Frequently Asked Questions Overview
Womyn of Wunjo is deeply rooted in community and will be exploring ways of building authentic, equitable relationships through all of our time together.
We will foster deep connections with each other as well as the land. To accomplish this, our event space will be substance-free and we will strongly encourage all participants to fully unplug from the digital world. This helps us intentionally engage in ways that we don’t get to in our day-to-day lives; to slow down and tune into our own rhythms and directly access guidance available to us from the natural world. These are critical aspects for how we Re-Member.
FAQ:
Who is this for? Cis-women (womyn) 18+.
What does “wunjo” mean? It’s a Germanic rune designating joy and kinship.
Why “womyn”? We are reclaiming this word that came out of feminist consciousness groups in the 1970s & 80s to assert our right to self-determine, free from any association with men. The terms ‘women’ and ‘woman’ literally define us in relation to men, and are a patriarchal construct. We honor our agency, autonomy and choice in how we identify.
Is this for cis-gendered women only? This year-long Mystery School is guided by our training within the Dianic Wiccan Tradition. This is a Goddess and female-centered, earth-based feminist tradition that focuses on the cultural practices, healing and spiritual empowerment of female-bodied people socialized as girls and women. While we respect and honor folx across the gender spectrum, this offering is best suited for cis-women/womyn. If you are interested in offerings for all folx, please reach out to Melanie at womynofwunjo@gmail.com to be added to her mailing list for future events.
Do you have to have a particular religious or spiritual background to participate or feel comfortable? Is this just for white womyn? We are going to be exploring earth-based practices rooted in cultures that archeologist Marija Gimbutus’ research has designated as Old Europe. Because these practices have been systematically villainized, suppressed or entirely erased, as white womyn we have often looked to other cultures to try and find our grounding. We are offering this immersion specifically for those of us who identify as white and who are from the European Diaspora to reclaim spiritual and cultural lineages from our ancestral lands. This is a crucial step to ending cultural misappropriation and neo-colonization. It is also vital in our accountability to people of color that we “do our own work” to dismantle white supremacy in every dimension of our lives. By reclaiming aspects of our white identities centered in egalitarian ways of being, and understanding our complex herstories, we are better able to confront systemic racism.
Where will we be gathering?
We will meet every weekend at an event space located 30 minutes outside of Asheville, NC in a beautiful, private 320-acre forest preserve. Though Western NC has suffered terrible impacts from Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the place where we are gathering was spared from severe damage and is fully operational. We feel that it is particularly important to invest in the recovery of the region–both financially and energetically–by having this program there now. For security purposes, you will receive the exact address and other logistics details once you have registered.
Travel:
The closest airport is in Asheville (AVL) about 30 minutes from our space; we will do our best to help with rides to and from this airport for those who need ground transport. Once we have our full list of participants, we will share with the group so ride-shares can be coordinated. Other airports to consider are Charlotte (CLT) and Greenville (GSP) – both of which would require a car rental and a 2 hour drive to our location, but might have more flight options.
For those traveling by car, there is plenty of parking on-site and 4/all-wheel drive is not needed.
When do the weekend gatherings start and end?
Each time we gather, we start at 9am on Friday and end at 12pm on Sunday. We ask that all local participants plan to arrive between 7:45-8:45am Friday morning to ensure our start time of 9am. If you are traveling from outside of Western NC, we ask that you plan your travel to arrive no later than Thursday evening and be mindful of departure times on Sunday so that you may stay for the entirety of the program. If you need lodging for Thursday night, you may arrive at the gathering space on Thursday evening between 6:00-8:30pm.
Accessibility needs: Our lodging and event space are centrally located on the property and require little walking to get to various activities. If we use outdoor spaces further afield, there will be options for transport if walking longer distances/uphill is an issue. Most bedrooms are up 2 flights of stairs and everyone will be sharing bathrooms; we will reserve bedrooms on the first floor for those with limited mobility. Please contact us with any other accessibility concerns. Please contact us if you have any accessibility concerns at womynofwunjo@gmail.com
Do I have to be ready to hike for miles? How outdoorsy do I need to be?
It will be up to individuals how much outside time/how deep into the woods you want to go. Bring sunscreen and bug spray and know that we do have ticks.
What’s your COVID policy?
We are asking everyone to be particularly vigilant in the week leading up to our retreats. If you are traveling by plane/train/bus, we strongly encourage you to mask throughout your journey. Once we are together, masking is optional and we will have stickers to indicate your preferred social distance. We suggest you are up to date on flu and COVID vaccinations. We will be doing COVID tests on-site prior to the start of each retreat – please bring a rapid test with you.
What kind of food will be available?
We will be providing all meals & snacks. We will have a variety of options to cover all dietary needs. Part of coming together in the community is being mindful about how we talk about food – everyone has their own dietary needs and we want everyone to feel supported and respected. Part of this will be an encouragement of no diet talk or “good/bad” foods. Our meals together will be focused on nourishing ourselves and enjoying our fellowship.
Will there be cell phone and wifi access?
Cell service and internet will be available (though see above re: unplugging from the digital world as much as possible.)
What is included in the year-long immersion?
Four weekends of in person gatherings including: lodging (2 nights per weekend) and exclusive access to a forest preserve and womyn-only space, all meals (7 meals per weekend), one of a kind Womyn’s Mystery School curriculum including extensive hands-on practice with highly trained Womyn’s Circle facilitators.
9am on Friday through 12pm on Sunday the following weekends:
- August 1-3, 2025
- October 24-26
- Feb 6-8 2026
- April 24-26 2026
Plus, we will be meeting virtually three times between weekend gatherings on the following dates:
- September 27th, 2025 10am-1pm EST
- December 13th, 2025 10am-1pm EST
- March 21st, 2026 10am-1pm EST
What does the year-long immersion cost?
Pay in Full:
- $3750 total
- Early Bird registration: $3500 by May 1st
Payment Plan:
- $3950 total by 7 payments of $500 each and 1 final payment of $450, billed on the 1st of each month
- Early Bird registration: $3750 total with first payment by May 1st; total of 10 payments of $375 billed on the 1st of each month
Registration Deadline: June 20th, 2025
If you want to contribute to our scholarship fund, there is an option to indicate how much you would like to offer.
What about refunds or what if I can’t make a weekend?
Because of the nature of this program and all the expenses included, once you have signed up (regardless if you are able to attend or not) we are not able to offer any refunds. If you choose the payment plan and are unable to finish the program, you will still be responsible for your payments.
What’s the lodging like? Will I be able to reserve a private room?
A big part of ReMembering OurSelves is strengthening and deepening our sense of community…and what better way to do that than getting to be roommates! Our lodging is a family-style cabin with all of us sharing rooms and most of us sharing queen beds. However, we will be rotating our sleeping arrangements (unless you have a medical need that precludes that) so that everyone will have access to different options. When you register, please indicate any preferred roommate(s). There are 5 queens to be shared and 5 spaces in twin bunk beds – including 2 top bunks. The single beds will be reserved for womyn who need them for medical reasons.
Are there any options for financial assistance?
Yes! If you are in need of financial assistance in order to participate, we invite you to reach out to us for more info at womynofwunjo@gmail.com. Though we know that finances are tight for most of us, it’s imperative to understand that our political economy does not divvy up resources equitably. We find this information helpful in understanding different financial circumstances. If you have the means, consider making a contribution to support other womyn’s ability to participate.
