Who is it for?
Any person desiring to deepen their knowledge, practice, and facilitation of wilderness rites of passage and ceremonial work.

Prerequisites:
> No previous experience required
> Application & interview process

What you will gain:
• Basics of earth & survival skills such as basket weaving, tool making, friction fire, wood carving, bird language, tracking, minimum impact camping, and more
• Tools for wilderness program and ceremonial design, such as council, mirroring, and use of medicine wheel
• Insight into business operations of wilderness programming such as budgeting, legal, marketing and more
• Delve into the essence of wilderness ceremony
• Take part in a solo vision fast
• Deepen relationship to Land and diverse ecoregions of the PNW (each season takes place at a different wilderness site)
• Take strong steps toward identifying gifts and purpose, and learning how to share them
• Experience designing and enacting a short wilderness program (“giveaway project”)
• Mentorship, guidance, and facilitated space to learn throughout the process
• Practice giving and receiving feedback

Who is it for?
Those seriously exploring or already committed to being wilderness rites of passage or vision fast guides.

Prerequisites:
Some experience and education toward guiding, such as:

• Have done a vision fast with us or a similar organization

• Completed incorporation year by start of Four Seasons of Leadership

• Assisted at least one vision fast (or some experience of related nature-based work)

• Taken a council training

• Accomplished in friction fire & some wilderness awareness skills

• Application & Interview Process

What you will gain:
All skills and experiences of “regular” track plus…

• Mirroring for claiming statements

• Facilitating & directing a group

• Participant Assessment

• Holding a threshold

• Deepen practice of prayer & blessing

• Training and practice leading a vision fast

• Practice in providing mentorship

• Ceremony creation

• Leading core practices

Additional opportunities:

• Access to additional mentorship and teachers

• Expanded seasonal sessions

• Expanded between season check-ins

• Opportunities for continued work with Cascadia Quest

• Opportunity to become a certified Cascadia Quest Guide

• Priority assistantship for vision fast & youth ROP: Cascadia Quest

Track I is for any person desiring to deepen their knowledge, practice, and facilitation of wilderness rites of passage and ceremonial work; there are no prerequisites to join this track. It provides the basic set of skills to create and implement wilderness-based programs and ceremonies. Track II, however, provides an understanding and the basic set of skills required to guide a vision fast or wilderness rites of passage. Track II is designed for those seriously exploring or already committed to being wilderness rites of passage or vision fast guides, and these participants will have additional responsibilities in the program, such as providing mentorship and facilitation for Track I. Track II participants will have already completed their incorporation year, have participated and assisted visions fasts, taken council training, and be accomplished in friction fire.

The program is designed to be undertaken from Fall 2024-Fall 2025, with ten-day long, in-person intensives during each season over the course of the year. Below is the schedule for in-person intensives. Between each season’s meeting, there are outlined expectations for practicing, applying, and growing in your skills on your own time in preparation for the next season’s meeting. This includes time in personal study and/or in communication with a peer or mentor on a weekly basis. 

Fall: October 17-26, 2024

Winter: February 6-15, 2025

Spring: April 17-26, 2025

Summer: July 17-26, 2025

Giveaway Projects: August/September, 2025

Capstone Ceremony (“graduation”): October 2025

Each season will take place at a different location in Oregon. This gives participants the opportunity to experience the wide diversity of Oregon lands.

Between seasonal meetings, Cascadia Quest guides will provide you with specific practices to support the application and growth of the skills you’ve explored together, like “homework”. In addition to these practices, Track II participants will provide mentorship for Track I participants. There will be the opportunity to attend one optional, in-person session with Cascadia Quest guides each season, or speak with them on the phone to seek guidance and support in your practice. Check out the schedule below for additional details about these times for application practice.

Participants will receive a packing list prior to arrival that will outline all the gear necessary for our time together. Learning or brushing up on tarp craft, knot tying, fire building, friction fire, cordage making and other wilderness skills can be helpful. In further preparation, you should make sure to clear your schedule during meeting weeks, arrange transportation to sites, prepare any special foods you may wish to bring, and spend some time exploring your personal values and goals. Finally, keep an eye out for communication from Cascadia Quest regarding logistical support needs. As we build community and gain direct experience with the inner workings of delivering wilderness programs, you should expect to be involved in some level of logistics (for example: rideshare, meal planning, gathering equipment/materials, etc).

