Silvae Spiritus

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

02/22/2026

:: sit with us a moment on this bench in the Far Meadow. We’re gathering plant medicine, and sharing a little more about this year’s new program, The Spiral Path: Seasonal Ceremonies

02/21/2026

✨🎹🎚️🪘🎛️🔊✨ a bit last minute with advance notice, but this upcoming Monday we will be hosting a free-to-attend (((Meditative Sound Immersion))) at Silvae Spiritus Northwoods Nature Retreat ….. by reservation only; please reach out to either Travis or Leigha directly for further details ✨🎹🎚️🪘🎛️🔊 ….. while we have been thrilled with the opportunity to provide private sessions for our visiting AirBnB and day-trip guests, this will actually be the very first community session to be held here as a stand alone event separate from our campout retreats; we’d be way excited for you to join us!

02/15/2026

running 3 AirBnB’s takes a lot of effort; feedback like THIS makes it all worthwhile…

02/14/2026

reflections on the joyous work of being a sauna guide…

02/10/2026

:: Nature holds deep wisdom; a wisdom that has been woven by time and elements into the threads of our entwined existence. When our human lives feel fractured and pained, frightening and hopeless, Nature waits with open arms and a fiercely loving heart to show us how to fight, how to rest, how to mend, how to heal. And above all, Nature shows us how we are not ever alone in our experiences - how community is essential.

In 2026, we are offering three opportunities to come together for the restorative power of meaning-making:
🌀Spiral Path: Seasonal Ceremonies - a mytho-poetic exploration of wellness rituals and nature connection that guide us over the course of a year together - created in collaboration with our friend Rachael ;
🌅 Interbeing 11: DAWN - a springtime weekend camping retreat that honors the illumination of the rising sun and the fresh optimism of the East.
🌌 Interbeing 12: DUSK - an autumnal weekend camping retreat that honors the long shadows of a day well-lived, and the deep knowing of the West.

We invite you to join us in community for connection, support, intention-setting, and release. You belong here.