Travel Information
Arrival & Departure
– 5/18 Saturday —-> Arrival, set-up Camp, rest & orientation
– 5/19 thru June 1 —-> Training Period, Sunday morning through Saturday night
– 6/2 —-> Sunday Depart
Air Travelers
Fly to Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ).
Iscah is our Travel Coordinator. To be part of the van transportation group, please contact her before your book your flight.
Iscah’s email: iscahpaquin@live.com
Transportation from Airport to Ravenrock May 18th
Shared airport shuttle. Iscah is our Travel Coordinator. To be part of the van transportation group, please contact her before your book your flight.
Iscah’s email: iscahpaquin@live.com
Make your incoming flight arrival no later than noon.
Make your outgoing flight departure in the afternoon.
Contact Iscah with you info! IscahPaquin@live.com
Transportation from Ravenrock to Airport June 16th
Shared airport shuttle. Iscah is our Travel Coordinator. To be part of the van transportation group, please contact her before your book your flight.
Iscah’s email: iscahpaquin@live.com
Amtrak
One Amtrak train departs Albuquerque at 12:15 arriving in Las Vegas, NM at 3:30. You can take a short cab ride from the Albuquerque airport to the Amtrak station. We will arrange your ride from Las Vegas to Ravenrock.
Car
We’ll provide directions closer to the time. If you can assist bringing air travelers to and from the airport, please let us know. Arrive at Ravenrock by midday if the weather calls for rain. (Rains typically fall in the afternoon and the road will be too muddy to travel.) If there is no rain in the forecast, arrive by midday anyway so we all have plenty of light for our set up.
Daily Schedule
8am – silent breakfast
8:30-9:30 – morning chores
10:30am – 1:15pm morning session
1:30pm – midday meal
5 – 7pm evening session
7:15 pm evening meal
Ravenrock Barn South
Our Sanctuary
Our main building is a red metal clad 30×50 pole barn with papercrete and plaster walls and wood floor for workshop sessions. Glass doors on the east and south sides provide views onto the peaceful, glowing mesa landscape. The Stone Porch East Entry has a floor of rocks from the property rim and on the west we have a 15 x 24′ Hermit’s Peak Porch with its sensational mountain view. In 2016 we added a Camp Kitchen off the East Porch which utilizes two 1500-gallon water catchment tanks off the east roof. The long west-side roof is water catchment for an additional two tanks, bringing water capacity to 6000 gallons total.
Beets for dinner
Food
The diet is a simple, vegan Sufi cooking.
No personal cooking or refrigeration facilities.
Warning: Do not keep food in your tent. We have bears and wild animals here.
The following are not permitted on the retreat property: alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, pets.
Outfitting: Bring Your Own Camp Set Up
Bring your camp set-up.
Generally this includes: tent, sleeping bag, ground mat, good shoes, shower bag.
As we learn who is coming, we will try to accommodate shipping of tents, etc. when needed.
Tent Bowers will have been prepared beforehand, chosen for their comfort from sun and distance to facilities. We will team up to help one another set up individual camp sites as well as get acquainted with trails, property rules and regs, prepare and eat a meal together.
North Forest Hike
Packing List
camping clothes (hiking pants, boots, good socks, long sleeve shirt)
extra t-shirts
white cotton or linen long-sleeve shirt
heavy sweater; down vest
work gloves
wide hats for high desert sun
whistle
compass
flashlight and/or headlamp
bug netting clothing for face (goes over your hat: see below) or repellant
yoga mat (we have yoga mats for air travelers)
comfortable workshop clothing
slip-on shoes for around the Barn (easy off for shoeless-ness inside the Barn)
light day backpack for back & forth around Camp
journal & pen
veil
hand fan (the kind that opens & closes)
extra checks or cash for shopping & misc. fees
thumb drive for music
strong moisturizer (high desert; very dry)
sunscreen
toiletries
towel
shower bag
a few small ziplock bags
baby wipes/wet wipes
Note about soap:
Bring unscented, low-sudsing cosmetics to help with water conservation. Please use this for ALL washing needs including hair. (Most soaps have too much lubricant and require three times as much water to wash out.)
Note about bugs:
Mosquitos are, thankfully, occasional but when they do come out they are intense. Having a bug net that covers your head is highly advisable. I also found a good ‘hoodie’ of bug net. These are light weight, pack up small, and far better than insect repellant.
Things To Know and Embrace
No electricity. Go for the ‘do without’ as much as possible.
No running water. We carry our water both for washing and drinking. Good exercise!
Wild animals. Don’t embrace them except in your heart.
About Wilderness
Ravenrock’s deep, regenerative geology heals and accelerates spiritual transformation and mystical opening. Intimacy with nature means removing buffers. We provide the following guidance not to alarm you but to help you embrace the dynamic challenges gifted by Ravenrock.
– Stay Aware
Ravenrock is not a spa. You will have water, food, protection from sun and extreme elements, and access to emergency communication. AND we have challenging terrain, rattlesnakes, bears, and extreme desert conditions; the closest rescue is at least 45 minutes away. Stay aware. We will be learning survival techniques at retreat. Stay aware and you will be perfectly safe.
– Solve Problems
Approach snags as a problem-solving venture. Learn to invent, make do, do without. Please, no whining. None. Really, please.
– Team Work in the Wild
We depend on one another for safety & survival. We will organize a Buddy System to safeguard one another.
Payment, cancellation & tax-dedcution
– The payment for tuition, administered through Dervish Society of America, is tax-deductible.
– Payment includes camping fees, provisions, and food.
– Cancellation and tax-deduction:
Your tuition payment is to DSA. In the event that you are unable to attend and have paid nonrefundable tuition, you can still use your payment as a tax deduction.
