Have you felt drawn to building a fire in a primitive way- no matches, no lighter, no fire starters.. ? Would you like to connect with the spirit of fire, or your ancestors, through ceremony?
Join us as we connect deeper with the element of fire, with ourselves, our ancestors, with nature, and with like-minded community.
Meet your hosts
Wild Food & Herbalist Instructor, Vince Aiello
Vince is an expert forager, leading experiential forest walks in which students can forage & take home their own wild edibles. A wealth of wisdom, Vince will teach you SO much about identification, harvesting and preparation in just one walk, cracking jokes along the way.
Vince is also a published writer, and a gifted nature photographer. Read his latest article at The Driftless Area Magazine HERE. Learn more about Vince’s offerings HERE, and follow him on Instagram @Woods_Treker
Shamanic Practitioner, Jessica Riphenburg
Jessica is the heart of Be The Light Shamanic Healing. Learn more about her HERE.
About “Ancestral Fires”
Part One, “Building Your Primitive Fire” (2.5-3 hours)
You can leave after this segment, and of course we’d LOVE to have you stay for the ceremony afterwards!
Vince will guide us step-by-step as we build a fire using the bow drill method (the best way to make a fire!) He'll discuss the importance of material & tinder selection, as well as fire construction techniques. A few additional methods of fire making may be demonstrated and discussed if time permits.
Other skills you'll learn include proper knot tying technique, and how to use lashing to construct a tripod to hang a water pot. Vince will even prepare a pot of wild tea that he's personally foraged with us!
Part Two: “Connect With Your Ancestry Through Ceremony” (aprx 1 hour)
Jessica will lead a fire ceremony in which you will be guided to connect with the spirit of fire, with a helping ancestor, or a helping ancestral team. You’ll receive a bit of time afterwards to do some journaling, then we’ll open the floor for participants to share their experiences, ask questions, and connect with fellow participants.
Investment
Sliding scale $35-$60.
Location & Accessibility
You'‘ll receive the event address the week of the event. We’ll be near the Cherokee Marsh Conservation Park North Unit in Madison, Wisconsin.
The ceremony will be held in a peaceful, private, wooded setting. The walk from the driveway to the fire ring is short, level, and mowed grass. Please get in touch ASAP if you are concerned about accessibility issues so I can do my very best to accommodate you. A restroom will be accessible, and will require you to use a set of stairs.
What To Bring
A rattle or drum if you have one
A pen and journal
A camping chair
Water for yourself
OPTIONAL: bug repellent, snacks for yourself, blanket
If It Looks Like Rain
Due to the nature of the fire building segment, we cannot hold this event if it’s raining during our event time window (3-7pm). Since I’ve found the rain forecast to be extremely unreliable, IF it looks like we could get rained on, I will text you 3-4 hours prior to cancel the event. In the event of cancellation due to rain, you will receive a full refund. Please set a reminder for yourself to check your texts at noon on May 7. I’ve only gotten rained on once in the last 20 ceremonies I’ve held, so chances are low that we’ll have to cancel due to rain.
Do You Offer Refunds?
Due to the intimate size of this circle, I cannot offer refunds unless the event is canceled due to rain, in which case you will receive a full refund.
You CAN, however, transfer your registration to a friend in the event that you can’t make it after all. In that case, please send me their full name, phone number & email address ASAP.
IMPORTANT
To respect the sacred container of this work, please refrain from alcohol & recreational drugs the day of the event, and ideally for 24 hours prior, and 24 hours after as well