Interbeing 07: a R.E.V.O.LU=TION in sound
((( Resonance + Entrainment + Vibration + Oscillation + Loving Unconditionally = The Infinite Open Now )))

Full Camping Weekend: Friday – Sunday, September 6-8, 2024
Day Passes Available: Saturday, September 7
Ages 18+

@ Silvae Spiritus Northwoods Nature Retreat
68441 Rhine Lake Rd Finlayson, MN 55735

Program:

Welcome to Interbeing 07: A transformative event curated by passionate individuals, centered around community and wellness, where every participant is valued and encouraged to explore the intersection of nature, sound, wisdom, and healing. Unlike traditional lecture-based gatherings, this is an interactive and collaborative experience, fostering collective participation and shared growth.

Explore 30 acres of stunning land with forests, meadows, and walking trails as you camp for the weekend. We provide morning and evening meals, and guests are encouraged to bring their own food to share or enjoy at their leisure. Embrace nature’s beauty and nourish your soul in this inclusive and serene environment.

Interbeing 07 offers you a unique opportunity to recharge, explore, learn, and immerse yourself in the harmonious blend of music and nature. As you connect with like-minded souls, you’ll find yourself elevated in mind, body, and spirit, leaving with newfound energy and a sense of wholeness.

We take great pride in the feedback from our past attendees, who have described our event as “life-changing.” This testimonial is our greatest honor, inspiring us to continuously curate an experience that touches hearts and transforms lives.

Join us at Interbeing 07, where the essence of community, wellness, and interconnectedness awaits you. Together, let’s embark on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and collective growth that celebrates the beauty of being.

:: Presentations & Performances ::

DJ sets & Live musical performances throughout the weekend
Inspiring sound artists will be sharing their vibes during sauna + hot tub + cold plunge at the thermic oasis, at group meals, and during late night woodland dance parties with bonfires and stargazing. Sets are curated, but spontaneous collaboration often flows from these sessions.

Medicine Song Circle
Hosted by Jade Harmony

In this offering, we will open with cozying into the space and then flow into shared silence; finding stillness and inner exploration in your own way. Following our shared silence, Jade will lead us in a song circle, including spacious chants and silence between songs. We will end with a Savasana meditation and serenade, finding deep rest and integration.

Meditative Sound Immersion
Hosted by Dendrotic

An exploration of the resonance between your inner nature and the natural world, between mental and physical wellbeing, and between personal and collective growth.  Sound Immersion sessions at Silvae Spiritus offer an opportunity to travel freely through our ever shifting emotional and mental landscape, creating communal space in which serene audio and meditative instrumentation gently guide us toward a restorative state of deep simplicity and true relaxation. This invitation to temporarily decenter from the overactive chatter and ego narratives which drive our day-to-day functioning can allow our inner voices to speak with greater clarity.  Released from distraction, we are beckoned back into relationship with the present moment, luxuriating in the river of time as it flows around us.  Untethered from anxiety, our mental and physical systems come back into equilibrium and are able to function at their peak potential.  This is the core concept that motivates my approach to “sound healing” – if there is healing to be had it will emanate from your own personal strength – your intuition and intention coupled with your body’s innate ability to reach for the balance it needs.  Concurrently, if there is to be “magic”, it will be conjured in a manner of co-creation, as opposed to any special variable that I alone might bring to the equation.  Rather, it is together that we have the honor and delight of letting the process unfold around us, bathing in the medicine of frequency and vibration while undertaking a journey of introspection and connection.

Drawing on my history of live electronic music performance while interweaving the acoustic energy generation of melodic drums, crystal singing bowls, chimes, bells, and percussion I’ll be seeking a holistic nourishment of body + mind + heart, one that can replenish the core vitality we all hold as humans.  My hope will be for participants to leave enlivened with the physiological refreshment and psychological focus that can serve as a foundation for engaging deeply with the more beautiful and limitless world that awaits us…

What to bring: any pillows or blankets you’d like to help find your cozy place; an open mind + a compassionate heart + curious ears

Mind-Body Harmony: Exploring Energy Flow and “Mind-Muddle”
Hosted by Leon J

Discover the fascinating connection between mind and body in this collaborative and inclusive session led by Leon J. Drawing from his experience in traditional and mixed martial arts, Leon will guide participants through an exploration of energy flow and the concept of “mind-muddle.” This very low-impact session is designed to be accessible to all, regardless of experience. Through gentle movements, mindful practices, and the incorporation of rhythm aided by hand drumming, you will gain insights into how these principles can enhance mental clarity, focus, and overall well-being. Join us for an enriching experience that promises to leave you feeling balanced and energized.

