Celtic Gathering

Description and Details
Invitation
About John and Karen
How to Register
Lodging Options
Articles and Links

Description and Details

The Celtic Gathering planned for 2013 had to be postponed, due to a major illness that precluded John Cantwell from traveling overseas. It will be rescheduled for 2015.

Invitation

Dear friends and colleagues,

We are pleased and excited to announce an upcoming event this Fall that promises to be a unique opportunity to experience the warmth and richness of Irish-Celtic spirituality. We are hosting John Cantwell and Karen Ward, from Dublin, Ireland, to bring their wisdom and very Irish presence to the Four Corners. They will lead a special gathering at the Sundance Bear Lodge in Mancos, CO on Friday evening, Oct. 11 through Sunday afternoon, Oct. 13:

We have joined them twice in Ireland for International Gatherings and can attest to their knowledge, grace and hearts. To experience their gatherings is to come away rooted in a new understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. The theme of this gathering is oneness and connection, which will be experienced on many levels. The description above shows the very exciting depth and breadth of the journey we will take together.

We invite you to come and experience this indigenous wisdom and its oneness with our own native traditions in the Southwest. There is great richness and information for us as we look back to the roots of our ancestors and the messages of the natural world and bring forward understanding and practices that add meaning to our lives today.

We would be honored to have you come join us. Space is limited to 25 people. Just for your information, lunches on Saturday and Sunday will be catered by Zuma's Natural Foods in Mancos, and dinners Friday and Saturday will be catered by the popular Absolute Bakery and Cafe in Mancos. Dinner on Friday will be served starting at 6 pm, with the actual gathering starting at 8 pm. It will be a magical evening and weekend.

Best regards,
Terry and Rose Stout

About John and Karen

John Cantwell and Karen Ward are husband and wife, both born and raised in Ireland and currently living in Dublin. They are co-founders, directors and teachers at their school of Shamanism and Holistic Living called 'Sli an Chroi' (Gaelic for "Pathway of the Heart"). They have both written on many subjects, and they have brought their teachings to England, the Netherlands, the US, Australia and Peru. They are at the forefront of contemporary shamanism, working and teaching the pre-Celtic and Irish Lineage, which respects the ancestral past while creating and progressing the indigenous consciousness from within.

John Cantwell has a B.Ed Honours degree from the University of Limerick. He taught Physical Education and English and has a background in professional and educational drama. He is a renowned lecturer on Men's Issues and Health and has been a facilitator of projects for young people in areas of less socio-economic advantage. John is the author of numerous articles for holistic health and spirituality journals. He was a Shamanic Counsellor on RTE TV's 'Health Squad' and a contributor to the film "This Sacred Earth: 2012 Phenomenon". John leads a monthly men's group in Dublin called Fir Le Cheile (Gaelic for "Men Together"), and he has facilitated men's workshops in the Netherlands and the US. At his clinic, he has many years of experience offering a healing space to men of all ages and backgrounds, making breakthroughs on a wide range of issues. Close to John's heart is his love of sharing sacred sites in Ireland and Peru with people who appreciate the energy and the wisdom that they hold.

Karen Ward is proud to be an Irishwoman from a long lineage of healers. The name Ward in Gaelic means "Daughter of a Bard", and her storytelling skills are renowned at home and abroad. She has an Honours Science degree from UCD and practices Holistic Psychotherapy, Stress Management Coaching and Energy Therapy in Dublin. She is an established lecturer, giving motivational speeches on a variety of holistic health subjects. As Energy Therapist from BBC TV's 'The Last Resort' and Holistic Therapy Presenter from RTE TV's 'Health Squad', she brings a wealth of healing skills to her work. Karen regularly writes for a variety of Irish magazines, newspapers and is author of the best-selling book Change a Little to Change a Lot. For many years Karen taught Hatha Yoga and Holistic Weight Management classes in Dublin. She is a Shamanic Practitioner, Mentor and Counsellor trained in the Q'ero Peruvian Lineage and Celtic traditions. She treats all her treasured clients from a mind, body, spirit & energetic perspective.

How to Register

To register: trstout0602@gmail.com
or call (970) 946-1438

Deposit and Refund Policy: A deposit of $100 per person is required to hold space at the gathering. A refund will be given if cancellation notice is received within 7 days of the gathering. If notice is less than 7 days, the deposit will be forfeited.

The balance of the payment is due prior to the gathering (unless prior arrangement has been made to make the final payment at the venue on Friday evening, Oct. 11, prior to the start of the workshop).

Lodging Options (at or near the Celtic Gathering)

The options listed below range from basic, inexpensive, and very clean nearby motels to various-priced and unique B&B's. Also included are 2 camping options. Refer to Websites for more information. Other options are farther away in the towns of Durango and Cortez. Please contact lodging establishments directly for reservations.

B&B's

Chicken Creek B&B (3 minutes, 2.89 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
41372 Highway 184 Mancos, CO
970-749-3520 or 505-249-4501
www.chickencreekbedandbreakfast.com
5 guest rooms, 2 shared bathrooms, guest kitchen, $120-150

Flagstone Meadows B&B (18 minutes, 9.18 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
38080 Road K-4 Mancos, CO
800-793-1137 or 970-533-9838
Google 'flagstone meadows mancos' and click on their website
8 guest rooms, each with private bath, $115-125

Lost Canyon Lake Lodge (10 minutes, 6 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
15472 CR 35.3 Mancos, CO
970-882-7871
www.lostcanyonlakelodge.com
- 4 guest rooms, each with private bath $125-145 (2 rooms sleep 4, with small added charge)
- Separate cabin sleeps 4, $175

Sundance Bear Lodge (Venue for the Celtic Gathering)
38890 Highway 184 Mancos, CO
866-529--2480 or 970-533-1504
www.SundanceBear.com (make reservations by calling them and mention the gathering)
- Log Cabin: A queen bed downstairs and a double bed in the loft, one shared bathroom and a small kitchenette. Both sleeping areas have separate entrances from the outside. $175
- Guest House: 2 separate bedrooms, 1 shared bath and full kitchen. Private entrance to each bedroom. $250 for both bedrooms

Willowtail Springs (14 minutes, 8 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
10451 CR 39 Mancos, CO
800-698-0603
www.willowtailsprings.com
3 private self-contained lakeside cabins, $249-279

Motels

Country West Motel (5 minutes, 4 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
40700 Hwy 160 Mancos, CO
970-533-7073
Google 'Country West Motel Mancos' to see pictures
$40-70

Mancos Inn (6 minutes, 4.5 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
200 E. Grand Ave. Mancos, CO
970-533-9164 or (970) 396-9240
www.old-mancos-inn.com
Several private rooms sharing a bathroom and kitchen; hostel-style feel $65

Mesa Verde Motel (5 minutes, 4 miles from Sundance Bear Lodge)
191 Railroad Ave. Mancos, CO
800-825-6372 or 970-533-7741
www.mesaverdemotel.com
$50-54 (mention Sundance Bear gathering)

Camping

Mancos State Park (15-20 minutes from Sundance Bear Lodge)
42545 CR N Mancos, CO
970-882-2213 or 800-678-2267
www.parks.state.co.us/Parks/Mancos/Camping
32 campsites $16 per night
2 yurts that each sleep 6 $70 per night

Sundance Bear Lodge: Pitch a tent at the Celtic Gathering site. Shared bathroom in the Main Lodge, but no showers. $25 per night

Articles and Links

"The Anam Cara Tradition: Calling Our Hearts Into Oneness" by John Cantwell
(Published in E.P.I.C. magazine, Durango edition, July-August 2013)

epicmag.org