Ancestors and the thinning veil Oct 29-Nov 2, 2026

🕯️ Ancestors and the Thinning Veil

October 29 – November 2, 2026 • Remote Wilderness, British Columbia, Canada

A deep ceremonial passage into the threshold between worlds.

As the wheel of the year turns toward darkness and the seasonal border between harvest and winter narrows, there comes a time when the veil between the living and ancestral realms is believed to grow thin. This retreat honors that sacred passage — a gathering attuned to remembrance, reflection, release, and the wisdom carried through generations. 

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🌒 The Meaning of the Thinning Veil

In many spiritual traditions, the period around late October and early November is regarded as a threshold when the boundary between our world and the ancestral realm becomes more permeable. This liminal moment — often associated with Samhain — invites us to slow down, sit with memory and mystery, and open to voices from beyond our ordinary perception. Here, we work with that threshold consciously and intentionally, inviting connection, healing, and presence with those who came before. 

This retreat is not purely symbolic — it is a ritualized honoring of cyclical endings and beginnings, where participants engage in practices that support deep inner transformation and conscious integration before entering the darker half of the year. 

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🔮 What This Gathering Involves

Across five days, participants will be guided through structured experiences that balance inward reflection, communal ritual, and sacred celebration — all set within a quiet wilderness environment.

🌓 Samhain Night Ceremony

Join in a deeply held ritual that acknowledges the thinning of the veil, honors ancestors, and opens space for ancestral wisdom to be witnessed and felt. 

🕯️ Silent Meditation & Inner Reflection

Dedicated sitting periods support emotional clarity, presence, and receptivity to inner guidance. 

🜂 Shadow Work Practices

We’ll create safe, guided space to approach personal and ancestral shadows — allowing integration rather than avoidance. 

🔄 Rebirth Rituals

As endings are honored, intentional movement toward renewal and spiritual rebirth is cultivated through symbolic rites. 

🫂 Community Celebration of Ancestors

Shared ritual, story circles, and communal presence create a field of remembrance and relational connection. 

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🌲 Why This Retreat Matters

The thinning of the veil isn’t mere folklore — it’s a ritualized metaphor for opening to wisdom from outside our ordinary frame of reference, acknowledging continuity with those who shaped our lives, and limning the boundary between what has passed and what is emerging. Taking intentional time to engage with this threshold can:

deepen ancestral awareness

provide opportunities for emotional and spiritual healing

foster a sense of continuity and lineage

offer guidance for future steps

support a deeper relationship with life and death cycles 

This retreat invites participants to show up fully, leaning into ceremony, solitude, shared space, and nature as teacher. 

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🏕️ Setting & Accommodations

Held in a quiet wilderness location in British Columbia, this retreat uses the natural landscape as part of the ceremonial field — a place where elemental presence amplifies inner work. Accommodations are intentionally rustic, fostering focus, simplicity, and grounding. Participants will bring their own sleeping gear; basic toiletry facilities are provided. 

Meals are prepared as a shared community activity, strengthening bonds and inviting presence in nourishment and practice. 

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👥 Who This Retreat Is For

This rite is designed for practitioners and seekers who:

resonate with ancestral connection and spiritual threshold experience

wish to integrate personal history, lineage, and life choices

are ready to engage with the deep internal work of reflection and presence

value ceremonial form and guided ritual practice

welcome shared and solitary practices with intentional focus 

Both seasoned spiritual workers and those new to threshold retreats will find pathways for depth and insight in this container. 

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📜 Community Guidelines & Ritual Agreements

To maintain the depth and safety of the ceremonial container, participants are asked to uphold:

Respect for sacred space — honoring land, ritual ground, and collective presence

Consent culture — clear boundaries and embodied respect

Full participation — engaging sincerely with practices and gatherings

Simplicity in accommodations — embracing the intentional rustic setting

Confidentiality — holding personal experiences with care

Responsible technology use — phones silenced; limited tech if designated

No photography during core rituals — preserving experiential integrity 

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📦 What to Bring

Detailed packing information will be provided after registration, but expect to bring:

sleeping gear (bag, pad, etc.)

weather-appropriate layered clothing

journal and writing tools

personal toiletries

any personal medications

openness to deep interior and communal work 

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💫 Investment & Registration

Early Bird: $999 CAD

Regular: $1,195 CAD

Registration opens December 2025. 

