DAY 1: Saturday, October 24th – "Grounding, Discovering & Gathering"
 

Focus: Earth connection, ecological education, somatic movement, and evening celebration.

 

Morning: Earth Connection, Wellness Exploration & Communal Discovery

 
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Welcome Orientation & Opening Circle

 

Facilitators: Wisdom Ranch

 

Details: Arrive, register, set up campsites, and orient yourself with the land and local vendors. We will gather in a central circle to set individual and collective intentions for the weekend, meet fellow attendees, and establish a grounded, welcoming presence on the ranch.

 
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | East Texas Mushroom & Medicinal Herb Identification Course (1.5 Hours)

 

Facilitators: Daniella Carter & Sebastian Tabibi

 

Details: Embark on an immersive, guided field walk through native East Texas woodland trails. Participants will learn hands-on identification techniques for wild edible plants, seasonal mushrooms, and native trees. Discussions will highlight edibility, toxicity, and ecological roles that fungi and plants play in forest health, alongside practical uses for regional flora and funga. Includes physical specimen reviews and an open Q&A.

 
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Workshop: Holistic Herbalism, Medicinal Mushrooms & Natural Remedy Making

 

Facilitators: Daniella Carter & Sebastian Tabibi

 

Details: Transition directly from field identification into practical apothecary skills. Learn the fundamentals of extracting active compounds from wild herbs and medicinal fungi to support everyday vitality. This concise intensive covers step-by-step formulations for topical herbal salves, dual-extraction processes, and medicinal tinctures.

 

Afternoon: Nourishment, Energy Work & Somatic Practice

 
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM | Farm-to-Table Lunch & Culinary Demonstration

 

Facilitators: Emory Market Gardens & Wisdom Ranch

 

Details: Enjoy a fresh farm-to-table lunch included with your festival pass, paired with an interactive culinary demonstration highlighting simple, nutrient-dense preparations using locally grown produce and mushrooms freshly harvested from Emory Market Gardens! Savor delicious flavors, relax beneath the trees, and explore the artisan and wellness vendor tables across the grounds.

 
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Gong & Crystal Bowl Sound Bath

 

Facilitator: Debi Carlson (The Beautiful Healer)

 

Details: Relax right after lunch with an immersive, restorative sound bath experience utilizing acoustic resonance from gongs and crystal singing bowls to balance mind and body, clear subtle blockages, and promote deep relaxation beneath the forest canopy.

 
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM | Energy Healing & Reiki Foundations

 

Facilitator: Brandy Hollis

 

Details: An accessible exploration of human biofields and subtle energy dynamics. Participants will gain foundational insight into Reiki traditions, breath-guided self-healing techniques, and practical methodologies to clear emotional blockages and balance body energy.

 
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Cultivating Vital Energy: Introduction to Qi Gong

 

Facilitator: Debi Carlson

 

Details: Discover the art of Qi Gong to cultivate, balance, and circulate life-force energy (Qi). This session focuses on gentle, flowing movements, rooted standing postures, and synchronized breathing to quiet the mind and invigorate the body.

 
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Integrative Yoga & Conscious Breathwork – Nervous System Regulation

 

Facilitator: Grace Ludwinski

 

Details: A comprehensive 60-minute mind-body practice uniting intentional movement (asanas), conscious breathwork (pranayama), and somatic release techniques. Designed for all experience levels, this session focuses on releasing deep-seated muscular tension, enhancing respiratory capacity, and recalibrating the nervous system for evening relaxation.

 
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM | Afternoon Intermission & Reflection Break (30 Mins)

 

Details: Take time to hydrate, rest, journal, stretch, or visit local vendor stalls before the keynote lecture.

 
5:30 PM – 6:30 PM |
Keynote Lecture: “Medical and Legal Perspectives on the Past, Present, and Future of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy”

 

Facilitator: Dr. Hamid Latifi

 

Details: An engaging keynote lecture examining the historical, therapeutic, and societal implications of entheogenic compounds. Dr. Latifi addresses contemporary research regarding psychedelic-assisted therapies, neurological wellness, and their potential contribution to human consciousness and collective healing.

 

Evening Celebrations (FREE & OPEN TO ALL – Halloween Theme!): Feast, Cacao, Sound Bath, Drumming, & Community Celebration

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Halloween Theme & Costumes Highly Encouraged!

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Saturday night brings a festive Halloween spirit to Wisdom Ranch! Costumes are highly encouraged for our evening cacao ceremony, sound bath, and bonfire drum circle. Bring your creativity, magic, and favorite festive attire as we celebrate together beneath the stars.

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6:30 PM – 7:30 PM | Grand Community Potluck Feast & Evening Intermission

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Details: Gather around the table for a traditional community feast. Attendees are invited to share favorite home-cooked dishes, farm-fresh recipes, or wild-foraged creations. This hour offers an informal, celebratory setting to cultivate lasting bonds with neighbors and facilitators.

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7:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Fireside Cacao Ceremony & Multi-Instrumental Sound Bath (Costumes Encouraged!)

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Facilitators: Julie & Colton (Julie’s Coffee & Cacao) / Brandy & Sebastian

 

Details: As twilight settles, gather around the central fire in costume for a heart-opening ceremonial cacao ritual prepared by Julie and Colton from Julie’s Coffee & Cacao. As the cacao takes effect, settle into a restorative acoustic sound journey facilitated by Brandy and Sebastian utilizing crystal singing bowls, handpan, didgeridoo, and gongs to induce deep meditative states.

 
8:30 PM – Late | Sacred Bonfire, Halloween Drum Circle & Acoustic Jam (Costumes Encouraged!)

 

Details: The central bonfire is stoked as our Halloween night opens up to collective rhythm and expression. Bring hand drums, shakers, acoustic guitars, flutes, or stringed instruments to participate in an open music jam and drum circle around the fire.