Fire Speaks—New England
Camp Wanocksett | Dublin, NH
Thurs-Sun, August 24-27, 2023
Register Here
The Sacred Fire communities of New England welcome you to attend a special Fire Speaks Weekend , featuring the sacred Story of Mt. Monadnock
This three-day, three-night event—held at the base of Mt. Monadnock, will be a special opportunity to deeply engage with sacred teachings, traditional ceremonies and ancestral spirits of the land. During our time together we will connect heart-to-heart as we bring forth and participate in a ceremonial sweat lodge, a healing and purifying ritual known to the ancestors of all cultures as a way to cleanse and renew one’s body, mind and spirit.
Held in a safe and sacred way, this ancient rite will prepare us to receive a very special story: the Story of Mt. Monadnock. This story comes to us from the “time before time,” from the very beginnings of the lands and waters and peoples of what we now call New Hampshire. The Spirit of Fire—also known as Grandfather Fire in the Americas—was present at that time, as Fire has been present since the earliest moments of creation. Grandfather Fire will tell the story through his axihuatakame (ah-rreee-oo-aht-a-KA-meh), his “god-speaker-man,” Don David Wiley.
There was a time when all peoples lived in relationship with the living beings of nature. Mountains, rivers, plants and animals were known to have spirits that could offer gifts of healing, wisdom and nourishment. This story connects us to that time, and opens the possibility of once again engaging with this great being.
We know that not everyone will be able to participate in the Full Weekend Event. But everyone is invited to join us for the Fire Speaks audience with Grandfather Fire. On Saturday evening, we’ll gather together around the fire to ask Grandfather questions about our lives, concerns, hopes and dreams. And on Sunday morning at 10:30 am, everyone is invited to return to the fire ring to have a post-event discussion about what we experienced during Digesting Fire Speaks.
If you have attended a Fire Speaks event before, you know what a special time we have in store for you. If you are new to Fire Speaks, know that this event will be a unique and powerful time, a special opportunity to tap into the deep, ancient wisdom of Heart energy that Grandfather Fire shares with us. It is a time to receive guidance about how to find meaning and purpose in challenging times from one of the world’s first and greatest teachers.
For the past 20 years, Grandfather Fire has been sharing teachings, sacred stories and life guidance with people all over the world. He cuts through doubt, confusion and illusion with a long-view perspective that delivers tried-and-true ways to find connection, compassion, learning, growth and healing. He’s wise, funny, provoking and astonishingly insightful.
Find out more information about the Grandfather Fire phenomenon here.
Package One: The Full Weekend Event
Meals and Lodging included Thursday dinner – Sunday lunch
Arrive Thursday at 5 pm for dinner. Friday we’ll work together to build and participate in the sweat lodge. Saturday we will complete preparations for the Fire Speaks event and welcome those who arriving to attend the evening’s audience with Grandfather. After the Fire Speaks general audience, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Grandfather will tell the Story of Mount Monadnock. Sunday we rise for breakfast and the Digesting Fire Speaks discussion about what we’ve experienced.
Please note: you must be at least 18 years old to participate in the sweat lodge. Other restrictions may apply. For complete sweat lodge information, please download this PDF.
Package Two: Fire Speaks Audience with Grandfather Fire with dinner, overnight lodging and breakfast Sunday morning.
Package Three: The Fire Speaks Audience with Grandfather Fire. Dinner is included.
For those purchasing Package Two or Three arrive at 1 pm to get settled, relax and socialize. Attend the event Orientation and hear the Story of Humans and Fire. Have dinner and gather around the fire and ceremonially prepare the space to welcome Grandfather Fire. Perhaps you’ll ask a question during Grandfather’s time with us. You’ll certainly hear answers to others’ questions that you’re certain apply to you.
At a point late in the evening, Grandfather will close the Fire Speaks audience. You’ll offer Grandfather a cigar in gratitude for your time together and make your way to your lodging or transportation. Those who have received purification in the sweat lodge ceremony will stay around the fire with Grandfather to hear the Story of Mt. Monadnock.
Everyone who attends the Fire Speaks audience with Grandfather Fire is invited to join us Sunday morning from 10:30 to 12:30 around the fire for Digesting Fire Speaks. This optional discussion about people’s experiences, questions and learnings from Fire Speaks is included in both packages.
Featuring
-
Don David Wiley, medium for the Spirit of Fire
David Wiley’s perspective on what is possible and how to live life was profoundly altered in 1996, when the Spirit of Fire, often called Grandfather Fire, appeared before him as an apparition in the garden of a meditation retreat center near Mexico City. Grandfather Fire asked David to be his conduit, so people everywhere could discover their innate connection to spirit and have an experiential relationship with nature and Divine. Grandfather sent David to find two indigenous elders, Don Lupe Ríos Gonzales of the Wixárika (Huichol) tradition of Mexico’s Sierra Madres and Don Lucio Campos Elizalde of the Nahua tradition of the central highlands. At Grandfather Fire’s request, these two elders began David’s formal medicine and ceremonial apprenticeship in these two ancestrally related shamanic paths.
