LOGISTICS

Important Information for Your Upcoming The Call Leadership Initiation Weekend

Welcome!

The Call is a 3.5-day leadership initiation weekend, designed to help you crystalize your Calling in life at this time. It creates structure for you to live it through purification, discipline, generosity, connection to Grace, and through a powerful rite of passage.

In preparation for The Call, please find important information on this page for the:

◇ Optional Preparation Period

◇ In-Person Initiation Weekend

◇ Integration Period

Please read through this page in its entirety, and be prepared to provide us with information we need in order to best take care of you.

KEY DETAILS

Dates & Times

Please take a moment to put the following events into your calendar:

♢ Optional Prep Period begins September 14

♢ In-Person Workshop: October 5 – 8, 2023 at the beautiful The Land Celebration & Retreat Center in Gore, VA

♢ Follow-Up Call: October 16, 8-9:30pm ET / 5-6:30pm PT

♢ October & November 2023: COR LIFE Membership:
Group Coaching & Check-In Call: October 17, 5-6:30pm PT
Teaching & Practice Call: November 2, 9-10:30am PT
Group Coaching & Check-In Call: November 21, 5-6:30pm PT

QUESTIONNAIRE

If you have not yet done so, please complete the questionnaire now. These questionnaires are a vital part of the process and help us to understand your unique history and needs. If you do not complete your questionnaire at least four weeks before your workshop, you risk forfeiting your spot in the workshop and are subject to our cancellation policy.

PREPARATION PERIOD

BEGIN YOUR INNER JOURNEY

September 14 – October 4

In this (optional) preparation period, you are invited to face and explore what’s blocking you from fully showing up. Below are a few ideas of how you can begin to create a sacred container of inquiry for yourself.

♢ Create a shrine or altar in your home and commit to a daily spiritual practice so you can deepen into Grace
♢ A purifying diet
♢ Abstain from smoking, drugs, alcohol, and sexual activity (outside of a committed relationship)
♢ Offer prayers for yourself and others

Read on for prayers and journaling prompts as well as steps on how to create your own altar.

PRAYERS & QUOTES

A Prayer For Guidance

I rest in you, Spirit of Life.
I place you in my feet, my legs, my torso, my arms, my shoulders, my head and allow you to support all that I am.
I rest in you, Spirit of Life, and give to you my worries, my fears, my doubts, my hopes, my joys, my pains, my anger, my love, my hate, and allow you to take in all that I am.
And as I give all that I am, help me to find the place of truth, stillness, still, eternal where you and I are one.
I breath in, deep, deeply, down, up, all that we are, as I stand on my toe at the edge of the universe, in openness and receptivity to your guidance.
Show me what is needed now.

~ Adapted from Karem Barratt

“Do not be afraid to see yourself for who you really are…
Shine forth your light and fear not your own beauty.”

~Jocelyn Soriano

“It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for, and if you dream of meeting your heart’s longing.”

~ Oriah

“Let yourself be silently drawn to the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.”

~ Rumi

JOURNAL PROMPTS

In preparation for The Call weekend, we invite you to explore the below journal prompts, which will help you cultivate more awareness around your core values.

◇ What are the five core values most important to you, at this point in time?

◇ Why is this value important to you? When have you been able to express this value already in your life? If you were to live your life even more fully according to this value, what would your life look like? How would that make you feel?

Which of these important values are you not fully living in your life? What is holding you back from living it fully? ( Limiting beliefs, judgments of self or others, attachment to an old identify, family ties, etc…)

Examples of Core Values: Acceptance, Accountability, Adventure, Allowing, Authenticity, Awareness, Balance, Beauty, Caring, Challenge, Collaboration, Commitment, Communication, Community, Compassion, Competence, Common Humanity, Courage, Curiosity, Creativity, Discipline, Discovery, Efficiency, Enthusiasm, Environment, Equality, Ethical action, Excellence, Fairness, Faith/Religion, Family, Freedom, Friendship, Fun, Generosity, Gratitude, Happiness, Hard Work, Healing, Health, Helping Others, Honesty, Honor, Humor, Independence, Inner Calm, Innovation, Integrity, Interdependence, Joy, Kindness, Leadership, Lifelong Learning, Love, Loyalty, Mastery, Meaningful Work, Mindfulness, Non-Violence, Openness, Passion, Peace, Personal Growth, Practicality, Problem-Solving, Purpose, Relaxation, Reliability, Resilience, Respect, Resourcefulness, Self-Care, Self-Reliance, Simplicity/Thrift, Sincerity, Stability, Strength, Tradition, Trust, Wealth, Willingness, Wisdom

CREATE AN ALTAR

As you are preparing for The Call weekend, we invite you to create a special altar that provides a very real and very simple reminder of what is important to you in terms of your upcoming initiation journey. Altars come in all shapes and sizes. Your Call altar’s intention is to create a focus for your preparation efforts, your heartfelt intentions, and prayers. The objects you adorn your altar with should represent these intentions and inspirations, and remind you daily to stay connected and engaged on your path to ever more deeply embody your calling. Take time each day to sit in meditation, and reflect on what you would like to let go off and bring forth in to your life. As you create your altar, keep your intentions in mind, and perhaps write them on a piece of paper to place on your altar.

