And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so?  I did.  And what did you want?  

To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.

~Raymond Carver

Women's Earth Spirit Circle

An Extraordinary Journey into the Wilderness of

Your Heart and Soul 

This Yearlong Circle Launches May 2nd in Marin

Registration is now open

Do you feel connected to the Earth as a teacher, healer, and mirror of your truest self, but aren’t sure how to deepen that connection?

Do you long for inner clarity and grounding, yet feel pulled off-center by the demands of daily life?

Do you feel the impact of the social and political instability of the world and need support to stay in your strength and resiliance?

In today’s day and age, it’s easy to lose touch with who we really are. Our gifts can fade into the background, and without a supportive community, it can be hard to fully step into our purpose. Many women feel called to a deeper connection with nature and themselves but don’t know where to begin.

Imagine this…

~Being gently guided into a deeper relationship with nature and yourself.

~Spending a year supported by like-hearted women, in beautiful outdoor spaces.

~Belonging to an intimate community that truly sees and values you.

The intention of the Earth Spirit Circle is to create a close circle of women, steeped in sisterhood and time outdoors with the collective vision to be the fullest, truest expression of yourself.  You will be a part of a community that gathers to create personal rites of passage in nature to return to that deep part of yourself that's been lost.  You will learn practices so that you can become grounded and clear in your daily life.  If you are a healing arts professional, you will learn new practices and tools that will likely benefit your practice.

So if you want to be...

• YOURSELF again. Joyful. Free. Grounded. Alive!

• The most authentic expression of yourself!

• Clearly connected to your purpose.

• More confident in your relationships and work in the world.

• Grounded in self-care and growth practices.

A transformational journey is WAITING FOR YOU!

The Earth Spirit Circle brings together sisterhood, nature, and spirituality.  In this magical blend you will be supported to experience yourself as whole, interconnected and loved. You will have a place where your inner riches can safely emerge, welcomed among peers in the beauty of the natural world. You will find your true ground so you can see new possibilities, navigate life's challenges or start new chapters!

You will experience

• Building a community that will love and support you and your intentions, with monthly meetings throughout the year.

• Your true self through a deep, sustaining connection with the Earth and have that reflected to you in a circle of women who are seeing and uplifting the real you.

• Embodied spiritual and Earth based practices, rooted in Vajrayana Buddhism, the Diamond Heart Approach and the School of Lost Boarders.

• Approaches from the fields of Ecopsychology, Somatic Psychology & Expressive Arts Therapy.

• 3 Nature Daylong Retreats over the course of seasons in the same location to cultivate a sustaining relationship to place.

• 12 Indoor/Outdoor 2 Hour Evening Meetings throughout the year to create continuity and community.

• A 3 Day Nature Retreat, with solo time and fasting, where you will create your own personal rites of passage to explore your wishes and intentions for the year.

• A 9 Day Wilderness Journey, with solo time and fasting, where you will be supported by the group and the practices you’ve been learning to prepare for a multi-day solo; you will participate in a fire ceremony, offering to the fire what you want to transform in your life; you will claim a life change you are ready to make, ask important life questions, and receive the nurturing and solace of the natural world.

• A Sweat Lodge Ceremony to inspire and honor your commitments and prayers for your life ongoing.

• A 2 Day Culmination Retreat to celebrate your growth over the course of our year together.

you will learn

• Meditation practices to build awareness and groundedness for your daily life.

• The phases of a Rite of Passage and how to live from a place of an intiated adult woman.

• Authentic self expression through embodied spiritual exercises and nature connection exercises.

• Rituals to build Earth honoring practices into your daily life.

• Safely prepare physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually for the Daylongs, Nature Retreat and Wilderness Journey.

• Connection and bonding exercises so that you are a part of a long lasting, true sisterhood.

What makes this women’s circle stand out amoung the many support groups and outdoor experiences out there?

Most women’s groups run by therapists don’t have the outdoor component because it is a unique and rare skill set to also be trained as a wilderness rites of passage guide.  Most vision quest like experiences and personal growth outdoor trips don’t have the component of a long term group. Usually they are one-off experiences that don’t offer this level of sustained support and guidance. Women will have huge transformations on a one time trip but won’t be able to sustain the transformation because they lack community and a dedicated guide to track their journey beyond the trip.

The Earth Spirit Circle begins with an outdoor daylong in peaceful West Marin, May 2nd 2026.  This group is limited to 7 amazing women.  In order to create a strong container for your growth and exploration, I am committed to ensuring that each woman is a good fit for the circle. There is an application process where each woman will be personally interviewed by me.

Guides on your journey

Amy Biesemeyer, LMFT (she/her) has been guiding women in gorgeous outdoor settings since 2004.  Her deep love for the natural world was born in 1994 when she backpacked throughout California for eight weeks, studying Ecopsychology.  She is especially passionate about working with groups of women and has deeply explored her own womanhood through facilitating and participating in women's therapy groups and earning a BA in Women's Studies.  She trained with the School of Lost Borders, holds a Masters in Somatic Psychotherapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies and is a Wilderness First Responder.  In addition to her work as a wilderness rites of passage guide and trainer, she draws upon her experiences from being a student of Jennifer Welwood, The Diamond Heart Approach and Somatic Experiencing.  Nature is her teacher and sanctuary, and she is honored to guide others in the magical unfolding of their inner wilderness.

