Sacred Queerness: Earth-Based Spiritual Retreat
Queer and Trans people are a sacred part of the Earth, always have been, and always will be. We invite LGBTQ+ people of all ages to join four local queer spiritual leaders and land stewards for a two-day, one-night healing retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery. The retreat will hold time for writing and art, work with the restored prairie and savanna ecosystems that surround the monastery and an exploration of what we hold as sacred.
Recognizing the religious trauma many of us carry, we are defining the “sacred” in this retreat broadly as “that which is bigger than us” – our place in the world, community and how we find profound meaning. Sacred Queerness is open to people of any religious/spiritual path or none and participants will be asked to protect and honor this diversity. In an unsafe and turbulent time, we will strengthen community bonds, connect with the local more-than-human world and affirm our place on Earth.
Please bring a journal and something to write with.
This retreat is for anyone who identifies as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. LGBTQIA+ people under 18 should attend with a trusted adult, who may be an ally.
Event Schedule
Saturday, July 11
9:30-10:00 am – Arrive and Mingle
10:00-10:50 am – Receiving Queer Wisdom – Poetry and Readings
11:00-11:50 am – Expressing Queer Wisdom – Journaling/Drawing
Noon-1:00 pm – Lunch in the Monastery
1:00-2:00 pm – Healed Land Heals Us – Walking Tour of the Prairie
2:00-3:30 pm – Caring for the Land – Restoration Work Project
3:30-5:00 pm – Free Time
5:15-6:15 pm – Dinner
6:30-7:30 pm – Nature Art
8:00 pm – Bonfire – Ritual Release and Joy Under the Stars
Sunday, July 12
8:00-9:00 am – Breakfast
9:00-10:00 am – Welcoming the Sacred – Outdoor Meditation or Ecumenical Worship
10:30-11:30 am – Closing and Group Photo
Speakers – Becca Bedell, Pam Shellberg, Rev. Manato Jansen and Rachel Young Binter
Becca Bedell (they/she) is a writer and a volunteer land steward with Friends of Wisdom Prairie and Dane County Parks. They serve as Basic Needs Advocate at OutReach LGBTQ+ Community Center, coordinating housing and food assistance.
Pam Shellberg (she/her) is the Director of Spiritual Nourishment at Holy Wisdom Monastery, offering retreats and studies of spiritual traditions and practices. She is a homilist at the monastery and a spiritual director.
Rev. Manato Jansen (he/him) is a presider and homilist at Holy Wisdom Monastery. He serves as Director of Residential Community at Pres House (UW-Madison), facilitating LGBTQ+ spiritual communities and scholarship programs for students.
Rachel Young Binter (she/her) is the Director of the Center for Clergy Renewal at Holy Wisdom Monastery and a former campus pastor. She is an experienced retreat leader, certified therapeutic yoga instructor and Reiki practitioner who finds joy and healing in embodied care, the earth and acts of justice.
Cost
$200/retreatant. Cost includes lunch and dinner on Saturday as well as breakfast on Sunday. We understand the importance of this retreat and we do not want expense to keep anyone from attending. Scholarships are available to help cover registration fees, if needed.
Parents/Guardians must accompany minors on this retreat, but will only be responsible for the meal portion of the registration fee ($57).
Register
Please register by July 4, 2026. The maximum number of participants is 18 and registration will close when full.
Cancellation policy – if you register but must cancel your registration, you can receive a 75% refund up until July 4, 2026. After that, a 50% refund is available until the retreat starts.
After you register, if you would like to request a double room with another retreatant for a lower registration cost or if you have other questions about accommodations, please contact us at retreats@holywisdommonastery.org.
