Introducing "Way of the Heart Woods Retreat & Reunion Center!" Help create a sacred community sanctuary for silent contemplation, group retreats, workshops, family gatherings and more!
Way of the Heart Woods is a Forest Preserve hosting retreats on Mystical Ecology, Spiritual Rejuvenation, Community Building, Education, Creativity and all that deepens the Way of the Heart.
We are all familiar with the saying, “If you follow your Bliss, the Universe will open doors where there were only walls.” Joseph Campbell Also “where there is a will there is a way”...this phrase originated from a proverb from the 1600s which said, “To him that will, ways are not wanting”.
As Troubadours of Divine Bliss, we have practiced this philosophy for 23 years of our music making journey. We have found that as we continued to take steps in faith to follow our bliss and pursue our purpose- the way was opened up to us and we were given the direction to continue traveling and making music for a living. Over and over again our willingness to keep walking in the dream has been rewarded with opportunities, protection, and provision.
In going back and reading or listening to early interviews, we have always said that music was a vessel for us to pour a message through and a way for us to reach into hearts and offer a healing, affirmative message of hope. It has been and continues to be a way for us to connect to your hearts and encourage you to follow yours to fulfillment and bliss.
Music has and always will be a facet of our purpose. Over the years we have tried to stay open to expanding the ways we are here to serve. We have prayed and the answers have come to us as workshops, retreats, community festivals, open mics, public speaking, personal counseling and life coaching and other community outreaches.
One of the things that we have been feeling strongly for years and absolutely know is a part of our purpose is to develop a healing retreat center... a gathering place for Eco, Spiritual, Creative, Personal & Family communion with a heart for those with special needs in a safe, nurturing and natural environment for spiritual growth and communal fellowship. We have been envisioning this for many years and waiting on some acreage adjoining ours to become available so that the development could begin.
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That land became available in January 2018 and we again stepped out in faith, took out loans to purchase the 34 acres and we are stepping into the vision now knowing the way will be shown. We believe that as we live in our purpose we can keep in step with the path of our hearts a way will be made where there seems no way. Shortly after we acquired the land we introduced the retreat center to many of you as Way of the Heart Woods.
We shared our vision for the land and asked you all to envision with us for things like:
Way of the Heart Woods having a main retreat building that will have a workshop space and dining hall on the first floor and bunkhouse on the 2nd floor.
Way of the Heart Woods having a Geodesic Dome for healing retreats and workshops.
Environmentally friendly shower houses and composting toilets.
Yurts for personal retreat space and healing work.
Prayer grottoes for meditation and contemplation.
We proclaimed that Way of the Heart Woods will have a sacred temple for ceremony and weddings.
A heart labyrinth.
A Sacred Fire Circle.
A large organic garden.
An amphitheater stage and more...we believe in this vision and we see where Way of the Heart can be a place for all of our purpose and an arena for all of our outreach to unfold.
This vision was received so strongly that many folks were already trying to book retreats and started contacting us to schedule! This was evidence to us of the potency of this purpose and the need in our community for a sacred space in nature to safely commune. We decided then to deepen our commitment and start taking steps with the Spirit.
As musicians, we don’t have a lot of money or a guaranteed income, but we know from 23 years on this journey that as we are taking steps energetically, financially and literally to walk into this vision for Way of the Heart Woods that a way will be made because we know our intention is strong, pure and full of purpose.
We have continued to sow seeds knowing that what is needed to make them grow will come.
We have borrowed and spent this money because we see it as an investment, as service and we because believe in this vision…we have stepped out in faith knowing that every heart longs to "walk this way"...to be in more meaningful connection with themselves, community and the sacred. We have the space and have the heart to create this place for you.
We have reclaimed a pasture that had overgrown and paid to have it recovered
We have paid to put in a parking lot and road
We have paid to have the main building ground leveled and prepared for construction
We are just completed the creation of composting toilet houses.
We are committed to walking this way…will you walk with us and commit to helping the continued unfolding of this vision? Please check out the before and after photos and videos below to see the amazing progress being made. Please consider making a donation today.
We need your support now to recoup funds ( payback) what we have spent for these first 3 phases and your continued support to complete future phases. We will replant your support as "acorns" in Way of the Heart Woods that will grow into mighty oaks. Your gift will keep giving and keep living!
Everyone who donates becomes a "Way-Maker" for Way of the Heart. We will be tracking your donations as "acorns" that will be kept in your own "storehouse" to be redeemed for future events and opportunities like...
- attending retreats,
- life guidance sessions with Aim Me and Renee, Troubadours of Divine Bliss
- personal retreat time in Way of the Heart
- guest cabin rentals
- hosting your wedding or family reunion in Way of the Heart
and so much more.
Stay tuned and stay in touch to find out more about how you can redeem your acorns in the future!!! We are building this together...this is for you and all the others who care about creating and nurturing a sacred place for the community. Become a Way-Maker today!
We believe these things are coming...we have the vision, the land and the heart to follow our bliss to make the dream of Way of the Heart Woods come true.
We are in service to the dream!! Where there is a will to love there is a Way…of the Heart…thank you for walking this way with us. May it be done in beauty!
