Preparing for your retreat
Here are some details to help you prepare for the Transformation Retreat in Fairfield from Thursday, October 5 to Monday, October 9, 2023.
Meeting times:
Please arrive for meetings early so that we can start on time.
On the first night of the course, Thursday, Oct 5, please arrive by 6:00 to sign the consent form, and pick up your information packet. You may read the consent form in advance by clicking here.
To view the complete retreat schedule, please:
click here
Thursday the meeting proper will start at 6:30 pm and go until approximately 9:00 pm.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the meetings will begin at 10:30 am and go until 5:00 pm. Please see below for optional morning offerings, which begin at 9 am, and optional evening events.
Location:
Thursday night and several other meetings we will meet as a large group. The location will be announced
Dress:
Participants generally wear casual and comfortable clothes.
The weather forecast for this time of year ranges from the low 60's to mid 70's during the day, down to 40 at night. You might want to walk during lunch break, so bring comfortable shoes and a jacket.
Meals:
Breakfast --
Cooked to order eggs, coffee, tea and pastries are among the items you may purchase for breakfast. Enjoy conversations with your retreat friends. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday. one or more of our teachers and mentors will be dining at a local restaurant (location will be part of your orientation packet) and invite you to join them. 8:00-9:00am
HyVee Supermarket on Highway 34 (Burlington Ave.) about two miles west of the Fairfield square also serves breakfast.
In addition, Cafe Paradiso in town offers great coffees and pastries.
Or you may wish to shop for breakfast foods to keep at the place where you are staying. Grocery stores include Everybody's Whole Food Store and Hy-Vee. EveryBody's is several blocks north of Burlington on 2nd Street.
Lunch --Although not required, we recommend that you plan to eat lunch with the group on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. (You can either bring something you've made or pick up a take-out meal from one of the restaurants.) Having time to socialize with other participants, teachers, and mentors during your lunch time can be very nourishing. Of course, you are also free to take your lunch break away from the group or the facility.
Dinner -- Most evenings you are free to eat on our own or to invite other participants to dine with you. On Sunday we will announce a restaurant for an optional group dining experience.
Snacks -- Coffee, teas, and snacks will be provided at most of the breaks.
Optional morning offerings:
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00a.m., teachers will offer special morning meetings. These are of course completely optional -- you may choose to take this time to rest, walk or in other ways take care of yourself. Descriptions and locations of these offerings will be included in your information packet.
Optional evening events
We strongly encourage you to attend the optional evening meetings.
Friday evening
Friday evening - Theme to be announced
Saturday evening - Creative Expressions Night
Please bring a sample of your talent to share with the group (again, optional). This could be from the traditional arts such as poetry, music, drama, or -- surprise us.
Sunday evening - Social gathering:
Join retreat participants, teachers and mentors for a party Sunday night. During the party we often put on music and pull back the rug for those who enjoy dancing.
We will also have a quiet room for conversations and weather permitting outdoor seating around a fire pit.
(Of course dancing is completely optional, but many find that moving the body helps integrate openings, healing, and shifts that often occur during the day. For many who have not danced in decades, daring to dance Saturday night can be liberating!)
"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good."
--Edwin Denby
Monday Evening- Sitting
If you are able to extend your stay through Monday evening, you are invited to attend a sitting led by Fairfield teachers.This sitting to open only to those who are on the retreat. No charge. We call this time, De-compress, Debrief, Delicious sitting.
Consent form:
Before the Thursday evening meeting, you will be asked to sign a consent form agreeing to the conditions of the weekend and releasing the Trillium Awakening Teachers and Mentors from liability. Please arrive at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday to sign this form. To read a copy of the consent form in advance click here.
