Colleen Castle

A joy-filled weekend and an invitation into beauty, creativity, and connection Gathered at a lakeside lodge in the Pacific Northwest, surrounded by pine trees, mountain vistas, and open sky, a group of about twenty people stepped into a slower rhythm together. The setting itself offered a kind of quiet welcome, drawing us into attentiveness and wonder. The retreat was led by Shann Ray Ferch, an award-winning poet, teacher, and scholar… Read More »Crafting Poems of Beauty and Power | A Recap of the Retreat

In September, Goldenwood hosted the kickoff gathering for the Living Stones Leadership Lab, welcoming 32 participants and 4 mentors into a new season of leadership formation. For many in the room, this was a first connection to Goldenwood—most participants and mentors were new to the community, making the day both a launch and an introduction. The gathering marked a clear example of the Goldenwood Institute in action: partnering with a… Read More »Living Stones Leadership Lab | A Recap of the Kick-off

On a crisp November Saturday in New York City, more than 100 people gathered for Life and Death in NYC—an inaugural convening that brought conversations about mortality, grief, aging, and meaning out of the shadows and into shared community. Hosted at the historic and beautiful Calvary–St. George’s, and organized in collaboration with our friends Here to Honor and All’s Well Initiative, the gathering created space for honesty, attentiveness, and hope in the midst of… Read More »Bearing Hope Together in the Face of Mortality | A Recap of Life and Death in NYC