Beloved Sisters,

In a little less than a year, we will gather for a full-body immersion in the waters of wild mercy on the sacred island of Molokai.

If you identify as a woman – especially a woman in a position of leadership in this world -- I invite you to take refuge with us at the Hui Ho’Olana in Molokai, Hawaii, December 5-12, 2020.

This is an opportunity to lay down your burden in the lap of the Great Mother in the form of the South Pacific, find the sanctuary your soul has been longing for in the container of community, and remember who you are apart from your responsibilities and roles: a being of childlike wonder and unbridled joy, with everything you need to step up and help to mend this beautiful broken world.

Some of us are grief-stricken.  Either the suffering of the world feels like too much to bear – the violations of the human family and the degradation of Our Mother the Earth – or profoundly personal losses have shattered the foundation of our souls and the new landscape has not yet emerged and so we live amid the wreckage of the heart.  This gathering is a place where you don’t have to pretend to be above the pain, where we bear loving witness to each other’s hearts and find solace in being free to speak the truth.  It’s a no-spiritual-bypassing zone!

“The Hui” itself is a magical retreat center in a remote region – rustic and elegant -- where impeccable attention to detail renders every element of your experience soothing and enlivening.  It is small and intimate, perfect for deep work and deep rest.  Holding a retreat at the Hui is possible only by invitation, and so we are deeply honored to be invited, thanks to the intercession of Mirabai’s soul-friend, Rev. angel Kyodo Williams, and the generous response of the founder, Bronwyn, who intuited that Wild Mercy would be the perfect fit.

From the Hui Ho’Olana website: Hui is a Hawaiian word for a group. Ho’olana refers to “the type of inspiration that floats up from within the heart”. It means “to bring back into balance – as in righting a canoe – and to comfort those in mourning.”

We hope that a week with us on this holy island will right your canoe and soothe your heart.

During the arc of our 7 days together, Mirabai will offer teachings from women mystics across the spiritual spectrum whose stories illumine ours.  Afternoons are about resting, writing, artmaking and excursions.  Evenings are open for chanting and music, gathering and socializing, or nestling in alone – whatever you need.  The food is organic and local, crafted by masters.

Each participant will have the opportunity (but no obligation) to meet with Mirabai for a one-on-one spiritual companionship session at some point during the week.

As a community, we will work on an ongoing project we are playfully calling the “Feminesto” -- a kind of manifesto of feminine spiritual values and aspirations – a living document we hope will make a meaningful contribution to the world.

On Friday, we will celebrate with an inter-spiritual Shabbat ceremony, followed by a special dinner and the highlight of the gathering: our Wild Mercy salon, where each person shares a short offering they have been shaping throughout the week.  It might become a project or work of art – or the seeds of one -- you bring back to the larger world upon your return.  You may lead us in a spiritual practice.  Sing a song.  Read a poem.  Organize a political action.  Up to you!

Space is limited, due to the size of the retreat center and the delicacy of the ecosystem, so if your heart is resonating please reach out to Jaime who can also address any special questions: onesharedheart@gmail.com

With love and excitement,

Mirabai & Jaime