August 23-29

And suddenly the summer season is over .... seven programs, many great conversations, work, play, singing, and much more; in all nearly 500 people participated in the life of Indralaya over the past two months. We’re taking a short break. The next entry here will be posted on September 17.

The Indralaya meadow lies empty, and the fall season awaits.

August 16-22

All My Relations

After a full and busy week, the Connections program wound down quickly over the weekend, with only 17 people remaining in camp on Saturday evening and just 2 program participants remaining by the time breakfast was served on Sunday.

On Tuesday, the last program of the 2012 summer season got underway, with over 60 people arriving for the All My Relations program led by Joel and Michelle Levey.

Under the Apple Trees

Banners

During the Connections program, a hornet nest was discovered when one of our fellowship staff disturbed the hornets while trying to get a frisbee out of an apple tree. Our initial reaction was that we would have to get rid of the nest somehow, but after some reflection we decided to fence off the tree as an expression of our commitment to honoring all life and the practice of ahimsa, which is to avoid causing harm to other living beings. So far, so good, and we continue to monitor the situation.

 

Ahimsa in Action 

August 8-15

The Connections program got underway on Saturday. In the course of the week, the number of participants grew from an initial 40 or so over the weekend up to nearly 60 by Wednesday evening. There was a mix of old and new participants, and many good projects for everyone to engage with.

morning circle

Elliot on the way to the Heather cabin project with a window

The Toomer sisters helping clean the RMC roof

On Tuesday, there was a boat trip to nearby Sucia and Patos Islands. Similar trips have been part of Connections in the past. This year it only came together at the last minute and was a surprise for some.

Callie, Carol and David on Sucia Island

morning discussion

Morning discussion was anchored by David Toren for the first few days. Theosophical Society President Tim Boyd and his wife Lily arrived on Tuesday and the following morning Tim initiated a discussion on elements of the spiritual life.

Tim and Lily

August 2-8

It was a relatively quiet week at Indralaya. The program that had originally been planned was cancelled several weeks ago because of health-related issues affecting the presenter. In its place, a simple program was devised that included presentations by Jeremy Berg and Freya Secrest of the Lorian Association, a group art project, along with singing and sacred chant in the evenings.

The smaller program size (with approximately 20 people) also allowed for some creative cuisine, including an amazing breakfast of Eggs California (poached eggs on a bed of English muffin, avocado & tomato slices, topped by a perfect hollandaise sauce) prepared one morning by breakfast cook Spencer Corley. In addition to overseeing the preparation of lunch and dinner, volunteer headcook Elizabeth McNannay also had the kitchen crew processing and canning about 40 pounds of various fruits (cherries, peaches and plums) that she donated to camp.

The week also included the first of two August full moons and a few days of pluperfect summer weather. We also noted the arrival of Lammas, which marks the halfway point between the summer solstice and fall equinox. In traditional cultures around the world, this harvest festival is the official beginning of Fall and it was just possible to taste a bit of fall weather in the morning air.

July 26 - August 1

the beginning

In celebration of this being the 10th anniversary of the summer yoga program with Melanie Whittaker, a medicine wheel mandala was constructed in the meadow this last week and everyone attending Yoga Week was invited to collect and place 108 objects in it. The 40 participants were also encouraged to complete 108 sun salutations (Surya Namaskar) during the week. The sun salutation is a flowing series of yoga poses (asanas) that begins and ends with the pracititioner standing in mountain pose with the hands held over the heart.

Sunday ~ Day 1

Why 108? The number 108 is a sacred number in mystical traditions around the world. In the practice of sacred chant, it is said that repeating a mantra 108 times completes a cycle. In somewhat the same way, the passage of a decade is also considered to be the completion of a cycle.

Monday ~ Day 2

Tuesday ~ Day 3

A Short History Lesson

The Yoga Week’s longevity is not unusual for summer programs. Joel & Michelle Levey have been leading a summer program annually since 2000.

This year, family week, celebrated its 18th anniversary. This popular program was developed by RoseAnn Dolan and Sally Blumenthal-McGannon. It began as a single week in 1995 and expanded to two weeks in 2003. Helen Bee and Barbara Bellamy began Deep Singing as an every other year program in 1998. It became an annual gathering in 2010.

Rolf Eriksen was the lead contractor in building the new Orcas Island Fire Station in 2001 when we sat down in his trailer at the construction site and talked about the possibility of a summer work week celebrating Indralaya’s 75th anniversary in 2002. The work week continued for a few more years before being renamed Connections in 2005.

There are many elements that keep these programs alive and vital. A key factor in their continuing popularity is that they continue to develop and evolve and over time.

Wednesday ~ Day 4

On Wednesday, a small group gathered around the mandala and chanted the Gayatri mantra 108 times.

Thursday ~ the end ... or is it?