May 13-20

The week began with my birthday (number 57!) and ended with a program that was based on the enneagram, a one-time esoteric method of human typology that is rooted in the teachings of G.I. Gurdjieff and the Sufi tradition, as a means for gaining a deeper awareness of meaning and purpose in our individual lives.

The program was led by N’Shama Sterling. On Saturday night, N’Shama and her husband Cedron performed a concert in the library, which we believe was the first time music has been performed in that space for an audience. It was an engaging weekend and participants expressed deep appreciation for the  open-hearted exploration.

Cedron & N’Shama

Over the weekend, we said good-bye to Emlyn and Tessa, who have been here on staff. Emlyn came to Indralaya as a wwoofer. He is now on neighboring Waldron Island for the next six weeks and then will be returning here for the month of July. Tessa arrived for the silent meditation retreat in April and stayed on as a fellowship staffer. There has been a lot of laughter and fun while they have been here and we look forward to seeing them both again in the future.

Emlyn & Tessa

Solar Project Update

The scheduled solar installation at the dining hall is now less than two weeks away. This program will begin on Thursday evening, May 30 and continue through the weekend. There is still plenty of room to attend. The weekend will feature mini-workshops and other informal opportunities to learn about solar energy use. 

34 photovoltaic solar panels will be installed, with an estimated annual yield of 8,800 KWH, which is roughly equivalent to two months of electrical consumption here at Indralaya. The energy generated will be fed back into the electrical grid and our projections suggest that the return on investment for the project will be approximately 12.5%-13% per year.

Fundraising for the project also continues. To date twenty six people have donated over $7,000 towards the project. This impressive level of support is a much appreciated investment in camp’s future. If you haven’t yet invested in a panel, we hope you will consider doing so. Suggested donation levels are $650 for a panel, $325 for a half panel, $167.50 for a quarter panel, or any other amount of support that feels right and fits your budget. Donations can be made through the Indralaya website.