The Wild Mirror
A Wilderness Rites of
Passage for Adults
19-28th March 2026
Includes: Camping, Meals, Two Days of Intention Setting, 4 Nights Solo Fasting, Three Days Integration, Pre arrival prep support and post program follow up
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Are you longing to pause, reflect and reset?
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Has the fast pace dried the edges of your creativity?
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Are you longing for solitude and reflection to listen deeply?
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Are you hearing the call to know yourself more deeply?
In today’s Western world, we can easily find ourselves spending our precious lives on screens with very little time connecting with the natural world around us. Many of the traditions that once helped people move through major life changes—like coming of age, becoming a parent, or facing loss—have faded from modern culture. Yet, we still long for ways to acknowledge transitions in life and space to make know ourselves more deeply in the fast changing world.
A vision fast is one powerful way to do that. It’s a contemporary version of an ancient rite of passage, where you step away from your daily life—no phone, no work, no distractions—and spend intentional time alone in nature. Usually, it involves fasting (eating little or nothing), spending time in solitude, and opening yourself to reflection and insight.
Why do this? Because sometimes we need to step out of our routines to really hear our deeper wisdom. A vision fast gives you space to ask big questions like “Who am I now?” and “What do I have to offer the world?” In the quiet of nature, the answers move from muffled noises to clear and heart felt knowing.
People often return from a vision fast with a deeper sense of clarity, purpose, and belonging—not just to their community, but to the Earth itself. Life can start to feel more meaningful, more grounded, and more aligned with what truly matters.
It’s not easy—but it’s powerful. And in a world that moves so fast, taking time to pause and reconnect might be one of the most important things we can give ourselves.
Structure of the Program
The is an 10 day program that includes pre- and post-individual sessions to support participants to gain the most from their experience.
The first two days on the land will be in a group where you will be supported by your guides to gain clarity on your intention and to prepare. The solo time is four nights of solo fasting, after which you are welcomed back with ceremony by your guides and supported to integrate and weave your experience on the land into your daily life.
Follow-up support after you go home is also included.
To learn more and schedule your preparation call, please complete the registeration link above
Whats Provided:
Camping (Bring your own Tent, sleeping bag and sleeping mat)
Basic shower facilites
Composting toilets
Plant Based Gluten Free Meals
Guiding
Introducing Your Guides
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Jaime Howell
At age 52, I own the grey hairs and the battle scars. I have won and lost, achieved and failed, been fooled, and dazzled by projections. I claimed my gold back and am attempting to put the brown paper bag of enlightenment into action by living in a Community, by rolling my sleeves up and helping humans reconnect with their belonging and the passion to live connected to their deepest purpose and gift. I believe our communities are hungry for something more nourishing than a story of continuing separation from nature.
I feel a growing motivation to be a part of the co-creation of innovative programmes of education that help people meet the challenges we are facing on a global and local scale. The old maps no longer work, and the new ones are not yet formed. I am drawn toward older intelligences — in body, psyche, land, and community — and toward what might be called an instinct for wholeness.
I am the founder and director of the charitable trust, the Centre for the Great Turning. The trust develops nature-based, intergenerational residential immersions that support people in meeting grief, change, and transition with maturity and creativity.
The work is shaped by descent, initiation, and the restoration of belonging, and is informed by the work of Bill Plotkin, Francis Weller, Joanna Macy, Open Floor, non-dual contemplative traditions, rites of passage, shadow work, and the creative arts, as a way of asking better questions and widening our collective imagination.
Toni McErlene
I have always had an experience of deep connection and support with the natural world so my path into this work facilitating Rite of Passage and Somatic Ecotherapy, has been an evolutionary journey following each step as it arose, trusting my body’s wisdom and following the shiny bits in life in life that gave me delight.
My journey has been from working directly with plants and the landscape in horticulture, landscape design, restoration, then into the human relational realm of counselling, Nonviolent communication and then eventually taking joy in bringing both of those aspects of my life together in guiding and ecotherapy. Guiding Rite of Passage ceremonies are especially rich for me, I feel blessed to both support and witness the deepening into sacred presence of each person who embarks on these journeys. It’s truly an honour.
I have a Bachelor of Counselling, and have trained in Horticultural therapy, Somatic Ecotherapy and Nonviolent Communication and Somatic Approaches to Trauma. I have a private practice in Otago offering Somatic Ecotherapy, Rite of Passage ceremonies, couples work and mediation.