Bones & Moss: 2024 Writer’s Retreat

  • For heathen children, bone-women, and wild poets.

    June 28th-July 1st, 2024

    This is an invitation-only event for those who have participated in Danielle’s online writing intensives in 2020-2023, have attended an in-person event with Danielle in the past, or have worked with her closely virtually in recent years.
    When we root deep into the land, we open the dreaming door. We come home to a version of ourselves who is both poet and seer, who is a bit less civilized and more closely attuned to the voices of the Otherworld. The land can hold the writer’s grief, spark the spontaneous vitality of the storyteller, and give rise to visions, tales, and songs we simply cannot find on our small screens. The land speaks the language our soul remembers but our minds forgot, and, here, we welcome the elemental muse that comes.

    This is a 3-night and 3-day retreat for writers, poets, and storytellers on the wild lands of upstate New York (exact location given upon registration). We will come together in embodied art and writing rituals, commune with the ghosts who know us best, and retreat to our individual bone-caves as needed. Here are the details:

    The Bones & Moss Writers’ Retreat is a small-group, invite-only event with 15 tickets available. You will have your own large (6-person) tent with complete bedding, and all meals and materials are provided. Every event in this retreat is an invitation, and you are very welcome to opt out of any ritual, practice, communal meal, or sharing circle as you wish. Please review the tentative schedule, MAQs, and other details below before registering, and reach out to Danielle at [email protected] with any additional questions.

    Bones & Moss Writers’ Retreat Schedule
    (Note this schedule is subject to change (depending on the weather) and all times are in ET)

    Friday, June 28th
    Arrive on the land anytime between 3pm and 8pm

    8:30pm-9:30pm: Waking the Wolf King ~ Introductory Circle and Opening Ritual

    Saturday, June 29th
    8am-9:30am: Light Breakfast and Morning Invitations

    10am-12pm: The Heathen Poet’s Homecoming ~ Art, Movement, and Poetry Circle

    1pm-2pm: Communal Lunch

    2:30pm-4pm: Dreaming the Wheel ~ Embodied Discernment Tools for Writers and Word-Witches

    4pm-6pm: Free Time for Grounding, Play, and Envisioning

    6pm-7pm: Communal Dinner

    7:30pm-9:30pm: The Archetypal Poison: Shadow and Symbology for Writers

    Sunday, June 30th
    8am-9:30am: Light Breakfast and Morning Invitations

    10am-12pm: The Mythic Council

    1pm-2pm: Communal Lunch

    2:30pm-4pm: Macha’s Battlefield: Embodied Banishing for Writers and Makers

    4pm-6pm: Free Time for Grounding, Play, and Envisioning

    6pm-7pm: Communal Dinner

    7:30pm-9:30pm: The Band of Shapeshifting Children ~ Writing the World Soul

    Monday, June 26th
    8am-9:30am: Light Breakfast and Morning Invitations

    10am-12pm: Return to the Herd of Grandmothers: Integration Circle

    12pm-2pm: Departures

    Other Details
    The retreat is held on a 34-acre, rural property that is about one hour east of Syracuse and an hour north of Binghamton, NY. The closest city for public transportation purposes is Utica, which is about 20 minutes north of the property. There is a large barn and (strange) house on the property along with some mountain streams, ponds, and A LOT of wildlife. Because this is a residential retreat and accommodations are essentially “humble glamping,” if you have never camped before in your life, this retreat may not be for you. Please read the following and reach out to Danielle with any additional questions.
    • You will have your own large (6-person) tent, pillow, blankets, sleeping bag, and either a futon or memory foam mattress (we don’t do air mattresses).
    • You will have access to the main house at all times where there is a bathroom with running water, wi-fi, and a full kitchen. There is also an outdoor shower and porta-potties near the tent area
    • Most events will be held in the barn or outside
    • All communal meals will be outside at our “Alchemists’ Table” unless there is substantial rain
    • There will be a dismissive cat named Willow and two dogs in the main house (for those who are allergic)
    • All meals are locally sourced and vegetarian with meat on the side. If you have special food needs and/or a lot of food allergies, it is recommended you bring your own food with you (you will have a small space in the outdoor fridge)
    • Registrants will receive our standard liability release via DocuSign in April 2024 and signing is required before coming to the land
    • The tents are not under-cover, and the retreat will not be canceled for weather-related reasons. We write rain or shine. In the event of substantial rain for the entire weekend, we will move the tents to the barn.
    • All registrants will be added to the “Bones & Moss” group to arrange ride-shares as needed and ask questions as we get closer. The group opens September 1st, 2023.

    Registration

    There are two registration options for this retreat. You are able to pay in full ($1100) and save $200 OR you can pay a deposit of $650 then the balance of an additional $650 is due by September 15th, 2023 (Total $1300). This page will be marked as “sold out” once all 15 tickets have sold.

