FAQ

SpiritFire is an intensive retreat weekend that focuses on four all-night fire circle rituals from late in the night until very early morning. The fire circles are designed to create a transformational experience welcoming to diverse artistic and spiritual traditions.  These circles call us to offer spontaneous music, motion, chants, poetry, and acts of service (or Seva) together under the stars, and the ritual is enacted to celebrate and commune with each other, nature, spirit — whatever is sacred to you in your life. We strive to co-create a gathering with workshops, rituals, jams, and artistic projects in which we deepen our experience with each other during the day and at the fire — but we also gain insights and tools that, after returning home from SpiritFire, inspire each of us to interact with our environment, local communities, and personal relationships with more awareness, integrity, and strength. You can explore more about the specifics of this ritual tradition via the Resources page of this site.

No.  SpiritFire is a retreat gathering, as opposed to a public or open-ended festival. We are non-denominational festival based upon music, dance, voice, visual arts, and the many pathways that connect to them. We honor and welcome all paths, and recognize that in the circle, we are unified through our song and our joy. So the answer is, no, it’s not a Pagan festival at all — but you’ll find Pagans present, as well as Sufis, Buddhists, Hinduists, Yogis, Christians, Atheists, African traditionalists, and everything in between. You’ll also find people who aren’t following any particular spiritual path at all, and just enjoy the groove and friendly community of SpiritFire. So whatever your belief system, as long as you enjoy sharing sacred space with others around a fire with respect and an open mind, you are welcome!

Yes.  A drum circle is a wonderful opportunity to gather with others to spontaneously create music using drums and percussion, often based on West African traditions or other forms of facilitated percussion. This idea of improvisational performance and creativity is definitely a part of our fire circle, but beyond this, the fire circle includes many additional elements, some of which are as follows:

• The fire circle is an intentional ritual shared by a community, rather than an explicit musical jam. It includes aspects of many different artistic traditions from all over the world, and spontaneous creations of poetry, song, or other ritual elements, as participants see fit to contribute throughout the night. The influences/inspirations change from fire to fire. It depends on who attends, and who feels drawn to offer their gifts in each moment! Each fire circle evening has a specific focus or intention, which you can read about as they are added to the Fires page, but within that each person is free to contribute as they will so long as it does not disrupt the larger experience of the circle.
• The duration of both the rhythms and the evening ritual are often much longer than drum circles. We begin our ritual somewhere between 10-11pm, not ending until dawn.  Throughout the night, soundscapes that we create can last anywhere from a few moments to an hour or more, depending on the needs of the moment.  So a rhythm set by the drums might go for a while, and then a quieter, more fluid layer of sounds — singing bowls, didges, hang drums, or frame drums might be the focus.  It’s all up to each one of us to create those moments, with consciousness of feeding the “need” without dominating the space.
• A fire circle has room for many other voices than just percussion. Chanting, dancing, and other wonderful creative forms are encouraged at the fire and with the drumming create deep, sacred, spontaneous community of rhythm and ritual.  We encourage all participants to consciously hold space for different forms of expression.
• The fire circle has a set physical layout, with specific areas for drummers, the perimeter for witnessing/rattling, set zones for dancing, healing and honoring, and even space around the ritual area for “outer orbits” with incense, or rattles; we also have designated resting/nesting space and a food alter.
• Drumming in support of deep sacred play, trance dance, and other ritual acts requires a consciousness by the musicians outside of themselves or their own personal needs. Just as the dancers are fed by the drummers, the reverse is also true — so even while playing what is in your heart and spirit, it is good to maintain a connection to what is going on in the fire circle around you.

Not at all. Many do view the all-night fire as a type of ritual process, but many sleep for part of the night, often rejoining the circle just before dawn. Do what works for you!

Parts of the night-time rituals are pre-organized, such as the fire lighting each night, but they are intended to be community experiences, *not* performances. The general course of the evening is meant to be a container in which you are encouraged to sing, recite poetry, dance, and drum as your spirit calls. Importantly, we remember each night that the fire is a space for group interaction and not personal or individual “performance.” Every gathering has its unique set of aesthetic and artistic agreements, and we try to make those things as explicit as possible via this FAQ and at the opening circle, or at affinity experiences like Homecomers, Musicians Meetings, etc. during the event. Both experienced and newer participants will all benefit by taking time during the night to breathe, view what is going on, and get a feel for how everyone is interacting with each other. You are welcome here, and we encourage you to ask questions of any of the staff or teachers. We only ask of each other that voices be honored and heard as each of us would want from our community, in a respectful and conscious way.

YES! Each year, SpiritFire welcomes many new attendees, many of them attending on their own – but not alone! One of our main goals is to create a space where everyone feels welcome, and can step through a diverse range of open doorways via workshops, jams, rituals, community work shifts, and affinity groups. For those attending for the first time, we offer and recommend a special “Homecomers” affinity group, which has been quite popular. There you can ask questions, offer up a bit of who you are, and meet new friends. We also recognize that many first time attendees bring with them amazing expertise and experience in their own fields, and we welcome you to share yours. All of the staff and presenters here are amazingly approachable, too — don’t hesitate to step right in and introduce yourself! You’ll be in the flow before you know it.

