Wolf Dream Mountain
In 2024, Braided Wisdom became the official steward of Wolf Dream Mountain, a 100-acre ceremonial land, entrusted to us by our late Beloved Medicine Elder, Verlinda Montoya of the Picuris Pueblo Tribe. For over two decades, Verlinda held Native American ceremonies on this sacred land, including the Deep Renewal Women's Gathering which she co-founded with our Founder and Executive Director, Carol Cano. Since 2021, Braided Wisdom has hosted Original Medicine Earth-Based Community Gatherings at Wolf Dream Mountain.
This transition marks a profound chapter, as we align our stewardship with principles of restorative economy. Wolf Dream Mountain will serve as a physical and symbolic sanctuary, fostering community healing. In a world facing environmental degradation, social disconnection, and economic inequities, restoring relationships with the land offers a powerful antidote. Stewarding sacred spaces like Wolf Dream Mountain allows us to practice regenerative care, cultivate ecological harmony, and create equitable opportunities for communities to reconnect with ancestral practices and ceremony. This stewardship preserves the land for future generations and fosters healing, belonging, and resilience in alignment with sustainable values.
As we embrace the sacred responsibility of caring for this ceremonial land, we are committed to implementing a comprehensive stewardship plan that fosters meaningful partnerships, ensures the value of gathering in ceremony for all, and promotes sustainable, regenerative care for the land.
"Being part of Braided Wisdom has been a process of rediscovering my freedom and sense of connection. The retreat at Wolf Dream Mountain was the true highlight. I felt so much joy being in the mountains, surrounded by the energy of everyone present and the presence of our ancestors. It transported me back to my hometown in Mexico, to a memory with my grandmother under the Milky Way. That night, looking up at the stars, I felt like I was there with her again. It brought me to tears.”
Reflections About the Land
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“I learned about how connected I feel to this land and community. Solo wilderness, movement and meditation are practices I hold dear to, and it was so powerful to be amongst a sangha. I learned how healing it is to do these practices with and amongst a collective who has already created a safer and braver culture together.”
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“Spending time sitting with fire brought clear messages to me. Affirmation that I am enough, and that transformation is present and not a distant dream. I saw things burn in the fire that were no longer necessary to carry. In solo time, there was experience of interconnection and being a part of the beauty and sacredness of life. This was something I believed and acknowledged regularly but here at Wolf Dream Mountain with community and myself, I felt this interconnection with all of me.”
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“Wolf Dream Mountain is a sacred and magical place. I appreciate the teachings and wisdom shared by our teachers. I am hungry to learn more about being in sacred relationship with ancestors, land, and community.”