Come to the Woods: A Return to Soul
- kaitlyn terrell
- Apr 21
- 3 min read
COME TO THE WOODS is an outdoor concert experience in nature. Raury will be performing in the midst of the forest and magical waterfalls of South Atlanta.
Y’all ever have those moments where you spend the entire day going back and forth on whether you should do something? Like finishing a task, showing up somewhere, or even figuring out what your plans for the day are?
That was me the morning of Come to the Woods: 420 Edition—debating hard.Should I go? Should I stay in? Maybe I don’t need to go.I kept building arguments in my head, crafting excuses that didn’t really stick. It felt like my mind was trying to protect me from something—but my intuition? She was calm. Grounded. Already packing her bag.
There’s a difference between following your intuition and following your mind.And that morning, I realized mine was already halfway out the door.
The Soul Knows the Way
It had been about three years since I last attended a Come to the Woods event. I remember that first time so vividly—that was when I first met Raury, the visionary artist and spiritual creator behind this movement.
For those who don’t know, Raury is more than a musician. He’s a community builder, a nature dweller, a soul who weaves healing, art, and activism together into something living. (You can explore his work here).
That first gathering stayed with me. It shaped what I now know I’ve always been seeking: spaces rooted in authenticity, community, and communion with nature. It shifted something deep in me—showing me the kind of people and circles I wanted to be part of.
And since then, the path has come full circle.
Recently, I attended a Full Moon Women’s Circle curated by Raury’s luminous partner, Kris Catalyst—a soulful guide and space holder in her own right. (Explore her work here).So to be returning now to Come to the Woods, during 420 of all days, felt like a spiritual checkpoint. A reminder of who I am and where my soul belongs.
Crossing the Threshold
By the time we pulled up, the event was already alive. Music pulsed through the trees, voices echoed through the hills, and the path toward the stage felt like a threshold—like we were stepping into another realm entirely.
As soon as my feet hit the forest floor, all that morning mental chatter dissolved.My phone was buried at the bottom of a bag filled with snacks, water, and soft blankets—forgotten. I was hopping from rock to rock, soul to soul, greeting familiar strangers and unfamiliar friends. It wasn’t “networking.” It was rememberingeach other.
I kept hearing:“So good to see you here.”“I’ve been meaning to reconnect.”“I knew you’d be here.”
And it didn’t matter if we’d never met before—something in our spirits recognized each other.
The Vibe Was Medicine
The event was a vibrant, heart-led blend of music, movement, healing, and celebration. There were plant-based vendors offering nourishing food, sacred smoke drifting through the trees, and people expressing themselves fully—painted faces, poetry, drumming, dancing, laughter around every bend.
It wasn’t a party. It was a portal.
A space where people came not just to vibe—but to heal, to express, to be seen.We weren’t escaping reality—we were co-creating a better one.
Into the Waterfall Night
And it didn’t end there. The after-party was a guided hike deeper into the woods—hand in hand, barefoot or booted, lanterns swinging, voices soft and giddy.
We made our way to another part of the waterfall, where the sounds of nature mixed with humming, harmonizing, and storytelling under moonlight.We sang. We swayed. We shared silence and songs.We belonged—to each other, and to the land.
Gratitude & Reverence
I’m endlessly grateful to Raury, for holding this vision and offering it to the world again and again, each time more rooted and beautiful than the last. And deep gratitude to Kris Catalyst, whose grounded presence and spiritual stewardship make these spaces feel held and sacred.
And to every soul who showed up, shared their light, laughed beside me, and danced under the stars—thank you. You reminded me that I’m not alone in seeking something real. You reminded me that the village is still alive.
This wasn’t just an event.It was a return—to earth, to soul, to each other.
🌿 Want more reflections like this?
I’m an art journalist documenting sacred creative spaces, intentional gatherings, and the stories that often go untold. If you’re hosting a space like this and want soulful documentation, reach out.
📖 Read more stories: https://tr.ee/RRr0WGanop
📷 Follow the journey: https://tr.ee/n4WAOjEzKi
Youtube video for the experiece: https://youtu.be/oV9Itp5HqL4
TheWoods Community:
Raury:
Kris Catalyst:
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