We don’t expect everyone to “plug into” the intention of each nightly fire in the same way. If you aren’t into the ritual aspect of the fire lightings, or if a moment in the circle happens that you aren’t comfortable with, there are many ways to participate or contribute regardless.   Feel free to participate only as deeply as you wish. However, keep in mind that the main idea of the gathering is one of ritual process through specific artistic mediums, and that the work at the fire is focused and has the intention of doing into deeper states of consciousness. We ask for all attendees to attend the opening and closing circles, as well as the first official fire lighting on Wednesday night, as those moments help to outline the shared agreements that are held between the different pathways (music/motion/voice/seva). Again, while the themes of the fires are meant to be a way for people to share a common goal, all are welcome to plug in as they wish, as long as the larger intention stays solid.

We have a wonderful covered space that can fit us all, and we’ll keep going! In the history of SpiritFire we’ve never just cancelled a circle.  Workshops and other events also have ample covered space.

Yes there is! Click here to go to the SFF Presenter FAQ page.

The fire and surrounding area is laid out very consciously for us to dance, drum, and chant together.  The music is an offering to the greater circle, and holds space for both movement and chant – or silence.  Dancers in the circle continue moving around the fire, with the chanters, drummers, and rattlers surrounding them as witnesses and participants. If you wish to hang out, take a rest, or dance in place by yourself, there are areas such as the circle perimeter, where you can support the circle by clapping, chanting, etc. without blocking the dance track, or the Zone of the Unseen Ones, where those experiencing deeper states of consciousness can take some time to focus on individual experiences.  We actively encourage rattling around the circle perimeter!

There is a marked area within the drummer’s benches called the “Gratitude Zone.” If you drop in there during your orbits around the fire, you’ll get a great dose of direct energy from the drummers! But if you stay too long, they will probably ask you to move. The drummers desire to connect with all the dancers and the fire, and stopping in front of them can be either a wonderful shared experience or disruptive to the flow, depending on how it is approached. Staying too long or dropping in that area every circuit could potentially block other dancers from continuing their movement around the fire or entering the zone themselves. As with many things, the more you look and observe, the more you will see and learn during the course of the evening!

We encourage taking care of your physical health and needs, especially given the focus of the gathering is four all-night rituals.  One place to take a breath but stay in the container is the Food Altar, where you can nourish yourself with offerings brought by participants (like you!) to share over the course of the four nights or to drink some water, coffee, or tea. We will also be designating places where you can sit for a moment and rest, ground, or just witness the circle if you need a break from direct participation but don’t want to leave the fire circle area. Please be aware that both the food altar and nesting areas, while physically separate from the fire circle, are still considered sacred space, and we ask for restraint with loud casual conversation. In the nesting areas, you may leave personal items you need for the evening but may not be able to carry — instruments, warm clothing in case you get chilly, or a low beach chair to sit on. We actively discourage large “camp setups” of blankets and community spots in order to support a more contemplative and connected space. If you wish to hang out with groups of folks on a casual basis during the evening, the community comfy tent will remain open all night!

As much as drumming, dance, and chant are the most explicitly “noticeable” actions around the fire, the circle is made strong by those engaging in various forms of Seva (service).  There are many opportunities to engage in Seva: helping keep areas like the food altar picked up or taking a turn smudging at our entrance gate.  Helping to keep areas safe and clean is something that is always appreciated; if you’d like to be part of the gate area smudgers, you can connect with the affinity group during the daytime and learn about how that is done and take a turn.

The fire circle is all about creating space for diverse offerings, including what we call “Sacred Sounds.” There are frequent moments in the course of the evening that are gentler, or that have chant or spoken word, and Sacred Sounds play a large part in holding that energy. They are a wonderful medium underneath chants, and they have provided amazing moments of flowing, softer dance and song during past nights. Each night has its own unique flow, with the different types of instruments finding ways to weave with each other. Soloing is not so much the focus as is creating a joyous union of instruments and voices. So regardless of the kind of percussion or sound instrument you have, you will find many opportunities to share in the rhythm.

Hand drums of all kinds, rattles, bells, shakers, any kind of ethnic or unusual percussion, didgeridoos, singing bowls … and your beautiful voices are all welcome! “Drum set” drums (including timbales, etc.), xylophones, and in general most melodic instruments are not really used as part of the SFF fire circle, but there is always space during the day to play for and with each other. There are times when players who’ve had some years of experience at fires are invited to bring unique sounds to the fire, with the understanding that these instruments are best used with restraint and an understanding of the larger flow of what is happening, or perhaps as a special fire lighting offering. In general, the SpiritFire circle is a percussive one with accents from other instruments. If you’re not sure about whether something you’d like to play is appropriate, contact the staff before you pack it. Remember also that the circle is open to the elements!

The fire is a place of spontaneous community ritual, rather than individual performance. Sometimes you might see a person step out and offer a brief spoken piece (for example, a poem or a chant.) In addition to tuning issues, the performance aspect of many kinds of melodic instruments like guitars, violins, horns, etc. are outside of the larger intentions of the gathering.  If you aren’t sure a certain instrument is appropriate, please contact the gathering coordinator (Josselyne) and she’ll be happy to talk with you and help figure that out. But feel free to bring your instrument and share your music during the day, and pre-fire events.