We will provide organic, gluten-free breakfast and dinner. Vegetarian options available. Participants need to provide lunch and snacks, and any other special-diet foods. All participants are expected to help with food packing, preparation and clean up.

You are expected to provide your own transportation to and from meeting locations. Rideshares are encouraged, and need to be organized by participants.

The giveaway project is your opportunity to develop a short wilderness ceremony-related project all your own utilizing the skills and knowledge gained over the Four Seasons of Leadership. Throughout the course of the year, you will be supported in the development of this project, which you will actually implement in the late summer/fall of 2023. You are expected to elect 2-3 mentors to witness your project and provide feedback utilizing our provided evaluation tools. These mentors may come from within or outside of the Four Seasons of Leadership.Our hope is that this giveaway project will become a well-developed program or offering that participants can continue to provide into the future (potentially even through Cascadia Quest!). 

Ask yourself these questions:

Do I have a deep desire to do nature-based work?

Do I have a unique contribution to make to society through wilderness-based work?

Do I need support in recognizing and realizing that contribution?

Do I have a desire to contribute to the well-being of the earth through my work?

Do I feel called to take part in this program (even if I don’t fully know why)?

(For Track II): Do I clearly feel called, or am I exploring, my desire to guide vision fasts or similar wilderness rites of passage?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, this program was designed to support you.

Eight-day gathering (nine for Track II)

Council, medicine wheel, mirroring

Friction Fire

Deep dive into soul work, identifying gifts and purpose

Monthly day quest followed by group mirroring with peers

Make friction fire kit, practice regularly

Day observation practice

Integrate mirroring into daily life

Weekly peer check in (Track I:Track I, Track II:Track II)

Monthly Track I:Track II mentorship check in

1 Check in with Rob Miller, Coordinating Guide. (virtual or in-person)

Eight-day Gathering (Nine for Track II)

Basketry: Forming and holding a strong container

Tracking: Following the signs of our inner and outer world

Basics of ceremonial work and design

Weekly tracking practice

Daily observation practice

Weekly peer check in (Track I:Track I, Track II:Track II)

Monthly Track I:Track II mentorship check in

All group plant walk check in with Rob Miller, Coordinating Guide. (virtual check in available)

Track I Only:

Day Quest Prep for upcoming Spring vision fast. Prior to day quest, Interview with Track II. Day quest will be followed by organized group mirroring.

Organize and facilitate 2 councils. 2 Track I:Track II mentorship check ins for support.

Opportunities to attend other Cascadia Quest Events.

Track II Only:

Receive weekend Vision Fast Training (3 days, 2 nights)

Receive Vision Fast Interview Training with Rob Miller

Hold Day Quest interviews with Track I participant

Opportunities to assist Cascadia Quests

Ten-day Gathering (Eleven for Track II)

Bird Language

Solo Fast

Finding and clarifying your vision

Begin work on giveaway project

June 10, 2023: Welcome Home Ceremony

1 Day Quest followed by group mirroring with peers

Weekly tracking practice

Daily observation practice

Weekly peer check in (Track I:Track I, Track II:Track II)

Monthly Track I:Track II mentorship check in

1 check in with Rob Miller, Coordinating Guide. (virtual or in person)

Track I Only:

Attend Welcome Home Ceremony

Work on Giveaway Project

Track II Only:

Organize Welcome Home Ceremony for Track I Participants

Prepare Summer ceremony for Track I

Eight-day Gathering (Nine for Track II)

Bringing it into the physical world

Forming and honing giveaway projects

Wood and stone tools - resourcefulness

The giveaway project is your opportunity to develop a short wilderness ceremony-related project all your own utilizing the skills and knowledge gained over the Four Seasons of Leadership. Throughout the course of the year, you will be supported in the development of this project, which you will actually implement in the late summer/fall of 2025. You are expected to elect 2-3 mentors to witness your project and provide feedback utilizing our provided evaluation tools. These mentors may come from within or outside of the Four Seasons of Leadership. Our hope is that this giveaway project will become a well-developed program or offering that participants can continue to provide into the future (potentially even through Cascadia Quest!). 

A weekend, community-based capstone ceremony in celebration of your growth and accomplishments.