Vision Quest:

A Journey to Self-Discovery

 

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose touch with our true selves. We often focus on external achievements and possessions, hoping they’ll bring lasting joy. But what if the answers we seek lie within, waiting to be discovered through a profound connection with nature?

A Vision Quest offers this opportunity—a chance to step away from the noise of everyday life and listen to your inner voice. It’s a time-honoured Rite of Passage used across cultures to facilitate deep personal transformation.

Is a Vision Quest Right for You?

You might be drawn to a Vision Quest if you’re at a crossroads in life, seeking to understand yourself and your future path. Perhaps you’re yearning to live more authentically, aligning your life with your deepest values. Or maybe you’re entering a new phase of life, looking to embrace your role as an elder and find your place in society.

Whatever your motivation, a Vision Quest provides a unique space to reconnect with your life purpose through the wisdom of nature

 

 

Your focus has been on things that are ‘out there’, seeking another promotion, focus on status and external things, possessions that haven’t brought you long lasting joy. It’s time to do things differently.

Time to look inwards and to use nature as your guide.

Ready to begin your journey? Join our next Vision Quest from Friday 27 June to Sunday 6 July 2025.

What is a Vision Quest?

We must all follow our vision quest to discover ourselves, and to find our relationship with the world around us.

A Vision Quest is a Rite of Passage used across millennia and in many different traditions. It allows you to have a deep connection with the natural world and to get a deep understanding of the person you are.

A Vision Quest is a ceremony to facilitate change and to help people to move from one stage of their life through to the next. You start by setting your intention, your focus for your time in nature.

In traditional cultures the vision quest was undertaken by the young men on their initiation to become a man. They came back when the wild animal was slain. That was a way of addressing their fears. In our modern culture the fear to overcome is hunger from the fasting.

One reason for me doing my first vision quest was to escape the noise and chatter of my daily life and listen to my inner voice. Rather than looking for the answer via books and other sources of external knowledge I would find the answer within me.

A Vision Quest is more than a retreat—it’s a transformative journey that can ripple through every aspect of your life. Are you ready to discover the wisdom that lies within you and in the natural world around us?

There are 3 stages to a Vision Quest:

Stage 1 – Severance

The first phase is preparation, held at base camp. As part of a small group, you get clear on what you need to say goodbye to, what you are letting go of. This process starts before the Quest, writing a letter of intention and a 10-page autobiography.

From the day I decided yes, I felt different – mainly a calmness and a noticeable heightening of my senses. I noticed more – my vision was sharper, hearing more acute.

Three full days at basecamp. We listen to your stories, your intent for being here. We give you tools – earth awareness exercises to drop you into the natural world. We talk about the ceremonies you will undertake – a death lodge on the first night, a purpose circle on the final night. We give you a structure for your four days solo time.

On the Tuesday you leave with no phone, no watch, no books to read. You can take a journal and pens, a musical instrument and a knife.

I advise you not to fill your time with doing. This is time for you to consider your gifts and your place in the world; what it is that you can do for your people when you return.

Stage 2 – Threshold

You spend 4 days and 4 nights on a solo fast. You have water, but no food.  When I first heard this, I said I can barely go 4 hours without food, never mind 4 days. But as I reflected on this, I felt it was a fear. People do fast, why can’t I do it? And I did.

You will be alone with your thoughts. A lot of time to think. No technology, no watch. You will judge the passing of time by the movement of the sun. How many of us really listen to the sound of the wind and look closely at plants? It will be nature that guides you and helps you find your vision.

You don’t have a tent but can use a tarp to make a shelter.

The quest is a liminal state – deep listening and prolonged daydreaming. The word Liminal is from the Latin for Threshold. You will be severed from the familiar and the everyday – caffeine, phone, watch, food. Time alone to reflect on your life – the challenges, difficulties, questions about a sense of direction. Remembering the parts that we may want to forget. You don’t try and figure it out, you just listen and experience. 