Performance, Prompts, & Life Discussion
Hosted by Phillip Saint John

Phillip is offering up performances of his music along with prompts related to the subject matters in the songs in order to help the participants understand where change may be needed in their daily life, in the way they see themselves, their dreams, external forces, and more. Starting by creating an energetic flow of ease with new songs, we’ll go through simple topics that will eventually lead into depth and a little intensity for the viewers to really dive into some areas of discomfort and areas of self-sabotage. Between songs, Phillip will encourage audience members to feel into their bodies, and take a minute to think about the subjects. At the end of the performance, Phillip will then host a discussion circle around each topic and facilitate an open space for people to share their own experiences. This isn’t about correcting, shaming, or telling others how to live, it’s about having a space to share your experiences and check in with ourselves in a way that mostly brings awareness where change may be needed moving forward in our lives. This performance and circle should leave anyone involved with a refreshed perspective on life. A physical or digital journal is recommended for participation. Songs + prompts will take approximately 30 minutes while the discussion circle should take approximately 30-45 minutes.  

Primal Singing
Hosted by Laurel Armstrong

Before we spoke, we sang in response to the world around us. Nature served as both our teacher and collaborator. In this session, we’ll learn to sing what arises from listening to our bodies, the land, and the interplay between both. The only requirement for this session is to have a voice. Simple vocal instructions will be given, with suggestions for different levels of singing comfort. There will be structured and improvised singing. One participant called this experience “ecstatic dance, except we’re singing.”

Sitting Still and Listening Deep
Hosted by Tom Hambleton

Sitting still and listening deep is a field recordist’s journey into the forests, fields and sound studios of Minnesota and how that material can used in film soundtrack composition. I’ll begin by discussing various the approaches and pit-falls of attempting to record a “naturally pure” sonic environment. Along with that, I will cover recording meditative sound objects in the studio. The discussion will then turn towards using those recordings as raw material for creating purposeful environments for film — covering not only the editorial choices borne from listening, but touching upon the digital manipulation possible to create both real and unreal worlds. This talk will feature several sound recordings and a few film clip examples.

Solfeggio Frequencies
Hosted by Ryan Miller

Ryan will create a live performance consisting of a meditative drone journey through a range of Solfeggio frequencies. 

Solfeggio frequencies are a set of musical tones believed to have profound effects on the human body and mind. Advocates of Solfeggio frequencies claim that each specific frequency corresponds to a different aspect of human consciousness and can bring about various therapeutic benefits. Listening to these tones can result in numerous positive effects, such as reducing stress, improving sleep, enhancing focus, and even supporting spiritual growth. 

While scientific evidence on the direct effects of Solfeggio frequencies remains limited, many people report experiencing subjective benefits from listening to this music, finding it a helpful tool for relaxation, meditation, and overall mental and emotional well-being.

Sound, Nature, and the Nervous System
Hosted by Michaelton

For millions of years, our animal ancestors thrived in the forests, their nervous systems attuned to the active ecosoundscape. These same nervous systems reside within us today. However, while they have changed little over time, our surrounding soundscapes have drastically evolved. Living in a city, amidst a state of sonic bombardment, can repeatedly trigger our sympathetic nervous system, causing us to remain in heightened states of stress and stimulus response modes. In this presentation, Michaelton will explore how industrialization has rapidly transformed our soundscape, the significant impact sound has on our wellbeing, and how we can protect ourselves from the harmful effects of the city soundscape. By emulating the natural world we came from, we can reclaim our sense of safety and return our bodies to a state in which they can heal and function optimally.

