History of Diana's Grove

In February 1993, Cynthea Jones and Patricia Storm attended an intensive weekend with Starhawk in Chicago. In trance they wandered down a path into our future. Neither of them found themselves in Springfield, IL, teaching in a brick center on a corner lot. Instead, they were in a magical grove, surrounded by gently rising hills and woods with firelight dancing on the faces of persons they had yet to meet.

Jean Houston said: "Some people have dreams, visions, but sometimes... a vision has you. Your life becomes sponsored by a vision and you are called to serve that vision." Cynthea and Patricia began a search for that envisioned land as a home for a Midwest Reclaiming Camp. They re-visualized their teaching and currently offer a Mystery School for women and men that focuses on personal work and also contains a multi-layered leadership development program devoted to small group dynamics, creating and sustaining healthy community, and ritual arts, including trance work and frame drum.

In addition to Midwest Reclaiming Camp and its own Mystery School , Diana’s Grove hosts public events throughout the year, including retreat weekends. The Diana's Grove staff and community have had the privilege of working with Layne Redmond, Ubaka Hill, Mimi Baczewska, and Margot Adler, as well as Reclaiming.

From the early beginnings with one two-bedroom house, a dirt-floor barn, a shed, and screen house, Diana’s Grove has slowly developed facilities and accommodations. Conveniences such as heated cabins with electricity for over 40 campers are now balanced with the intention to be a land sanctuary. There are hot showers - private but open to sky and woods – and outhouses with stained glass windows. Depending on the weather, community gatherings of up to 40 can meet in the now rug-covered wood-floor barn or a carpeted Great Room in the Mystery School House. The campground is shaded and level, bordered by Sinking Creek on one side and an open meadow on the other. A seven-circuit labyrinth is mowed into the meadow and a commercial kitchen in the Mystery School house produces gourmet meals for all events.

Several outdoor spaces for ritual or meetings are nestled in the woods, encircled by rising hills and a gentle year-round Spring Branch creek. Some roof-covered, all torch lit, they call to the Spirits of the land and the ancient self of all who gather within their embrace. Diana’s Grove provides the creature comforts of the modern world for those who are willing to step out of "today" into the timelessness of our night sky. Take a dream and make it real.