​​A significant cultural and spiritual star-event happened yesterday, April 8, 2024 in "Star" Tannery Shenandoah County, Virginia. 

Our group, consisting of close spiritual friends, new acquaintances, and longtime companions, gathered as like-minded peoples and kindred spirits. This unique gathering felt like a modern-day family reunion, signaling the emergence of a new tribe rising.

As the moon rose to eclipse the sun a rebirth set in emotion. This cosmic alignment invited our hearts to connect to ourselves and each other in a new way.  

What a respectful and reverent time! In partnership with Simply Shenandoah and The Mind Mat, our intimate celebration related to the four elements: 

• Water – a flowing tour around the property to orient our project and small group. 
• Earth – a grounding sound bath ceremony connecting us to this land’s power. 
• Air – a liberating music exploration inviting growth and expansion into our lives.
• Fire – a releasing experience to gratefully donate what no longer serves us into the past. 

​​We believe the land itself is ready for a sacred celebration marking its own transformation! This 2024 Total Solar Eclipse was the perfect backdrop, not be seen again in Virginia until well after 2044.

​Over the past two years, we have held land clearing and blessing ceremonies at our site in Star Tannery Virginia. Now, we are preparing to start construction so we can open our transformational wellness resort in 2026. Still in its raw form, Simply Shenandoah Resort 640-acre property is ready to receive this dramatic shift.

We would like to thank our Sanctuary on the Trail members and supporters for attending and sharing this moment of harmony in the natural world. May we continue to reflect on our interconnectedness with all living beings especially those who will come to this resort in the future for their healing. 

We recognize the 50+ new friends we met for helping feed the fire, dance your own fields, share gifts, and lay down prayers. Our shared reflections, meditations, and connections have a resonance with us, this place and we believe the universe. Thanks for sharing your stories, songs, and time.  To those unable to attend, you were here in spirit.

Special Thank You Carrie Fox - Chris Anderson - Clay Morris - Bryant Sandman - Dr. Virginia Rae - Glenda Skelley - Isaac White - Jacob White - Jeff Wolf - Kelly Ferguson - Nate Fox - Mary Shapiro - Sabine Hutto - Stuart Hill.

We Especially Recognize Co-Founders Mike Marburg and Jennifer Marburg, and Community Engagement Liaison Greg McCarley for hosting and opening your hearts to this new possibility.

Thank you.

Chris (Comeswithclouds) White 
Rene' Locklear White
Indigenous Advisors, Simply Shenandoah
Co-Founders, Sanctuary on the Trail

​Funny thing is, in talking with folks in our Northern Virginia community about archaeology  all lines point to Dr. Carole Nash. Curious, for close to 15 years, my husband and I have been searching to find an all-knowing expert in Indigenous history here. Tonight, we get to meet "THE" Dr. Nash for the first time. 

PAST

Many non-Native peoples whom we have spoken with are not convinced that Indigenous peoples lived in this part of Virginia, but rather passed through hunting and foraging. Around 2010, we discovered a Paleo-Indian report by JMU that described continual Indigenous contact here in Northern Virginia. The report included more than 20 sites recorded by JMU students. ​Their report focuses on the Paleo-Indian sites recorded by JMU students at a golf course in Berryville/Bluemont, VA. The study conducted by the university aimed to explore and document the historical significance of these sites, shedding light on the presence and activities of Paleo-Indians in the area. Through meticulous fieldwork and analysis, JMU students recorded various artifacts

and features, providing valuable insights into the lifestyles and behaviors of the early inhabitants of the region. The report not only shares the findings of the research but also emphasizes the importance of preserving and studying such archaeological sites to deepen our understanding of the prehistoric past.

PRESENT 

We believe the all-knowing person, who knows all about Indigenous history here in the Shenandoah Valley is Dr. Nash.  Tonight we are meeting at the Skyline Resort Conference Room for a cocktail reception featuring Dr. Nash. This event is hosted by Shenandoah National Park Trust (SNPT). Our SIMPLY Shenandoah team includes: Greg McCarley, Chris Anderson, Chris (Comeswithclouds) White and Rene' Locklear White. We are super excited to connect with this icon in our community and to congratulate her on her work.

FUTURE 

A partnership with Dr. Carole Nash could involve  new collaborations on promoting sustainable and holistic practices that enrich our knowing about the past, present and future of our Indigenous who lived and continue to live in Shenandoah.

​Dr. Carole Nash, a cultural anthropologist from James Madison University, is widely recognized for her pioneering work on Native Americans in Virginia. With a profound passion for preserving and amplifying indigenous histories, Dr. Nash has dedicated her research to shed light on the vibrant cultures and rich heritage of the Native American communities of Virginia.

Through extensive fieldwork and collaborations with local tribes, Dr. Nash has unearthed invaluable insights into the Native American past and present. Her studies provide an in-depth understanding of their traditional practices, social structures, and belief systems, allowing for a more nuanced exploration of Virginia's indigenous history.

Dr. Nash's work extends beyond academia, as she actively engages in community outreach programs and consultations with tribal leaders. With a focus on fostering cultural revitalization, she has actively contributed to efforts for language preservation, land conservation, and cultural heritage protection.

Her scholarship serves as a bridge, connecting the academic realm with Native American communities, empowering them to reclaim their narratives and strengthen their cultural identity. Dr. Carole Nash's research not only enriches our understanding of Virginia's indigenous peoples but also promotes respect, appreciation, and collaboration between different cultures, fostering a more inclusive and diverse society.