Sounds of the Forest
Hosted by Leigha Horton

People often equate nature with pristine silence, but when guided toward deep listening to the forest and its inhabitants, one will quickly discover that silence is shockingly absent.  From the drumming of a woodpecker on a hollow tree to the electric buzz of the cicadas to the sweet chirps of the resident chickadees to the rustle of the wind through the treetops, nature is a riot of sound.  How would it feel to step back into nature as a sonic collaborator?  Instead of blanketing the environment with human-made noise, what does a call-and-response require of us?  Where and how can we make our own voices heard in concert with the everyday symphony that surrounds us? 

Certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide Leigha Horton will guide participants first into deep awareness and presence in -and with- nature, and then into an embodied, improvisational sonic exploration of the trails of Silvae Spiritus, reigniting the spark of musicality that originates from within and with collaborators in the more than human world.

Tonal Medicine- vocalization to stimulate and heal the subtle bodies
Hosted by Mama Rose 

Join Mama Rose for an immersive sound experience as you are guided through the creation of your own meditative healing practice using your voice. Whether novice or professional, the voice is an instrument available to all of us. We are each equipped with the exact voice that our unique physical and energetic system needs in order to fully receive resonant frequency healing. First, Mama Rose will define resonant frequency healing and expound upon topics such as using the voice as tonal medicine, self-healing through energy work and how to tune into and literally tune the subtle bodies. Then, she will lead you through a meditative sound journey of your design! Vocalization will be prompted by Mama Rose and practiced individually but also co-creatively due to the parallel nature of the group setting. The experience will close with an insight sharing circle as time allows. 

Please bring a blanket, pillow, or other comfort items to support your experience. 

Yoga + Soundbath
Hosted Rita Richardson & Michaelton

Rita will guide us through a gentle yoga sequence, flowing in harmony with the energy of Michaelton’s live soundbath. We will use the sensory experience of surrounding sounds to channel our breath and movement. The class will conclude with restorative yoga, designed to activate our parasympathetic nervous systems and invigorate our spirits in the morning light.

RETREAT AGENDA: 

Friday:

1 pm – Guests start arriving; set up campsites prior to event start

5 – 5:30 pm – Welcome + Orientation (The Lounge)

5:30 – 6:15 pm  – Opening Circle  (The Lounge)

6:30 – 7:15 pm – Session: Michael sound + down-regulation (The Lounge)

7:15 – 8:45 pm – Dinner – grilling (Patio)

8:45 – 9:45  pm – Session: Solfeggio Exploration (The Lounge)

10 – Midnight – Wood-fired Sauna + Cold Plunge + Wood-fired Hot Tub + Bonfire (Thermic Oasis) + DJ sets from Mike Moilanen + Dendrotic + AMG

Saturday:

9 – 10 am – Session: Yoga + Michaelbath (Outdoor or Lounge)

10 – 11:30 am – Brunch for Full Weekend Guests + Beats (Guesthouse)
11 – 11:30 am – Day Pass Orientation (Lounge)

11:30 am – 1 pm – Session: Sounds of the Forest (Outdoors)

1:15 – 2 pm – Session: Primal Singing (Outdoors or The Lounge)

2 – 3 pm – Siesta / Open Time

3 – 4 pm – Session: Recording Nature (The Lounge)

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm – Session: Dendrotic Sound Immersion (The Lounge)

5:30 – 6:45 pm – Session: Tonal Medicine (Location)

6:45 – 8:15 pm – Dinner for Full Weekend AND Day Pass Guests – taco bar (Guesthouse) 

8:45 pm – 1 am – Dance Party with Dendrotic +  Moilanen + Leon J + AMG (Woodland DJ booth in Far Meadow)

Sunday:  

10 – 11 am – Session: Yoga + Michaelbath (Outdoor or Lounge)

11 – 12:15 am – Brunch & Beats  (Guesthouse) 

12:15 – 1:15 pm – Session: rhythmic movement arts (Outdoors)

1:30 – 2:15 pm – Session: Performance, Prompts, & Life Discussion 

2:30 – 3 pm – Session: Closing sing with Jade3 – 3:15 pm – Closing Circle (The Lawn); Pack up + Goodbyes

Facilitators:

Aaron Maurice Graves, better known as AMG, is one half of the Twin Cities, Bass Music-infused hip-hop duo Sound Kata.

