Friday October 5 to Monday October 8


Dionysos, masked god of the theater, whose gift of wine could bring both inspiration and madness, was portrayed in myth as a stranger, a foreigner, a god unrecognized. The rational, controlled and civilized society of Athens still acknowledged that due homage must be given to the wild, the unknown, and the untamed, within the human heart as well as in the world of nature. Here at the beginning of the twenty-first century, in a society still more rationalized and removed from our natural roots, we have need more than ever to taste the Dionysian vintage, to come to understand the wildness within and give it its due place in our lives.


Join us as we explore the spirit of Dionysos through discussion, storytelling, ritual, dance, maskmaking, and imbibing the god in a small group setting in the natural beauty of western Massachusetts. The course of the weekend will be loosely based on the three-day Greek festival of the Anthesteria, a Dionysian festival of the first wine of the season.





Rite Of The Wine Jar Opening (Pithoigia)

The new wine is opened and carried to the Shrine of Dionysos, where it is offered as a libation to the God. With the libation, we will offer a prayer that the year's wine will do us no harm, and will indeed prove beneficial.




Rite Of The Wine Jugs (Choes)

We will discuss the nature of Dionysos, and retell some of the ancient stories. Through maskmaking, we will explore The Wildness Within. The second day of the Anthesteria ends with a "dumb supper" where we will eat and drink in meditative silence, followed by a procession to the Shrine of Dionysos.






Rite Of The Cauldrons (Chytrai)

The third day of the Anthesteria includes offerings to the spirits of the dead. We will also do some circle dancing, and the main ritual will be the Rite of the Masks of Dionysos.


The Anthesteria Is At An End

In our closing circle, we bid hail and farewell to the Gods and Spirits we have worked with over the weekend.




Please Note:
Every attendee will be expected to participate fully in the weekend's activities.

The retreat officially ends at 2 PM, which includes time to leave the site clean and ready for the next guests. Please plan to participate in cleanup of your own room and also the common areas; if you absolutely must leave before 2 PM, please arrange to complete your cleanup duties before you leave.

Directions to the site (and a full list of what to bring with you)will be sent upon receipt of registration. Space is limited, so register now to ensure your spot - last year's Autumn Retreat was fully booked and we had to turn people away!


Click here for "Anthesteria Q&A" - Required Reading for Retreat Registration!

Click here for the main Retreat Page
Click here for an Anthesteria Retreat Registration Form in PDF format
Click here for an Anthesteria Retreat Registration Form in HTML format