Sharon Siegler LMFT lives in Sebastopol with her family and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She discovered backpacking 25 years ago, which sparked a deep and evolving connection with nature. Growing up in Israel, a densely populated land marked by conflict, Sharon deeply values the privilege of access to wilderness and safety—luxuries not available to everyone. She believes that spending time in nature is essential to personal well-being and is honored to witness and hold space for women as they explore their own relationship with the earth. Sharon holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She completed the Somatic Ecopsychology Apprenticeship Program with her mentors, Amy Beethmeier and Dave Talamo, and is also certified as a Wilderness First Responder.

What women are saying

"I would compare my experience of before and after I joined the circle to being like a caterpillar on its way to transformation into a beautiful butterfly. When I first joined the circle, I was moving through life well but not letting the world fully see who I truly was. Joining the circle allowed me to enter a safe cocoon of support and self-reflection where I slowly began to emerge as a beautiful butterfly.  Amy’s process of creating a safe environment for self-challenge and self-growth has enabled me to step beyond my comfort zone and get to know the deepest parts of my soul. The combination of her guidance and being in nature helped me come home to myself in way I’ve never found possible before.

I’ve found a group of women and teachers that I’ve grown very close to and hope to stay connected to the rest of my life. Through deep reflection I’ve been able to tap into my life’s calling. The most valuable gift I’ve received from the circle is that I’ve discovered who I truly am and what I can offer the world. Coming home to myself within a community of women that supports me has been invaluable. The circle has completely changed my life for the better and more than anything it has helped me become accepting of my true self. "  ~Lauren Elasik, AMFT

“The 9-day quest backpacking in the wilderness had a big impact on me that only deepened over time. I was physically and mentally challenged while being 100% supported and seen and encouraged without pushing. As a result, I developed a deep sense of security within myself that I can now call upon at any time. And I didn't struggle alone, as I am used to doing. I was elbow to elbow with courageous and generous women learning how to connect to the earth and to face my fears of failure. It was the sharing of this journey that forged the deep and lasting bonds between us all.

I now have a family in which I am seen and in which my gifts are appreciated. I have a place to be myself on a regular basis. I feel the hearts of the others so deeply and it fills me up.  From being in the Earth Spirit Circle, I have emerged from chronic aimlessness to be content with where I am and look forward to whatever it is that is ahead. I am just way more open and optimistic and centered in my heart.”  ~Amy Mar

“Amy's adept skill at creating safe centering space allowed a very diverse group of women to come together in deeply rich and intimate ways. We participants ranged in age from 28 to 68, and represented a variety of ethnicities, but that didn't stop us from developing continually closer bonds as our times together progressed.  I'm committed to staying as viable, pliable and reliable as my 68-year old self will allow, so when I learned of Amy's Women's Earth-Spirit Circle, I prayed, consulted my three daughters ("Mom, you HAVE to do this!" ), and went for it!

Because of the Dixie Fires in the summer of 2021, the location of our Quest was closed two weeks before we were supposed to go. Amy and her capable assistants figuratively 'Moved Mountains' to secure a place in the Sequoia National Wilderness, so as to fulfill her commitment to us for this pivotal experience.  Because of her trust in herself as a seasoned woman of the wilderness, Amy can lend her assurance to us as participants. All of us had some doubts and fears about backpacking into the wilderness, away from all conveniences of modern life, AND hanging out alone for three days with the option to fast for some or all of that. Each of us hiked out of the wilderness having recovered our love of the land and in awe of our courage and bravery!  I am so thankful to witness not only my own transformation, but that of six other beautiful women as well!” ~Doreen Van Leuween, LMFT

“I feel like these women are my closest relatives right now. We have done life together for going on a year and a half. It has been immense source of strength for me, guiding me home closer to myself and mama earth. I feel more centered and calm and like I always have them to rely on. Not that I didn’t have women in my life that I could rely on before, but the circle is a special space that Amy holds so gracefully and allows you to deeply check in, be seen, and validated. One of my close friends did it with me and now we have a deeper bond too. I would definitely suggest doing 1 or 3 days with Amy to see if she feels like a fit as a facilitator. Other than that, be ready for an amazing ride of sisterhood and deep mama earth time.” ~Audra Grady Verrier, Ph.D.

“When I first joined the Circle, I was struggling to keep my faith in my future and find a sense of belonging and stable community. I was also stepping into adulthood: committing to a profession, partner, and place for the first time in my life, and felt depressed and overwhelmed. I joined the Circle to strengthen my connection to spirit, the natural world, and sisterhood to help me navigate my unease and the transition. With the support of my sisters, I became more aware of strengths and resources and began to release judgement of myself and fear of the future. My newfound strength and confidence in myself and the present moment is allowing me to take on more responsibility and leadership in my life without stress, and find more ease and grace. 