    ~ Click Here to Pay In Full ~

    OR

    ~ Click Here to Pay the Deposit ~

    MAQs (Might-Be Asked Questions)
    Q. What is the refund policy?

    A. There are no refunds unless the event is canceled by us due to unforeseen circumstances. In this case, we will issue a full refund within 30-days of the official cancellation date. We are not responsible for any travel fees paid by the participant in the event of cancellation; this includes airfare and other bookings (and this is a standard policy for all retreats). If you need to cancel your booking, we may offer partial credit for future writing programs, and/or a full refund (less credit card processing fees) if we can fill your spot (This will be discussed on a case-by-case basis). No refunds or credit will be issued for cancellations after March 1st, 2024.

    Q. Do I need to be actively writing a book or working on a project to attend?

    A. No, but the experience may muse something toward its conception.

    Q. I want to come but have not been part of any writing intensives. Can I get a ticket?

    A. Email me first at [email protected] so we can make sure the event is a good fit.

    Q. If I need to fly in order to attend, do I need to rent a car? Can I speak to others for potential ride-shares before the event?

    A. Beginning September 1st, 2022, registrants will be added to the “Bones & Moss” group where you will be able to speak to other retreat participants and arrange ride-sharing if possible. There is no public transportation directly from the airport to the land, as it is located in a rural area.

    Q. I want to come to the retreat, but I’m not a camper and don’t want to stay on the land. Can I do this?

    A. Yes. You are welcome to stay off the land and make your own arrangements for accommodations, but the ticket price is the same.

    Q. I want to come to the retreat, but I need to arrive late/leave early. Can I do this?

    A. In most cases, yes. Please reach out to Danielle with the details at [email protected].

    Q. I have a friend who would love to do this with me, but they were not in any of your writing intensives. Can they come?

    A. Maybe. Reach out to Danielle with the details. She prefers to meet those who come to the land first which is why this is not an “open-to-all” event, but, you know, if you vouch for them, we’ll see.

    Q. My question isn’t here. How do I ask it?

    A. Reach out to Danielle at [email protected] or ping her on Basecamp.

     

  • Testimonials

    “Danielle’s memoir writing offering is a sacred gift for wild creatures with a story to tell. Danielle holds a safe, succulent container for untamed witches to find their voices, mine their truths, and write the long kept stories of their wild souls by way of guided visualization, spirit pathworking prompts, and communal witnessing. Memoir writing in this way is delicious, deep, and satisfying work held by Danielle’s exceptional witchy word magic and expertise.” ~ Heather D.
    “I haven’t yet found my voice and I am not a writer…. at least that’s what I used to believe. Those were skills belonging to other gifted souls, not ones I yet possessed….or so I thought. Working with Danielle (who I believe is the greatest word witch of my time) and her methodology, I was able to find my voice, bring words to paper and tap into ideas/energies that begged to be shared. Writing for manifestation, gratitude, spellwork and creativity were brought forth from deep within and almost unrecognizable as my own. Her trust, guidance, generosity and acceptance (of you where you are on your journey), made this apprenticeship a bright light in a dark winter, and one my shadow crone will revisit often.”  – Amy A.

    “I highly recommend any and all of Danielle Dulsky’s writing programs. She is a highly skilled, dedicated and magickal teacher. Her genius process draws out the richest depths of one’s memories, archetypal life patterns, and wild soul, to then be poured and shaped into a book. There is no other writing program like it.

    If you have a book burning in your heart seeking to be writ and a commitment to do so for your revolution, future generations, for yourself, investing in this work will not only move you towards actualizing that desire, it will transform you in remarkable ways you could never have imagined.”-Kathleen P.

    “Danielle’s writing mentorship has been such a gentle and supportive push in the right direction. Her writing prompts and invitations to ritual have helped me to see/feel writing as a process of bringing in Spirit/Inspiration from the beyond and from deep inside myself. They have pushed me deeper and helped be more honest in my writing. The meetings with her are always fun and her incites always surprise and delight me. She meets me right where I am and I so appreciate that. I am excited about my future writing journey and her support and enthusiasm are a big part of that! Also, now I feel writing is part of my own creative ritual, and that feels holy. I strongly recommend her mentorship!”  – Ruchi J.
    “Having Danielle as a mentor for the writing apprenticeship has been unparalleled to any other creative experience. Her guidance in the ritual and craft of writing has helped to hone in my voice, give inspiration for discipline rather than an ordinary day to day routine and allowed an authenticity to spark. Danielle has a gift as a teacher and the way she so humbly offers herself as a guide on this path.”  – Megan L.
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