Transcending Traditions
May 15-17, 2026
The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, Highlands NC
Convener: John Marotta
Dearest Siblings,
As convener for the Gay Spirit Visions Spring Retreat, May 15-17, 2026, I want to personally invite you to experience Transcending Traditions at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, Highlands, NC. Registration is open now. Please click on the link at the bottom of this announcement to register.
Transcending traditions means moving beyond established customs, beliefs, or practices to innovate, find deeper meaning, or challenge limitations, which we often see in art (blending old styles with new), spirituality (seeking direct experience over ritual), and social contexts (artists breaking barriers). This experience involves reinterpreting the past, integrating diverse influences, and creating new forms while respecting foundational ideas, all of which are often shown in books, exhibitions, discussions exploring culture, art, and personal growth.
What this can mean for you:
• Honoring the past without being trapped by it
• Evolving cultural, artistic, or personal practices for a new era
• Blending heritage with innovation
• Choosing growth over unquestioned norms
A Call for Workshops
Do you feel compelled to bring forth a workshop that aligns with or complements the thoughts and concepts mentioned above? If so, I would love to talk with you about your workshop ideas. Interactive, participatory, and experiential workshops work better than presentation/talk types of workshops. Our goal is to help participants come away from the workshop experience and the retreat itself with an enhanced understanding of “transcending traditions.”
Please contact me if you are interested in facilitating a workshop. My email address is jm19562002@yahoo.com and my cell phone number is 828-388-3344. Please leave a message if I cannot answer when you call.
“Transcending traditions” is a truly rich, bountiful, and forward imagining process, a bit poetic, a little rebellious, and a little respectful.
I look forward to seeing all of you and experiencing a transformative gathering.
With great respect and humility,
John Marotta
GSV 2026 Spring Retreat Gathering Convener
Accomadations
3 Day/2 Night Package (Friday through Sunday)
All pricing is per person
Double occupancy – Lodge or duplex cabin $270 + tax
Bunkhouse $230 + tax
Single occupancy $410 + tax
For All Rooms Add Required GSV Program Fee $35.00 per person
Scholarship Information and Application Deadline
Financial assistance in the form of scholarships is available. The financial assistance application submission deadline is Friday, May 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. We hope that anyone who resonates with our mission and community, and who has the desire to attend, can join us at our gatherings. To that end we offer financial assistance through the Raven Wolfdancer Financial Assistance Fund. Please go to the Financial Assistance page on the Gay Spirit Visions website for more information and for a link to the GSV financial assistance application form. Remember, the financial assistance application submission deadline is Friday, May 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Registration
Registration for the GSV 2026 Winter Meditation gathering is now open. Please begin the registration process on the Spring Retreat Registrationpage. All questions about registration should be directed to The Mountain – gsoffice@themountainrlc.org – Phone: (828)-526-5838. Registration closes on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Participants needing accessible accommodations are encouraged to register early.
Getting to The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center
The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center is located west of the town of Highlands, NC. For detailed driving information and transportation options, visit The Mountain Getting Here page. Note: If your transportation plans include flying, the closest and easiest airport to fly in and out of is Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) located in Fletcher, NC, just south of Asheville, NC.
Please note that there are no public transportation options from AVL that service The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center. You may wish to consider rental car services at AVL. The drive from AVL to The Mountain is approximately 2 hours, or longer if you are not accustomed to mountain driving conditions.