Shenandoah National Park (SNP)  is the nation’s capitol’s national park. Spanning 200,000 acres across the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah attracts 1.4 million visitors a year. The park includes lands from eight counties: Albemarle, Greene, Madison, Page, Warren, Rappahannock, Rockingham, and Augusta. GET INVOLVED

Shenandoah National Park Trust (SNPT. As the official philanthropic partner of Shenandoah National Park, the Trust provides strategic investments in programs and initiatives that help protect, enhance, and preserve the resources of Shenandoah National Park for all to enjoy- for this and future generations. DONATE

​Super excited to meet our wonderful new Indigenous friend Gaia Balbi. She led a Cacao Ceremony for many of us. Gaia also led an incredibly healing Breath Ceremony. Our hearts are indeed fuller. 

Gaia is a 500-hour certified master Yoga and Meditation Teacher, Energy Healer, Shamanic Practitioner, End of Life Doula, Grief Expert, and overall Spiritual coach and guide who believes in the importance of a holistic approach to self-care.

Cacao is an acquired taste :) These sacred experiences are part of opening all of our hearts as leaders to the healing that SIMPLY Shenandoah will bring for the next seven generations.

Welcome to team SIMPLY Gaia! 

Cacao Ceremony Background:

Chocolate comes from the tropical cacao tree. The cacao bean, the rawest form of chocolate, can be harvested and consumed directly (cacao), roasted and turned into powder (cocoa) or made into chocolate.

Mother Cacao was known in the ancient Americas as “Medicine of the Heart” because it is a gentle and beautiful heart opening plant medicine. The quality of our lives depends on our ability to heal and follow our heart’s wisdom. The heart is the center of our being, the bridge to Cosmic Intelligence, and the connection to Universal Divine Love. This is why Mother Cacao, as the “Medicine of the Heart”, is as relevant today as it was centuries ago.

It was always taken as a ceremonial drink with the sacred intention to drop into our hearts, re-connect us to Mother Earth, and let Her take us back towards the Divine spark within.

​By Jennifer Marburg
Co-Founder SIMPLY Shenandoah Wellness Resort

As we kick of Native American Heritage month, we thought it appropriate to share Part Two of our Native American Wisdom Keepers series (click here for Part One).   

Since the land that is home to our project was occupied for thousands of years by our Native American ancestors, we are committed to honoring its heritage as part of our broader wellness mission. Our neighbors, Rene Locklear White and Chris White, are Simply Shenandoah’s Indigenous Advisors. They are of Lumbee and Cherokee descent, respectively, and live on an archeological site used by Paleo Indians 10,000 years ago.  

Rene and Chris support local leaders by educating them about the traditions and practices of the Indigenous of the Americas. They are helping us integrate proven and traditional wisdom within our design, programming, landscape, and menus. They are also helping guide us to resources that ensure that our ecological restoration efforts align with indigenous best practices so that we can harvest native foods.

Land stewardship and community fellowship will be part of guest’s grounding and awakening experiences during their stay with us. Our vibe is inclusive, not exclusive. And we support the land that supports us through sustainable, energy efficient, organic growing & harvesting practices. I guess you might consider this a way of life or a lifestyle. 

Since meeting Rene and Chris, MY lifestyle has changed quite a bit – not because of them specifically – but things are happening in concert. The type of food I now consume is probably one of the biggest and MOST beneficial changes in my wellness journey. I now have less inflammation and more energy. INCREDIBLE.

Rene and Chris are founders of the non-profit Native American Church of Virginia and are amazing leaders in the community. This was recently recognized in a November issue of e-Publication – Middleburg Life. As well, Rene recently launched a “Food is Medicine” website which is a map to America’s Native Food Trail. This is a digital footprint that guides you through Indigenous culinary traditions and sustainable practices by Native American Indians in the Americas.

We are so grateful to have their support, wisdom, and spiritual counsel. 

~ In peace,  Jennifer Marburg

Introducing Clay Morris to SIMPLY Shenandoah  and the world because it SIMPLY makes sense! Clay's work is critical to humanity.

Clay created "Forgotten Foods Gastronomy" to research and celebrate wild foraged foods and culinary techniques as a means to preserve the knowledge of these foods and methods. He's a wild-food forager with an interest in the contemporary use of such plants. He leads foraging hikes and offers samples of his creations from nature. ​

We and the Marburgs and Greg McCarley have had the opportunity to attend to several of Clay's wild food foraging classes. 

​Clay established and maintains a permaculture system on personal property with a focus on indigenous gardening and food culture interpretation. He accomplished independent studies in agroecology and ethnobotany / currently compiling two ethnobotanical studies: collection of medicinal knowledge from Pamunkey elder and another study of the botanical diversity of the Pamunkey Reservation with the intent of recreating the potential uses of native vegetation during the pre-Colonial period. 

Clay's a loving husband and father a son and daughter who all call Virginia home. Clay traces his ancestry to the Arapaho Nation.

"From Pine Vinegar to Dandelion Root Coffee, this Foraging Hike let's you Sample Local Wild Edibles" Northern Virginia Magazine. 

"Winter Foraging with Clay Morris" Middleburg Life Magazine. 

We are working to identify Southeastern Woodland artists to submit samples of their work. Our team will commission a small handful of artists to create interior design items for four adult tree houses opening at the Simply Shenandoah Resort.

The artist categories are:

• Tapestry
• Bed Scatter (i.e., pillows, blankets, throws)
• Pendant Lighting
• Pottery

Interested artists should contact  [email protected] for more information by Aug. 26, 2022.

​René Locklear White is Lumbee, Indigenous Advisor to Wellmore Partners and Co-Founder of Sanctuary on the Trail Native American Church of Virginia.