At SpiritFire, we strongly support individual responsibility and safety. We will have a medic on site and there will be many wonderful beings who are there to help ground, support, and guide you. At the same time, the circle is not the place for unsafe or disruptive behaviors. If during the course of the evening (or festival) you feel the need to talk with somebody, there will be a “Grounding Zone” where you can sit, receive energy work or help coming out of your work at the fire, or just sit and be near supportive people. Deep emotional work does happen at the fire, and this is good! Please allow those facilitating the event to gently guide you if you are blocking the drummers, dancers, or are otherwise in an unsafe place. We do not allow jumping the fire.

We would love to have you participate in the creation of the festival space! There is opportunity to deepen your part in the gathering in the following areas:

• Affinity Groups – read about them in the Opportunities page and if you want to participate, simply join up with the group during its first meeting or speak ahead of time with the organizer.  If you have an idea to lead one, let us know.
• Creating spontaneous sacred spaces around the festival site.
• Help with maintaining/cleaning the food altar, assisting teachers for their workshop set-up, striking our circle after the gathering, etc.

(Poi) Fire Spinners are welcome at SpiritFire! We’ll have a special area set up just for you to play during one of the evenings, right in the middle of the merchant area and in front of the community cozy lounge. Due to the size of the fire circle and number of participants, fire spinning won’t be allowed in the circle itself during the night, but we may have an opportunity for you to contribute to various rituals. Check in with us if you are interested.

Generally, our rule of thumb is that if it’s your first time to the gathering, you must arrive on Wednesday. However if you’ve been before or know the community/its sister gatherings, and have an unavoidable schedule conflict, you can contact the registrar and request a Friday arrival. There is a $20 late arrival fee due to the disruptions and need for additional staffing to handle parking, sign-in, etc. – and to encourage folks to clear their schedule to arrive Wednesday. Absolutely no Thursday arrivals are accepted, and the gate to the site will be locked that day. Please read about this on the registration page, and you’ll find the contact information, etc. If you register and then discover later that you have a conflict on Wednesday, contact the registrar right away.

It’s a beautiful camp facility with both shaded and sunny areas within a huge expanse of field and forest, with soft ground and camping space for either community or privacy, whichever you prefer! We have mainly tent camping with some platform bunk spaces at no additional cost. The main platform tents are shared (4 people per room) and there are some empty platforms where folks can camp in their own tent (2+, no solo campers.)  If you want to sleep in your van or car, you can do so in the main parking lot, which is just a short walk from most areas of the main site. Please, let us know before you register that you wish to explore this option. When you arrive at the registration tent, you’ll be directed to the welcome tent, where you can unload before parking.  You will then need to either carry or use a hand cart to bring it to your camping spot. We’ll have a dry “drum tent” near the fire circle area to store your drums/larger instruments, so no need to carry those around.

The site does not allow or accommodate RVs and Popup Campers.

If you have a van or covered pickup truck and would prefer to sleep in it, you can park your vehicle in the main parking lot just down from the main camp and absolutely can sleep there.

We have a most excellent and seasoned kitchen staff who prepare 2 excellent meals for us each day: A brunch from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm or so, and dinner is offered at approximately 6:00 pm each night. Those arriving Wednesday between 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm will have access to soup and sandwiches, and on Sunday a breakfast after closing circle so you can return home full and nourished.

The food is vegetarian, and is included with your registration fee.  The meal plan is part of the gathering’s pricing structure and is not optional. Vegetarian meals are automatically included with your registration, and you have the option to purchase meat entrees (burgers, chicken, or other things depending on the night) on site during mealtimes. You are also welcome and encouraged to bring pre-cooked or prepared food to keep in a locked cooler at your campsite. Because of fire codes on site, no cooking or fires of any kind are allowed at individual campsites. (See the registration page for more details.) If you have special concerns about dietary issues or need any other questions answered, contact the registrar before you sign up.

We do offer a limited amount of scholarships, yes! These are made available by generous contributions from the SpiritFire community. Scholarships generally cover about half of the registration cost depending on the funding we have available. You can download an application here; applications are due no later than April 1st.

Yes, you can, and any amount is very helpful. 100% of donations are applied directly to scholarship funding for the current year, and we give them out until the funding is used up. See the scholarship page for more details.

Yes, absolutely!  As community/ritual container, this gathering is about expression and connection, but does have boundaries and considerations that are part of maintaining safe and sacred space.  For all attendees, old and new, we really encourage and welcome you to attend the HomeComers affinity on Thursday evening (and follow-up meets if the group wishes,) led by Brighid Murphy and friends.  That is a great place to meet others who are new, ask questions of folks who have been before, step in more deeply if called, whether or not a particular instrument or offering is ok for the fire circle, how to get more involved, or anything else you want to explore.  If you still have concerns or questions, please do connect with a staff member (see the staff page to see the faces you will meet, but we will also introduce ourselves at opening circle). We will be happy to help you connect as deeply as you would like to go.