Vision Quest Ceremony
A sacred healing journey and ancient rite of passage to reveal your personal truths and purpose – through solo wilderness ceremony.
Are you feeling it – the call? That unrelenting desire that comes from deep within?
It urges you to disconnect from the familiar, to explore your inner world and release that which is holding you back.
To surrender into the stillness of each moment and embrace the power of this ancient earth-based practice.
To manifest your Vision for your life.
So you can live with purpose, sovereignty and deep nature connection.
That's what Nature Philosophy’s Vision Quest is all about. It's an epic eight-day journey centred around a four-day solo wilderness ceremony.
And if you’re being called – you’re ready.
A transformational dance between your inner landscape and the power of the land around you.
For hundreds of years, humans from all cultures have turned to solo wilderness retreats and vigils to seek clarity, find their true purpose and mark significant life events and stages.
These rites of passage allowed Questors to break free from the familiar and surrender themselves to the moment.
And it’s in this state of utter presence – in the silence, power and protection of the natural world – that their Visions manifest.
It is not easy. But it is profoundly soul-changing.
In our modern culture, rites of passage like this are becoming increasingly rare and challenging to access.
The Nature Philosophy Vision Quest, passed down from an ancient First Nations shamanic lineage, is an answer to this challenge.
It’s a safe space for our community members to gather, step beyond the constraints of their modern lives, and share in this important rite of passage.
The simplicity and universal nature of this Vision Quest ceremony means it works for people of all belief systems and ancestral connections.
Are you ready for your personal power – and everything holding you back from it – to be revealed?
Shake up your life and routine – spiritually and physically – as you remove yourself from the modern world and deeply drop into your spiritual truth and the earth.
Initiate a transformational connection between your inner landscape and the land around you.
Find clarity around your spiritual purpose (including what might be holding you back from reaching it).
Be fundamentally released from long-held emotional blocks and mental patterns.
Begin a profound healing journey guided by your true purpose.
Explore your inner world free from distractions, in a completely new way and environment.
“Potent and powerful”
“My Vision Quest was one of the most potent and powerful processes and experiences I've had. I still feel this unravelling today; two and a half years later. Questing completely changed the trajectory of my life, to shift me to living my Soul Purpose. I felt incredibly safe and held by the quest protectors of Nature Philosophy. My soul hums at the teachings I received. Immense gratitude for the deep knowing that runs through me in every decision I make today.”
– Kate
Be guided by Quest Protectors with over 20 years experience, as you embark on your own four-day solo wilderness Vision Quest.
Vision Quest programs take place over eight or nine days at one of our private wilderness locations in Northern NSW. These locations have been chosen as they are strictly private access, have ample room for solo Quests, and are surrounded by significant forests teeming with energy.
When you arrive, you’ll join the other Questors for two days of Quest teachings, preparation and an initiation ceremony to help you prepare to enter your Vision Quest.
You’ll use your intuition to choose your Quest space – a small circle deep in the bush where you’ll stay for four days.
In this time, you’ll be free to respond to the moment – guided by your inner wisdom while held within the Earth's and Creator's presence.
You’ll break from all things familiar in your normal life – including food – as you fast with water during the time spent in the Vision Quest circle.
You will be able to communicate your needs to our trained Quest Protectors without direct contact, which means you will essentially be in supported solitude in the wilderness.
Your return to base camp will mark the end of your Vision Quest and our cooks will prepare you a nourishing meal from locally-sourced whole food ingredients.
You will then spend two days integrating your experience through guided group and solo integration processes.
In the weeks after your Quest, you’ll be supported by group calls to continue this understanding.
Your Vision Quest Ceremony includes:
An eight-day (for general adults) or nine-day (for men’s and women's quest) program exploring the transformational power of Vision Quests:
Access to a safe, tranquil and remote bushland camping space for your quest.
An initiation ceremony (often a sweat lodge ceremony) to focus our group and prepare spiritually for the Quest.
Two days of thorough preparation for your quest where we’ll go through everything you need to know to dive deeply and safely into the experience.
A four-day and night solo wilderness ceremony where you’ll fast on water.
Two or three days of further solo and group integration processes.
All water and meals on non-fasting days – locally-sourced and made with whole food ingredients – provided around a communal fire.
