School of Lost Borders

10/16/2026

Petra sat down with Dani for this Mother Tree podcast to share stories of life and death, and how beauty and pain keep arriving together. Many of you know her and love her. What she offers here isn’t only for those facing illness. It’s for all of us.

However you’re meeting your own rites of passage, in joy or in sorrow, we hope her words find you.

Listen to the full

Podcast Episode · Mother Tree: A Rites of Passage Podcast · September 16 · 1h 37m

10/12/2026

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”

Robin Wall Kimmerer

10/06/2026

How Do You Know It's Time?

"because the ache of not speaking
becomes too much to bear, because one breath,
one breath of this blooming spring day reminds you
that seeds need sunlight to bloom,

because, finally, you see that your own
permission is the only
permission you need, and that you,
you are the most important one to please.

And because the end of another season
reminds you that seasons end,
that every thing ends, and who has time to waste
on waiting?

Because, my sweet love, don't you see—
don't you see? No one else
is coming to save you.

How do you know it's time?

Because you've wrestled inside your own
skin, fumbled around in the dark
long enough. Because, even the lily
that was closed up tight, has bloomed. Has finally bloomed.
Because the pen tells the truth.

Because when you arrive
all the way here,
you just know."

©Julia Fehrenbacher

09/17/2026

"And I said to my body. Softly.
'I want to be your friend.'
It took a long breath.
And replied,
'I have been waiting my whole life for this.'

- Nayyirah Waheed

09/08/2026

08/11/2026

We're seeking new members to expand our dedicated Board of Directors and help us steward this work for the decades ahead.

While a passion for the ceremony is essential, we're specifically looking for individuals with nonprofit board experience or professional expertise that can strengthen the organization. Skills in nonprofit governance, finance, fundraising, law, organizational leadership, communications, marketing, strategic planning, or human resources are particularly valuable, as we continue to grow and evolve.

If this sounds like you—or someone you know in the Lost Borders community—we invite you to complete the brief questionnaire below.

We welcome diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and professional backgrounds that will help Lost Borders thrive going forwards.

Our volunteer Board members are part of an amazing team that helps steer this ship steady- as we navigate wise-ways through the 501(c)(3) landscapes of these times!

Thank you for being part of our community, for being in the ceremony of life, for your care for this work- and for this world.

Apply here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek_fF2uT4RF2jp7ccJVGShBLPn4vnXDLWAOl9VZa-CMh_Wtg/viewform

08/10/2026

The need to share and listen to stories lived deep in our bones. And yet, in today’s fast-paced world, many of us have forgotten how to truly speak from the heart—or how to listen in a way that honors what is being shared. But storytelling is more than art—it’s survival. It’s how we make meaning, connect with one another, and find our place in the larger web of life.

Without expression, our lives can feel voiceless. Without deep listening, we miss the truth and wholeness of another’s experience—their body, heart, mind, and spirit. The best stories reveal our shared humanity—our essential nature as beings who are physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. And one of the most powerful ways to access those stories is by returning to nature, raw and unfiltered. As we “myth” ourselves into being, we also express ourselves into becoming. Through story, we remember who we are—and we discover the courage, clarity, and resilience to grow beyond who we’ve been.

You are warmly welcomed to join us for the CA Mirroring with Kim Belair and Gretchen (Grae) Gerlach on Sep 21st, 2026 - Sep 26th, 2026 in Big Pine, CA.

As with all ceremonies at the School of Lost Borders, this experience invites you to cross your edges—to step beyond the familiar and into a place where transformation becomes possible.

Ful info at: https://schooloflostborders.org/programs_courses/ca-mirroring-the-four-shields-of-human-nature-the-art-of-storytelling-and-listening-2026/