Silvae Spiritus

04/14/2026

We are so delighted to have been included in Minnesota Monthly’s round up of “Bite-Sized Spring Breaks ~ Beat the end-of-winter blues with one of these Minnesota outings that’ll make you feel like you’re in the tropics (or time-traveling to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Minnesota past)—all without an expensive plane ticket.”
~~~ Retreats at Silvae Spiritus ~~~
This Northwoods lodge in Finlayson is one of the first wellness retreat centers in the country intentionally created with forest bathing as its focus. Staff offer forest bathing walks, sauna sessions, reiki healing, and more. ( https://www.minnesotamonthly.com/arts-entertainment/bite-sized-spring-breaks-hello-spring ) ….. much appreciated !

04/07/2026

🌀🌲✨🏕️🔥🌀 Within the embers of this year’s Interbeing retreats lies the vast possible, the surprising and immense power of co-creation, and the ability to courageously step beyond current limits of our imaginations. Perhaps you’ll join us in fanning the flames? Within the forests, trails, and open meadows of these 30 acres lies an invitation into deeper relationship with the natural world, diving into the endless ocean of information our senses offer rather than contenting ourselves with the truncated and meager drip of everyday noticings. Will you join us in giving full attention to the magnificent unfolding? Within the unconditional embrace of non-judgmental community lies a portal to authenticity. Will you help us discard pretense and simply be true selves, that others might feel an unspoken permission to do the same? Within this tiny slice of our responsive Universe lies a chance to confirm our intuitions - that everything speaks when we listen; that everything blooms when we nourish. Will you contribute to conducting this most important experiment? Within these sessions of sharing, of stargazing, of sound, of sauna, of movement, of exploring, of creating, and of countless other paths into presence, lies a glimpse of a different relationship with time, to feel that these are not moments forever passing and in need of being chased, rather endlessly arriving - welcoming us with open arms into the home we call the now. Will you join us in making treasured memories that energize, inspire, and propel us onward in our journeys?

Interbeing 11: DAWN
Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2026
$528 Use code EARLYBIRD2026 before April 19th, 2026 to get $96 off!

Friday, September 18 – Sunday, September 20, 2026
$528
Use code EARLYBIRD2026 before July 5, 2026 to get $96 off!

“In the Light of interbeing, peace and happiness in your daily life means peace and happiness in the world.“
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

“In ecology, we understand that the wellbeing of one is inseparable from the wellbeing of all… In the story of Interbeing, life is a gift. The world and everything in it is a gift.”
~ Charles Eisenstein

04/06/2026

:: we were late to the game in getting the full event page for Interbeing 11 sent live; our delay is your gain: the $96 OFF Early Bird promo code is being extended to April 19! We invite you to dive in to the event details, read through the bios of our deeply wise and skilled presenters, consider their session offerings, and make your plan for a weekend filled with meaning-making in community! You belong here.

03/30/2026

:: at the threshold of each season, we step into deepened awareness and intention, community and meaning-making, tending and being tended. Join us on The Spiral Path - a series of four gatherings unfurling with one small community, starting this May.
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03/27/2026

We are super delighted and honored to have been included in: Mineral Soaks, Forest Bathing, Grotto Pools: 11 Wellness Destinations for a Much-Needed Reset ~ an excellent round up of must-visit spots put together by the fine folks at ~ be sure to check them out online and in print! “Situated on 30 acres, 90 minutes north of the Twin Cities, Silvae Spiritus is the first wellness retreat in the United States intentionally created around forest therapy. Certified guides lead forest-bathing walks, sound meditations, and Reiki healing sessions that deepen guests’ connection with the land. Visitors to Silvae Spiritus (whose name derives from Latin, meaning “the breathing of the forest”) can also experience a wood-fired sauna, cold plunge, and wood-fired hot tub. Lodging—bookable via Airbnb—includes a private two-bedroom guesthouse and a pair of tiny houses, all with access to meadows, woodland, trails, and quiet places for reflection.”

https://www.midwestliving.com/wellness-getaways-11928171

03/10/2026

:: Life Lesson learned from the Sauna that can be utilized without a Sauna: how to quiet a racing mind when the world’s chaos and pain get too loud to think clearly. Cold water on the face and, if accessible, the chest. The cold initially shocks our chatter into quietude, and then activates our vagus nerve which brings us back into our parasympathetic nervous system (rest, reset).
