Luke Andersen & Adrienne WhiteReturn to the Sacred: Coming Home to Self through Sacred Sound Journeys, Sacred Land, Yoga & Rest

Class description

What does it mean to be sacred?

According to yoga: you are the divine unfolding in real time here on earth.

If you come from the divine, how could it be any other way?

Join Adrienne White and Luke Andresen of the Sound Medicine Collective for a weekend full of joy, self-remembrance, and connection; connection with each other, but most importantly, connection to yourself!

Sometimes we need to be reminded, we need to go somewhere where everything is treated as a sacred act. Wild Rice is that place! The land is sacred, the food is a ceremony, the practices come from the ancient, the sound vibrations of nature and sacred instruments reignite our spark… we are surrounded by those who hold up a mirror that helps you remember the truth of yourself. This is a coming home, a recognition that we are on a journey, and that according to yoga we are already whole and healed, exactly as we are. We only need to remember. 

We gather right on the cusp of transition… the fire of summer into the slowing down as we enter the cooler fall season. The moment is already sacred, the autumnal equinox. This will be a celebration of you at this special time of the year.

We will open our retreat by telling you a “story” with one of our signature offerings (Sound & Stories), where we partner Yoga Nidra guided meditation with Sacred Sound to start our journey together.  Sound will be an important thread throughout the weekend and we will also use storytelling as one of our methodologies to help you see yourself, your life, and how far you have come! Remembering where you came from is integral to connecting to where you are going. Telling our story gives us understanding and a voice, as well as helps us to create a purposeful and meaningful life.

Our opening evening will include a delicious homemade community meal where we’ll have the opportunity to get to know each other, have conversations, and those conversations can continue around an outdoor fire where we will share introductions and a heart opening ceremony with cacao. The peaceful quiet and stillness of Wild Rice invites deep rest as you cosy into your cabin each night.

Our three mornings together will start with a yoga practice to recharge your life force energy through movement, breathwork and meditation. The intention of class is to help you remember… you are the Divine unfolding in real time here on earth! Each class will end with a gong bath savasana for deep relaxation. 

Practice is followed by a delicious brunch (early risers can enjoy a light breakfast prior to yoga), a morning workshop and/or outdoor adventure, as well as time to rest, write, and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding area. Your invitation is to find your sacred- do as much or as little as you like!

Sound and sound journeys will be one of our most important threads throughout the weekend. It’s easy to remember our dreams and our divinity while bathing in the vibrations of a multitude of gongs, crystal bowls, drums, chimes, mantra, and even didgeridoo! This Sacred Sound will be the backdrop to our weekend for you to rest, relax, and vibrate joy. 

Participants will be offered the opportunity to be seen through intentional photography at one of our sacred sites that we will visit. Your participation is completely optional, but you may like to bring a special item to wear if you would like to participate. Luke’s photography teacher, Robert Sturman, calls this “The Yoga of Seeing”. We hope you will enjoy this image as a souvenir of our weekend together!

Offerings / Program Highlights 

- Sacred Sound Journeys — wall of gongs , crystal bowls, drums, didge, voice and more

- Time in Nature — guided forest bathing, shoreline walks, solo reflection prompts.  

- Rest & Recovery — restorative yoga, guided naps, somatic practices.  

- Workshops — guided meditation, sound, and relaxation to help spark insight and life story journaling   

- Community Rituals — opening & closing circles, fireside chats, honoring the elements in nature