Vision Quest

Drawing upon the ritual and traditions of indigenous cultures from around the world, and framed by the spiritual landscape of Australia, the Spirit of the Earth Medicine Society [SOTEMS] takes each participant into the wilderness to encounter the opening of a personal, spiritual pathway, a cleansing and renewal so that each may return regenerated.

There are few opportunities like this within our contemporary society wherein we can step out of everyday life and submit ourselves to a process which clears our horizons. It is a peerless experience.

The Vision Quest involves:

1. A meditation in nature, alone, within a dreaming wheel
2. It occurs in a place which speaks to you and you alone
3. It spans three or five days and nights
4. It requires the discipline of fasting and diminished sleep
5. It involves facing the east each morning as the sun crosses the horizon so that Spirit may speak and renew you
6. You are given songs and meditations which enrich and focus your vigil and search
7. There is the opportunity to share your story and to have your personal needs for integration of the experience met
8. It is overall, a ceremony of transition and renewal
9. For one week before the quest proper begins, you will be required to do daily meditations. Once you are registered for the quest, the details of these practices will be supplied to you

The Vision Quest will be facilitated by initiated shamans within the Spirit of the Earth Medicine Society (SOTEMS) traditions. Throughout and beyond the vigil, you are supported by trained and experienced personnel from SOTEMS. Being a wilderness area, the safety of our participants is paramount.

Vision Quest Location

The Vision Quest is held in wilderness areas so that there is no contact with the circumstances of everyday life and immersion in Nature is maximised. The Quest has been run at the Hugh River, an ancient place, the second oldest river in the world with a history of some 350-400 million years. Participants should arrange to travel to Alice Springs where they will be met and transported to the Quest location. It is best to arrive the day before the Quest begins.

Registration and Cost

Due to logistics, participation will be limited to a maximum of 12 participants in total.

* These dates represent the Departure and Return to Alice Springs

All participants will need to find their way to Alice Springs and arrange accommodation on the evening of 2nd September 2023. We will leave Alice Springs on 3rd September and will return to Alice Springs on 8th September 11am for 3-Day VQ and 10th September for 5-Day VQ. To help with integration of the experience, it is recommended to find accommodation at least for the evening that you return from the desert to Alice Springs.

To register your interest for the SOTEMS Vision Quest, please download the Vision Quest Brochure and Registration Details form.

For specific information, please contact SOTEMS on email info@sotems.com.au or phone Guy on 0407-495-076

Vision Quest Ceremony Leader

Guy is a Ceremonial Leader and initiated shaman in the Spirit of the Earth Medicine Society.

Guy is also a traditionally trained and initiated sangoma. A sangoma is a traditional healer of Southern Africa, effectively a shaman of the Zulu and related Nguni cultures.

Born and raised in South Africa, he is one of only a handful of westerners that have undergone the long and intense ordeal of thwasa (the formal traditional training and initiation process) in order to become initiated into the traditions of the Southern African traditional healers.

Since moving to Australia, Guy is passionate about contributing to the development of a shamanic perspective for contemporary Australians that is harmoniously informed by both our unique, and often disjointed, ancestral stories and the land upon which we live.

Guy will be assisted during the Vision Quest by trained SOTEMS personnel.

Acknowledgement and respect is given to the owners of this land who provide us with permission to facilitate these quests within this beautiful site.