Muck and Magic: Cedar Song Centre
Cedar Song Centre for Wild Belonging is nestled within a beautiful 54 acre forest in the Highlands near Victoria, BC. It was founded by Stéphanie Marchal and Alaina Hallett, whose mutual dream was to create a protected space for deep nature connection, nature-based healing and long lasting community.
Come lay on a blanket of thick mossy earth, surrounded by towering Cedar, Fir and Maple trees. Listen to the songs of the Pacific Wren and marvel at the sky dance of the Swallows. Embrace the soothing sound of the seasonal creek and waterfall. Wander down to a quiet lake for a morning or moonlit dip.
With thousands of acres of park land, rolling hills and mossy bluffs surrounding Cedar Song, you can ease back into the natural rhythm of the Earth and reclaim the natural rhythm of your body, heart & soul.
We respectfully acknowledge and uphold the W̱SÁNEĆ people and their ancestors, the original tenders of this land. This region is known traditionally by the name W̱MÍYEŦEN (place of the deer).
The Spell of the Land
The magic of the land unfolds as we spend time immersed in its presence. At Sacred Weaving we facilitate this experience through our programs, where we teach soulcraft practices (methods to foster deep connections with the natural world) such as deep nature connection and work related to vision fasts or vision quests.
Some of these practices invite individuals to venture into the wilderness without a specific agenda or destination. For many, this is their first encounter with such carefreeness and freedom.
Our programs offer a deeply embodied experience; an opportunity to be on the land without any agenda or demands. We recognize the need for spaciousness in our lives. As humans, we inhabit our bodies. Despite living in a world that often encourages us to forget our embodied nature, we find ourselves most grounded and well when we move at EarthSpeed, a pace that respects the biological rhythms of our bodies and the world around us.
Retreat to Cedar Song
The land welcomes you and invites you to slow down, feel, listen, and breathe. This place is ideal for retreat: whether it is inside of our Sacred Weaving retreats, or your own aligned, self-hosted retreat. Some of our spaces include:
The Log House with a full kitchen, group cookware and dining area, flush toilet bathroom and shower, large meeting space for up to 25 people, wood stove and firewood as requested, and a wrap-around deck and stone patio with tables and chairs for 30 people.
The Forest Yurt with a 750 square foot meeting space, tucked into the forest, electrical lights and heat, wood stove and firewood, and compost toilets and running water nearby.
Camping under the Stars with the ability to sense into the land and choose your own special spot among the trees in Fern Gully, in the Base Camp Meadow, or tucked away in Dream Valley. Eco-friendly composting toilets are nearby. Bring your own tent and sleeping gear.
And more! Take a look at the brochure for more information and photos.
Upcoming Projects
We are always happy to receive support for the projects on the go. Here are some summary of the projects:
BROOM: One of our goals at Cedar Song is to protect the wild spaces and to restore the land that was already disturbed and that is now overcome by broom. Broom is a wandering nitrogen-fixer, and we are slowly transitioning the fields of broom to native meadows, food forests and gardens. Broom is currently being removed in “Dream Valley” and Kristen from Satinflower Nurseries will prepare a blend of native meadow plants to restore the space and support pollinators.
TERRACING: Terracing has begun as a pilot project in two lower fields. After the terracing, swales that better retain the water will be dug in.
CHICKENS: To control broom regrowth, a mobile chicken house will be introduced. These chickens will eat young broom seedlings and seeds, and provide incredible nutrients to the land.
FOOD GARDENS: Garden vegetables will be planted in some of the terrasses to supplement food for residents and visitors.
DONATIONS: If you are not able to do physical work on the land, or if you would like to contribute to this important legacy in multiple ways, donations are always gratefully accepted. 100% of your donation is used directly toward restoration of the land.
Friends of the Land who are spending some time working on these projects are welcome to camp and enjoy the therapy and companionship of the flora, fauna, and human community here. Reach out to arrange your workday, workstay, or donation:
Timeline
The Seeds are Planted
Stéphanie first experiences the power of wilderness based soul-centric work as part of her doctoral program, decides to become a wilderness guide, and begins training with the Animas Valley Institute.
Calling in the Land
Stéphanie, Alaina Hallett and several other people decide to work toward securing land to host nature connection programs and retreats. After looking at two other options, Alaina and Stéphanie make a first offer on the property.
This one is perfect, it is close to town, bright enough with a great water supply for growing plants and foods, and is wild due to being nestled amongst parkland. It has wetlands, varied ecosystems, and a healthy biome.
Secured the Land
After a full year of negotiations, 4 offers, and a lot of visioning & conversations, Stephanie and Alaina become co-owners of this property that they will rename Cedar Song Centre for Wild Belonging. The name refers partly to the health of the Cedars on the property, at a time when many suffer due to the summer droughts.
The Children Arrive
The first Thriving Roots Wilderness School programs move to the property. Children begin to get to know the property and express profound joy. They report “listening to the songs of the Cedars”, putting their heads under the seasonal waterfall, and they establish sit spots and devlop relationships with the land. The children hold a reverence and a love for the land that will support the protection of our planet as they grow into adulthood.
Programs Expand
Community-building events, such as Elders circle, song circle and craft making are offered at Cedar Song. In August the first soul-centric program, ReWilding Immersion, is held and participants report feeling deeply held by the Land. In October the big yurt is erected in an ideal location.
Infrastructure Develops
A leachate area, designed by the amazing Ann and Gord Baird of Eco-Sense, is planned for the land; and composting toilets are built.
Thriving Roots Wilderness School
The land also hosts a wilderness school, Thriving Roots, with programs for adults, youth, and children teaching wilderness skills, deep nature connection, and nature-based mentoring. While Thriving Roots is run separately from Sacred Weaving, the two enterprises dance well together, sharing a similar view of our current world.
Our shared vision is based on the premise that we all come from a lineage where our ancestors intimately knew the trees, rivers, plants, and animals for everything that sustained and nourished their lives. These relationships infused their cultural belonging to place and brought wisdom and purpose to caring for the land and each other. Reciprocity was necessary and commonplace. Nature was never taken for granted.
These relationships with trees, birds, plants, animals and each other anchored us into a kind of respectful, rooted belonging that most of us don’t experience in our modern world today. Learn more about the various nature-based programs available all year long and Thriving Roots:
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Images courtesy of Joe Craig, Alaina Hallett, Sarah Nakatsuka, and Stéphanie Marchal