GREATER MYSTERIES AT WIDOW JANE MINE

The culmination of two weeks of music, myth, and ritual across the Hudson Valley.

SEPTEMBER 25 & 26, 2026 

6PM-10PM

Most of us have lived through seasons that ask us to release who we thought we were and step into the unknown, trusting that through this process of surrender we become more fully who we are meant to be.

As daylight wanes and autumn begins its quiet turning, we invite you to gather inside the extraordinary Cave at Widow Jane Mine to explore this timeless cycle of transformation through an immersive evening of music, myth, and ritual.

Inspired by the ancient Mystery traditions that helped generations of people navigate life's great thresholds, Greater Mysteries reimagines these rites for our time as living practices that invite us to meet our own moments of transformation with greater presence, courage, and imagination.

Unlike a conventional performance, the evening unfolds as a carefully held container for collective experience through original music, storytelling, movement, and communal participation. The natural acoustics of the cave, the intimacy of the gathering, and the absence of phones create conditions that are increasingly rare in modern life: sustained presence, deep listening, and genuine encounter with ourselves and one another.

Created by composer Kelli Scarr in collaboration with ritualist Mary Evelyn Pritchard, mythologist Dr. Catherine Svehla, and an ensemble of extraordinary Hudson Valley musicians and artists, Greater Mysteries brings together months of creative preparation and the work of dozens of collaborators to transform the cave into a living ceremonial landscape for just two evenings each year.

We also welcome the addition of artist Koyoltzintli, whose work explores the relationship between breath, sound, clay, and the living intelligence of the natural world. Drawing from years of research into Pre-American ceramic instruments, her presence deepens the ceremonial landscape of Greater Mysteries, inviting you into an even more embodied experience of listening, resonance, and connection with the more-than-human world.

Following the cave experience, you are invited to continue the conversation around shared fires beneath the night sky. In the weeks that follow, everyone who attends will also be invited to a community integration gathering and will receive a professionally recorded live album from the performances, allowing the experience to continue unfolding long after the evening itself.

Attendance is limited to preserve the intimacy of the experience. Last year's gatherings sold out, and many participants described the evening as one of the most meaningful artistic experiences of their lives.

Together, we continue to explore what becomes possible when music, myth, ritual, and community meet in a place shaped by deep time.

Preparing for the Cave

While the cave gatherings remain the heart of Greater Mysteries, they are only one part of a larger unfolding. This fall, Greater Mysteries expands into a constellation of offerings across the Hudson Valley exploring transformation, myth, ritual, and the sacred cycles of life, death, and rebirth. You are welcome to join us for a single offering or travel through the entire arc.

EXPLORE THE FULL FALL CYCLE

PLEASE NOTE

- Due to the nature of the experience, Greater Mysteries at Widow Jane Mine is intended for participants ages 13 and older. 

- The evening is also entirely phone-free.

- Cushions will be provided for sitting on the cave floor, with space to lie down if you feel called to. Chairs will also be available for anyone who needs one for physical comfort or accessibility.

A detailed preparation guide including everything you'll need to know before your visit, will be emailed to you in the week leading up to the experience.

This offering is part of the Greater Mysteries fall cycle within the Greater Mysteries project — an ongoing series of seasonal programs, performances, and conversations exploring transformation, myth, and the sacred cycles of life, death, and rebirth.

A Note on Registration Tiers

Greater Mysteries exists through a shared commitment to both accessibility and artistic sustainability.

Your registration not only makes your own participation possible, but also helps support the musicians, artists, ritualists, technicians, and many collaborators whose work brings this experience to life. Together, we are cultivating a creative ecosystem in which artists are fairly compensated and meaningful practices of gathering can continue to flourish.

We are also deeply aware of the growing economic divide in the Hudson Valley. Rather than asking artists to absorb the cost of accessibility, we offer a range of ticket tiers that invite those with greater financial capacity to help widen participation. This year, we are especially honored to offer complimentary registration to Hudson Valley farmers in recognition of their essential, and often undercompensated, role in caring for the land that nourishes us all.

We invite you to register at the level that feels aligned with your current capacity. Choosing a Supporter or Mystai Pass ticket helps make Access registrations and complimentary farmer tickets possible, allowing this work to remain both accessible and artistically sustainable.

Hudson Valley Farmers: Please email [email protected] for complimentary registration code.

If cost is a barrier, please email us at [email protected]. We are committed to making this work accessible to all.