April 13-19

Picture at an exhibition

Last weekend we headed to the Seattle area and set up a table in the exhibitors room at the 2015 Therapeutic Touch International Association (TTIA) conference. The theme of the conference was “A Community of Healers”. We had a great time. There were a lot of great stories from the frontiers of healing. It was an inspiring gathering of many friends and accomplished women -- including Dr. Dolores Krieger -- who is still going strong in her early 90’s. She gave an impressive keynote address that strongly pointed a path to the future.

On Sunday afternoon it was over to the Theosophical Society in Seattle, where Leonie and I spoke on the virtues known as the Four Immeasurable. These are loving-kindness (metta in the Pali language), compassion (karuna), joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkha). They are also known as the Brahmaviharis, which translates as the abodes of Brahma. These are said to be innate qualities that reside within each of us and can be awakened with practice. They are immeasurable (as Brahma is immeasurable) in that once awakened there is no limit to our capacity to put them to good use in helping to relieve suffering and discontent.

April 6-12

It was a lovely week at Indralaya with warm sunshine by day and cool star shine by night. While Leonie was doing battle with the slugs in the garden, the first mowing of the meadow was completed. We are hoping that the steady clear weather will bode well for the fall fruit harvest as the pollinators have had plenty of time to do their work with the blossoming fruit trees.

On Friday we headed to Seattle for a meeting of the Indralaya Board of Directors. It was a very full agenda, including discussion of how best to approach special events that fall outside of the established program schedule, review of the 2014 financials, the possibility of providing wi-fi for program participants, and updates on where things are with the many Spring projects and preparations for the program season that is just around the corner.

A Study in Crabapple

There is one crabapple tree at Indralaya. It is located on the edge of the meadow near the Grove. This year its blossoms have been remarkably effulgent. See for yourself!

from across the newly mown meadow ...

closer ... 

closer ...

close enough

Sunday in Seattle

Leonie and I will be speaking at the Theosophical Society in Seattle this coming Sunday, April 19 from 4:00-5:30 pm. We will be discussing the Four Immeasurables (Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joy & Equanimity). Please join us, we'd love to see you there. The meeting will be at the Theosophical Library, just behind the Quest Bookshop at 717 Broadway Avenue on Capitol Hill.

Policy Interlude

Indralaya is now a non-smoking facility
At their December meeting, the Indralaya Board of Directors voted to change the policies around smoking. As a result, Dogwood cabin has been retired as the smoking lounge and Indralaya is now a smoke-free facility. Those who wish to have a smoke (including e-cigarettes) will be expected to leave the property prior to doing so.

Dogwood Cabin ~ no longer a smoking lounge

The Board is interested in hearing your feedback on this topic. Do you agree or disagree with this decision? What are your views on the balance between individual freedom of choice and the shared values of community?

The Board is looking forward to seeing your replies. Please post your comments here.

March 30-April 5

Walking the Winding Way
Leonie and I have been walking the Indralaya labyrinth more frequently than usual this year. Doing so seems to fit with where we are both in ourselves and in our understanding of the ways of Indralaya. Coinciding with this development has been further study and reflection upon the nature of the labyrinth itself.

I have, for example, been working with the realization that as one walks the winding way to the center, each transition in the path, from one course to another, actually compels one to turn away from the center. It is a curious thing, worth pondering, that one gets closer to the center by continuously turning away from it. Continual approach leavened by continual turning away.

Then there is the center itself. This is a place of visitation, a place where one ‘goes to see’ but not to permanently reside. One who walks the true labyrinth with persistence and a certain measure of luck eventually arrives at the center. But one can not choose to stay there and remain alive. This is, after all, the dwelling place of the Minotaur, a place of heroic testing. The path of the hero or heroine is to heed the calling of the world and return from the center with their hard won ‘pearl of great price.’ The center is not the final destination, it is a place along the way.

