Queer Quest 2 with School of Lost Borders
For over the last decade at the Queer Quest, groups of people from every part of the queer community, have gathered on the land to celebrate our stories and step into the fullness of our queer bodies and selves. This healing space has been a refuge and a reminder to all that being queer is a reflection and celebration of nature’s true diversity. Showing up as who we are, and with our many gifts, brings wholeness to the world!
Queer people have always been edge walkers who are a source of deep connection between the community, nature and the mystery, and now is the time to fully own our place. With all the challenges facing the queer community in the world today, now is the time to come back to our roots and the gifts that the queer community brings to the world. Connecting deeply to yourself, and fully accepting all of who you are, is both a radical act of rebellion against forces of hate and division, and a radical act of communion with all living things!
Join us in this inclusive and supportive circle surrounded by the tallest peaks in Colorado for this ceremonial rite of passage designed specifically for the LGBTQIA2S+ community. Coming together, to step all the way in to the multifaceted person you are and being witnessed by the community, is healing for everyone and the land.
If you are feeling the call to be on the land in queer community to do deep, personal work for yourself, your community and the earth, then this program is right and the time has come. To secure your place, the first steps are to enroll by clicking the ‘enroll’ button and sending a deposit by clicking the ‘pay deposit/tuition’ button. If you are unable to pay a deposit, write to school@lostborders.org about a scholarship. No one will be turned away for lack of ability to pay. Taking these steps will save your spot in the program. You can also send a check to the School of Lost Borders but you will still need to enroll through the website. This program has a long waitlist every year so enrolling and paying or working out the deposit as early as you can is a good idea. You will then receive more information about the next steps in the process.
Program overview:
The program is divided into three sections; severance, threshold time, and incorporation. The first days are a time of ‘severance’ or separation from your daily life, leaving behind what no longer serves, and a time where you will be wholly seen and witness each other’s unique queer stories while setting an intention for your solo. These preparation days will be held at a remote basecamp in the National Forest.
The ‘threshold time’ is your solo time of four days and nights out in a vast and beautiful Colorado wilderness area. Base camp will be held not far from your solo spot and you will have a ‘buddy’ nearby who will check a sign from you each day to ensure your wellbeing.
Finally, the days spent after the solo time are the first days of your ‘incorporation’ experience. During the incorporation time we will move from the basecamp to Wild Mountain where you share the story of your solo. The guides will reflect or ‘mirror’ your story back to you in order to bring it into the world in a concrete way. The witnessing by the group will ensure there is no doubt about the transition you have made. Finally, we will prepare you to carry your story and yourself back into the world where the incorporation will continue to unfold over the year ahead.
Logistics:
Please plan to arrive at 4pm on June 8th for an orientation and to have time to get settled before we meet the next morning. The program will end by mid-afternoon on June 21st.
Practical preparation:
We will provide fresh drinking water, and a basic outdoor kitchen. Most days we will be together in council, so you may want to bring a comfortable chair (or we can provide one) and layers of clothing for a range of weather conditions. An equipment list will be sent to you once you register. Extra equipment is available, so please ask if you are in need of anything.
*We recognize and honor that the word “queer” has been used in the past as a derogatory term and is still hurtful for some in the LGBTQ2S+ community. Many LGBTQ2S+ organizations and communities have reclaimed the word “queer” and this has been both empowering and uniting of the multiple complex identities within the community. We use the word here as an inclusive term and shortcut for the LGBTQ2S+ lettering.
Program cost:
The School of Lost Borders has created a sliding scale for all its programs and trainings in an effort to keep our courses affordable to a wide range of people. Please visit our Reciprocity page to reflect on what to give and we trust that each individual will pay what they feel is appropriate.
Scholarships are available.
Tuition: $1000 - $3000 sliding scale
Deposit: $300 (Non-refundable & non-transferrable unless seminar is cancelled)
Extra Fees: $120 Wild Mountain Support Fee
*This program is offered through the School of Lost Borders. Please see schooloflostborders.org for more information.