The Hoffman Podcast S4E11: Trecey Chittenden – Land as a Container Of Transformation
Trecey Chittenden, Hoffman grad and the previous Facilities Director at Earthrise Retreat Center, now Hoffman Process Retreat Center, shares a bounty of stories about the land and history of our new retreat site. Trecey discovered the Process while working at Earthrise long before it became Hoffman’s new home. Three years later, she was struggling and decided to do the Process. It had a profound effect on her.
Two eventful years ago, Trecey reached out to the Hoffman Institute to share that Earthrise was available for the Process after White Sulphur Springs was lost in the Glass fire. Listen as Trecey shares the amazing connection and synchronicity between the Hoffman Process, Astronaut Edgar Mitchell (a Hoffman grad), and Earthrise/IONS. Thank you, Trecey, for your help in bringing Hoffman to Earthrise.
Something amazing to witness is how Hoffman students transform over the week during the Process. Trecey shares with Liz the joy she experienced witnessing their transformation. When new students would arrive, Trecey would help to get them settled into their rooms for the week ahead. As she says, often during the first two days, people can look sort of stiff and unsure. By day three, students begin to relax and find their footing. And by day seven, it’s hard to recognize them they’ve changed so much. Trecey wonders if all the different kinds of work and the energy of the land both play a role in students’ transformation.
More about Trecey Chittenden:
Born in Los Angeles in 1969, Trecey moved with her family to Hawaii when she was six months old. At eight, Trecey moved to New Hampshire where she lived until she was eighteen. She attended Waldorf schools from pre-K through 12th grade, which set the stage for her to be a more creative and imaginative person. After graduating High School, Trecey traveled around Europe and the Caribbean for the next few years before moving to San Francisco for work. Three years later, she moved to Stinson Beach, a small town outside of San Francisco, to raise her son. She came to work in the kitchen at EarthRise IONS through her work in restaurants.
Trecey worked for IONS on the retreat center side for fourteen years as the Executive Chef for nine years, then as the retreat center Assistant Director, then as Facilities Director. This is how she came to hear about the Hoffman Process. You won’t see Trecey at the Hoffman retreat site in the future. She’s moved to Maine to be closer to family.
As mentioned in this episode:
White Sulphur Springs and the Glass Fire
Astronaut, Edgar Mitchell: A crewmember of Apollo 14, Edgar Mitchell was the 6th man to walk on the moon. On his return to Earth during the Apollo 14 flight, it is said that Mitchell had a powerful savikalpa samādhi experience. Mitchell did the Hoffman Process in 1987.
IONS: Institute of Noetic Sciences
A three-day residential, or virtual, retreat to continue the deep transformational work you did at the Process.
The legacy labyrinth at Hoffman’s retreat site is one of six labyrinths worldwide to be named a legacy labyrinth.
Trecey mentions the beautiful oak trees at our Hoffman Retreat Center, sharing that they have amazing personalities, are full of wisdom, and are great partners in healing.