Participants arrive any time after 4:00 in the afternoon. Once registered, they are welcomed by our staff, make and decorate name tags and fill out a survey. Tea, snacks and first conversations mark our beginning.  Our founder, Naj Wikoff, also greets each participant.  Then each woman finds her room (help with luggage is available) and settles in. Most have time to explore the grounds, see the lake and meet others.  

A bell rings to signal dinner which is buffet style. 

After dinner, we meet in the Playhouse to introduce ourselves, orient everyone to Sagamore and explain the schedule. Workshop leaders describe their activities and philosophies. We end up with song, story and meditation. 

Participants sign up for workshops.

Storytelling with Fran Yardley

Fran will tell a story and then present a series of exercises designed to give the participants an opportunity to identify the important stories in their lives. We will experience firsthand the power of listening and being listened to. The goal is to gain a sense of perspective about where we are now and confidence in our ability to go forward. Fran has been writing and telling stories and presenting workshops for over twenty-five years.

Songwriting with Peggy Lynn

Peggy will lead the group in some quiet, easy singing. Then participants will experiment with images, words, humming, rhythm and rhyme. A song evolves naturally. Each woman has the opportunity to add her soul’s expression to the song. Percussion instruments are available. Peggy has been writing, recording and sharing music for over two decades.

Dreamwork with Wanda Burch

Wanda will lead personal dream exploration into how we can use our dreams for self-diagnosis and self-healing. She shows participants techniques for remembering and using dream images to draw on energy and guidance from deeper sources than the everyday mind. Wanda is an 18 year breast cancer survivor and author of She Who Dreams, published in 2003.

Additional Activities

In addition to the workshops, participants have the opportunity to join in sessions of collaborative visual art, gentle yoga and acupuncture. After dinner, we return to the Playhouse for our PJ Party. We celebrate our newly formed community with silly songs and stories, snacks, sometimes drumming and dancing, sometimes quieter reflection and sharing, depending on the mood of the group.

After breakfast, we gather once again for our closing ceremony. We form a circle to give each woman time to describe her highlights of the retreat. We share firelight, songs, stories, poems, dream images and guided meditation. We disassemble our artwork and choose a piece to take home. We take pictures, share hugs and contact information. As we cross the bridge to leave, we begin plans to return.