🌿 Five Elements Living: A 10-Day Immersion in Daoist Philosophy & Earth Connection

Join us for this Camping in Nature

August 14 – 23, 2026 • Near Gravenhurst, Muskoka, ON

with Era Birfer, Sonja den Elzen R.Ac, & Leslie Brennan

Return to the Rhythm of the Living Earth

Come home to the pulse of nature and the quiet intelligence that lives within all things.
For ten days and nights, we’ll live immersed in the teachings of the Five Elements — not as concept, but as a way of being.
Rooted in Daoist philosophy, foraging, natural craft, and embodied practice, this journey invites you to re-member your place in the great web of life.

Together, we’ll cultivate presence, creativity, and connection — aligning body, mind, and spirit to the seasonal rhythm of late summer, the Earth phase — a time of nourishment, harvest, and harmony.

The Experience

✨ Ten days of elemental living — and ten nights under the stars
Our riverside forest camp, twenty minutes from Gravenhurst, rests beside two waterfalls, a clear running river, and forest trails alive with birdsong.

Your immersion includes:

10 nights of camping on private riverside land

10 days of nourishing seasonal meals — whole, wild, and lovingly prepared

Daily workshops in:
• Daoist Five Element philosophy
• Shiatsu & body-based energetics
• Foraging & plant-medicine walks
• Natural plant dyeing & land art
• Whole-food and wild-food cooking

Daily cultivation practices — qi gong, yoga, breath cultivation, and meditation

Evening fire ceremonies & vibrational sound journeys for integration and renewal

One personalized Shiatsu treatment from one of the guides
(Option to add two additional treatments for $300)

Your Guides

Sonja den Elzen R.Ac

Founder of Cedar Healing Arts, Sonja is a Registered Acupuncturist, Shiatsu Therapist, Daoist Practitioner, and Transformation Guide.
Her work bridges ancient Chinese medicine, sound healing, and embodied spirituality, guiding others to remember their innate harmony with nature and the cycles of life.

Era Birfer

Wisdom elder, land steward, and foraging guide. Era has spent decades living in attunement with the elements through macrobiotic cooking, seasonal living, shiatsu, and earth artistry.
She brings teachings of nourishment, reciprocity, and the subtle dialogue between human and land.

Leslie Brennan

Thai massage therapist, altar builder, and space holder who infuses every action with care and devotion.
Leslie will guide you in seasonal food creation, altar building, and somatic connection to the elemental world.

What You’ll Receive

🌿 Embodied Daoist Wisdom — Learn to live the Five Elements through daily practice, movement, and mindful living.
🔥 Ceremony & Transformation — Firelight, sound, and community open pathways for release, insight, and renewal.
🥣 Nourishment for Body & Spirit — Every meal prepared from wild, local, and seasonal ingredients aligned with late-summer energy.
🌊 Rewilding & Earth Connection — Forage, dye, and create directly with nature’s palette.
💆 Healing Touch — One included Shiatsu treatment to harmonize your energy and deepen integration.

Investment

$2,800 CAD per person
Includes 10 nights of camping, 10 days of meals, all workshops and ceremonies, and one Shiatsu treatment.

🌸 Early-bird pricing: $2,300 if registered with deposit by March 1 st 2026
🪶 Optional add-on: Two additional Shiatsu treatments — $300
🤝 Partial Scholarships: Three work-trade positions available for aligned participants skilled in cooking, photography, or land care.

A $500 non-refundable deposit holds your space.

Spaces are limited to maintain intimacy with the land and group field.

Flexible Payment Plans

We’re happy to make your journey possible through accessible, heart-centered payment options.

After your $500 deposit, choose one of the following:
🌿 Full Investment Plan: 5 monthly payments of $460 (starting after deposit)
🌸 Early-Bird Plan: 6 monthly payments of $300 (for registrations before March 1st 2026)

Who This Is For

This immersion is for those who feel the call to:

Reconnect with the pulse of nature and your own inner rhythm

Deepen your understanding of Daoist philosophy through lived experience

Ground spiritual growth in the body through movement and breath

Learn directly from the land — through foraging, craft, and culinary alchemy

Reweave your relationship with the elements, ancestors, and all of life

No previous experience in qi gong, yoga, or foraging is required — only curiosity, openness, and a reverent heart.

Join Us

Step into a circle of earth keepers, artists, and seekers.
Let the forest, river, and fire teach you what it means to live in harmony.
Rewild your senses. Restore your spirit.
Remember yourself as part of the living web.

Reserve your place:
info@cedarhealingarts.com