The Hearth (formerly the Descent)

To the heart of the wild

“There is only one question, how to love this world”
~Mary Oliver

Do you long to seek communion with the natural world around you, to feel a sense of belonging to the land, to the more-than-human-world that you live within? Do you hear the whispers in the wind, the movements below the surface, the feeling that there is something more that you must know about your life upon this earth? Do you wonder how to fully love this world?

With Mac Macartney, Tugba Kirhan, Stephan Pfaff and Joey Waterson

This is a timely invitation to leave behind the trappings of your busy life and sink deep into the mystery that is the natural world, and begin to understand your intimate relationship with it. This is a call for you to sink a tap-root deep down into the soil, to connect you back with the source of all things, to find ballast, balance and a new orientation for yourself and for the future.

Never has this work been more urgent.

The Hearth is a ceremony. During these six days, you will be spending extended time in nature, expanding your boundaries and your ability to communicate with the world, through fasting, guided breath and voicework, and prayerful movement. You will spend time sitting in council around the fire, sleeping under the stars, off-grid and close to the land, with just yourself, with nature and with a small group of fellow explorers.

In this ceremony, in the beautiful valley of Embercombe, we follow the steps of those who walked this wild land thousands of years ago, connecting with something sacred, sometimes forgotten and yet very necessary, now more urgently than ever. Our intention is to find a deeper appreciation of ourselves as a crucial part of nature, rather than separate from it, and the sense of belonging, peace and purpose that this may bring for us and those that we return to. Join us.

The Hearth is open to those who have participated in The Journey and also to anyone who is ready to deepen in their understanding of themselves and the unique offering they can make to the world.

This programme involves breathwork, fasting and sleeping under canvas for three consecutive days. If you have not participated in The Journey programme please contact support@embercombe.org before booking to see if this the right programme for you.

Key information:

DATES:
7-13 July 2024
1-7 September 2024

TIMES:
Arrival at 1pm – Departure at 9am

ACCOMODATION:
Accommodation is at Embercombe in shared or single occupancy or camping (bring your own tent). 

FEE:
£900 Regular Ticket
£1080 Supporter Ticket

Please consider purchasing a Supporter Ticket if your finances allow it, to subsidise participants who can’t afford the full price.

Interest-free payment plans available, please see below.

Limited bursary places are available for £720 on application

INTEREST FREE PAYMENT PLANS:
In order to increase accessibility to our Programmes, we are delighted to offer interest-free payment plans to allow you to spread the cost of a Balance Ticket over a number of months. If you would like to utilise this option, please purchase a Deposit Ticket for the programme and then click here to set up your personalised interest-free Payment Plan for the Balance Payment.

Facilitators

Mac Macartney

Mac Macartney is a writer, speaker, leadership consultant, eco/peace advocate, and spiritual journeyman. He has explored many paths, some unwisely, some with discernment, all with enthusiasm, vigour, and persistence. As a young child, he fell deeply in love with nature and since that time has endeavoured to listen to the guiding dreams, visions, and experiences that have landed in his outstretched arms. In their different ways all have invited him to do whatever he can to shift our world for the better. Mac moves between, learns from, and contributes to, many diverse and contrasting spheres of society – an enriching, stimulating, and often, deeply troubling pathway. Over a period of twenty years he was mentored and coached by a group of Native American teachers. During this training and ever since he has attempted to bring two worlds together – an ancient worldview that emphasises relationship, interdependence and reverence for life, with the huge challenges and equally huge opportunities of the 21st Century. You can find out more about Mac’s work here.

Tugba Kirhan

Tugba first came to Embercombe in 2018 as a participant on The Journey and has supported the core team in various capacities since that time. Having deepened her relationship with the land and Embercombe’s ethos, she now facilitates on programmes including The Journey and The Hearth. With a background in the humanitarian sector, Tugba is a project manager, facilitator, coach, and breathwork & embodiment practitioner. As a native of rural Anatolia (Turkey), where East meets West, bridging is in her nature. Named after the tree of life, Tugba is motivated every day by the coming together of humans and all beings. Tugba leads with her heart, brings her warmth and sensitivity to all spaces she inhabits, and inspires others who also feel that there must be another way of living a better life.

Stephan Pfaff

Stephan is a host and fire-tender, led by a deep love and fascination for humans and an insatiable curiosity for the mystery of life. He finds fulfillment in creating graceful situations in which people soften and open. He is interested in peace as a verb and conflict as a teacher. He trained as a nature connection facilitator, in constellation work, process work and deep democracy. He has been involved in many of Embercombe’s core activities since 2013. After living in England for 5 years, he returned to his homeland in the Black Forest, together with his wife and daughter, seeking to live like an adult in the place that raised him.

Joey Waterson

Joey is one of the founding members and elders of Embercombe. He is one of Embercombe’s story holders and fire keepers – at a time when story, that which ties together the past and the future, is one of the most important things we hold responsibility for as humans. He has been involved in offering The Journey and The Hearth since their inception. Joey’s relationship to Embercombe is an expression of his commitment to action and his desire to inspire and support changes that will bring about the world we long for. Tending the land as a source of inspiration and nourishment for all, he holds the great mystery of history, healing and the magical beauty of life.

Your stay at Embercombe

Embercombe is a beautiful 50 acre rewilding estate on the edge of Dartmoor. It is a place to find a deep connection with nature – wild nature around us and wild nature within us. Our land is a mix of nature scapes to reconnect with, from mature oak woodlands that are over 150 years old, meadows and pastures, to various fruit orchards and gardens to explore, as well as our sacred stone circle and sacred well to seek counsel from. It is a place for nature connection, self development, inspiration and engaging in nature. 

Accommodation and facilities

You will stay in one of our beautiful yurt villages. Each yurt is furnished with comfortable beds and a wood fired stove. Both yurt villages have compost toilets and running water. Full bathroom facilities with hot showers are available in the main building.

Food

All your meals are included. Organic, vegetarian food is lovingly prepared on site using produce from the Embercombe garden wherever possible. Special diets are adeptly catered for. Please indicate if you require this on your booking form.