A Portal to the Imaginal
Artwork by Doug Van Houten
A Portal to the Imaginal
May 22-26, 2025
With Brian Stafford, MD, MPH and Sara McFarland
REGISTER NOW
Please read the detailed INFOPACK for information related to Policies and Procedures, Health, Cancellation etc.
There is a sacred portal, a mysterious door, a green gate, a dark space into certain realms of our consciousness, of our and the collective Psyche. These portals are both within and without. Many of us struggle to find enchantment in the world and a connection to our imagination. An important practice for intentionally accessing the sometimes-hidden realms of the Self, the Earth, and the Cosmos is through the practice of deep imagery.
Around us we see the cleverness of the human ego creating artificial intelligence and striving for virtual reality when, in fact, what we most deeply long for is to step through the portal into our own unique imagination. Deep in our psyches are landscapes and images, beings, animals, guides, saints, demons, heroes, and lovers that are accessed during dreams, sacred medicine journeys, and in deep imaginal journeys. The images, energies, and archetypes we encounter are often aspects of our vast wholeness and they may wish to share, explore, and embody their unique perspectives on the Self, the Earth, and our mycelial relationship with everything. In this realm we share away from interpretation; rather, we explore, interact, embody and move deeper into relationship with these extraordinary images.
In this 5-day immersion, we will offer several deep imaginal journeys and other intentionally designed and interconnected practices, including solo land wanderings, dreamwork, council, ceremonies, conversations with the other-than-human inhabitants, embodied movement, dance, artwork, journaling, and poetry that comes from and invites us into these imaginal realms.
For those longing to take a step toward the journey of soul initiation, to re-enter their imagination, and to recover the extraordinary nature of themselves and experience the nature of the imagining Earth, this experiential intensive is both a great place to start and an intentional step toward bringing the enchanting imaginal realms back into one’s daily life. But, be careful! Sometimes those that step into the portal vow never to step back out.
Dates
May 22-26, 2025 – Start Time 1pm End Time 1pm
Who can participate
The program is open for everyone who is over 18 years old and longs to take a step toward the journey of soul initiation, exploring individual depth and mystery of Nature and Psyche.
Number of participants
- Minimum number for confirming the program – 12 ppl
- Maximum number of participants – 20 ppl
Price an payment
A maximum price – 900 euro
The price will vary depending on the number of participants. Upon registration you will be invited to pay a deposit of 300 euro to secure your place. At the moment of confirmation of the program the final price will be calculated and you will be able to pay the rest by bank transfer or in cash upon arrival in Gudevitsa.
The price for the program includes:
- Accommodation and food (3 meals per day);
- Program fee;
- Organized transfer by bus from Sofia to the venue and back to Sofia.
There will be limited financial aid available for this program for those who are unable to pay the full fee. Please contact ogi@learningforchange.net to express interest for a scholarship and learn more about how to apply.
Guides
Brian Stafford, MD, MPH
Brian Stafford is a guide to the wilderness of nature, wildness, and soul. Called out of academic medicine to serve as a guide to the depths and to serve as an agent of cultural awakening and transformation, he guides with humor, playfulness, fierceness, compassion, discernment, and a deep remembering of the fullness of what each human life can, should, and was meant to be. A native of Colorado and the former holder of an endowed chair and professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, he is currently a guide, Board Member, and Training Director of the Wild Mind Training Program at Animas. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Pacifica Graduate Institute, as well as an expert in psychedelic preparation and integration. He is an avid outdoorsman, teacher, writer, mentor, partner, and parent. He delights in helping individuals rewild and ensoul their lives by assisting in the dissolution of their current life so that they may discover and live from their deeper life, their soul-life. Brian currently makes his home in Ojai, California.
Sara McFarland
Sara (she/they) is a healer of the Golden Web of Life, an Edgewalker singing the Frequencies of Soul, a ritualist in reciprocal relationship with the Holy in the Wild. As an improvisational singer, SoulStoryteller, and guide, she creates Fire Silk and Dreams Earth’s Web, in order to weave paths of golden threads into the underworld and between the worlds for others to follow. She tracks the Life – Death – Life energy of transformation and serves as a Death Doula to that which is dying- both in the personal as well as the collective. She is a Queer, both/and creature, welcoming of the exquisite multiplicity of Life beyond the Binary. Her capacity as a Gatekeeper allows her to presence the many manifestations of life (seen and unseen) blossoming beyond a human-centric perspective. She is a traveler with, a friend along the path – her work is both trauma-informed and compassionate, in service to healing personal and civilization trauma. She is also unafraid to be fierce, lovingly cutting to the heart of the matter – in service to ending the current Paradigm of Life-destroying-ways, as well as the dying that presages the renewal of Soul Initiation. Mystery, the Cailleach and the Dream guide her Muse to live a Soul-led life.
Location
Gudevitsa village, Bulgaria, “School in Nature” educational center
Pictures from the venue – HERE
Food and Accommodation
The program is fully catered, providing healthy vegetarian food. We will pass on any dietary restrictions advised by you at registration.
Accommodation is indoors in a shared rooms with up to 12 beds and outdoors in big festival tents with up to 4 beds. There is also an option to camp in individual tents. In the center we have a limited amount of individual tents and big number of mats and sleeping bags. We will gladly offer you this equipment for free.
Detailed Infopack – Infopack A Portal to the Imaginal
Contacts
For any questions and more information please contact:
Ognian Gadoularov – +359 896756267; ogi@learningforchange.net
Registration
If you are interested to participate in this program fill in the Registration form – HERE