2009 Heartwood Retreat - Lunch

We shared a nurturing and delicious lunch! Thanks Ted, Martha & the kid cook crew!!

2009 Heartwood Retreat - Saturday 2

Next Fran presented her ChoiceCards; a visual, auditory & kinesthetic representation of the language of compassion. It’s a way to bring to awareness of our choices and with every choice we can play with the distinctions of what unites and what separates. We can choose from a framework based separation, domination, life-alienating, power over/under & violence. Or a framework based on unity, life-enhancing, life-serving, power with, contributing to the well being of people and planet. ChoiceCards was developed and presented through her story of being mis-understood and her quest for integrity and to be understood.

2009 Heartwood Retreat - Saturday 1

Saturday March 7 opened with Beth presenting ‘Our Stories’. In order for our minds to compile the vast amount of information that comes our way we form ‘mental models’ based on images. Most of these mental models are formed by the time we are 6 or 7 years old. And we all have different mental models, kind of like ‘different languages’ even though we all speak English.

From these unique mental models we create stories. Some of these stories unite us and we acknowledged that these exist and are working well in our quest of collaboration and community living. And some of these stories separate us. These are the places we bump into each other, feed frustration, lack understanding and generally create conflict. We chose to look at the stories that separate us in small break-out groups and then shared the stories with the larger group. This is what separates us.

We discovered that what is underneath these stories is usually a deeper story like I’ll die, I’ll be kicked out from the tribe and left alone to die, I be disconnected with life yet remain among the living in the tribe. Frightening and scary stuff!!

2009 Heartwood Retreat - Friday Evening

March 6, Friday Evening a yummy potluck began at 6:00 followed by the 2008 Heartwood movie, this year produced by Shannon Walker, age 15! It is lively and entertaining, great job Shannon!! We then did an exercise of movement and gratitude. We put our names in a basket, drew the names and then looked for that person to put our hand on their left shoulder and form a large circle. Ironically we ended up in small pods instead of one large circle, a theme that continued throughout the weekend. We are part of the whole, Heartwood Community, we are part of many smaller groups, and we are individuals. Gratitude was expressed one on one. We ended the evening by lighting candles and placing them on the terrace as a beginning of ‘finding our place in community’.

2009 Heartwood Retreat - Intro

Hi Welcome to the 2009 Heartwood Retreat! Celebrating and sharing a bit of our experience!

Coming Home: Where is my place in Heartwood?

Where do I belong? Premise: Everyone has a place and every place is important! Our voices help us to find our place. Together we make up a 'system' called community. Any system perpetually seeks to be in balance. We continually shift and change personally and as a community. How do we dance this dynamic continuum? And it all boils down to......We're all Bozo's on this Bus! Where's your place?

Let's Pay Ball

This Sunday May 3rd 

May pole at 1:30 on the play field

2:00 whiffle ball game for the whole community plus other family and friends.

Kids will be selling peanuts, popcorn and Cracker Jacks Hot dogs and Beer 

Get your beer here !!!!

to raise money for playing field improvements

There will be a BBQ at 6:30 on the terrace

It will cost $5 per person

which includes hamburgers, brats with all the fixings and salad and side dishes contributed by families with kids.

We are asking anyone with kids who will benefit from the play field to contribute a salad, side dish or dessert

and still pay the $5 per family member.

Hope to see you all there!

Sandy

Tree Planting Party

Come celebrate with us.  This Sunday we will have a ribbon cutting ceremony down in the pasture.  We will plant a lot of apple trees and offer apple treats.  Come see the bunnies and the new baby goats!