When and where is the next retreat?
The next 2 ½ day retreat is on November 7-9, 2008 in a private home in Springfield, Virginia.

What does the retreat cost?
The 2008 retreat tuition fee is $295. There are Work/Study positions available.

How many participants can be accommodated in the May Retreat?
We have space for 10 participants.

What happens at the retreat?
On Friday evening, we start with meditation, The Essene model of prayer and intuitive sounding. On Saturday we use a variety of meditations, along with discussions on the levels of consciousness in the universe and sacred trusts.  We experience intuitive sounding, circle dance and crystal bowls.  On Sunday we continue with meditations, The Ceremony for Receiving of the Seed of Cosmic Consciousness,  and we end with a discussion on Next Steps. 
Snacks are provided. Students provide their own lunch on both days.

Who should not attend?
Someone who is extremely sensitive to crystal bowls.  Someone who is physically too weak to follow the schedule will not be able to benefit from our program. The same is true of someone suffering from psychiatric problems, or someone undergoing emotional upheaval. Through a process of questions and answers, we will be able to help you decide clearly beforehand whether you are in a position to benefit fully from this retreat.

Why have participants come to the retreat?
Graduates tell us these reasons:
    For spiritual growth and movement on their soul journey;
    To deepen their spiritual connection;
    To receive an energetic gift;
    To get “unstuck” and proceed on their path.
    To assist them in a transition in their soul work.

What can I expect in results from attending the retreat?
These are graduates comments about their experience:
    Peace and understanding about my future;
    Transformational; 
    Incredible emotions;
    Awesome, sweet, blessed; energizing;
    Life changing experience;
    Ceremony was genuine….sacred…special;
    Empowered from this spiritual growth;
    Ability to see more of what is going on around me;
    No more questioning of what I am doing.

Why does one make a spiritual retreat?
We live in a busy outward-focused society. Most of us spend almost no time in meditation or in inward listening. We cannot follow our personal path if we never listen to our own personal wisdom, to the higher wisdom of our soul. A retreat is a time of seclusion away from our normal schedule and place. It allows us to listen to that part of ourselves that remembers who we are and why we came to this planet.Ý Typically retreats are focused on a particular religious or spiritual orientation. The SCC Retreat includes the wealth of many spiritual traditions.Ý It is non-denominational.

What are the Seeds of Cosmic Consciousness?
In 2005, Michele Porzel was taking a group of tourists on a spiritual tour of Peru. During a personal meditation seclusion, she received the gift of the Seeds. She understood that she was to give them to people to help them on their journey. By the time she returned to the US, she knew that these Seeds were to be given to individuals who asked to receive a Seed, and who made a pledge on how they would use this energy.
The seeds are forms of energy that are unique in vibration and density for each recipient. They adapt to the individual’s energetic field before they receive it and the seeds rest in the recipients heart. The seed nurtures, supports and magnifies the recipient’s pledge.

How do we know what the Seeds do for us?
Michele received this information from the Seeds about their role in our lives.
We are the nurturers of your future. 
We are the fertilizer that will help you grow on your path.  
We are the stimulus to that which will help you take that step, make that call, hold yourself to an action. 
We are the best of you. 
We will hold the light when you think you have fallen into the darkness. 
We will remind you of your helpers and your strong core when you feel alone and weak.  Most of all,
We will be a magnet for resources that help you prepare for your path, and for the energetic changes coming to your earth. 
We come to aid you not to change you, to assist you, not to direct you. 
We will not demand change of you nor will we speak when you have bade us not to. 
We hope to be a rich resource for you. 
Hold us in your heart. 
Talk to us.
Feed us with your action and intention. 
We are thankful that you invite us on your journey.

Where is the retreat scheduled for the rest of the year?
There will be two retreats in 2008. Both will be held in Springfield, Virginia.

Could I bring the SCC Retreat to my home town?
Yes, Michele travels to all areas of the North America to deliver this retreat. Email her for more information.

Are there Work/Study positions or scholarships available?
We do offer Work Study positions at the retreat. The Work Study individual pays only $150 for the retreat. In return, she/he helps me set up before the retreat, set up for the ceremony and helps me pack up at the end. Also she/he helps in the creation and cleanup of meals. Interested individuals should contact Michele. At this time there are no scholarships available.

Are there books that I could start reading before I attend the retreat?
While it is not necessary for any participant to read these books before the retreat, it is probably helpful. Here is a list of the books that I helped me formulate my ideas for the retreat.
Jeanne Achterberg: Woman as Healer, Imagery in Healing
Jessie Ayani: Awakening the Healing the Rainbow Body
Childre and Martin: The Heartmath Solution
Gregg Bradden: Awakening to Zero Point; The Isaiah Effect; The God Code; Secrets of the Lost Mode of Prayer, The Divine Matrix.
Red Cameron: Journeys in the Life of the Soul
Richard Gerber: Vibrational Medicine
Esther & Jerry Hicks: Ask and It is Given, the Law of Attraction
Valerie Hunt: Infinite Mind
John M Jenkins: Galactic Alignment
Tom Kenyon: The Magdalen Manuspcript, Brain States. The Hathor Material
Lynne McTaggart: The Field
Bruce Lipton: The Biology of Belief
Paul Pearsall: The Heart’s Code
Judith Polich: Return of the Children of the Light
Szekley and Weaver: The Gospel of the Essenes
Sue Monk Kidd: The Heart Waits
Movies: The Secret and What the Bleep Do We Know