upcoming events
OSTARA ... RISING! April 19th, 2025, 11am-5:30pm
Join Shaun and her Yamama! sisters for another of our delicious day-long retreats for women. We'll move through opportunities for collaborative music-making, song and chant, dance, and other creative play in celebration of the arrival of a very popular (if relatively unknown) Goddess of Spring. Please note that space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
Registration is open through April 16th: $135/woman, or $240 for two. To register or for more information, go to https://yamamaband.com/events.html
"WOMEN'S MONTHLIES" DRUM CIRCLE- April 25th, 2025, 7-8pm
With her wife, Stormi Oshun of Many Hands Light Work, Shaun hosts monthly drum circles for women, bringing plenty of loaner drums and a wealth of fascinating and fun percussion instruments. Come discover and express your own innate musicality in this facilitated experience. With drummers who return month after month, as well as a good crop of first-timers at each circle, we create a once-in-a-lifetime musical soundscape in an encouraging, positive atmosphere. A great place to make friends, have a good laugh, challenge yourself to explore the unknown, and enjoy a play date for grownups! Meets at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bozeman, 325 N. 25th Ave. ($20 suggested contribution.)
SHAMAN'S CIRCLE - April 29th, 2025, 7-9pm
We gather monthly in ceremonial space to set intention and practice journeying together. This is a rich opportunity for deepening our shamanic practice in the synergistic, supportive container of a coherent circle. Contact Shaun for more information; RSVP required. Please note that this circle is ONLY available to people who have already received basic training in how to journey. (Contact Shaun if you have questions about the training you've received, or if you'd like to receive training.) ($30 suggested contribution.)
YAMAMA! SoundGate Practice at the Dharma Center - May 2nd, 2025, 7-8pm
This evening our band will leave the djembes at home as we provide a delicious soundscape to support listeners in deepening their meditation practice. (Please note, this is not an everybody-making-music experience – Yamama! makes the music, you do the meditating.) Donations gratefully accepted and shared 50/50 between the Dharma Center and the musicians.
Women's retreats to nourish the soul
Join Shaun for an intimate, soulful gathering in the location of your choice. Whether you are an accomplished shamanic journeyer, inner-world explorer, or a first-timer, these weekends (and longer) promise a deeply experiential foray into the landscape of the Soul. With drumming, art, song, guided visioning and more, women discover, nurture and celebrate their own authentic nature ... that part of us which is fed and restored by the natural world ... that part of us which sustains and heals our world. Reach out to craft a personal retreat that's just right for you, or get on the listserv to learn about upcoming opportunities.
Past retreats and special events:
- Changing Woman -- a rite of passage retreat to honor where we are coming from, where we are going, and the power to be found in the present moment.
- Celebrating Women -- a weekend gathering with ceremony, music-making and workshops on a wide variety of topics.
- Wild Soul -- a weekend of focused shamanic journeying to connect with our deeply knowing True Self
- Spirit Walk -- moving through nature in quietude, in ceremony, holding ourselves open to receive the gifts and guidance offered by the wild world
- seasonally-focused retreats exploring the power of traditional Earth-based high holy days
- mother-daughter initiation ceremonies
- Drum Woman -- explore a variety of West African rhythms and techniques, as well as shamanic drumming, and ecstatic drum and dance
Shaun's retreats are moving, inspiring, soulful and FUN! I feel more courageous because of the safety and invitation she extends. Now I know what she means by "sacred play" -- and I want more!
- Julia M.
Shaun is calm and confident, thorough, and has a welcoming presence and spirit. She gives great information in digestible chunks. She brought a wealth of knowledge and a willingness to share her gifts, offering flexibility in meeting the needs of each group member. She is an expert in her field.
- Stephanie M.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES
CEREMONY
A baby is born; a daughter reaches menarche; a parent dies. Or a new job arrives; a graduation from one life stage to another; a divorce, miscarriage or abortion; completion of one life phase and movement into another. Shaun creates one-of-a-kind ceremonies to honor these and other intimate and important rites of passage.
WEDDINGS
Not interested in a typical church wedding? Shaun will help you create the wedding of your dreams, using language, ritual and music that most resonate with your hearts. With decades as an officiant and ceremonialist, Shaun brings many rich resources to crafting your ideal ceremony.
DRUMMING
Need a little more joy in your life? Always wanted to drum but afraid to give it a try? Shaun and her wife, Stormi Oshun, create a playful, permission-full environment in their classes for beginning and intermediate drummers. And drum circles are offered on a once-monthly basis for women who just want to cut loose without learning technique or culturally specific rhythms.
RETREATS
A variety of individually crafted and soulful residential retreats are available for those who want to deepen their personal practice, heal and reflect on their life's journey, and celebrate with others. Sign up to receive more information when a retreat is in the works.
MUSIC MEDICINE
Music moves through all of us, regardless of our upbringing or training. Making music in the moment shuts off the brain's inner critic and allows us to flow into surprising creative territory. In one-on-one or group sessions, discover your own heart's song and align your heartbeat with the Earth's ancient rhythms. Shaun is a certified Music Medicine practitioner (trained with Christine Stevens).
SPIRIT WALK
In a small group or one-on-one, take your journey to the next level in the "Cathedral of the Forest." Let Shaun create the sacred container which will best honor your intention, and open to the wisdom of the wilderness in a safe, supported experience. Bozeman is surrounded by beautiful National Forest lands; you can also create an outing in the sacred landscape of your choosing.