Rising Moon

A space for people of marginalized genders to explore and deepen into transitions in their lives, families, and communities while celebrating a spectrum of diverse ways to embody masculine and feminine energy. We prioritize deepening relationships with one another, the more than human world, the broader community, our ancestors, and the ancestors of traditions and land that we are in relationship with.

A circle for adult women, non-binary, and trans people.

Moriah, Caitlin, and Leigh have been collaborating together holding ceremony space during the full moon since 2018. This circle has moved through various transformations and will continue into 2022 with Monroe as our default location, while continuing to gather elsewhere as well. Check back for more details or contact us if you’d like to be added to the Moon Circle Mailing List.

Upcoming Dates:

Sun 2.13 at LICHEN CENTER in Blue Hill at 6pm

Thu 4.14 in Deer Isle at 6:30pm

Tue 5.17 in Monroe at 6:30pm *note date change

Thu 7.14 at Birch Point State Park in Owls Head

Sat 8.13 in Deer Isle

Fri 9.9

Sun 11.6

View these dates on Google Calendar

Overnight, nature immersion programming on Deer Isle.

This circle is open to young women, non-binary, and trans people ages 10 – 15.

Themes:

• Crafts
• Song
• Ceremony
• Storytelling
• Plants as food and medicine
• Preparing meals together
• Working with fire, wood, and knives
• Expanding comfort outdoors
• Sit spot / solo time / wandering
• Play and games
• Deepening relationship with the more than human world
• Council
• Movement and embodiment practices
• Dreamwork

Specific bodies of work integrated into programming:

• Work that Reconnects: Read Active Hope or Coming Back to Life for more details
• Nature and the Human Soul & Wild Mind (Bill Plotkin and the work of Animas Valley Institute)
• Forest Therapy
• 8 Shields Nature Connection Mentoring

Summer Sessions 2022

Attending session one is a prerequisite for session two.

Session 1

July 18 – 22

Themes: Intentions, trust, embodiment, play, coming from gratitude, divination.

Session 2

August 1 – 5

Themes: Honoring our pain for the world, ancestral healing, seeing with new eyes, going forth.

Drop off: Monday 10:30am | Pick up: Friday 6:30pm

Single day gatherings to stay connected

2022 Fall Dates TBD

Opportunities for a deeper dive into something specific, such as weaving a basket, learning about plants, the Work that Reconnects, or any other emerging topic that is relevant to the group. These dates are scheduled prior to the start of the Yearlong Immersion. Some days could be open to mothers, family or community and we are excited to bring in guest facilitators as well. These gatherings help build relationships within the container of the program, prepare participants for fully diving in each weekend, and make space for deeper exploration of emerging themes and interests.

Sliding Scale Tuition

The sliding scale tuition model is a type of fee structure that accounts for variability in assets, income, and expenses as an attempt to increase accessibility for people with less financial and/or class privilege. We recognize there are social, physical, and material barriers to accessing this type of programmaing as well.

If neither the subsidized or scholarship rates are accessible for your family, please contact us and let us know what your needs are. We are committed to making programs accessible to anyone who is interested and are actively fundraising to increase our capacity to reach this goal.

This model allows self selection of registration cost, please pay the actual cost of attendance if you do not experience difficulty meeting your family's basic needs such as housing, food, and transportation.

Make a payment online

Pay your balance for the spring semester, extended day, early drop off, or day camp.

Where do you fall on the tuition scale? We believe that examining the intersection of privilege, wealth, and class is a lifelong process. The following questions are offered to provide starting points for exploring these topics, and not a definite tool for evaluating privilege and wealth.

You might qualify to pay full tuition if some or all of these apply to you:

Own property.

Can afford to take time off or go on vacation.

Receive unearned or gifted income.

Have a retirement account or other investments.

Choose to work part time or not at all.

Make more than 75K per year.

Have no debt.

You might qualify to utilize the sliding scale if some or all of these apply to you:

Living paycheck to paycheck.

Struggle to pay minimum payments on debt.

Experience difficulty meeting basic needs like housing, food, and transportation.

Do not have savings.

Your ability to work or earn money is affected by illness, mental or physical disability.

Have to work more than 40 hours a week to make ends meet.

Read more about Sliding Scale: A Tool of Economic Justice.

Cost is per session. Attending session one is a prerequisite for session two.

Pay it Forward

$945

I have financial comfort or wealth.

Supporter

$815

My family’s basic needs are met.

Subsidized

$685

I occasionally have difficulty meeting my family’s basic needs.

Scholarship

$535

Meeting my family’s basic needs is an ongoing challenge.

Check back for summer packing list.

