As promised, this week’s posting provides a glimpse at some of the programs being planned for next year. At this time, nearly all of the programs have been scheduled and we are working on production of the 2012 program catalog. The catalog should be in the mail in mid- to late January and at the same time, program information and on-line registration will be available through the Indralaya website.
Here’s a quick overview of what is in store:
Work Parties: There are six work parties scheduled - three in the Spring and three in the Fall, all of them coincide with holiday weekends in either Canada or the U.S. The first work party will come on President’s Day Weekend (Feb. 17-20), followed by Easter (April 6-8), and Memorial Day (May 25-28). In the Fall, there are work parties on Labor Day Weekend (Aug 31 - Sept 3), Canadian Thanksgiving (this is the big fall harvest weekend, October 5-8) and November 9-11, which is the same weekend as Veterans/Remembrance Day.
Spring Programs (revised Jan. 9 ~ see revisions below and in the January 9 entry)
There will be five Spring programs, beginning with an April 12-15 Mindfulness Meditation Retreat led by Grace Crowley. The following week (April 25-29) Raphael Cushnir will return to Indralaya to lead his well-received program on self-transformation. David Spangler will be here for the weekend of May 3-6 (this program has been moved to August 4-9). Beginner’s Therapeutic Touch, with Sandra Revesz and Susan Wager will be offered May 17-20. Tibetan flutist and former monk Nawang Khechog, will lead a program on “Awakening Kindness” beginning May 31 and continuing through June 3. The last Spring program is scheduled for June 7-10, with Robyn Finseth offering a program on healing, emphasizing physical balance and well-being.
Therapeutic Touch
As has been tradition since the late 1970’s, the last two weeks of June will be devoted to healing and the annual Therapeutic Touch programs. The TT mentoring week will be June 16-22, followed from June 24-30 by “Continuing Explorations in Therapeutic Touch”.
Summer Programs
And then it is on into summer, beginning with our two family weeks. The dates for Week One will be July 2-8, Week Two will begin on July 11 and continue until the morning of the 17th. After a short break, the summer program will continue with Deep Singing from July 21-26, followed by Yoga Week, July 28-August 2. 2012 will mark Melanie Whittaker’s 10th year leading this popular program.
Plans for the August 4-9 program are still being/have now been finalized. David Spangler will be here for the week, exploring the theme of “Beachcomber Consciousness” - it should be fun!
The 11th Connections program will begin on August 11 and continue through the 19th. In addition to the usual area of great projects that are a part of Connections, morning discussion will be lead by Andrie Levey-Bates for the first couple of days and then by Theosophical Society President Tim Boyd. Joel and Michelle Levey will be here to lead the last program of the summer from August 21-26.
Fall Programs
Following on its successful introduction this year, our Fall programs will kick off with a second Theosofest on the weekend of September 14-16. The following week, September 20-23, following on their amazing 2011 Sea Temple Retreat, R.J. Stewart and Anastacia Nutt will return to lead a three day Inner Temples Convocation and celebration of the Autumn Equinox. The program year will then end as it began, with a September 27-30 Silent Meditation Retreat. This retreat will be led by residents Leonie Van Gelder and Minor Lile.
As this is being written, in the early evening under a dark, cloud obscured sky at a northern latitude of 48.7°, we are, once again, on the brink of the winter solstice. It is that time in the cycle of the year when, from our earthbound perspective, the sun seems to stand still as it arrives at the southernmost point of its journey, the line demarcated by the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.4° S. The solstice has been a moment of significance to humanity since time immemorial and its arrival continues to be celebrated in festivals and gatherings all over the world.
And it’s time for a break ~ the next “This Week” posting will be on January 9.
Fall Programs
Following on its successful introduction this year, our Fall programs will kick off with a second Theosofest on the weekend of September 14-16. The following week, September 20-23, following on their amazing 2011 Sea Temple Retreat, R.J. Stewart and Anastacia Nutt will return to lead a three day Inner Temples Convocation and celebration of the Autumn Equinox. The program year will then end as it began, with a September 27-30 Silent Meditation Retreat. This retreat will be led by residents Leonie Van Gelder and Minor Lile.
As this is being written, in the early evening under a dark, cloud obscured sky at a northern latitude of 48.7°, we are, once again, on the brink of the winter solstice. It is that time in the cycle of the year when, from our earthbound perspective, the sun seems to stand still as it arrives at the southernmost point of its journey, the line demarcated by the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.4° S. The solstice has been a moment of significance to humanity since time immemorial and its arrival continues to be celebrated in festivals and gatherings all over the world.
In her booklet, The Christmas of the Angels, Indralaya elder Dora Van Gelder Kunz writes,
We must remember that the whole earth is thronged with host of super-physical beings, angels and archangels and all the Company of Heaven, who … are responsible for the guidance and control of the manifold processes of Nature. It is their thoughts and feelings and activities which play so important a part in the creation of that peculiar atmosphere of good will so noticeable at Christmas; and at this time of the year the whole earth thrills with the wonderful forces outpoured by the angels….Blessings of the Season to one and all!
(T)he angels see Christmas from the life side, as a turning-point of all the forces of Nature on every plane and at every level, and as a time in which (there is) a direct and mighty outpouring of creative power and spiritual energy…It marks a point of deep significance in the hidden life of Nature.
And it’s time for a break ~ the next “This Week” posting will be on January 9.
