The Art of Being, together.

Arrive at your own pace, receive your room assignment, name tag, camp journal, and communication cues. Check in your phone as part of arrival; arrange any accessibility, health, or caregiving access with the planning team beforehand. Unpack, explore Camp Mitchell, rest, or begin meeting people informally.

We will review the schedule, shared spaces, confidentiality, communication cues, the right to pass, and how structured sharing works.

During witnessed sharing, participants do not interrupt, advise, debate, interpret, or cross-talk. Conversation afterward happens only with the speaker’s consent.

A quiet pause to ask yourself: What do I need before dinner? You may journal, walk, settle your room, or connect with someone.

Shared meal and informal conversation. There is no expectation to socialize continuously.

Light catering. One of our two planned catered meals. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

A brief grounding practice and opening prompt: What would help you feel comfortable, included, and respected while you are here? You may answer aloud, write privately, or pass.

Those who choose to share may speak for up to five minutes about what brought them here or what they hope to experience. No interruption or response follows a share. We practice receiving one another without fixing.

Notice what you are feeling and what you need next. Journal, take a walk, rest, or ask someone—by consent—to talk.

Unstructured time for conversation, music, quiet company, games, or an early night.

A quiet, lightly guided start with space for spiritual reflection, grounding, and gratitude in your own way. Attendance is optional.

Shared meal with open seating and room for quiet.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

A short personal inventory: How present do I feel? What boundary, support, or amount of participation feels right today?

Walk without conversation and notice what becomes easier to hear when the usual noise is removed.

Possible prompts include: What noise am I carrying? What do I want to set down? What part of myself needs more room?

Water, restroom, movement, quiet, or conversation.

Write privately, then choose whether to share, ask someone else to read anonymously, keep the page, or place it in a private collection. Expression is invited; disclosure is never required.

Optional five-minute shares. No interruptions, questions, advice, or cross-talk. Silence follows each contribution.

Shared meal and an opportunity to notice whether you want company or quiet.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

Nap, sit outside, write, play games, use the creativity table, talk, or spend time alone.

Practice reflective listening, asking what kind of response is wanted, and receiving consent before continuing a conversation after someone shares.

• Do you want to be heard, supported, or helped with solutions?
• Would you like a response?
• Are questions welcome?
• Would you rather leave this here?

Pause, notice your capacity, and choose whether to continue, step back, or ask for company.

Questions submitted after registration may be read aloud anonymously for voluntary reflection. One minute of silence follows each question, then participants may offer five-minute shares without debate or rebuttal.

Rest, shower, journal, walk, or connect before dinner.

Shared evening meal.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

Write about something you are learning about love, belonging, community, identity, boundaries, or yourself. Sharing is optional and limited to five minutes.

Notice what has surfaced and what would help you feel settled tonight.

No additional processing is required. Choose the evening that supports you.

A quiet sunrise pause for spiritual reflection or simply being present. All beliefs and curious minds are welcome.

Shared meal with no formal discussion requirement.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

What came up for me? What does it mean? What do I need now? Participants may speak, write, listen, or pass.

Small voluntary spaces for people who feel unsettled, unclear, tender, or simply want company while making sense of the previous day. These are peer reflection spaces, not therapy.

Quiet, movement, water, or connection.

Participants will be invited to write something another person in this community may need to hear. No one is required to explain the personal history behind what they write.

Possible prompts include:

• What do you wish someone had told you earlier?
• What would you say to someone who feels alone?
• What truth helped you survive a difficult season?
• What have you learned about love, grief, identity, belonging, or beginning again?
• What do you hope another person carries home with them?
• What would you write to a younger version of yourself?
• What might someone need to hear before returning home?

Participants may choose to:

• keep the letter
• read it aloud
• leave it anonymously for another attendee
• sign it
• exchange it with another participant
• contribute it to a future camp collection

After a letter is shared aloud, the group may respond simply: “Thank you. We received that.”

Those who choose may read for up to five minutes. No applause, interpretation, or response is required. The facilitator may simply say, “Thank you. We received that.”

Shared meal before the open exploration block.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

A three-hour unstructured window for hiking, overlooks, games, naps, porch conversations, creativity, or time alone. Participants choose their own pace and companions. Any off-site or trail activity should follow park guidance and personal ability.

Transition back slowly. Notice what you need before the evening.

An optional exchange for participants who selected it during registration and brought one wrapped handmade, locally made, creative, or thoughtfully chosen gift—something they would genuinely enjoy receiving. No gift cards and no unwanted joke items.

Rest and prepare for dinner.

Final full-group evening meal.

Community cooking. Preparing this meal together is optional; volunteers will coordinate preparation ahead of the meal. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

An evening of creativity, expression, laughter, and unexpected talents. Share singing, dancing, poetry, comedy, storytelling, magic tricks, music, or an unusual skill. Participation is entirely optional: no judges, prizes, rankings, competition, or expectation of professional-level performance.

Sign up before camp or simply enjoy the audience. Equipment and timing will be confirmed with performers.

Stretch, take a break, or head to bed. Closing reflections remain optional.

A gentle writing and reflection practice about what you want more of, what boundary you want to respect, and what connection or change you want to nurture after leaving.

A brief opportunity to name what you need tonight and tomorrow morning. Passing is always welcome.

Campfire, music, games, conversation, creativity, packing, or rest.

A final shared meal.

Catered continental breakfast. One of our two planned catered meals. Preliminary menu and ingredients.

A brief invitation to share what you are taking home, what you want to remember, or what you hope this community becomes. Participation remains optional.

No heavy exercise or required processing. After check-out, participants may head home or choose their own plans together.

Participants are free to continue exploring Petit Jean, have lunch together, hike, or travel home independently.