Decorating Your Altar

The foundation of the altar can be a plate, tray, scarf, slab of marble or wood, or just use the floor, table, or shelf that you have. You may want to place photos of teachers, mentors, loved ones, or other inspirations on the altar. Add rocks, crystals, gems, flowers, fruit, jewelry, totem animals, singing bowls, or anything that is special and meaningful for you.

Placing a deity on your personal altar—particularly a deity whose qualities you seek—might also feel helpful to you. Candles or incense are also common altar objects. The symbolism of smoke and fire—the burning away of the old, the transformation of what no longer serves, the fuel to maintain an inner power and strength, is a great reminder of what you will be up to at the Call weekend.

Your altar can be decorated according to the season (with the flora/fauna to accompany it), or to symbolize an element (air, earth, water, fire).

Where to Place Your Altar
Altars can be anywhere! Perhaps you set up a permanent one in a quiet corner of your home where you like to be for your spiritual practice or sit in meditation. Whether to deepen your connection to prayers, to the divine, to the source, or to love, let you altar be a beautiful symbol of life’s cycles: from inspiration from our pasts, to the abundance in our futures. Let this altar hold your intentions for The Call weekend.

Initiation weekend

STEP INTO THE LIMINAL SPACE

October 5 – October 8
The Land Celebration, Gore, VA

Your in-person leadership initiation is a potent, grace-filled weekend designed to help you offer up whatever is blocking you from fully saying “YES.” The weekend will include unique COR components, such as: active and silent meditation, emotional healing, breath work, partner/witness work, chanting, shadow work, your initiation, and processes unique to this weekend.

The Call is an abstemious “medicine journey”; an initiation into the mystical dimension, without mind-altering substances. During this weekend passage, we invite you to purify all aspects of your life, so that you may truly wake up, grow up, and show up. With the deep inner work you will be doing, it is very important to arrive at the workshop sober. You’ll also be asked to abstain from all substances for the duration of the workshop.

Read on for important logistics of the weekend, including dates/times, travel tips, carpool forum, and what to pack.

We request that you turn off your cell phone for the duration of the retreat, to limit distractions and give you the maximum benefit of the experience. Please give loved ones our Event Manager’s phone number in case of an emergency:

Jesika Wachter 917-355-5285

Dates & Times

Thursday, October 5 – Sunday, October 8, 2023

Please plan to arrive by 5:30pm on Thursday. We will complete by 2:00pm on Sunday.

As a reminder, you are not permitted to leave during the weekend. If you do so, you will forfeit your participation.

Travel

◇  Plan to arrive on site before 5:00pm on October 5th to check in.

◇ Dinner is at 6:00pm, and we’ll begin at 7:00pm.

◇ You are also welcome to arrive a day earlier (or stay a night later), which we recommend for people from Europe or the West Coast because of the time change.

◇ If you would like to arrive earlier than the 5th, or stay after the 8th, to enjoy the gorgeous site and have your own personal retreat for an additional cost of $40/night, please email Client Care at info@corexperience.com to check if there is space available. Please note, you will need to provide your own food; the first meal provided is dinner on the 5th.

◇ If you would like to coordinate travel from the airport to The Land Celebration we have created a spreadsheet for you to coordinate together. *Keep in mind it is approximately 1hr and 30 mins from the Dulles International Airport to the Land Celebration.

The Land Celebration
411 Three Oaks Drive
Gore, VA 22637

Problems while traveling? Call our Event Manager:
Jesika Wachter 917-355-5285

WHAT TO BRING

◇ Food for meals prior to Thursday’s dinner (if you are arriving early)

◇ Loose comforting clothes, for 3.5 days

◇ A light sweater and layers for hot/warm (and humid, rainy) weather

◇ Please also bring a special outfit you feel expresses your calling, purpose, and the gift that you are. Jewelry and special adornments welcome! It’s good to note that you do want to be comfortable in this outfit–you’ll be sitting and moving around while wearing it.

◇ Workout clothes

◇ Socks and/or slippers

◇ Running/hiking shoes and slip-on sandals

◇ A bathing suit for the pond

◇ An umbrella and/or rain gear in case of weather

◇ A journal and a pen

◇ Any journal reflections from the preparation period (optional)

◇ A large, covered water bottle

◇ A leak-proof travel cup for hot tea (you will NOT be able to bring any open containers into the group room)

◇ Sunscreen, bugspray

◇ Any medications or supplements, or special dietary items you may need, such as electrolytes, or digestive support…

◇ Toiletry items, make up, jewelry….