When on the mic, AMG is recognized for his smooth unorthodox flow, soothing voice, & intricate wordplay, delving into numerous topics from a unique & refreshing style & perspective.
Ranging from traditional Hip-Hop records, to Dubstep, to Drum & Bass, he’s shown his style is as fluid as it is unique. AMG is also 1/4 of the Minneapolis-based hip-hop group PACT.
Trading bars with his peers, who’ve kept his style sharp & ever-evolving, they’ve performed at some of the most iconic & legendary venues Minnesota has to offer.
While navigating the controller during a DJ set, he’s often delivering a deep, dark & at times sultry ensemble of tunes setting an atmospheric tone of rich & sub-quaking harmonies.
Deep Bass of the 140BPM variety is his staple. However, don’t be surprised when Drum & Bass, Jungle, or UK Garage are integrated into his sets.
Heavily accommodating those listeners that crave smooth, lush & sexy soundscapes to express themselves through music.
When you hear him say “I like it here.” – you know you’re in for a treat.

🔊 click here to listen

Dendrotic

A.K.A. Travis Norman, is a co-founder of Silvae Spiritus, as well as a musician, DJ, and sound explorer committed to staying ever curious. Passionate about helping others deepen their relationship with our living world, Travis is a certified Nature & Forest Therapy Guide & purveyor of ways in which vibration, frequency, and resonance shape our shared reality and can help welcome us into the home we call the present moment. Whether letting loose on a dancefloor or relaxing in a sound immersion, he hopes you’ll join in on this journey of rewilding, reconnecting, and remembering.

🔊 Click here for original music releases or here for DJ mixes || instagram.com/dendrotic

Jade Harmony is a medicine musician and songwriter whose music reflects the beauty of the natural world and the sacred elements ~ emphasizing presence and gratitude for life. By sharing her gift, Jade intends to offer prayers of healing for the collective, while deepening her own relationship to spirit.

Laurel Armstrong has been involved in the performing arts since she was 11 years old. She has worked as a singer, actor, dancer, writer, director, producer, voice-over talent, and composer. Since 2020, she has refocused her work on techniques and projects that connect the body to spirit, the individual to community, and the human to larger ecosystems. She leads workshops on what she calls “primal singing” to help folk somatically remember where the roots of our sound-making come from and…make some noise from there.

Leigha Horton is the Silvae Spiritus co-founder, an ANFT-Certified Forest Therapy Guide since 2018, a Certified Morning Altars Teacher™, and a communicator by training and by trade. Leigha has spent over 24 years as a professional voiceover actor – voicing and producing national television and radio commercials, museum exhibits, documentaries, video games, training films, educational games, animation, and audio books – and has contributed to several medical research grants by conceiving, facilitating, and producing audio-guided Forest Bathing walks for study participants. With nearly 15 years additional experience in the museum field – developing and delivering programming about science, history, and arts to tens of thousands of visitors at the Walker Art Center, The Science Museum of Minnesota, and the Minnesota History Center, Leigha now continues her passion for guiding and teaching through inquiry via nature-connected modalities – Forest Bathing, Morning Altars, and Woodland Sauna, on behalf of Silvae Spiritus – co-created with her husband, Travis Norman, in 2018.   

🔊 click here to listen

Leon J is a professional educator, Ableton Certified Trainer, music producer, and performing artist. His extensive involvement in music has been a significant source of opportunity and success within his community. However, Leon’s talents extend beyond music, encompassing a diverse range of skills and interests.

With a background in corporate and small business leadership development, Leon has honed his expertise in effective communication, particularly through the practice of Dialogue. He believes in the power of Dialogue to foster deep connections and mutual understanding.

In his personal life, Leon has been dedicated to studying mixed martial arts since childhood. This lifelong commitment has enriched his life in numerous and often unexpected ways. Leon is excited to share the insights and knowledge he has gained from his varied experiences during the retreat. Connect on Instagram: @leonjmusicofficial

🔊 click here to listen

Mama Rose teaches as a clear channel to guide her students into their highest expression of Self. Whether through her recorded music, live sets or writing, her connection to the pulse of the divine is palpable and inspires the innate capacity of her listeners to feel, heal and become great creators. Join Mama Rose’s email list at www.mamarose.blog for updates on her soon to be released debut book as well as opportunities for 1:1 offerings, future workshops, online music, exclusive guided meditation releases and more. Follow on social media @dearmamarose

