All are welcome at our gatherings. If you are visiting this website for the first time or if you have just experienced your first gathering and want to know more, this is a great place to start. It’s important to know that ceremony starts the moment you commit to participating. You become part of the fabric of the ceremony with your prayers and intentions. If you feel called to help in a particular area, we do have Clans and point persons for each clan that can give you more information about those areas. These are mentioned in our mailings prior to each gathering. And it’s also important to know that everyone who attends a lodge is part of the ceremony and that you will get out of the ceremony what you put into it.

What to bring for Lodge Day:

• 1 gallon of drinking water (minimum)
• 2 towels
• Sweat lodge clothing:
  • Women: skirt or sarong and short sleeve top or modest dress.
  • Men: shorts (and shirt if you like)
  • Please note that we will have 2 changing tents available near the lodge.
  • Be sure to bring warm layers to change into after the lodge in cooler weather.
• Food for the pot luck (One or two main dish or dessert items).  If you would like to make an extra main dish for the Fire Keepers, that would be especially appreciated.  Please label them as such so they may be organized appropriately.   
• Plates, utensils, napkins and cups / mugs for yourself and serving utensils (if needed for your shared pot luck dish)

Important note: Please do not wear perfumes or fragrances when attending the gathering, as there are those in the community with sensitivities. Your cooperation will make for a healthier and happier experience for everyone.

Getting to the Lodge Site:

Public Transit:

If you are traveling from NYC, please know there is only ONE bus a day to Ellenville – on WEEKDAYS ONLY.  More info:  http://www.coachusa.com/  OR  (866) 912-6224

The bus drops off at 
Gaby’s Cafe – 150 Canal St.  – Ellenville, NY

Arriving at the site:
At the gate to the property on the left side of Hang Glider Road. you will see our hoop with the colors of the four directions  There is parking inside the gate of the property up to the barn. If there are no more available spaces inside there, parking is permitted outside the gate on the side of the road. Please do not block access to the hang glider field or any private driveways leading off of Hang Glider Road. 

Meals
Whether you plan to come for the whole weekend or one day, please know that we will not have a camp kitchen and so you are responsible for bringing your own supplies. Please be sure to bring plenty of drinking water. Information about our pot luck on Saturday evening is given below. If you are planning to camp onsite, please see notes below this about fires on the property, as well as other camping information.

Lodging:
There are no spaces for indoor lodging on this site.
If you want to stay in the area for the weekend, it is recommended that you secure a room or bed at one of the  few motels and bed & breakfasts very close by.  Also, groups might consider renting an AirBnB together and sharing it. You can find Ellenville area AirBnBs here: https://www.airbnb.com/s/Ellenville–NY

You may camp on site if you would like, although please be prepared for our changeable weather. Camping guidelines are below.

Some camping guidelines:

1. Please be conscious of the bears and other critters in the area and keep any food in the trunk of your vehicle when not in use.
2. We are not allowed to have individual fires. There will be only one fire — the sacred fire — which is not used for cooking. Once the sacred fire is out, there might be some coals but we will not be adding to the fire for the rest of the evening. We will be having a potluck dinner on Saturday evening.
3. A flashlight or headlamp is recommended in case the gathering goes into late hours. As well, a jacket and/or rain poncho in case of cooler evenings or passing showers. Don’t forget to bring a camp chair for meals and your general comfort!
4. Practice lyme awareness. We advise  people to follow common sense precautions: long sleeves, long pants, socks and insect repellent when outside the lodge.
5. Everyone must bag out their own trash for this event. We must not leave bags of trash that may attract raccoons and/or a curious bear.

Registration for the weekend:

Please check in at the Registration Table and sign a waiver if we do not have one on file for you. If you’re not sure, please check in with us anyway.
There will be a couple of donation baskets at the Registration, the first one is for several fixed costs the community has for gathering on this land (fire wood, port-a-potties and other basic supplies). We are asking everyone to help offset these expenses with a suggested donation of $10 each.
There will also be a separate donation basket for Carl at the Registration Table. 
It is important that we support the valuable work of our elders by being as generous as we can. That being said, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Ways to Participate

There are other ways you can participate in ceremony if you choose not to crawl in the lodge for all four rounds or for any, due to health concerns. Below are some other ways to participate.

Prayer Ties
We will be offering a space to make prayer ties so we can focus our prayers and intentions for the lodge. If possible, we request that you bring your own materials, but we will have prayer tie elements on hand. 

Sisters’ Space
We will have a space where sisters can gather. We are calling on the sisters in our community to bring one item per person to help decorate the space. You may also wish to bring a yoga cushion or extra blanket to sit on.

Sit by the Sacred Fire or Close to the Door to the Lodge 
All are welcome to pray next to the fire, sit outside with your back against the lodge, or stand outside the lodge near the door so you can hear and participate in the prayers that are happening inside the lodge. Please be mindful of the spirit line between the fire and the door to the lodge** whenever you are moving around the lodge after the fire has been lit.

**Ask a fire keeper or elder about this if you’re unfamiliar with this teaching

Saturday Evening Potluck

Weather permitting, we may be having our pot luck outside the cottage, and we will gather around the Sacred Fire for the offering of the Spirit Plate prior to the Evening Meal. The potluck which follows the sweat lodge is a part of the ceremony and one we provide for together. Please bring nourishing prepared dishes that are ready to serve: main dishes, salads, fruits, etc. Hearty dishes specifically for the Fire Keepers (including Carl) are also appreciated. Food can be dropped off in the back room of the cottage.

As we have community members who may have sensitivities to certain food items or special dietary needs, if you are bringing dishes or food items that are gluten free, non-dairy, vegan or vegetarian friendly, please label them as such so they may be organized appropriately. Also, if you have special dietary restrictions or needs, please consider bringing a dish to share that is appropriate for you.

Please bring your own plates, utensils, napkins and serving utensils, as none will be provided. While there is no kitchen on the premises for heating or refrigerating food, there is electricity to run slow cookers / crock pots inside the cottage.