The Retreat of TBD is 3 days and nights of intentional connection, personal growth, and play … and/or whatever you want it to be. Offer sessions on whatever you like, and participate in other sessions that interest you.

= The Theme for TBD 5 was =

Disintegration and Cohesion

This year at TBD, we invite you to reflect on the cyclical process of transformation in your life. Together, let’s explore the delicate balance between breaking down and coming together - the natural cycles of personal and collective transformation - and how moments of disintegration, or letting go, create space for renewal, healing, and growth.

• What parts of your identity, beliefs, or patterns are ready to be released in order to make room for something new?
• How can your vulnerability amidst shedding and rebuilding bring about the potential for cohesion?
• How can you build on your sense of self, as well as your connections with others while also navigating the tension between letting go and holding on?
• What old patterns would you like to dissolve to create new, more fluid transformation?
• What tools do you need to foster a sense of cohesion in your relationships or communities after a period of disintegration?
• Who do you want to connect with more authentically in your life?

= When and where =

4pm Friday, May 23 - 6pm Monday, May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend)

Please arrive Friday evening between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., and plan on being there through the closing circle on Monday at 4 p.m. This will help us create a strong container to support us in the work (and play) we’re all bringing to the weekend.

After closing circle on Monday afternoon, you’re invited to stay an extra night (until 11 a.m. on Tuesday) to decompress together.

The Big House Lodge
751 Big House Road, Cle Elum, Washington 98922

= Registration =

We’ve listened to your feedback and improved this year’s registration process.

• We will release half of the tickets (17) on Saturday, January 11th, 2025 @ 10am, and the other half (17) on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 @ 8pm.

• 10 tickets will be released on the first wave of registration for first time BIPOC attendees, and will be held until two months prior to the event (March 23) at which point they will be released to the waitlist.

• After purchasing a zero cost placeholder ticket on Eventbrite, you’ll be directed to a registration form where you can sign up for support shifts and provide other details. Please plan to spend 15-20mins completing registration.

  Please note: you’ll have 24 hours to complete registration and send payment to secure your place. After 24 hours your ticket will be released to round two of tickets/the waitlist.

• Each adult attendee will need to reserve their own ticket (you will not be able to reserve multiple tickets in a single transaction).

• We will announce when bed selection will become available before the end of January. Stay posted!

Register here

= Cost =

Prices range from $250-$310 for adults / $80 for kids. Cost is broken down into two parts: your ticket and your bed.

1. Tickets are $250 / adult, $80 / kid (6y-16y), under 6y is free
2. Beds cost will range from $0 (floor) to $60 (e.g. twin or 1/2 of a Queen/King)
3. Bed selection will open at the end of this month
4. We’ve budgeted for 13 accessible tickets, at $75-175 each + bed cost

= Who =

You + 50-ish other adults (kids are welcome)

If you’ve been to a previous Retreat of TBD, then you are welcome to invite others you think would be a great fit for the event. Please make sure to consider our DEI initiative when inviting people into our space.

= Diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) initiative =

While we have worked to build a more welcoming and safe space with our retreats, the reality is that TBD is still not entirely welcoming to or representative of all people. As organizing and participating members of the TBD community, we have the agency to shape our retreats towards greater diversity, equity, and inclusion by challenging how we retreat.

For TBD 2025, the organizing team is actively working towards and prioritizing building a more inclusive environment with the following actions:

TBD will be holding ten of the fifty available tickets for BIPOC attendees who have not attended a Retreat of TBD before. These tickets will become available upon our first wave of registration, and will be held until two months prior to the event (March 23) at which point they will be released to waitlisted registrants.

We are asking you, our TBD alumni, to expand on who you invite into our retreat space.

We will be making intentional choices to make the retreat more inclusive as a part of this initiative.

= Sharing space in a multi generational community =

As TBD has grown, so has the age range of our attendees, including families with kids, and we think that’s really cool! In an effort to make this space feel comfortable, relaxing, and worthwhile to everyone, we have made some intentional choices for this Retreat in response to feedback from our alumni to create spaces that allow different experiences.

Sharing space with lots of people across sensory needs and age ranges can be both gratifying and challenging at times. We have made some choices for this Retreat in response to feedback to create spaces to help.

Indoors, we will be holding a few lower-stimulation, adult-only, and sound-enthusiastic spaces throughout the venue.

• The basement level will be an adult-only space throughout the weekend for sleeping, socializing, and daytime sessions.
• The passthrough kitchen will be our sound-enthusiastic indoor space throughout the day while sessions are happening in the main room, upper floor, and basement.
• All other common spaces will be used for sessions throughout the day, and we’re asking for courtesy and respect for those spaces while passing through.

Retreat is also happening in May this year in hopes that spring will bring warmer weather and more comfortable access to the outdoors. The Big House Lodge offers 8 acres of luscious land for outdoor sessions, exploring, and playing.

= Sessions =

Retreat is a container where participants host activities and sessions on whatever they want. You can share your passions by offering sessions. You can participate in other sessions that interest you. We invite you to come with the intention to learn new things, grow, play, and connect deeply with each other.

What sessions will be offered? It depends on who comes.

Previous retreats have included:

• Movement (e.g. contact improv, group strength training, naked dance analysis)
• Discussions (e.g. comparing relationship check-in formats, your relationship to anger)
• Connection (e.g. hot tub hot seat, 3 minute tantric)
• Breaking through barriers (e.g. UX-designing your life, build an official will)
• Play (e.g. fruit ninja, paper airplanes, a fabulous fashion show, sardines hide and seek, pillow fight)
• Sharing (e.g. tea and chocolate, sensation tastings, magic show for adults)
• Skills Share (e.g. lock picking, celtic rope knots)
• And a bunch more (singing, improv, personal support … whatever people were passionate enough to bring into the space)

What happens at this retreat is up to you!

= Host team =

This is the core team that finds the venue, sends out the invitations, and helps set the stage so that you can fill it with your magic.

• Blaze Creature
• Lindsay Christensen
• Laura Coon
• Jeremy Lightsmith
• Milan Prince
• Samara Lerman
• Valkyrie JS