• Summer Plentitude: A Seasonal Retreat

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    A riot of color on the prairie welcomes you to seek and celebrate your own abundance. This summer retreat invites you sit with the lush growth of the season – on the prairie and in your own life and heart. It will hold space for attention to both. Conversations about the season, walks on the prairie, naps, art, movement, journaling, great meals and welcoming accommodations will all be a part of what you can expect when you arrive. A renewed connection to nature and to yourself, along with joy in the plentitude and abundance of the season are what you ...

    $260 – $295
  • Summer Stewards 2026

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Are you concerned about climate change? Does life feel uncertain and chaotic? Are you longing for time away to reground yourself? Are you looking for time for reflection, discernment and prayer? Would you like to deepen your spirituality in a setting that connects your faith with care for the earth? Become a Summer Steward for six days in July at Holy Wisdom Monastery, an intentional women's community with deep roots in the Benedictine tradition. Live the monastic tradition of prayer, work and rest in a progressive, inclusive community whose mission includes being in right relationship with the earth and one ...

    $250
  • Wisdom Prairie Summer Tour

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Join us Jul. 23 for the annual Wisdom Prairie Summer Tour – one of four free, guided seasonal prairie tours at Holy Wisdom Monastery, one of the most peaceful places near Madison, WI. Whether you’re an experienced nature enthusiast looking to discover a new trail with a beautiful view of Lake Mendota and the Wisconsin State Capitol, seeking to deepen your relationship with this land or wanting to add more grounding, outdoor activities to your mental wellness routine, there will be something for you on this unique tour! Environmental education on each guided nature walk will be tailored to the ...

    Free
  • Expressions Art Exhibit Reception

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Join us on Sunday, July 26, 2026 for the opening reception of Expressions, the newest art exhibit at Holy Wisdom Monastery. This exhibit features artwork by people involved with Holy Wisdom Monastery including painting, stained glass, colored pencil, pastels, photography, collage, fiber arts and block and monotype prints. In 2025, 32 people from a variety of monastery communities had their work showcased in the exhibit. Schedule The art exhibit will be installed on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. The opening reception will be held after the Sunday Assembly Worship Service on July 26, 2026 from 10:00 am-12:00 pm. Artists will be ...

    Free
  • Shinrin-Yoku: Walks for the Weary

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Join us for a relaxing walk on the prairie at Holy Wisdom Monastery. It will be a slow-paced quiet walk guided by Valerie Vervoort, a certified Shinrin-yoku guide. The intent of this 90-minute walk is renewal through using our senses of sight, hearing, touch and taste. Invitations planned by your guide are easy and subject to each person's comfort level. Sharing and tea will be part of the experience. Participants will need to dress appropriately for weather conditions and be able to walk a mile and a half on trails that are sometimes uneven and include gentle slopes. Walking sticks ...

    $37 – $56
  • Festival on the Prairie

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Event Description Join us for the Festival on the Prairie on Thursday, August 6, 5:00-8:00 pm. There will be music by Annie and the Oakies, three local food carts from FEED Kitchen with food for purchase, children's activities, garden and prairie tours, beer and soft drinks for purchase and free ice cream. Bring picnic blankets or camp chairs. Join us to celebrate a beautiful summer night with our community. All are welcome! Food Carts Sandwich Hub Las Islas Filipinas Afghan Kabul Cuisine Event Schedule 5:00 pm – Doors Open Food Carts Begin Serving Beer and Soft Drinks Available Free Chocolate ...

    Free
  • Wild Spirituality: Restoring Sacred Relationship with Earth

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    In this weekend eco-spiritual retreat, we gather to remember our heritage as humans in loving relationship with the wider beloved community of life. Earth groans for our full re-engagement as participants in what Thich Nhat Hanh called the web of interbeing. As the systems of our culture and planet unravel, this moment calls us to remember that we belong to an interconnected web of life – an intimate love story with an animate and living world. Centuries of dominating culture and religion have often separated spirituality from the rest of creation. Yet our souls remember that hawks, soil, thunder and ...

    $250 – $435
  • Kids on the Prairie

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    Explore nature’s beauty and surprises! Kids on the Prairie (KOTP) is for children and their adult family members. Experienced volunteer educators and guides will facilitate a short hike to learn about nature and explore the grounds and trails. This free event is open to members of Holy Wisdom communities and the general public. August 9 – Pollinators Everywhere Explore Wisdom Prairie. See what is blooming and buzzing. Look for flowers everywhere. How many different kinds can you find? What bugs do you see? Why are those Bumble Bees buzzing?

    Free
  • Wild Spirituality: Invitation and Conversation

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    "The old story is no longer effective. Yet we have not learned 'the new story.' We are talking only to ourselves. We are not talking to the rivers, we are not listening to the wind and stars. We have broken the great conversation." - Thomas Berry Victoria Loorz wrestled with this broken conversation as a pastor, mother, and climate activist, listening deeply and following its call for repair. Recognizing that intimacy with the rest of the sacred world is the foundation for ecological and spiritual regeneration, she has taken up the work of restoring sacred relationship with the land through ...

    $37
  • Listening to Land, Listening to Self: An Eco-Contemplative Writing Retreat

    Holy Wisdom Monastery 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, United States

    What does the land tell us when we truly listen? How does a pesticide-sprayed lawn or a restored oak savanna affect our bodies and minds? In this two-day contemplative writing retreat, we’ll explore the role of writers in this time of climate crisis and discover how to grieve what is lost while finding strength and joy in what is possible. We'll use creative writing, mindfulness practices and the land at Holy Wisdom Monastery to connect with the wisdom that arises when we listen deeply to ourselves or a place. We’ll use periods of mindful awareness, writing, sharing, reading and discussion ...

    $185 – $295