Tuning to the Desert with Jesse Fisher and Cameron Newell – G230747
Everyone is creative, but many people just don’t realize it! This is a week for anyone who wants to get their creative juices flowing whether that be a professional poet or musician, or an accountant who has never seen themselves as a ‘creative’. ‘Tuning to the Desert’ is a week that
will explore the relationship between nature and creativity, and help to light the spark of
creativity that lies within every one of us (even if we don’t know it yet)!
Nature and creativity are inseparable. The natural world inspires our own creativity, and in turn, creativity can help deepen our own understanding of nature. To explore this relationship, each day will be structured around one of the 4 elements.
We will spend the mornings hiking and immersing ourselves in our natural environment in relation to the elemental theme (e.g. canoeing on lake Abiquiu for water element day). During these mornings, we will use different mindfulness practices and reflective processes to tune
ourselves to our senses and our natural surroundings. Hikes will be easy to moderate (~3-4mi) with terrain ranging from flat to long inclines and some light scrambling (using hands and feet), and start around an elevation of 6,500ft or higher.
In the evenings we will mostly turn our energies to creativities inspired by our morning activities. This will involve the facilitation of a range of reflections and workshops, to get our creativity flowing and have fun together! For example, a music workshop in echo-ampitheatre (a naturally
reverberant desert alcove), and stations offering various creative outlets to utilize for inspiration (writing, poetry, art, instruments, etc.) The evenings will teach us about the joy that lies within the creative process, not just the product. So come tune to the desert and yourself through a week of adventure and creativity!
Lodging options (includes meals)
Private Room $1021
Dorm Room (communal bath) $646
Camping $396
*Lodging cost applies to first person only.
HELP
Please use the options below to find helpful information regarding Ghost Ranch Workshops and Retreats
If you need shuttle service, please reach out to Kevin at White Buffalo Shuttle 831.359.8077 | nivek@cruzio.com
Virtual Events: Payments made for Virtual Events are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend the event, recordings will be made available to you after the event. For events with multiple sessions, every attempt will be made to make the session(s) available to you before the next scheduled session.
In-person events: Written notification must be received no later than 45 days prior to the start date of your workshop in order to receive a refund, minus a $150 processing charge. No refunds can be processed after that time. We reserve the right to announce a change in leadership or cancel any program 31 days prior to the first day of the workshop. In this event, you may transfer to another workshop without charge or we will refund the full workshop payment. (Many participants have found it helpful to purchase travel insurance). If the cancellation is received less than 31 days prior to your start date, your funds can be left on deposit for another Ghost Ranch workshop or future stay during this calendar year, but you must know the exact dates of your next stay. Or you can choose to make it a tax-deductible donation to support Ghost Ranch. This cancellation policy does not apply to January Term.
We understand there are some with special dietary restrictions. In order for us to best serve all, prior notice of any special needs is required.
Because we are a cafeteria style foodservice and our number of guests can be quite large, we are unable to accommodate individual meals for any guest. We are, however, always looking to be sure that we have an option that will fit one or more common and crossover restrictions.
Any severe allergies are taken most seriously, yet we cannot promise there will be no cross contamination in the assembling of products here. We highly recommend some personal option be brought along. We do have a few public refrigerators available, but there is no access to a kitchen or cooking.
We are also unable administer any medication, so please have your personal Epi-Pen” readily available.
We are glad you are planning to visit the ranch, and want your trip from beginning to end to be smooth.We rely on White Buffalo Shuttle for our guests. Kevin Spitzer picks up at the Sage Inn in Santa Fe the afternoon of the first date listed, and returns to the Sage Inn the morning of the last date. His phone number is 831.359.8077. Email is nivek@cruzio.com
The best way to get to Santa Fe Sage Inn is Groome Transportation. They are very helpful in assessing your flight info and getting you on the right shuttle at the right time. 505.474.5696/ groometransportation.com
EVENT FAQ's
Click here to see a full list of FAQs
What day/time does the workshop start and end?
In-person workshops begin with check-in at 3:00 p.m. and a ranch orientation in the evening on the first date listed for the course and end at 10:00 a.m. with checkout on the last date listed.
Virtual workshops will have a varied schedule that is identified within each workshop description.
What is the difference between a room with private bath, a room with semi-private or shared bath, and a room with communal/dorm bath?
Private bath refers to the type of bathroom, not single occupancy
Private Bath Room: There is a bathroom in that one room that is not shared between or with any other rooms. The highest rate tier of Ghost Ranch lodging.
Semi-private/shared: There is a bathroom between two rooms that is shared by the occupants of the two adjoining sleeping rooms. These rooms will only be used as family or group suites, not to be shared by unknown neighbors as in the past.
Communal/dorm: There is a communal bathroom/shower in the lodging building and participants will need to exit their room to reach these facilities.
I EAT A VEGAN/GLUTEN-FREE/DAIRY-FREE (ETC.) DIET. WHAT ARE MY MEAL OPTIONS?
- The ranch Dining Hall serves three meals a day on a fixed schedule. We offer a vegetarian option at each meal. While the Dining Hall offers gluten-free items and vegan dishes at some meals, we cannot guarantee that these options will be available for each meal. Let us know about this need in your registration notes. If it is necessary for a guest to eat a specific diet or if a guest has food allergies, the surest option is to bring personal food items to the ranch. There are refrigerators available for guest use in a few common/public spaces.
Instructors
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Cameron NewellI am a musician and social worker from Edinburgh, Scotland. I spent the summers of my youth growing up at Ghost Ranch and worked at the ranch on College Staff in 2014 and 2015. The ranch played a huge role in shaping who I am today, and taught me that I am most happy and creative when exploring the natural world around me. For me, music has always been the medium that allows me to connect to a wider creative flow. In 2020 I completed a masters degree in Scottish Music (focusing on the fiddle) at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Since then I have worked as a musician and composer, drawing a lot of inspiration in my music from the wild Scottish landscapes around me. Immersing myself in the outdoors has played an
important part in my creative journey, and I now want to share this passion with other people.
I’ve spent the past 6 months living in a remote outreach centre on the Isle of Mull on the West Coast of Scotland called Camas (part of the Iona community). Here, I have been helping to lead weeks for groups of children and adults to come and immerse themselves in the wild, and in doing so open themselves up to creative inspiration. -
Jesse FisherJesse is a life-timer of the ranch, having visited every summer for several weeks since he was 6 months old. Growing up through the youth program has transformed Jesse’s world views and passions, one of which involves investing time in the ranch. Following the playful days of youth programming, Jesse did the Summer College Staff program as a youth programmer for four years, from 2012-2015, where most of his passion for the ranch and its people manifested. In 2017 he worked for the summer as Communications Coordinator, which mainly focused on capturing the stories of Ghost Ranch through digital media. Most recently, Jesse has assisted and led outdoor adventure programs and history tours for visiting school groups and adults.
Jesse’s deep love and experience for Ghost Ranch is hard to find in a 26 year old. Being immersed in the landscape has left him yearning for more adventures, and allows his knowledge of the ‘hidden gems’ of the place to be un-matched. In his years of learning about the history, culture(s), and land, Jesse’s knowledge will permeate through any activity!