Wood & Water Retreats completed a survey in late 2021 with the hopes of finding the pulse things from the perspectives of our community. We hoped the responses would help Wood & Water Retreats better align our resources with the needs and experiences we most encounter these days and 30 participants helped us realize that hope. Thank you.

To show our gratitude and to continue our conversation, we offer this summary of the raw data, our initial observations, as well as an invitation to continue the conversation by sharing what you see.

Part 1: Some Initial Observations

Through the responses to pre-defined criteria and open-ended commentary, a number of things struck us as particularly interesting:

• A stronger resonance with gratefulness than anticipated (73% of respondents) – how do we celebrate this beautiful dynamic? And what relationship does gratitude have to some of the other experiences people also named like disconnected, anxious and cautious?

• Desire for active participation in justice work and interactions at the margins – how do our conversations help people find their way back into practical life and meaningful justice-focused work?

• There was interest in retreats supporting prayer practices, but only 29% -- what support do people really want related to prayer?

• Over 75% were open to or strongly in favor of meeting by Zoom – what might this mean for our balance of opportunities in-person and online?

• Some have found quarantine lifestyle terribly challenging; others have found the solitude life-giving – How do we honor both experiences?

• There is significant interest within our community related to writing as spiritual practice – how do WE best encourage and support writers coming together?

Part 2: The Raw Data

Part 3: An Invitation - What Do You See?

The responses we have already seen and considered have already affected our priorities for programming, the formats we choose for gatherings, and the kinds of resources and collaborators we are seeking out for 2022.

What else do you see? If you notice something important in the data that we have not yet mentioned, we would be grateful if you would send us an email (info@woodandwaterretreats.com) to continue the conversation.

Thanks in advance for your time . . .

Kiely and Sam