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There was something to the Old Wives’ Tales when someone was counseled to go splash their face with cold water to calm down. The “Old Wives” (women’s embodied experiences) were often far wiser than anyone gives them credit for. We see this method again depicted in Old Westerns when a hot-headed cowboy got repeatedly dunked in a horse’s water trough. Same effect, but shaped by toxic versions of masculinity and laced with “American exceptionalism.” The truth is far more beautiful: we are nature, and being in relation with the elements brings healing in far more profound ways than we often consider.

03/07/2026

…inside Travis’ mind each time he prepares the sauna for guests; important work…high stakes! Also, to all you everyday heroes, we hope you’ll consider joining us this Sunday for the Community Sauna session - epic yet easygoing Winter warm-up time together, witness the marvels of hot and cold unlocking new super powers of resilience and restoration…

03/06/2026

POV: you’ve booked a (((Meditative Sound Immersion))) at Silvae Spiritus, you’ve wandered over through the forest from your cozy AirBnB to the Wellness Lounge, and are settling in…

03/02/2026

:: it’s increasingly rare that the beloved Treetop Tiny House has weekend availability within 45 days, so this weekend’s surprise availability is magic-in-waiting. Need a getaway? The Northwoods are calling…
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02/28/2026

INTERBEING is a series of immersive events and retreats focused on experiencing the connectedness of all things.
Guests will deepen their relationship with the natural world while holding space for personal development. Each event and retreat will highlight different wellness modalities and activities, with a unifying theme of open-minded, open-hearted support rooted in nature. Step away from the stresses of modern life and practice living from the new and ancient story of connection and interdependent reality.
We do not come into this world, we come out of it, as leaves and fruit from a tree; let’s discover all the ways we can help each other grow.
“It is when we connect to nature with all our senses that the magic happens and our lives can be transformed. Immersed in the natural world, we can experience the miracle of life and connect to something larger than ourselves. Nature takes our breath away and breathes new life into us.”
– Dr. Qing Li
Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness

Interbeing 11: DAWN
Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2026
$528
Use code EARLYBIRD2026 before April 5, 2026 to get $96 off!

Save the date for this springtime weekend camping retreat that honors the illumination of the rising sun and the fresh optimism of the East. More info about the year’s first of two celebrated weekend-long camping retreats coming soon.

In past years, Interbeing retreats have typically focused on a single theme or wellness modality; in 2026, we are delighted to offer retreats that offer a little something for every part of your whole being: from prompted journaling to dance parties, guided meditation to yoga for all bodies, sound bathing to nature relation, ephemeral art to spaciousness, thermic cycling to naps, music to story circles. Guests will be invited into a weekend of relaxation, curiosity, shared wisdom, open-heartedness, and community.
Ready to register? Use code EARLYBIRD2026 before April 5, 2026 to get $96 off!

02/28/2026

Ready to warm up? Community wood-fired sauna session tomorrow!

02/23/2026

:: Renee Butters, the founder of She Heals Noojimo Noojimo'iwe is not only a friend to Leigha and Travis, to Silvae Spiritus as an organization, and Leigha's beloved Usui Reiki teacher and mentor, but she is also an Ojibwe medicine woman of deep wisdom, authenticity, and integrity. If you've ever attended a retreat here, or been guided on a Forest Bathing walk, then you know what a powerful gift it is to experience the healing that can arise when we sit together in circle; not to fix one another, not to contradict one another, but simply to share presence and hearts and minds and witness and hold space for one another.

The Way of the Circle, as we at Silvae Spiritus have learned it and facilitate it, is one that comes to us by way of the Ojai Foundation, and which is based on traditional indigenous circle practices. Supporting Renee's vision to hold healing circles around the state brings this practice home to be rooted. To knit back together the hearts of communities torn apart by the last several months of occupation. To show us a way forward that honors true community.

If you've been wondering how you can contribute to Minnesota's longer-term healing beyond the immediate mutual aid of food and supplies, this is an incredible way to start. Won't you join us in supporting her integral work?

Minnesota is hurting. Mni Sota Makoce (MN) needs healing. Viol… Renee Butters needs your support for Support Immediate Healing Rooted in Indigenous Wisdom