asks, “Without the energy that lifts mountains, how am I to live?” How can I bring my vision into my world, the world of work, relationships and ordinary life? The energy of the wilderness has flowed into us as healing, and from us enters the world.
Note: This practice goes by many names and has roots in many cultures. In calling it the Vision Quest, we acknowledge being inspired by Native American teachings (and teachers), among others, as well as our own connection to this land called “Turtle Island”. But we must also make it clear that our program, which has been developed for people living in our diverse modern society, is not a “Native American Vision Quest.”
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