Events
"A circle of trust is a group of people who know how to sit quietly...with each other and wait for the shy soul to show up....In such a space, we are freed to hear our own truth, touch what brings us joy, become self critical about our faults, and take risky steps toward change - knowing that we will be accepted no matter what the outcome." - Parker Palmer
Becoming Elder, Iowa City Senior Center, Third Friday of Each Month
1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Iowa City Senior Center, 28 S. Linn St., Iowa City, IA. (First-time attendees are invited to attend a brief orientation to the Courage & Renewal® approach at 12:45.) Remaining 2026 dates are July 17, August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20, and December 18. Elderhood involves much more than the accumulation of lived years. Elderhood evolves when those lived years contribute to a special wisdom and vision that are shared with the community and society. In many ways, elderhood is the pinnacle of developing one’s wholeness as a person. Coming into this wholeness is a lifelong process, and it continues in elderhood. This monthly discussion series follows the Courage and Renewal® approach as we explore what it means to “become elder” and how we might bring our life wisdom and unique gifts to others. We base our discussions on short readings by various authors, though no preparation is needed. Come to one session, some sessions, or all of them! Free. Iowa City Senior Center members register here. (If you're not an Iowa City Senior Center member, please contact Thomas Dean at wildsoulthomas@outlook.com.)
Wild Soul at Harvest Preserve, Iowa City, Last Saturday of the Month
9:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon, Harvest Preserve,1645 N. Scott Blvd., Iowa City, IA
July 25, August 29, September 26 (Come to one, two, or all three sessions!)
Join us on the beautiful land of Harvest Preserve to connect our wild souls with the natural world through the shared wisdom of a Circle of Trust®!
“Your soul is both of you and of the world. The world cannot be full until you become fully yourself. Your soul corresponds to a niche, a distinctive place in nature, like a vibrant space of shimmering potential waiting to be discovered, claimed, … occupied. Your soul is in and of the world, like a whirlpool in a river, a wave in the ocean, or a branch of flame in a fire.”
― Bill Plotkin, Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche
In The Practice of the Wild, poet and essayist Gary Snyder defines wildness as being free, spontaneous, self-propagating, self-maintaining, flourishing in accord with innate qualities, self-reliant. Author, activist, and educator Parker Palmer defines the hidden wholeness within each of us as our “inner source of truth, named in various wisdom traditions as identity, true self, heart, spirit or soul,” which we discern by listening to our “inner teacher.” As Parker Palmer says, “Like a wild animal, the soul is tough, resilient, resourceful, savvy, and self-sufficient” (A Hidden Wholeness: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life). Our “wild soul,” then, is where our authentic self and our free, wild nature meet.
In these sessions, we will get in touch with our wild souls through a Circle of Trust®, by which we co-create trustworthy space to listen to the wisdom of our personal inner teacher in community with others through the Courage & Renewal® approach developed by Parker Palmer. We will be inspired by both the beautiful land at Harvest Preserve and readings drawn from diverse cultures and wisdom traditions, offering opportunities for individual reflection, trustworthy sharing, and deep listening.
Wild Soul at Harvest Preserve is open to all, regardless of background or belief. Anyone is welcome to attend one, some, or all sessions.
THINGS TO BRING:
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A notebook or journal and something to write with
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Whatever will make you comfortable and nourished when being outside (weather permitting)-
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A water bottle,
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Snacks,
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Chair or a mat to sit on if you would like to sit on the ground
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Bug spray,
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Sunscreen, etc.
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An open, seeking mind and heart
Weather permitting, we will meet outside, so please dress for the weather.
This event will be in the backwoods area; please enter Harvest Preserve through our secondary entrance, located between our main entrance and Tamarack Trail.
$25 registration fee per session. You do not need to be a member of Harvest Preserve to participate in this program. Register here. (Currently, registration is available only for the July session.)
Circle of Trust®: Seasonal One-Day Retreats, Prairiewoods, Quarterly on Saturday
September 19: Autumn Gathering-In, December 5: Winter Darkness
9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Prairiewoods Franciscan Ecospirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha, IA. During this day-long Circle of Trust® retreat, we will co-create trustworthy space to listen to the wisdom of our personal inner teacher in community with others through the Courage & Renewal® approach developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal. Through Circles of Trust, we renew our courageous spirit as we align our inner and outer selves—our “soul” and “role”—and journey toward personal and societal wholeness. This is part of a series of quarterly Circle of Trust gatherings, each having a seasonal theme and inviting a variety of full-group, small-group, and individual experiences, including time to enjoy the beautiful natural grounds of Prairiewoods. We will connect with our inner teachers and build community through poems, stories, songs, artworks, and activities drawn from diverse cultures and wisdom traditions, offering opportunities for individual reflection, trustworthy sharing, and deep listening. Anyone is welcome to attend one, some, or all of these one-day retreats. $50 registration (includes lunch). Register here.
Becoming the Elder Tree: Purpose in the Second Half of Life (full Circle of Trust® retreat)
Prairiewoods, August 14-16, 2026
Friday 6:30 p.m. to Sunday 1:00 p.m. Prairiewoods Franciscan Ecospirituality Center, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha, IA. Co-facilitated by Thomas Dean and fellow Courage & Renewal® facilitator Chris Johnson. This full-weekend Circle of Trust® retreat invites you to envision a second half of life that calls forth your truest self and unique purpose, and to explore what it means to be an “elder” in the deepest sense: when our lived years contribute to a special wisdom, vision, and wholeness that are shared for the benefit of the community and society. Coming into this wholeness and living an undivided life is a lifelong process, and it continues into elderhood.
In addition to experiencing, reflecting on, and discussing cultural expressions (such as poems, stories, music, and art) that invite us to consider what it means to be an elder and how we might cultivate purpose in the second half of life, we will explore the development of elderhood through our interdependent relationships with the more-than-human world, from nature outside our window all the way up to the greater universe story. Inspired by ecologist Suzanne Simard’s revelations about how forests are communities that are cooperative, collaborative, communicative, and reciprocal, we will consider how we can be the elder trees that nurture, support, and pass wisdom to others for the health and well-being of the entire community. In doing so, we will explore how engaging in “conversations” with nature can lead to an enriched second half of life, and we will invite participants to encounter the beautiful prairie and woods of our gathering place for contemplation, relationship, and inspiration. Prairiewoods’ revered 300-year-old Grandmother Oak will be our touchstone for the weekend.
This retreat welcomes participants of all ages and at any stage of life. Register here!