◇ An alarm clock

◇ A flashlight with working batteries

◇ A wrist watch

Please also bring extra cash or your checkbook to pay Suwaylu or to tip the chef if you feel called

◇ Staying extra nights at the site (before October 5th / after October 8th) – $40/night

◇ Extra $20 or more if you would like to leave a tip for the chef

covid-19 protocols

As we align with current COVID protocols and CDC recommendations, we are updating our requirements for in-person trainings. We will no longer require a negative COVID test to attend, except in the case of someone who had symptoms or was living with a family member or roommate who tested positive for COVID. Click on the below button to review our full COVID-19 protocols.

INTEGRATION

BRINGING IT FORWARD

The program concludes with 1x 90-min live group call, a buddy support structure, and integration practices through 2 months of the COR LIFE membership program. You will receive an email on Monday, October 9th with a link to join us in COR LIFE on Mighty Networks.

Please join us for these calls:
♢ Follow-Up Call: October 16, 8-9:30pm ET / 5-6:30pm PT
Group Coaching & Check-In Call: October 17, 5-6:30pm PT
♢ Teaching & Practice Call: November 2, 9-10:30am PT
♢ Group Coaching & Check-In Call: November 21, 5-6:30pm PT

For the Follow-Up Call: 
Please join us via Zoom.
Meeting ID: 878 8059 6932
Passcode: leadership

For the COR LIFE Calls: 
Zoom info is located on the COR LIFE Events tab.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many people are at the workshop?

Our workshops are all small group format, generally running between 15 and 20 participants. 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

This work started in England in 1993. Thousands of people from all over Europe, the U.S. and Canada have participated.  The workshops continue to be led in locations throughout the U.S. and, through a sister company, in England.

IS THERE A RELIGIOUS ASPECT TO THIS RETREAT?  WHAT IF I HAVE A SPECIFIC BELIEF SYSTEM OR NO BELIEF SYSTEM AT ALL?

We welcome anyone from any or no religious or spiritual background and have had people from all walks of life participate in these workshops, including Christians, Muslims, Orthodox Jews, Buddhists, Taoists, Mystics, and Agnostics.  At COR, we do believe that inner work is done most holistically and effectively when we address all aspects of our humanity; including the physical, the emotional, the mental aspects of humanity, as well as a fourth dimension, the spiritual aspect.  We use concepts such as meditation, prayer/invocation, and Higher Power/Grace, but we do this in as an inclusive way as possible, allowing you to define this for yourself. We don’t push any particular religion or dogma and allow for everyone’s unique beliefs.  

I’m not into group stuff. Is this still for me?

Our weekend initiations are a different type of group experience. It’s not a lecture, and not a circle where we tell our stories all weekend — yet you’ll enjoy a profound experience of connection. At COR, we believe you’re not meant to walk this path alone. Most of the processes are an internal journey within your own self. You are never required to share anything, and you are welcome to be exactly where you are throughout the entire weekend. However, if you join us, you’re expected to engage, to go ‘all in’, not only for your own healing, but for the entire group. If you are open to trying a new way, it is incredibly powerful to move through processes as a group. You receive as much healing from watching others as you do from your own process — and also develop a deep bond with the other participants.

Will I receive tools from this weekend?

Yes! You’ll receive a framework of how to heal, and you’ll receive many little tools that can help you in communication, in understanding your triggers, in returning to a place of wholeness.

However, this weekend isn’t a lecture or set of prescribed action steps. Rather, this weekend is an experience. A lot of it is an inner journey. Meaning we’ll guide you through processes and inquiries in which you’ll uncover insights and deeper understanding about yourself. Our work is meant to be a journey rather than a quick fix in order to create sustained, lasting change.

What are the facilitator’s qualifications, and what kind of training do they have?

Our facilitators are all trained coaches and professionals. They often come to us with years of experience. Even so, in order to facilitate a workshop for us, they are required to do extensive training with our organization, including four years of leadership and facilitation training as well as ongoing training and oversight assisting at workshops, before becoming fully certified to become a lead facilitator. For most facilitators, this process takes 4-6 years to full certification. You can read more about our facilitators and their unique qualifications on our team page.

Will this workshop “fix” me?

No one is going to wave a magic wand and “fix” you at this workshop. Instead, it’s an opportunity for you to do deep inner work, in the company of similarly committed women, under the guidance of skilled facilitators who have spent years engaged in their own healing, growth and learning. You will receive deep healing at the workshop, healing that can last a lifetime, not a surface feeling that fades within days or weeks. However, we have found that for most of us, the journey is not in fixing anything, it’s in accepting all the parts of ourselves, understanding them, and then moving forward with compassion.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

We are looking forward to a powerful initiation weekend with you all.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.