Who We Are

Well-Being

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In a world with so much disconnection and destruction, The Refuge seeks to be a place of healing and wholeness. In the midst of an epidemic of loneliness, The Refuge seeks to be a place of deep connection and authentic community, where all can be known and loved for who they truly are. We recognize generations of research across many disciplines that supports these 6 areas of well-being essential to human flourishing: mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, social, and environmental. We build these 6 elements intentionally into every event from weekend wellness retreats to week-long summer camps for youth and children. 

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Community

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Humans are social creatures living in an increasingly isolating world. Loneliness is at an all-time high and it is leading to a massive mental health crisis. Many of us have lost the community structures that outdated social institutions provided, but we have not lost our need for connection. The Refuge at La Foret provides opportunities for intentional community. Here, you will find a deeper connection to yourself, your community, and the natural world. Here, you can be seen and loved for your truest self while building community and friendships that last a lifetime.

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Transformation

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Transformation is what makes us feel alive. All that does not grow, dies. We all need periodic moments to step away from whatever has become stale in our lives, organizations, and communities to rediscover what brings us to life. As the great Howard Thurman said, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." 
Part of finding that aliveness and growth within yourself requires moving beyond your comfort zone and building your capacity for new things. We all have to face change and growth that pushes us beyond our comfort zone throughout our lives. The Refuge provides the opportunity to do this in a safe and supportive space.

 

Imagination

 

Imagination is an under-utilized skill, but it is essential for human flourishing. In today’s world when so much seems to be going wrong and getting worse, we need imagination to find hope and solutions for the future. Without imagination, we are stuck with the way we have always done things. The possibilities of the future are limited only by our imagination- so let’s dream bigger. “Dreaming is the chrysalis of hope” -Dr. Yuria Celidwen. It takes courage, confidence, and creativity to imagine a new way of being, and Refuge programs build all three.

 

Nature

 

Underpinning all of the values is natural design. Nature is always right. 

This is particularly important to retreats in the concept of rest. The natural world has a rhythm- there is growth and there is rest. All natural beings have seasons of activity and seasons of rest, and humans should be no exception. Without rest, our lives are one big to-do list. The time to pause, slow down, and remember that we are part of nature is invaluable. It allows us to approach our whole lives with more intentionality- to live on purpose. Rest has become counter-cultural in America today. In a productivity-driven society, opportunities for true rest are rarer and rarer, and so they are more and more valuable. Find rest in our 350+ acre pine tree sanctuary.
 

La Foret is located on unceded Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe territory. With the knowledge that this land was stolen before being stewarded by many different groups, we seek to honor all those who have loved and tended to this land before us by building respect for and reciprocal relationship with the land and the more-than-human inhabitants of La Foret.