The greatest gift from the Circle was the serenity I experienced on the land in which every fragment of my being felt integrated and whole. On the land, I experienced a transformation of spirit: I am ever more aware of how sacred and infinite this life is. This experience also awakened my leadership and helped me realize that I wish to be part of the force of women carrying earth wisdom forward. This year I started a women's circle with eight women-friends to keep the circle alive in my life; I am so grateful for these gifts that keep on nurturing and giving!” ~ Joanna Calabrese, LMFT

"My experience learning with Amy and her team has been vital in realizing my gift in the world, making deeper connections, exploring my longings and intentions, and being empowered to work with the earth as my soul source. Our year together and beyond was a truly sacred journey that brought precious women into my life and built a community of support for the very vulnerable and powerful transformation that is possible in deep, conscious engagement with the Land. If you are longing for a more intimate relationship with the earth, yourself, and others, I recommend a day, a weekend, a year, a lifetime in connection with this gifted woman and the dynamic, healing insights she magically spins into the world. Amy continually and generously offers a place for awakening and belonging." ~Karyn Wolfe Lynn

"If you told me a year ago I would have the strength (both physical and inner) to repeatedly journey into the wilderness, I would have been highly skeptical. Chronic pain had drastically limited my ability to move. Yet with the care and guidance of the leaders and the ongoing support of our circle of women, I was able to go beyond fear. In this group, I came to trust myself, my body and my relationship with nature again. I rediscovered a home base within myself that is strong, resilient, receptive and alive."  ~ Kamala Tully

“Throughout our year together, Amy and my earth spirit sisters witnessed and supported me as I went through one of the greatest transformations a woman can go through- becoming a mother. The support of the group was an essential part of my personal growth, but so was my solo time in nature. Being alone out on the land was a true gift that helped me connect to myself and the great earth mother in a deep and spiritual way. 

The morning I reunited with my earth spirit sisters after three days on solo was one of the most powerful and joyful experiences in my life. At that moment, I fully embodied the true self I had discovered and continued to discover throughout the year. Amy is a gifted and knowledgeable guide in this process- creating a safe space  while also gently nudging you out of your comfort zone- both necessary components to true personal growth. I feel so grateful for Amy's guidance and teachings, for the lasting friendships I made, and for my son who, though inside my womb for the duration of the circle, was no doubt forever altered by this experience.” ~Caitlin Miller 

“Amy is true gift to the rites of passage profession.  Amy is humble yet offers powerful wisdom and guidance.  She is very nurturing, clear, and honest.  Amy meets participants right where they are and then gracefully guides them beyond. I was very impressed with how well she deeply listened to each of our stories and then reflected back what she heard.  I felt so well held emotionally and spiritually, within such a strong 'container' that was created.  She offered so much wisdom for next steps in each of our lives.” ~ Kiea Spake Wright

details

Dates

May 2026-April 2027

Nature Daylongs: May 2 & October 10, 2026 & February 20, 2027

Nature Retreat: May 29-31, 2026

Wilderness Quest: August 1-10, 2026

Thursday indoor meetings: 12 total, 7-9pm, dates given upon request

Sweat Lodge Ceremony: March 2027, exact date TBA

Culmination & Celebration Retreat: April 9-11, 2027

Location 

We will meet in Marin County for the Thursday meetings and Daylongs.  The Retreat and Wilderness Quest will take place in the greater San Francisco Bay Area.  Exact locations to be given upon registration.

conscious investment & sliding scale   

This yearlong journey is offered on a sliding scale of $5,000–$7,500, honoring the truth that we each arrive with different resources, responsibilities, and forms of support. Monthly payments of $416–$625 are available, or you may choose to offer your investment in full.

A $1,000 deposit is required to secure your place and will be applied toward your total contribution.  A small number of partial scholarships are available to support wider access.

Your investment includes all gatherings and meetings, guided outdoor experiences, and the sweat lodge, as well as organic meals and camping accommodations for all overnight journeys.

Join with a friend and you each receive a $400 discount.

We recognize that women arrive with different relationships to money, resources, and support. To honor these differences—and to intentionally welcome a diverse circle across socioeconomic backgrounds and to practice care for another—this program is offered on an equity-based sliding scale.

We trust each woman to choose her contribution with honesty, self-reflection, and integrity, balancing her personal capacity with care for the collective. This way of pricing is inspired by the wisdom of The School of Lost Borders and the understanding that true exchange is relational, not transactional. 

Guidance for Choosing Your Level

You may feel aligned contributing toward the higher end of the scale if you:

• comfortably meet your basic needs

• are employed full-time or supported by an organization

• have savings, investments, retirement funds, or inherited wealth

• travel for leisure

• have access to family support in times of need

• work part-time by choice

• own your home

• have strong earning potential due to education, class background, racial or gender privilege

You may feel aligned contributing toward the lower end of the scale if you:

• struggle to meet basic expenses

• support children or other dependents

• carry significant debt

• have ongoing medical expenses not fully covered by insurance

• are an elder with limited financial support

• serve as an unpaid or underpaid community organizer

Registration

Feeling called to join this transformational Circle?!  Then I would love to talk with you!  There is an informal interview so that I can ensure group compatibility.