For me the solo fast was time to consider my past – regrets, as well as successes. Seeking forgiveness and giving forgiveness. Helping to be more comfortable with who I am. I came back with a glow about me, friends said. I felt a greater calmness within than I had before. Whilst a couple of times I felt myself losing this, time back in nature, and a more reflective period helped take me back.

Stage 3 – Incorporation

“Maybe the journey isn’t so much about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about un-becoming everything that isn’t really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place”. Paulo Coelho.

Back at base camp you will tell your story. We, as the elders at the circle, listen to your story, and mirror back. Picking out on themes and clues that we can hear. The messages from the birds, the trees. And their actions.

It’s a lot to take in and we give you our notes to refer to later.

And then you leave. You return to your ‘normal life’ and your story will unfold over the coming year.

On my return I realised that a lot of my life was happening ‘out there’. I still had my energy, but it also showed itself in quieter ways too – appreciating nature.  Being a person who radiates warmth and energy. Striking up conversations, looking for more depth.  Saying things that come across as wise. As they should. I’m now a wise woman.

The return
One year later you return to the land. A final 24 hours to close the vision quest. From then they can share the experience with others.

The Process

You arrive on Friday from 2pm and set up your small tent. We have a shared meal Friday evening.

3 full days spent at basecamp with breakfast and dinner provided each day. This is your preparation phase where you get to connect with nature and learn more about the 4-day solo fast. You learn about the medicine wheel and the 4 shields. You undertake nature awareness exercises and we talk about ceremony and ritual so you can create your own.

We use the wisdom of the medicine wheel, my knowledge of rites of passage and psychology gained over a life time and brought together in my doctoral research.

Tuesday morning you leave close to dawn. You take a tarp, you have ample water, but you don’t take your phone, a watch or food. 4 days alone to focus on your intention with nature as your guide. And we remain at basecamp, holding the space to support you.

The solo time

The solo time is a period without distraction – no phone or social media, no conversation, and no focus on cooking or eating. With no clock you lose a sense of time. The period alone allows you to get in touch with your thoughts, to pay attention to your senses, to allow your fears to surface. And to allow space to widen and deepen your thoughts

You return on Saturday morning, and we have 2 days at basecamp. We go beyond listening to your story, we mirror back and help you get a deeper understanding of the experience. I prepare you for your return to your day-to-day-life. Food is again provided. Departure is Sunday afternoon/ evening or Monday morning. You have guidance on the next phase.

We follow up with a group Zoom call a month later.

Price and what’s included

The total cost is £950. On booking your place you pay a £250 non-refundable deposit. You then receive preparation materials including a list of what to bring.

Breakfast and an evening meal is provided each day at basecamp. Water and hot drinks are freely available.

Any meals outside of camp are purchased by yourself. For example, we will go to a café for breakfast on the Saturday you return from the 4 day solo. You may also choose to go to the local pub whilst at basecamp for a meal.

Your Guide on the Journey

As your Vision Quest Guide, I, Dr. Denise Taylor, bring over 30 years of experience as a psychologist, along with extensive training in Vision Quest facilitation. I was in apprenticeship to David Wendl Berry, the first person in the UK to run Vision Quests, he remains my mentor and I continue to support him in his work.

My focus is on supporting individuals in mid-life and beyond, incorporating my research on meaningful ageing into the Quest experience. I also support people of all ages who are at a transition point

My own deep connection with nature and commitment to authentic living inform my approach. Drawing on knowledge of depth psychology, deep imagery and Jungian concepts. I have the knowledge and wisdom gained over my 67 years on this earth. Nature is my greatest teacher and has allowed me to live a more authentic life.

Taking the Next Step

Embarking on a Vision Quest is a profound decision. If you feel called to this experience, I invite you to reach out. We can discuss your motivations and any questions you might have to determine if now is the right time for your Quest.

Contact me, Dr. Denise Taylor, to learn more:

WhatsApp: 07931 303367

Email: hello@denisetaylor.co.uk