Events and Activities

Offerings for Opening & Transformation

Evolving practices invite us to listen, open, heal and feel our way into stillness and mindful being—with ourselves and with the world. Healing Walks, Woods Music, Placemaking, and Seasonal Celebrations have grown Our Story; new ways of conscious partnering with the land are now emerging. Recently developed offerings, others in the works, and an old favorite are described briefly below. See Calendar for schedule of upcoming activities and programs.

“There is just one question. How to love this world.” —Mary Oliver

Ben Cosgrove at Manitou, then West River Cafe Standing Stone Reception Sun. Sept. 20, 4PM

Ken Burns-commissioned pianist Ben Cosgrove, the globally acclaimed, nature-inspired composer, is playing the Manitou Woods concert venue on Sunday September 20th, 4:00PM at 300 Sunset Lake Rd Williamsville. Following will be a reception with Ben at West River Cafe, catered in collaboration with Valley Craft Ales of Wilmington, and Dummerstone's own Gravitas, "The Original Stone Standing Game", that's taken the gaming industry by storm as the response of Nature, sculptors, and creatives of all sorts to digital screens. If rain looms, the venue will be West Dummerston Grange Bldg. on West St., just off Rt. 30.

The Boston Globe describes Ben Cosgrove as “a sonic plein-air painter… [with] his piano as a paintbrush,” exploring themes of landscape, place and environment. His collaborations run the gamut from rock bands to research scientists and film projects that include the recent Ken Burns documentary "The American Buffalo". He has held residencies and fellowships with NASA, Acadia National Park, White Mountain National Forest, Isle Royale National Park, Harvard University and Middlebury College, among others.

Ben's music has been called "deeply impressive" (Independent Clauses) and "immediately evocative and fully arresting... brimming with technical mastery and emotional capital" (Seven Days). Sound of Boston has described him as "an expert at painting sonic portraits of curious, unexpected places." His latest album, Topograph, a collection of sixteen new pieces inspired by land-shaping processes around the country, was released in January 2026.

Playing in Nature, at Manitou, follows his recent yearlong project in southern Vermont with the Landmark Trust USA and the Brattleboro Music Center, which involved exploring and writing music evokecd by the Whetstone Brook and the Dutton Farmhouse/Scott Farm. He's also been working the last year with the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, CT, as their first-ever artist-in-residence, with the assignment of "poking around all 410 miles of New England's mightiest river throughout the year and composing four new songs inspired by different moments along its course."

Concert and non-concertgoers alike are invited to the reception at 485 West River Rd (rte 30) at 6PM, where West River Cafe is pleased to announce extended hours Thursday - Saturday till 9PM, with enhanced menu and beer, wine, hard cider and elixirs.

The Manitou Project is thrilled to be sponsoring this multi-faceted celebration of and Community with Nature. Rain or Shine: $20 tickets at the gate: Directions: 300 Sunset Lake Rd, Williamsville:,1.4 miles up Sunset Lake Rd. from Williamsville Village, sign on right. Or approximately 5.6 miles over the top of Sunset Lake Rd. from Rt. 9. For more, contact [email protected], call 802-258-8598, or go to bencosgrove.com.

Come Home to Nature,
a Mindfulness Retreat with Amanda Kenyon

Sat. Sept. 12, 9 AM to Noon:
$20 Registration fee

Nature reminds us that we live in a perpetual state of change and impermanence. Nature also
reminds us that we belong–in every moment–that we are not small, but an important part of a
big whole. Most of all, nature reminds us that we are not a separate self, that we inter-are. We
come from Earth, belong to Earth, and will return to Earth.

This offsite morning retreat is an experiential practice for reconnecting with nature. The
approach is inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, “forest bathing,” or “taking in the
atmosphere of the forest.” The structure of the morning follows an approach pioneered in
America by Amos Clifford, which integrates principles from Buddhism, wilderness guiding,
experiential education, indigenous wisdom, psychotherapy and nature pedagogy. We will be
guided by Amanda Kenyon, Certified Forest Therapy Guide.

The forest bathing practice is a heart-centered approach to nature reconnection that
interweaves present moment awareness, embodiment/somatic awareness, the senses and the qualities they invite, and gratitude and reciprocity. During the retreat, Amanda will offer
experiential invitations that allow us to individually explore a sense of our universal belonging,
an awakeness to the Nature that we are part of, and an opportunity to come into right
relationship with Earth and each other. Amanda will also offer a guided group sensory-
awakening meditation to ground and relax into our environment, as well as a group gratitude
ceremony and Touching the Earth practice in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village.

The retreat will be a combination of sitting, walking, and meandering over about a mile on gently rolling terrain. Small sit mats and a few portable stools will be available for anyone not wishing to sit directly on the forest floor. If you have your own portable cushion, folding stool, or other
comfortable, transportable seat, you are welcome to bring that. Participants are encouraged to
bring water and wear sturdy shoes. You may also wish to bring insect repellent, a hat in case of
passing showers, a bug head net, snacks or medications you may need, or a walking stick if
support is needed for uneven terrain. An outhouse is located onsite.

For More Information and Registration, go to:
Come Home to Nature with Amanda Kenyon - Vermont Insight Meditation Center.
Directions will be provided to registrants. A portion of your dana to Amanda will be donated to The Manitou Project.
In the event of steady rain or unsafe conditions, a rain date will be set. In case of light showers, the retreat will be held as originally scheduled.
Space is limited to 15 participants and preregistration is required. Directions, carpool
instructions, and weather considerations will be emailed to participants in advance. Registration
closes at noon on the Friday before the retreat.

Creating Sacred Space

Marianna Jacobs is a local energy healer grounded in years of Shamanic Transformational Energy Healing and training through healing modalities from Peru, Bali and India. She has a full-time healing practice with individual clients and leads workshops, retreats and classes for healing and Yoga. Her love and connection with the outdoors fuels her passion to share the knowledge and healing tools she’s acquired from Andean cosmology, Ancient Chinese wisdom and Indian Vedas.

On November 6th, 2023, 2:30 - 5:00PM—at the confluence of the Full Moon and Daylight Savings—Marianna will lead a Transformational Energy Forest Retreat & Fire Ceremony, where we’ll open Sacred Spaces together as individuals and as a group with Nature, creating individual forest Mandalas for exploration, rediscovery, affirmation, transformation and energetic healing, focused on specific openings to new pathways of discovery. We'll end with a fire ceremony to release heavy energy, celebrating our unique light with the support of the Full Moon. Suggested donation, $25.

Though this event happened a couple of years ago, we look forward to hosting Marianna for similar events in the future.

For more on Marianna, visit Lightnstone.com.

Co-Creating a Life of Purpose

Co-creating a life of purpose through release into our full selves, retelling our story in attunement to who we are called to be today. Workshops in the making draw on Joanna Macy’s Work That Reconnects and others.

Releasing into our shared future

Healing Walks

Healing walks on the land have long been a favorite of locals and visitors taking the short drive up Sunset Lake Road—2nd and 4th Fridays, Spring through Fall—to gather beneath the tall oak and pine for the stroll to the In-between Place to breathe and listen; first to the stillness and teeming life of forest and fen, then to shared reflections from the walk held in silence.

Earth Day walk with friends

Events