Welcome!
In the flurry of retreat preparation for our upcoming Boconnoc Retreat I wanted to check in with you and say hi! Although as someone said, art is politics and politics is art , I can’t really bear to go there right now so this will be about joyous creativity and nothing else!
Firstly, about our recent Autumn Gathering at Hazel Hill Wood. It was magical. The wood was beautiful, it welcomed us and looked after us for this 24 hour gathering. Our cook Holly cooked delicious vegetarian food and our yogi Kate was on hand to guide us and restore us through yoga and her wisdom. The folk who came along were fabulous and fun. My friend Ashish even contributed his own walking meditation session to the retreat! We spent quiet time and together time and we arrived as mostly strangers and left as friends. Thank you to all involved.
Secondly, I wanted to share something that I hope may be of interest to you. About three months ago I started up a small zoom meeting very early on a Friday morning. It is with a very small group of like minded individuals and we call it our ‘quiet meet up.’ Essentially, I share a zoom room ID and password (it is the same one each week) and then whoever wants to join in can. We try and meet silently/ as quietly as possible. It is usually about two or three people, but it is very powerful.
The accountability of knowing that I have to go downstairs and join the group at 0630 and sit in silence makes me a) do it (most important), b) do it even if I didn’t fancy it, c) go to bed earlier so I can get up at 0600 and make a cup of tea and get settled.
We sit until 0700 or earlier if people need to leave and then say a quick hi! and goodbye. Nothing heavy or deep. We occasionally have a slightly longer chat but there is no expectation of that. We all then carry on with our day. People are welcome to join anytime from 0630 so if you want to join late and just sit for 10 minutes that is great too.
It has been so powerful and grounding for me that I would love to share the opportunity with you. Our yogi Kate has just started to join us too and we hope to beam in next Friday from Boconnoc. There is no obligation to join in, even if you said you would. Sleep is as important!
If you are interested, drop me a line at anestofgentlemakers@btinternet.com and I will send you the codes, which are the same each week, so you don’t need to let me know you are coming once you have them. No meditation experience necessary, tea drinking and cuddling up in a blanket absolutely fab. Dogs and cats joining in fine, sitting outside great! If your environment is noisy I would just you ask to join in on mute so we can all sit quietly!
And that is all from me. I will see you on the other side of the Boconnoc Retreat! Please keep well and happy xx