As one leaves the center and enters again upon the winding way, one finds oneself turning both towards and away from the center in the transitions between circuits. This alternating pattern provides opportunity to both reflect upon the experience of the center (turning towards) and to prepare oneself for the departure (turning away) from the labyrinth. Eventually one reaches the final turning away and returns again to the world that awaits.

Family Week coordinators: Lars, Sasha, Alayna, Elliott, & Ondine
(that other fellow is Desmo, he won't be attending)

Summer is Coming!

Over the weekend, I headed to Seattle to sit in on a meeting of the folks who will be leading the first family week. This year’s theme for both family weeks is ‘play’. At the week one meeting there were many good ideas being discussed. 

Registrations for summer programs are coming in steadily. Both the Deep Singing Week and Family Week Two are close to being full and are likely to be on wait list status soon. We are quite fortunate that many of our summer programs fill up one year after another. If you are giving thought to visiting Indralaya this summer, now is a good time to be making your final plans and registering for the times that you would like to be here.

March 23-29

There was a profusion of delicate shadings of pink and white and yellow in the meadow this week as nearly every pear, plum and cherry tree burst forth in blossom. The entire lower end of the meadow was abuzz with the accompanying horde of pollinators. An exception to this riotous bursting forth of activity could be found up near the great cedar that overlooks the volleyball court. Here the long shadows of the fir trees that have grown so tall over the last decades delayed the blossoming of these plum trees by nearly a week.

 there’s a riot going on

tall shadow casters

tall shadows

Meanwhile at the kitchen, repairs to the water heater closet got underway. Over the years, 

the wood floor under the heaters has deteriorated and needs replacing. 

More Bird Stories

While work was underway outside the kitchen, this little guy was found inside, exhausted and barely able to move. I was able to pick him up and carry him back outside. After a little bit of therapeutic touch and a few minutes rest, he flew to a nearby bush and hasn’t been seen since. And just today, the first two tree swallows of the season were spotted circling around the garden and considering their nesting options.  

March 16-22

Augery II
No sooner had last week’s blog been posted than the augury of the past repeated itself. Way down at the far end of the meadow, at the top of the tall fir tree just left of the center of the photo, two eagles landed and began chattering with each other. Were they the same two that had been there all the way back in 1997? It’s possible. Bald eagles will mate for life and live for up to thirty years. And in their chattering there was something of an old and familiar refrain being rehashed once again.

Let’s take a little bit closer look:

Administrative Support

There is a surprising amount of office work that goes on behind the scenes at Indralaya. For years, this arena has been one of my primary areas of responsibility. Despite, or perhaps because of, the gradual computerization of registration, bookkeeping and other camp administrative routines, the hours that are necessary to keep things running smoothly has continuously increased. 

This week, in response, we completed our search for an administrative assistant to provide additional support in this area.  After interviewing several qualified candidates for the position, the job was offered to a person who who will be familiar to many of the readers of the blog. 

first day on the job

Crystal Mossman has been involved with Indralaya pretty much her entire life. In addition to being on fellowship staff several times, she has also worked for a summer as kitchen manager and just completed two terms on the Board of Directors. She has experience with Quickbooks (our financial management software) and worked in a similar position with a prominent real estate firm before moving up to Orcas Island several years ago. We expect this new job to take between six to ten hours a week. So welcome to Crystal as she takes on this new role!

Work Party Weekend

For the first time in many years, the 2nd work party of the season was held on a weekend other than Easter. This year the weekend coincided with the Spring equinox and the arrival of a new moon. Over thirty participants were here to welcome in the season and help shake out the winter cobwebs. 

Hawthorn berries & seeds

Spring is the time of the year that is associated with the planting and germination of seeds. At the Saturday, two bowls of hawthorn berries were passed around the morning circle. Among other qualities, Hawthorn is used medicinally for strengthening and sustaining the heart. With this in mind, everyone was invited to carry the berries with them throughout the day as a means of meditating upon what it is in their own heart that is wanting to be planted and strengthened in the season to come.

Sunday morning at the work party