🔊 click here to listen

Michaelton (Michael Johnson) is a musician, educator, producer, and DJ. While he wears many hats, both figuratively and literally, his mission can be distilled into serving music and those who create it. As a lifelong student of music and the natural world, Michaelton was thrust into the world of ambient music in 2020 when the pandemic forced him indoors, prompting him to find new ways to cope. Naturally, he gravitated toward sound and quickly realized that everything he needed for inner peace was within himself and at his fingertips. For years, he has studied the effects of sound on the nervous system and has explored the interaction between sound, technology, humans, and altered states of consciousness. His ambient music project, Digital Nap, exists as an oasis within streaming platforms, designed to help people down-regulate their nervous systems.

🔊 click here to listen

Moilanen is a Minneapolis-based electronic music composer who creates captivating narratives through his jam-influenced studio compositions. Driven by a passion to bring rich, warm, and hypnotic deepness to the dancefloor, Moilanen’s DJ sets are often built entirely of original tracks, some of which have been in development for years, months, weeks, or at times, the night before. Listeners can expect techy pocket grooves, soaring melodic synths, cascading arpeggios, tone-junky guitars and vintage keyboard progressions layered with mesmerizing washed-out swirls.

🔊 Click here for original music releases or here for DJ mixes

Phillip Saint John is a soul singer, experimental emcee and facilitator from Hastings, MN. Over the past 10 years of honing his craft as an artist in the twin cities communities he’s been taking new approaches at sharing his gifts in a way that balances philosophy, new age spirituality, personal life experience, and entertainment all together in one package. Though his main modality for music is hip-hop, the genres bounce around to neo-soul, r&b, singer songwriter, rock and jazz. His facilitator work stems from his own personal practices combined with hosting events and having clients during his time exploring a spiritual business. Overall, Phillip brings his gifts of insight, transmuting struggles into his uplifting music, and a relaxed style of presentation to be an open space for all who decide to listen and experience what he has to offer.

🔊 click here to listen

Ryan Miller

American-born artist Ryan Miller is a prolific electronic music artist, producer and live performer, releasing work under a variety of aliases (Tunnel, Darkcloud, FWD//, +) for record labels devoted to experimental music, industrial techno and genre-fluid bass music. He has released on labels such as Aether Sound, Instruments of Discipline, The Brvtalist, Gegen Records, House of Reptile, Omen, Depth Request, FWDSLASH, and his own imprint, Webuildmachines. His latest ambient release, Dronethera, can be found on Aether Sound at the link below –>

🔊 click here to listen

Tom Hambleton

Tom is equal parts Composer, Sound Designer, Re-recording Mixer and Field Recording Artist with over 30 years of experience in all genres of music, Film, TV and other media. He is known for his boundless creativity and ability to raise any production to a new level of professionalism and power. As Charles Maynes (U-571, Spiderman, Flags of Our Fathers, Fantastic 4) says, “Tom is a guy who approaches things in a clever way. His insights into sound are truly world class.” Tom has an uncanny knack for finding the sweet spot of music and sound design looking for organic and startling metaphoric connections between the visual and auditory worlds that create lushly storied sound-scapes.

Tom’s work on Internationally-released and Award-winning films has screened at Cannes, Sundance, Tribeca, and Melbourne and from the Smithsonian to Showtime, Redbox, Netflix and everywhere in between.

He has also taught classes in sound and music for film in Spain, Portugal, Switzerland as well as in his hometown of Minneapolis, MN. 

🔊 click here to listen

Rita Richardson

Rita (she/her) has been a yoga teacher for over six years. Teaching a range of formats including restorative, yin, gentle yoga, and power vinyasa, Rita nerds out for the nervous system. Rita also facilitates mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork workshops in the Twin Cities and teaches for the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing. Her mantra is “self care is collective care” and believes rest is truly radical.

Additional Considerations:

• Arrival: When you arrive (event opens at 2:30 pm on Friday) you’ll be greeted and have a chance to choose a campsite and get settled in.
  
• Amenities: You will have 24 hour access to “The Lounge” which includes an indoor restroom, plenty of power outlets you may charge things in, and a hot tea + coffee preparation station. 
  
