Wind is made visible by the movement of leaves and clouds. Our own breath mixes with wind, and with the breath of the forest and all creatures. As we close our series, we recall that gatherings have impact far beyond what we can see. We release some of our wildest dreams into the wind.

Jennifer DeCoste, Anke Kungl, Toria Aidoo, Sylvia Drummond-Parris, Duncan Ebata and Helene Branch share their wildest dreams. shalan joudry closes the gathering at Stone Bear Tracks by exchanging gifts and thanking the forest. Elder Opolahsomuwehs leaves us with a teaching on ancestral breath and invites us to join in singing the Friendship Song, which has no words.

A fire provides warmth and safety, a place to share stories on a cold, dark night. It can also become threatening when out of control. How can we include anxiety, grief and the heat of conflict in our gatherings as well as the need for belonging and connection? 

shalan joudry takes us inside the wigwam at Stone Bear Tracks. Elder Albert Marshall and Toria Aidoo talk about stories as windows into one another's lives. Brook Thorndycraft, Madonna Doucette, Basia Solarz, and Sylvia Parris talk about holding difficult (and often needed) conversations. Robert S. Wright and James Dube invite us to sit by the fire as we learn how to recognize trauma, and especially white trauma, in ourselves and our gatherings.

What can we learn from the forest about restoring and sustaining the well-being and resilience of communities? 

Jim Drescher points to the forest as a natural, living field of generosity which arises when each species and individual is simply being itself. Aimee Gasparetto and Frances Palliser-Nicholas talk about a reconciliation-in-action project in North End Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Jennifer DeCoste shares the inspiration behind Life.School.House, and Anke Kungl talks about the role of good food. Jim closes with his personal practice of allowing himself to be hosted by the land.