Safe and supportive counsel from a highly-trained team of Quest Protectors, including one or both Nature Philosophy Founders Katie and Sam.
Quest Protector support throughout your solo experience. We've developed a way for you to communicate your needs to our trained Quest Protectors without direct contact so that you can remain safe and supported whilst following your own innate wisdom.
The option for more intensive personal support sessions before and after your Vision Quest ceremony.
Support before and after your Quest:
3 X online group coaching calls with Quest Protectors:
1 X call two to three weeks prior to your program.
2 X fortnightly calls after your Quest.
A comprehensive preparation package, including an equipment list and recommendations around both your personal and physical preparations to Vision Quest.
Vision Quest is an investment of:
Limited-release early-bird price (expires approx 12 weeks before program begins or until all spots are taken): AUS $1,700 (save $300 today).
Standard price: AUS $2,000.
Payment plans are always available via the booking links. Please be in touch if you need to arrange a bespoke plan.
“Powerfully transformational”
"Vision quest has been one of the most simple and grounded, yet powerfully transformational experiences of my life — shaping and holding me long after the initial commitment.
It is a ritual where I can sing, dance and pray myself back to a soul-centred life. These spaces have given me the strength and courage to lay all of me on the altar, loose my mind and simply listen to something beyond the white noise . Quest is a healing journey that nourishes me deeply. A journey and reclamation of my unique connection to the earth, to source, spirit and to myself over and over again.
Journeying with Nature Philosophy for my first ever Vision quest was such a big blessing. I had been struggling mentally and emotionally for too long and I really wanted to exit the human experience. Quest helped me to literally sing myself back to life. Not only did I experience my first quest in a safe and supported way, I also gained many teachings from Kate and Sam’s experiential wisdom that have helped me feel safe to hold solo quests.
I am forever grateful for this ancient practice and to the Nature Philosophy crew for their personal inner work, which has ultimately allowed the team to be able to support such a potent offering with such integrity."
– Lucy
CLAIM YOUR PLACE IN THE NEXT VISION QUEST NOW
The lineage and culture of Stalking Wolf’s Vision Quest
The Vision Quest we offer is a traditional sacred ceremony, passed down in America from a Southern Lipan Apache called Stalking Wolf. Stalking Wolf’s vision included preserving the common truths that ran through many cultures in North and South America.
He sought beliefs, spiritual practices and ceremonies that worked for all people regardless of race. As a result, the Vision Quest he passed down has been stripped bare of any Native American rituals and symbolism – leaving only the core elements and essential truths that lay at the heart of many Vision Quest ceremonies.
While the words “vision quest” are representative of this program’s distinctive North American heritage, it is worth remembering that solo wilderness retreats and wilderness vigils have been found across all cultures since time began.
Meet your Quest Protectors – Nature Philosophy Co-Founders Katie and Sam
If you’re anything like us, the call to Quest has become a powerful force within you. It urges you to seek, to go within, and find your Vision. We know exactly how that feels.
It is our belief that we are all encoded with a Vision for our life’s purpose – and that we can seek it out and embody it in the silence of the natural world.
That’s why we’ve been training in, facilitating and participating in Vision Quest Ceremonies for over 20 years.
This includes extensive training with Malcolm Ring-walt from The Oneness Quest (formerly known as Earth-Heart Institute in the USA) in Australia and abroad.
Over the years, we have been blessed to see participants powerfully transform their lives through the beauty and wisdom of this ancient ceremony.
We are honoured to walk this journey with you and welcome you to be in touch.
Everything you need to know about Nature Philosophy Vision Quests:
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Vision Quests usually run twice a year.
We run Quests for all adults, for men/anyone who identifies as a man, and for women/anyone who identifies as a woman.
Our next Men’s Vision Quest, at Upper Shark Creek, Maclean, Northern NSW, is 26 Apr –4 May 2025. Book your spot here.
Our next Women’s Vision Quest, at Upper Shark Creek, Maclean, Northern NSW, is 23–31 August 2024. Book your early-bird spot here.
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Nature Philosophy Vision Quests are offered across numerous private wilderness locations in Northern NSW.
The upcoming program in November will be hosted on Yaegl Country also known as Upper Shark Creek, Maclean, NSW.
