2025 ~ Singing The Inspiration Of Ossabaw Island
March 21 @ 8:00 am – March 24 @ 5:00 pm
The land as messenger of the music
MARCH 21 – 24, 2025
with Gayanne Geurin & Elise Witt
Ossabaw Island provides a unique environment to connect deeply with nature, the human story of this place, and the creative connections that unfold.
We set off by boat with our captain and island guide, arriving on this 26,000 acre undeveloped barrier island, the only people here for the weekend. Elise and Gayanne lay a framework for connecting with Ossabaw and each other, offering a conduit to creative flow. Chef Lesley Varnadore provides delicious, organic locally sourced meals.
Activities include: Morning meditation, chant, and qigong; Music sessions with songs and improvisation; Listening opportunities for nature encounters; Openings for sharing experiences and creative offerings; Campfire singing; and Solo reflection time.
One full day is dedicated to touring the island with its varied ecosystems – Spanish moss adorning live oaks; rookeries with herons, egrets, and roseate spoonbills; brief glimpses of alligators, deer, and wild pigs; and the 700 year old mother tree – our senses become finely tuned as we deepen our observing, listening, and responding.
We cultivate mindfulness as we contemplate the island’s human history – migratory North American tribes who lived here 5000 years ago, plantation owners and enslaved people, and the woman who is responsible for Ossabaw becoming Georgia’s first Nature Preserve.
Perhaps the only quest left to take, the deepest teaching to learn, is loving the interconnectedness of all things on Earth. These lessons continue to flow into and through us as we gather on Ossabaw Island.
Singing the Inspiration of Ossabaw was a complete reset for mind, body and soul. The island, the music, the group, the food, the expertise of our on-island guide, and the skill of Gayanne and Elise to bring us together all combined to make a beautiful and unforgettable weekend. ~ Retreat participant
https://ossabawisland.org/island/heritage-preserve/
The Club House
https://ossabawisland.org/visit/clubhouse/
- has 3 large room upstairs
- beds are bunk style, each person has a full bunk (upper and lower) to themselves
- 2 rooms have 2 beds
- 1 room has 5 beds
- 2 full baths
- 2 half baths
The Boarding House
https://ossabawisland.org/visit/boarding-house/
- Sleeps 10 – 4 sleeping rooms w/ semi-private accommodations
- 3 downstairs rooms have 2 single beds each and share 2 1/2 baths
- 1 upstairs room has 1 double bed & 2 twin beds w/adjoining full bath
Covid Protocols
- Most of our activities will take place outdoors
- Masks optional
Due to keeping numbers low for Covid and on-island costs, scholarships are not available at this time.
Prices (all inclusive – food, lodging, boat, island tour, workshop fees)
Clubhouse – $1330
Boarding House $1480
Registration open until : Sept. 30, 2024
50% deposit due with registration.
85% refund through Jan. 15;
50% refund through Feb. 28;
No refunds after Mar. 1
Payment is sent separately.
Choose a Payment Option
1) Venmo to @Elise-Witt ((look for my picture with the flowers to confirm it’s me!)
2) Paypal to EMWorld Records @EliseWitt (look for my blue logo to confirm its me)
3) Mail a check to: EMWorld Records, PO Box 148, Pine Lake GA 30072
4) Check or Cash in person