Weekend Packing List:

• Potluck dish for Friday dinner
• Packed lunch for Saturday
• Snacks to meet specific dietary needs

• Sleeping system:

• Tent or hammock
• Rainfly or tarp
• Sleeping pad and cold weather bag (rated for 10-20 degrees below expected temperature) Double up with two bags to achieve more warmth.
• Extra blanket
• Sleeping bag liner (optional)
• Pillow (optional)

• Backpack for transporting gear
• Daypack
• Headlamp + extra batteries
• Weather appropriate clothing — synthetic or wool, avoid cotton
• Rain jacket or poncho
• Rain or snow pants
• Warm hat (synthetic or wool)
• Scarf or neck warme
• Mittens or gloves (work gloves may also be useful)
• Bandana
• Time piece that is not a cell phone or smart watch
• Water bottle (16oz or more, marked with identifying features)
• Mug for hot drinks
• Lightweight bowl
• Spoon, fork optional
• Carving knife (we recommend Mora knives)
• Toothbrush, toothpaste, and other toiletries — fragrance-free / biodegradable
• Emergency whistle
• Journal, writing and/or drawing instruments

Additional Optional Items

• Sunscreen, bug spray
• Drum, shaker, lightweight rhythm-maker
• Crafts or projects (baskets, cordage, friction fire sets, etc)
• Fire starting kit (magnesium rod, flint and steel, friction fire sets)

First Moon Rite of Passage for Adults

2022 Dates TBD | Suggested Sliding Scale Donation $55 – $95 | Deer Isle

Many adults who have menstruated didn’t receive a full celebration and marking of Menarche, a physical passage from child to adult. Some of us were raised in moon time and learned to rest and go within during moon time to access our deepest feelings and intuitions. Some of us raised in cultures affected by colonization received messages about menstruation being shameful or less-than. As adults we can reclaim our first mensus right of passage, reaching out to our child self and welcoming her across the threshold into the community of women. When we complete this passage, either for the first time or for the 5th time, we connect with the magic of our own wombs and clear the way for uplifting wisdom in our descendants.

People who’ve had many moons of menstruation are invited to ceremonially mark their first blood, even if you are no longer menstruating. When we cross the threshold from girl to woman not only do we become sisters with our mothers, we also join the council of women. With the help of the loving gaze of our sisters, we can lift the burden of any shame-laden messages we’ve received about menstruation from colonizing cultures many of us have been raised in.

Through journey, reflection, movement, song, blessing, sharing, and listening, we’ll lift up our tender, strong, radiant inner young ones. We’ll listen to their knowledge and offer the blessings they need to hear. We’ll weave a basket of heart-songs that hold and nourish us. We’ll have the opportunity to cross a threshold from girlhood into adulthood, deepen our relationship with our moon time, strengthen connections with one another, and with our younger self. Our connection with our moon blood offers us gifts in our own lives and is passed down to our descendants of blood and heart. Childcare can be provided.

2022 Dates TBD

Past Programs

Supporting Young People in Moon Time

During Moon Time our senses heighten and we have greater access to instinctual knowing. When young people starting Moon Time make space to listen to their unique inner voice and needs they deepen relationship with self and intuition. We'll learn about Moon Time as a celebrated Rite of Passage and share practical tips to support and celebrate young people in their Moon Time. An online event for parents, family members, and caregivers. All ages + genders welcome. This event has passed, contact us if interested in scheduling.

Contact

Schoodic Mountain

This event has passed. Contact us to schedule.
Join us during the last days of the old moon for a walk up Schoodic Mountain! From the trailhead our three mile journey will take us up over a bald granite dome with sight out to the sea, down to the shore of a beautiful lake, and back again. Birch sap will be rising, little flighted ones will be in the branches, maple buds may be bursting into flower. The dark of the moon is the perfect time to consider what you long for as a new cycle begins. We'll have plenty of time to discuss Rising Moon, a new program for young women and feel into whether you might like to join our circle in the year to come. Ages 9 and up.

Mentors

Moriah Helms

I am dedicated to co-creating a culture where young people are seen, honored, and are given a place to express their full essence. Finding our place and navigating relationships within both the human and more-than-human worlds is vitally important!

Caitlin Horigan

Leigh Seeleman

What a gift to welcome young one’s hearts and wisdom while celebrating their growing uniqueness. I dream of descendants raised in a culture where one can trust their intuition, and where creative visionary gifts are lifted up and celebrated. I believe that honoring menstrual/moon time with space to dream, rest, and follow instincts to meet our needs allows us to nourish our wise animal bodies. I am grateful to be part of a circle where young people are supported in connecting with one another and the land, developing a healthy relationship with menstruation, and their relationship with intuitive knowing.