Retreat Structure

Invitations to engage in group activities will include traditional retreat practices such as hiking, spiritual/meditation groups, and creative activities - as well as topic-based conversational groups. In keeping with our invitational practices and values, retreat activities are offerings and participation is not required, but certainly invited and welcome.

We are happy to announce that we are inviting Fellows to bring their spouses/significant others to this year’s Gathering on the Mountain. Please be aware we are not able, at this time, to include children in this gathering invitation. WLI currently has a limited number of rooms available and registration is on a first come-first serve basis. We will start a wait list should it become necessary.

Please note other All Fellows convenings (at least one, single-day in-person gathering and quarterly virtual gatherings) are planned at other times this year in keeping with our values of inclusivity, expansive invitation, and diversity of offerings and convening modalities.

Last year, in 2023, we began blending opportunities for relational connection with invitations to continue engaging in deeper exploration and inquiry, seeking insights into the work of relational fellowship, through reading books, considering reflective essays, engaging in objective correlative activities, and participating in conversation circles.  This year, in continuation of this practice, we are inviting ways to deepen our practice with readings, activities, and conversations centered around themes in two books, pairing a North Carolina author with a non-local author. Fellows who attend the All Fellows Retreat on the Mountain will receive these two books as a gift from WLI:

Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals (AK Press, 2020)
David George Haskell, The Forest Unseen: A Year’s Watch in Nature (Penguin Books, 2013)

Additionally, our retreat experience will be enhanced by activities with special guests, artist Naomi Greenberg, and musician/music educator Sam Taylor.

To the best of our ability, all aspects of retreat programming have been crafted with an eye toward encouraging and accompanying varied approaches to retreat, fellowship, and engagement with opportunities for growth, as well as a recognition of multiple intelligences, varied preferences and styles of inquiry and learning, and diverse personal interests. We hope you will feel inspired to join us.

Registration Information

Arrival/Departure
The All Fellows Gathering opens Friday afternoon at 4pm and closes by 11am Sunday.

Fee Options: $60 (suggested), $0 (no cost), $195 (full cost WLI pays per person)
Includes accommodations and Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast.

Accommodations
2 Fellows/individuals per room

Click on the yellow "Register/RSVP" button above.  Click "Yes" when next pop-up box asks if you will attend. If on a mobile device, you may need to turn the phone horizontal to see the pop-up box.

Enter the "Attendee Info" section.  Then enter the "Attendee Selections" section to choose a registration item for payment.

Reach out to a Friday Fellow - from your class or any other - and consider registering together!

The mountain awaits!