The property is surrounded by Yuraygir National Park and Crown Land and is only available via private access. It also offers the convenience of being 1.5 hours drive from both Coffs Harbour Airport.
The natural landscape is pristine and the quest area is brimming with phenomenal old-growth forest.
It also includes access to a Sweat Lodge, which (weather conditions permitting) allows us to perform a Sweat Lodge Ceremony prior to your Quest.
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The Vision Quest program is usually an investment of $2,000 but you can save $300 if you book an early bird spot. These are limited and expire 12 weeks before the course begins or until all early bird spots are taken.
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Yes, you can pay for your place in three monthly instalments. This option is available via the booking page for the program you want to attend. You can also email us if you need a bespoke plan arranged.
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Yes, this Vision Quest program is available to any human in our community who is genuinely called. You do not need prior experience with camping, wilderness vigils or sweat lodges to apply.
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Preparation is a key part of your Vision Quest and we prefer you to make your booking with us two months before your Quest dates.
However, we understand that sometimes you are called to Quest last minute and, as long as we have spots, we are willing to support you to make it to your Vision Quest.
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Prior to arrival we offer lots of advice around practice fasting. This is a critical part of your preparation and we discuss this on your first group call also, prior to meeting in person at the program.
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Whilst you’ll be solo in your space, our highly-trained quest protectors will remain nearby to support you if needed.
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At any time before or after your Vision Quest you can book in to receive personal support. This includes either a one off or series of 60 min 1:1 support sessions with our trained support staff. You can access a one-off session at a discounted rate via the booking page.
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Kate and Sam have trained extensively, as both Vision Quest Protectors and Trainers of Quest Protectors, with Malcolm Ring-walt from The Oneness Quest (formerly known as Earth-Heart Institute in the USA) in Australia and abroad.
Our team of Quest Protectors have also received extensive training in this lineage with Kate, Sam and Malcolm – as well as having significant experience in their own questing journeys.
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Do you feel called to guide people on the powerful rite-of-passage that is Vision Quest? We offer Vision Quest Protector training. It is a comprehensive and intense 10 day initiation that begins your journey of becoming a Vision Quest Facilitator & Protector.
The program includes training in the skills of awareness, spiritual protection, the second level of quest, direct experience with holding protection for a real Vision Quest plus group and individual process. Included in your training is a thorough exploration of the personal, energetic and spiritual frameworks required to offer this powerful ceremony with awesome integrity.
This training will enable you to build a program based business as a Vision Quest facilitator in your local community. You will be equipped to offer rites of passage in the Stalking Wolf lineage to teens and adults at the completion of your training with more intensive mentoring also available to support your emergence as a Vision Quest facilitator.
It is a phenomenal pathway of service and personal transformation that calls to the true seeker of earth sourced spiritual wisdom. You are also welcome to apply if your calling is to focus on deepening your personal Vision Quest wisdom and learning the spiritual skills of protection rather than facilitation.
If you are ready to take your Vision Quest wisdom to the next level we would love to hear from you. Book a FREE 20 min discovery session.
Our 2024 Quest Protector training is fully booked. You can join the waitlist for the next training session here.
“Deeply tranformative”
Here’s why our community is called to Quest:
"A deeply transformative and incredible experience that will be with me forever. Thank you to Sam for your guidance and nuggets of wisdom, the amazing protectors that were rock solid and the brave men that journeyed alongside me!"
– Steve
There is a Vision for your life’s purpose deep within you. You have the power to seek it. To embody it.
Are you ready for your Vision Quest?
Ready to broaden your Nature Connection and grow as an earth-aligned human? Check out these courses:
Nature ONE
Embrace your body-based connection to the earth, with five days of skills, connection and community. Time to reset your inner landscape and nourish your soul. This is a prerequisite for our advanced survival courses.
Quest Protector Training
A 10-day initiation into the pathway of Vision Quest Protection. You’ll explore the spiritual and energetic skills of protecting a Vision Quest, as well as the logistics required to safely organise, facilitate, and protect a Vision Quest for others.
Seven Levels of Quest
Explore unique spiritual pathways to integrate universal truth and deep states of silence into your everyday life. Secure your potential to transform any painful life wound into a purposeful soul experience.