Saturday June 21st, 2025
from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Join us for a Medicine Walk at Sarana Springs, guided by Alexis Burnett, as we celebrate the Summer Solstice and National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day-long experience invites you to step outside your daily routine and into a deeper relationship with the land, yourself, and community.
Event Details
Date & Time: Saturday, June 21st, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Location: Sarana Springs, near Chatsworth, ON (2.5 hours north of Toronto)
Guide: Alexis Burnett, Naturalist, Herbalist, and Wilderness Skills Practitioner
What to Expect
A full day outdoors exploring meadows, wetlands, forests, and springs across Sarana’s diverse 171-acre wildlife refuge
Guided plant identification and ethical foraging practices
The opportunity to forage your own plant-based medicine to take home, using what is in season
Participation in a Summer Solstice acknowledgement
A chance to connect with the land, yourself, and fellow participants in a supportive, intergenerational community
Locally catered bag lunch that’s prepared for you to take for the day
Accessibility Note: This event consists of a day full of walking and being outdoors. This event may not be suitable for those with mobility issues.
Practical Information
Arrival: 9:30–9:45 am; program runs rain or shine
What to Bring: Sturdy walking shoes/boots, weather-appropriate clothing (layers recommended), a water bottle, and a knapsack for your personal items. A detailed packing list will be provided upon registration.
Camping: Optional overnight camping is available for an additional fee. Facilities include outhouses near the pine forest, access to a community kitchen, and plenty of space to enjoy the land. Local B&Bs are also nearby.
Accessibility: Open to all ages; scholarships and reserved spaces for young adults (18–35)
Registration: Required in advance. Sliding scale fee ($80–$120); no one turned away for lack of funds.
Carpooling: Ride-sharing options available for those coming from the GTA-indicate your needs on the registration form.
What is a Medicine Walk?
A Medicine Walk is a mindful, intentional journey on the land rooted in Indigenous traditions. Unlike an ordinary hike, a Medicine Walk is a ceremony of connection-an opportunity to slow down, listen, and receive the “medicine” that nature offers. This medicine may be physical (plants, stones, or other natural objects), emotional, or spiritual-insights, guidance, or a sense of renewal. The purpose is to re-establish your relationship with nature, reflect on your life’s questions, and gather what you need for your journey toward wholeness.
“A Medicine Walk is a way of being with the land and yourself in a receptive, open and imaginal way. It's an opportunity to leave your familiar world to wander, opening to new insights and gifts through direct and immediate contact with the wildness of the world, and returning to share this gift for the benefit of one’s People and one’s Place.”
- Rebecca Joy Card
Alexis Burnett
Alexis is a naturalist, tracker, herbalist, and nature connection mentor who lives on the traditional land of the Three Fires Confederacy, home of the Anishinabek Nation also called Grey County, Ontario Canada. He lives on Rebel Roots Herb Farm (www.rebelrootsherbfarm.com) where they grow, sell and ethically wildcraft more than 50 medicinal plants using organic and regenerative farming practices to produce high quality herbs and herbal medicines. Their farm is also home to Earth Tracks Outdoor School (www.earthtracks.ca) which specializes in connecting people to nature and forming a deep relationship with the earth. Earth Tracks courses and apprenticeship programs include learning how to forage for edible and medicinal plants, herbalism, naturalist training, wildlife tracking, bird language, bush craft skills and nature connection programming for children and adults.
About Sarana Springs
Sarana Springs is 171 acres of wildlife refuge located on the traditional lands of the Anishinabek Nation. This land is home to Sarana Institute's nature-based retreats like our Yana Retreat for young adults and our Autumn Equinox Meditation Retreat. We are approximately 2.5 hours North of Toronto, near Owen Sound, Ontario.
Sarana Springs if home to many habitats and ecologies, including meadows, wetlands, cedar, pine and mixed wood forests and water features, such ponds, freshwater springs, and the source of the Bighead River that flows to Meaford, ON and into Georgian Bay.
Getting to Sarana Springs
See our page dedicated to visiting Sarana with driving directions.
We are approx 2.5 North of Toronto, in Holland Chatsworth, Ontario. If you are arriving from the GTA we encourage carpooling. If you are open to sharing a ride with someone else, there is an option in our registration form to select if you need a ride or can provide one. We will do our best to help coordinate ridesharing. If you have any questions about this, just reach out.
Camping at Sarana Springs
Whether you are traveling from out of town or you're local to us, we welcome you to camp here or stay in a cabin. Camping is optional at an additional fee of $25 per night, and cabins are $80 a night. Outhouse facilities are near 'The Nest' which is a pine forest that makes for excellent sleeping. There is wifi and electricity access on the Land, but not at the camping area. There is access to our community kitchen. If you choose to camp you will be responsible for your own meals and clean up except for our lunch together the day of our workshop.
If you are interested in camping or staying in a cabin, please contact us by email.
Make it a Weekend Experience
There are many local B&B options as well if you'd like to find a cozy place to stay as a home base for the weekend. Grey-Bruce is home to many breathtaking hiking trails, waterfalls, artisan shops, and vistas, and we welcome you to come explore and include our day-long event as part of your weekend!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this workshop sliding scale?
Please contribute a suggested amount of $80 - $120 according to your means. To make additional donations that support our work (and provide bursary funds!) click here.
If you really want to attend, but our sliding scale fee feels inaccessible, please reach out to us directly by emailing luke@saranainstitute.org . No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. If you want to come, we want you to be here!
What Do I Bring and How to Prepare?
Bring walking shoes or boots that can get muddy. We will be outside rain or shine all day. Layer up because temperatures can fluctuate. We will send you an official 'what to bring' list closer to the date. Just make sure you register to receive this.
What Is Sarana Institute?
Yana events are hosted by Sarana Institute which is a non-profit mindfulness-based registered Canadian charity focusing on offering mindfulness training that awakens compassion in caring for ourselves, others and the earth. Yana events are part of our Yana program, and we also host a yearly mindfulness retreat for young adults called Yana Retreat.
I’m Coming From Out of Town, Are There Places to Stay?
Whether you are traveling from out of town or you're local to us, we welcome you to camp here or stay in a cabin. Camping is optional at an additional fee of $25 per night, and cabins are $80 a night. Outhouse facilities are near 'The Nest' which is a pine forest that makes for excellent sleeping. There is wifi and electricity access on the Land, but not at the camping area. There is access to our community kitchen. If you choose to camp you will be responsible for your own meals and clean up except for our lunch together the day of our workshop.
If you are interested in camping or staying in a cabin, please contact us by email.
There are also lots of local B&B options to explore if you'd prefer a more solid home base for the weekend. We encourage you to take as much time as you can to explore this beautiful area!
Carpooling from the GTA:
Sarana Springs is 2.5 Hours North of Toronto. We do our best to coordinate ride-sharing when it is safe to do so. If you are open to sharing a ride with someone else, there is an option in our registration form to select if you need a ride or can provide one. If you have any questions about this, just reach out.