Thriving as a Whole Woman
Wild, Wise, and Bold
April 14 – 19, 2026
What does it mean to thrive? It’s an aspiration that many of us share, but what does it really mean and how do we get there? The same question applies to wholeness. What does it mean to be whole? How can we thrive and be whole in a world that is fragmented and filled with discord? Is it possible?
We think yes. Thriving as a Whole Woman explores our collective wisdom and that of wild nature and the wild feminine to address these questions.
Nature provides abundant examples of what it means to thrive and be whole. Women also have this innate understanding, yet culturally and/or personally we sometimes suppress our natural instincts and create impediments to being our best and boldest selves.
This program builds on the extraordinary and joyful inaugural 2024 Thriving as a Whole Women program and offers some of the same ingredients, while introducing new ideas, opportunities, and practices. We follow the traditions of all Center for Nature and Leadership (CNL) programs: time together and time apart, deep listening, contemplation and meditation, guided conversations and silence, shared meals and the gifts of community, and solo immersions in wild nature. We are adding more in-depth exploration of wholeness and thriving and will learn from the wisdom of women creatives and thought leaders, as well as each other. We also explore our local desert and riparian ecosystems in new ways and discover the teachings they offer. Most importantly, we dive deep into what it means to be wild in today’s fragmented, competitive, controlled and domesticated world. Not wild as in crazy and out of control, but wild as in authentic and real.
We will convene on the wild desert lands of the Aravaipa Canyon, Arizona, as an intergenerational, cross-sectoral community, reuniting existing members of the CNL community and welcoming newcomers as we strengthen the diversity of our networks and perspectives.
The process the leadership used in structuring this group to lead, activate, integrate, reflect, and share was incredible. Most Valuable was creating time and space to do SOLO journeys in nature. While I always knew intuitively that nature was a natural healer for me, creating this intention to see how it connected to the rest of my being was a great revelation.
Terra Shimada
In this program, you will:
- Join a circle of women ready to support each other’s thriving and wholeness
- Deeply immerse yourself in nature, discovering nature’s ways and teachings
- Practice listening in different ways, especially nature’s many tones and the whispers of your inner voice
- Tap into women’s wisdom: your own, each other’s, and inspirational women teachers and creatives
- Lovingly identify and restore that which gets in the way of being your authentic self
- Identify your core values and name your intentions
- Claim and act on your discoveries.
Registration and Readiness
When & Where:
April 14-19, 2026
Aravaipa Canyon Ranch, Winkelman, Arizona
The ranch is nestled at the foot of Brandenburg Mtn. A spiritual labyrinth invites walking meditation, the quiet library awaits for reading and reflecting, and the deck that overlooks the creek has endless possibilities. We’ll gather around the outdoor firepit or indoor fireplace.
Investment:
$930 – $1600. Registration before January 15, 2026
$1,050 – $1,750 after January 16, 2026
Registration closes on January 31, 2026.
Tuition includes guiding and venue fees. You are free to select any price within this range. Choosing the high end amount allows us to build our organizational capacity to provide more programming, provide more scholarships for future program participants, and provide more equitable compensation for our guides.
Interested, but the cost is prohibitive? Learn more about our scholarships here.
Accommodations:
Aravaipa Canyon Ranch has a flat fee for accommodations that is included in the program price. You choose! Camp outdoors under the dark sky and stars in the majestic green space. OR there are simple, indoor shared sleeping rooms. Shared sleeping rooms have individual beds, with 2-4(max) women/per room. Campers will have full access to all lodge facilities; such as bathrooms, kitchen, laundry rm, etc.
And the vast indoor and outdoor community spaces are for everyone to use, experience, and enjoy!
Meals:
Participants are responsible for providing their own breakfasts, lunches, beverages and snacks. Guides will prepare a welcome dinner on the first night. You will be randomly assigned to one of three dinner teams to purchase and cook a simple dinner for the group on the remaining nights. We will share dietary accommodations for the group dinners prior to coming together so that the teams can integrate your needs. This program will be alcohol-free, with the exception of the final evening when we will be having a celebratory closing meal.
What to Bring:
For those choosing to camp, please bring your own personal camping gear. If you do not own camping gear, another participant may be able to bring gear for you. This will be part of the self-organizing that guides will initiate prior to the gathering that will include flight arrivals, car-pooling & food shopping. A full packing list will be provided to participants prior to the program.
Photo credits Aravaipa Canyon Ranch
Your Guides
Cary Gaunt, Ph.D.
Two great loves comprise the heart of who I am and the work I do in the world. One is a profound connection with the earth forged by my childhood on a small farm and honed through a lifetime of listening to the land, exploring, and living in natural places. The other is a deep spirituality comprised of contemplative and nature-based practices, Soulcraft™, spiritual discernment, and wilderness rites of passage. I weave these two great loves in my work as a sustainability leader and contemplative practitioner and teacher. My commitment is to support organizations and individuals in moving beyond sustainability to restoration and flourishing.
Chris Schneider
I am a deeply-rooted, insightful nature connector. I am a certified interpretive educator, certified master naturalist, and president of The Central Highlands Master Naturalist Chapter. I’m dedicated to outdoor youth experience-based education, I am a program co-lead, and personally teach elementary students in outdoor habitat environments. I bring 29 yrs of corporate leadership experience and I’m honored to be a nature-based leadership guide for the Center for Nature and Leadership. I give my leadership and volunteer service to the Grand Canyon Nat’l Park, the Grand Canyon Trust, and the Highlands Center for Natural History. A poem I greet each day with: Lessons for living a life ~ Pay attention, Be astonished, Tell about it. Mary Oliver
To secure your spot, complete the online registration no later than January 31, 2026
