Archery

The Archery Range is a newer addition to the Gathering making its Home on the Land in 2022. Wayfinder Archery offers an environment to know thyself through the cultivation of intention, awareness, and discipline via the pathway of instinctive shooting. Traditional Archery has been a hunting, warfare, and Zen practice of many lineages for thousands of years. The archery style that Mikhel teaches is rooted in the lineage of Ishi of the Yahi tribe, preserved and passed along via European and American people, including the men she gleaned the skill from.

All skill levels are welcome on the range. Whether you are beginning your relationship with the bow & arrow, or want to continue expanding and developing your skill set, Mikhel and her crew welcome you with strong energy, great humor, and epic fun & insight. The archery range is an incredibly empowering and neutral place to integrate all you are moving through via the gathering. It can aid you in grounding your body, recalibrating your energy and mind, revealing yourself to yourself, and increasing your calm and center. Through mindful form, precision focus, a steady stance, and an open heart, Mikhel and the range provide a space for self-embodiment, power, and authenticity to be explored via the art of shooting arrows.

Mikhel offers 5 classes per session during the Gathering. Wayfinder Archery provides all of the equipment. You are welcome to bring your own gear (recurve, longbow, field points only). 

There is a sliding scale request of $50-$100 for the mandatory class, which is offered at the very beginning of each class time. Once taken, you are welcome to return and shoot during any of the class hours. Weekend shooting passes available to previous year students for a sliding scale request of $20-$75. Range closed Sunday afternoon. The Archery Range is located in the lower meadows, aka Pennyroyal Flats.

Archery Lead

Mikhel Neshat

Mikhel Neshat hails from the motherland of Austin, Texas, though California has been her home for 17 years. She’s in the midst of building her grassroots company, Wayfinder Archery. Wayfinder is a Traditional Archery company teaching fundamental knowledge in instinctive shooting, the development of a relationship with the bow & arrow, and a platform to transform your relationship to yourself & nature. Mikhel brings people together to remember who they are through the power of presence, self reflection, authenticity, embodiment, nature, high-quality company, yielding weapons well, and good ole’ fashion humor.

Mikhel brings a special twist to the Archery Range via her tracking skills and insights of the human psyche,  body language, and subconscious symbology. She’s known to shoot straight from the heart paired with some damn fine instinctive and intuitive abilities.  She holds herself to the standards she encourages in others and is continually growing her courage and deprogramming to become who she truly is. She cherishes clean & pure water, unfiltered sunlight, high-quality food and company, dancing, and living close to the land. The cherry on top of her cherishes are relating with people deeply committed to practicing responsibility, integrity, transparency, and heart- centered directness.

Insta: @wayfinderarchery  Website: Wayfinderarchery.com