From the Huichol tradition, David received initiations as a mara’akame, a healer, counselor, and ceremonial leader; from the Nahua path, he was initiated as a granicero, a weather worker, ceremonial leader, and healer. After years of service and leadership, he received permission to teach these two traditions to those called to these shamanic paths. After Don Lupe’s passing in 2003 and under the support of mara’akame Don José Sandoval de la Cruz, David received initiation as a Huichol tsaurirrakame (elder shaman) in 2008. On the Nahua path, David became a Caporal Mayor (teacher-tradition leader) when he inherited Don Lucio’s altar and the responsibility for his Nahua weather working lineage after Don Lucio’s passing in 2004. As a recognized elder in these two traditions, he has received the title of respect, Don David.
Concurrent with Don David’s immersion in this traditional medicine path work, starting in 1996, Grandfather Fire began speaking through Don David’s body during special gatherings. This has been some of the most impactful of Don David’s work, touching thousands of people. Among the Huichol, an axihuatakame is a “god-speaker man,” a traditional spiritual medium who enters a coma-like state so that a deity can physically interact directly with humans. A collection of Grandfather Fire’s wisdom was published as Heard Around the Fire in 2010; a second book is in final editing. An archive of teachings can be found on sacredfire.org as Grandfather Fire’s Wisdom. Over the years, Grandfather Fire inspired Don David and the community growing around Grandfather’s wisdom to spread traditional lifeways through the world. This lead to the founding of nonprofits Sacred Fire, which began training Sacred Firekeepers and hosting events and programs in 2004; Blue Deer, a retreat and healing center for nature’s medicine which opened in 2005, and Sacred Fire Foundation, a charitable organization founded to promote and protect traditional indigenous lifeways in 2009.
Registration
The location hosting this retreat and Fire Speaks event, Camp Wanocksett) is spacious and requires a moderate amount of walking between the camping areas, the fire tent and the dining hall.
If you have concerns about your attendance please contact Lois Hurley at lois@sacredfire.org
Register HereSchedule
Click here for the detailed event schedule
PACKAGE ONE – FULL WEEKEND EVENT
Arrive 5 pm Thurs Aug 24 – Depart mid-day Sun Aug 27
Includes Meals and Lodging for 3 days/3 nights, Sweat Lodge preparation and purification, Fire Speaks audience, Story of Mt Monadnock and Digesting Fire Speaks
PACKAGE TWO – FIRE SPEAKS ONLY WITH OVERNIGHT LODGING
Arrive Sat at 1 pm, leave the Fire but stay on the grounds after the Fire Speaks General Audience, optional participation in Digesting Fire Speaks on Sunday
Includes Dinner Sat, Fire Speaks Audience, One Night Lodging, Breakfast Sun and optional Digesting Fire Speaks
PACKAGE THREE – FIRE SPEAKS ONLY
Arrive Sat at 1 pm, depart after the Fire Speaks General Audience, option to return Sunday for Digesting Fire Speaks
Includes Dinner, Fire Speaks Audience, Digesting Fire Speaks
DIGESTING FIRE SPEAKS—Sunday 10:30 am – 12:30 pm
Optional discussion about people’s experiences, questions and learnings from Fire Speaks
Price
PACKAGE ONE – FULL WEEKEND EVENT
Arrive 5 pm Thurs Aug 24 – Depart mid-day Sun Aug 27
Adults 18 and over only – $325
Includes Meals and Lodging for 3 days/3 nights, Sweat Lodge preparation and purification, Fire Speaks audience, Story of Mt Monadnock and Digesting Fire Speaks
Tenting or Cabin & meals included. You must be at least 18yrs + to participate in the sweat lodge.
PACKAGE TWO – FIRE SPEAKS ONLY WITH OVERNIGHT LODGING (TENTING)
Saturday Aug 26-27, arrive 1 pm
Adult $195 Children 14 & younger $85
Includes a delicious and hearty dinner plus Fire Speaks audience with Grandfather Fire and Digesting Fire Speaks. Also includes Lodging Saturday Night and Breakfast Sunday
This is primarily tenting. If cabins are available when you arrive for the event we can upgrade you. This will also be first-come, first-served.
To be put on the cabin list, check the cabin box when you register for Fire Speaks Overnight. Registration for a cabin is no guarantee of receiving a cabin. Come prepared to tent. We will not know if a cabin will be available until the day of the event.
PACKAGE THREE – FIRE SPEAKS AND DINNER ONLY
Saturday, August 26, arrive 1 pm
Adult $175. Children 6 to 14 – $30,
Children 5 & under: No charge.
Includes a delicious and hearty dinner plus Fire Speaks audience with Grandfather Fire and Digesting Fire Speaks.
For more information
For more information, contact Chris Griffin & Jane Wollack at newenglandfirespeaks@sacredfire.org
Hosting Firekeeper(s): Chris Griffin