Spaces are limited to ensure a deep, contained ceremonial field. 

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🔗 A Sacred Threshold Experience

Ancestors and the Thinning Veil is more than a retreat — it’s a ritual passage into reflective presence and spiritual continuity, inviting you to honor what has shaped you and consciously step into what is emerging.

Here, in deep ceremony and quiet wilderness, the living and the remembered meet with reverence. 

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Ancestor mysteries and the thinning veil

Our final retreat of the inaugural year honors the time when the veil between the worlds is the most open. This intimate gathering focuses on inner transformation, rebirth, and setting intentions for the year ahead.

Highlights:

Samhain night ceremony

Silent meditation

Shadow work

Rebirth rituals

Community celebration of the ancestors

$999 (early bird) / $1195 (regular)

Registration opens: December 2025

What to Expect on Our Retreats

Transportation to and from the nearest airport to the wilderness retreat location. 

Accommodations

Our retreats offer rustic camping accommodations. You'll need to bring your own sleeping bag. Bathroom facilities include porta-potties and basic outdoor shower stations.

Meals

Meal making will be a group activety. All retreats include nutritious omnivoire meals prepared with care. We can accommodate some dietary restrictions with advance notice.

Activities

Each retreat includes a balanced mix of:

Guided spiritual teachings

Community rituals

Personal meditation time

Nature connection

Calling forth and communicating with the Deities

Free time for reflection

What to Bring

Detailed packing lists will be provided before each retreat, but generally you should bring:

Sleeping gear

Weather-appropriate clothing

Personal toiletries

Journal and writing implements

Athena 

Founder & Lead Teacher, Temple of Solomon Retreats

Athena brings over 36 years of spiritual practice and teaching experience to Temple of Solomon Retreats. Their journey began in a far too haunted house on the sunshine coast of British Columbia,  Canada.  Leading to deep study of Theosophy very early in life, then the study and practice of magic once she came of age.

 

 

After a vision quest, then again during the Abramelin working years later, Athena was called to create a sacred retreat space where seekers could connect deeply with nature, divine energies, and their own inner wisdom.

Known for her no nonsense approach, Athena creates transformative experiences that balance traditional wisdom with accessible, contemporary approaches. Their teaching style emphasizes practical and effective methodology. 

Example images of our planned retreat property and experiencese. These are not photos of the actual participants for privacy reasons. 

Students agree to:

Honor Sacred Space: Treat the land, sanctuaries, and communal areas with reverence

Practice Consent: Respect physical and energetic boundaries

Contribute Positively: Bring supportive energy to our collective experience

Embrace Simplicity: Accept the rustic nature of our accommodations with grace

Participate Fully: Engage sincerely with the practices and community

Respect Confidentiality: Honor the privacy of personal experiences shared

Practice Self-Care: Take responsibility for personal needs and limitations

Communicate Clearly: Express needs and concerns directly and compassionately

This policy supports clarity of mind and spirit for our sacred work together. Necessary prescription medications are, of course, permitted.

Technology Guidelines

To support deeper connection with nature and spirit:

Cell phones should be silenced and turned off during retreats

Designated "tech" spaces and times will be established, but they will be few and far between. Screens are extremely discouraged.

Photography is not permitted

Conflict Resolution

When conflicts arise, we follow these steps:

Direct communication between involved parties when possible

Facilitated conversation with a community leader if needed

Group process for community-wide issues

We approach conflict as an opportunity for growth and deeper understanding.

Environmental Stewardship

As caretakers of this sacred land:

We practice Leave No Trace principles

We minimize waste and properly sort recyclables and compostables

We use biodegradable products for cleaning and personal care

We honor the natural features and beings of the land

Temple of Solomon Retreats

A sacred space for spiritual growth, connection with nature, and transformative experiences.

Opening Spring 2026