Retreats
5 min read
Queer Nature: The Power of Gathering in Wild Spaces
Words by Gray Nolan, Photography by Dare And Matthew Hughes
Coming Together
Is a Radical Act
For so many of us in the queer community, the act of coming together is radical. It’s healing. It’s necessary. In a world that often asks us to shrink, to adapt, to explain, finding spaces where we feel truly seen and supported isn’t just a luxury—it’s a lifeline.
The Queer Nature Retreat was born from this need: a space where queerness and the natural world intertwine, where we can breathe more deeply, move more freely, and connect in ways that feel restorative and real. But beyond the retreat itself, this is about something much bigger—what happens when we come together in nature, when we allow ourselves to be held by the land and by each other.
The Medicine
of Gathering
Queer people have always carved out safe spaces—through chosen families, underground scenes, secret corners of the world where we find each other and hold each other close. But when we step outside, into the wild, something shifts. The walls fall away. The masks we wear to navigate daily life become lighter. We arrive as we are—unfiltered, without expectation.
There is something profoundly healing about gathering in nature. When we share breath in a yoga practice, swim in cold rivers, or sit together in silence under the stars, we remind ourselves that we belong—not just in the world, but to each other.
In a society that often pushes us to fit into boxes, to make ourselves smaller, stepping into a space where we can expand—physically, emotionally, spiritually—feels like a quiet rebellion. And in this expansion, we find something essential: the space to process, to grieve, to celebrate, to exist fully and unapologetically.
The Rhythm of the Land, The Rhythm of Us
Nature teaches us what we often forget: that growth isn’t linear, that stillness is valuable, that change is inevitable.
In queer spaces, we know this intuitively—our lives are shaped by transformation, by reinvention, by fluidity. When we gather in nature, we don’t just witness these cycles; we feel them in our bodies.
The way a deep breath softens something inside us.
The way the sound of the wind quiets the noise in our heads.
The way sharing stories by a fire connects us to something ancient and familiar.
This is what happens when we step outside—not just into the wild, but into ourselves.
The Power of Being Seen
Perhaps the most beautiful thing about coming together in spaces like these is that we become mirrors for each other. A reminder that we are not alone, that our experiences are valid, that there is deep strength in vulnerability.
For many, stepping into a retreat space like this is the first time they’ve been able to take a full breath in a long time. The first time they’ve moved without fear of judgment. The first time they’ve been part of a community that doesn’t just accept them—but celebrates them.
There is power in being seen, in being held in a space that exists for us, by us.
This is Just the Beginning
The Queer Nature Retreat isn’t just an event—it’s part of something much bigger. A reminder that wherever we go, we can create these spaces. That queer joy, queer rest, queer togetherness are not fleeting moments but essential, necessary, and deserved.
Because when we gather, when we take up space in the world and in nature, we are not just participants.
We are keepers of something sacred.
And that is something worth protecting.
Ready to Join us?
If this speaks to you, if you’re craving a space to reconnect, rest, and celebrate in community, we’d love to welcome you. Join us for the next Queer Nature Retreat and experience the magic of gathering in the wild.