• Comfort + Safety: Please bring a flashlight for navigating at night, and clothing to accommodate all types of weather.
  
• Food: We will be providing dinners on Friday & Saturday as well as brunch on Sunday; vegetarian options will be on the menu (please inform us if you have any allergies or other considerations); please bring your own mid-day snacks and lunches. Any treats and beverages you’d like to share with the group are very much welcome.
  
• Trash + Recycling: Please plan to pack out any trash & recycling as you would at a state campground.
  
• Prepare: We will be relaxing together in the sauna, cold plunge tubs, and wood-fired hot tub; please bring a swimsuit, flip flops or other easy on/off sandals, and towel. Forest Bathing and Earth Art Medicine Practice will take place outdoors, rain or shine – and the weather is often quickly changeable – dress accordingly for comfort.
  
• Cell Service: Verizon cell service here is excellent; other providers sometimes have a weak signal. Limited Wi-Fi available, but subject to event usage load.

Registration:

All are welcome (ages 18+), registration required no less than 24 hours prior to event start.

Full weekend + camping passes – $349 per person
Saturday-only day passes – $199 per person

Discounted tickets available for Early Birds! Register by July 26, 2024 and use promo code “EARLYBIRD” for $70 off your ticket!

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ABOUT INTERBEING EVENTS AT SILVAE SPIRITUS

We focus on the wisdom at the center of the circle:

At Silvae Spiritus, we embrace a philosophy of personal awakening and development within a context of “progress, not perfection” – an attempt to meet people wherever they are on their journey, and an acknowledgement that each step along that path is necessary and can be offered spaciousness.

Our Interbeing Events give participants an opportunity to slow down, shift from your everyday routine, and re-focus your attention toward yourself in relation to community. In contrast to the vast majority of wellness events, ours are a more interactive experience: rather than solely absorbing what we and our guest facilitators offer, participants are invited to contribute their own insights and unique gifts, thereby co-creating a more richly nuanced and memorable experience for everyone.

One of our foundational beliefs is that when we come together to immerse ourselves in shared authenticity, a deep wisdom may be accessed; one which emanates not from any particular individual, but arises from the center of the circle: the point of intersection which joins each perspective and coalesces into something greater than, and more true than, any individual would be capable of on our own. We don’t come with any answers or prescriptions for how to best navigate these complicated times, but we are honored to hold space for the conversation to unfold.

We believe effective ecology starts with love:

One of the most simple and accurate definitions of the word “love” is the expansion of self to include another. Within the context of deep ecology, the term “ecological self” describes how a natural maturation of the human is toward ever-widening fields of relevance and caring, as your self-interest expands from being just what affects you (constrained by long embedded notions of yourself as a discrete and isolated entity) to encompass your family or community or country, to eventually include what happens to Earth.

People protect what they love.

The levels of energy, buoyancy, optimism, and compassion available to a person actively enraptured in the process of falling in love are unequaled in the vast scope of human experience. This abundance is just what we will need to meet the challenges ahead. Join us at an Interbeing Event as we remember how to fall in love with Earth.

We encourage nourishment for body + mind:

All Interbeing Events at Silvae Spiritus include Nature as an active participant, not just a setting. Whether Forest Bathing, thermic cycling through the practice of Sauna + Cold Plunge, Star-gazing, Bonfire-sitting, or immersing in an ambient sound exploration, we believe an embodied interaction with the community of flora and fauna are what supports full, grounded wellness.

What to expect when you arrive at an Interbeing Event:

Whether you’re new to the practices and modalities on offer, or an experienced enthusiast, and whether the totality of your experience with nature is a houseplant or you’re a lifelong wilderness backpacker, we believe that nature is for everyone and all are welcome here.

Upon arrival you will be greeted, checked-in, and given an agenda and an overview of the land and available facilities. Coffee, tea, water, and healthy snacks are always provided.

We’ll fully communicate with you to ensure you arrive prepared and have anything you might need to comfortably participate.

Questions? Contact us anytime.

“In ecology, we understand that the wellbeing of one is inseparable from the wellbeing of all… In the story of Interbeing, life is a gift. The world and everything in it is a gift.” 

— Charles Eisenstein