Voices
of Whidbey Institute
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Nature Companionship: an afternoon in the woods with Dr. Jeanette Banashak
“Imagine,” says our guide Dr. Jeanette Banashak, “what it would look like to be attuned, to have attunement, right out of your front door with the land and the trees and the plants in your house or right here at Whidbey Institute? By practicing nature companionship we try and attune with the ancestors in the land who were here before us.”
Forest Medicine
From the Sherwood Forest to the Whidbey Institute
Two years ago, Patricia and I received a package in the mail from a dear friend who had moved from Seattle to Syracuse,NY. Upon opening the box, we were thrilled to find two beautiful acorns, (see pic above)accompanied by a note explaining their incredible pedigree
Summer Asks Something of Us
Summer here isn't a season of rest — it's a season of roots taking hold, of abundant growth, and of a team showing up for the land the same way it shows up for us.
Meet Joe Sendek, our Indomitable Facilities Steward
This week we continue our series to introduce the Whidbey Institute Staff. The Whidbey Institute runs on the fuel and the love of a very dedicated and not-large group (24) of hardworking and whole-hearted people, almost all of whom work part time.
We're so excited for you to meet more of us here!
Chatting with local artist, author, teacher and more: Deborah Koff-Chapin
How to even introduce much-loved local artist Deborah Koff-Chapin, founder of Touch Drawing and the Soul Cards.
June Solstice Greetings
Solstice Greetings
As we embrace the long days and short nights of summer, we celebrate the glorious growth and abundance of produce from local farmers. If having access to healthy food is important to you, now is the perfect time to explore your nearby farm stands and farmers' markets. Engaging in reciprocity within the community and savoring clean, locally grown food is a wonderful gift on the island, allowing us to support our local food system while staying connected.
In the Gardens with dee
dee elle, our wonderful Housekeeping staff and Place Team member, (also lovingly now known here as steward of cabins and tender of gardens) has taken on our gardens - both the herbal/culinary garden by Thomas Berry Hall and the beloved West Garden - and will be checking in with us regularly with around her work.
Find a Spot and Breathe
Back in April of this year, Whidbey Insititute hosted Nourished: A Gathering. Prior to the retreat, one of the Nourished facilitators, Lilly Georgieva, connected with our forest steward Larry Rohan. They decided to bring Larry's knowledge and passion to the retreat in the form of a forest immersion walk.
June arrives untamed.
Beneath the trees, roots stretch and wander in their own directions, growing quietly and stubbornly in their own time. Branches once dotted with spring blossoms are now deepening into countless shades of green, carpeting the horizon in abundance.
Finding Joy in Rainbows: Navigating Emotions and Hardship Through Community
There's something about the sudden awakening of spring vegetation that stirs some primal memory that winter is over and this new season holds a sense of abundance and relative ease.
A Forest Bath Experience
20 of us gathered Sunday, May 2nd, at Storyhouse for a Forest Bath Experience. We began in the Storyhouse Meadow, then moved into the woods at the Listening Circle, and back inside Storyhouse for a sound bowl meditation and a simple tea ceremony, with our guide, Nancy Schmidt.
What Are You Waiting For?
Invitation to Join a Special Event in May
I’m venturing out of my forest nest, shaking the moss from my hair, and preparing to cross the water for something truly significant. Have you heard of the Global Earth Repair Convergence in Port Townsend? You might wonder what it’s all about and whether it’s worth your time. The answer is a resounding yes!
In Honor of the Whales Majestic
If you listen closely, you may hear the silent rhythms floating across time a top the gentle rolling of the sound.
Stand! Quietly, as to invite her and her cohorts close enough to the shore so that all of our blessings are shared.
April at The Whidbey Institute
There is something I want to name that feels every bit as essential as the one hundred and six acres of forested beauty that hold us here.
It’s the people.
Sensing in the Forest
There’s 25 of us this sunny Saturday Spring Equinox morning. We’re here to experience the woods through our senses with Larry Rohan, Whidbey Institute’s (WI) Forest Steward.
Forest Medicine
Happy Spring!
What a wonderful time to observe the natural world waking up from a winter nap and seeing buds bursting with new growth.