From August 9-15, the Byron Educational Fellowship held its annual retreat for social and environmental entrepreneurs and community leaders working to advance social change and co-create a flourishing world. The retreat was composed by seven committed mentors and fifteen fellows working on issues ranging from youth empowerment and trauma healing to DEI and ethical leadership; affordable housing and community development to environmental and climate change impact, health technology and reproductive rights to STEM education and food systems. The gathering began under a full moon – sometimes known as the Sturgeon Moon.
The fellows spent the week, in the words of the Byron Fellowship, “articulating and sharing their vision, clarifying and aligning with their purpose, and embodying the practices and ways of being essential for powerfully bringing their vision into reality.” Through a series of activities and guided practices, the fellows expanded on their tools and perspectives, received thoughtful feedback and ramped up the momentum to push their work forward.
The week began with a “Big Welcome” in Cheriklo, a revered grove of black cherry trees behind the guest house, and included a land-based welcome and sharing of the Uplands’ mission and origin story. Participants began to get to know each other and connect with the partners to whom they were assigned. The inaugural dinner began with a short piano piece played by a concert pianist in the dining room, and a reflection about the fellows’ calling and leadership goals. After a meal of Malai Kofta, butter chicken and naan, the group engaged in a Powerful Introductions exercise.
Throughout the week, participants began their day with a brief movement practice after breakfast, then large group time, followed by small group breakouts or time for solo reflection. The themes that organized each day were carefully curated to form an experiential arc:, from Being to Envisioning to Purpose to Transformation to Arrival. Feedback generated was incorporated into subsequent days’ programs that the mentors refined throughout the week.
In terms of Uplands-guided activities and practices, Monday included a visit to the garden and a “Place-based walk”. After a dinner of swordfish kebabs, fried rice, roasted carrots and cabbage salad, fellows enjoyed a fire on the West patio as they got to know each other against the backdrop of a colorful sunset. Tuesday included a hike on the new Perimeter trail around the upper property, and a wood fire in the evening. Wednesday focused on purposeful and powerful conversations between fellows and guided by mentors, and ended with a sound bath in the yoga studio. During Thursday’s theme of transformation, the group engaged in an exercise to identify their allies, nemesis and superpower. A comforting lunch of mushroom soup and dilled potato salad sustained the group through an enthusiastic swim in the Tweedie pond below the guest house, and a celebratory dinner of grilled chicken and mac & cheese led perfectly to a sharing activity on the East patio as the sun went down. Friday was mainly a day of conclusions and closure, with the group departing after an early lunch.
The Uplands is proud of the visionary work of the Byron fellows and mentors and looks forward to serving as the venue for their annual gatherings into the future.
