SUMMER RETREAT

ECOntemplation
July 20-21, 2012

Creative and spiritual discoveries in journal writing, collaging, art and contemplation in the new re-purposed shed, Kavanah, or on the Prayer Path

"What is going on in your innermost being
is worthy of your whole love"  

-Ranier Maria Rilke    

As many of you know through the Facebook naming contest, we recently re-purposed an old shed on the property of Prairie Pond Woods. The new name, Kavanah , means "the focus, intent and direction of the heart."  Our hope is that as you sit in quietness, listening to the birds and watching the butterflies on milkweed, your heart might be stilled enough to pay attention to your innermost being and hear the voice of the Spirit speak to you personally.  Perhaps God might even "re-purpose" your life there.

During this Summer Retreat, there will be plenty of time to experience solitude at Kavanah...or the swing in the Pine Sanctuary...or the Adirondacks in the Woodland Cathedral.  Participants are encouraged to bring a journal for writing down thoughts, prayers or drawings from prompts that will be given. We'll spend a few hours doing collage...a great way to have fun, relax and perhaps discover something new within your soul.  An easel will also be set up in Kavanah for some fun group artistic expression!

So, gather some of your dearest friends and take a road trip this summer to southern Ohio.  As it is written in the guest book over and over..."I never knew how much I needed this until I got here."     

Note that there are two options for this retreat - a One-day and an Overnight. Friday evening will be a casual time to unwind with fellowship under the stars, a creative activity and simple snacks. We may even venture out for a night hike...

Contact cindy@heartbynature.com for more info or to register
as an individual or group.

One-day - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm -$45.00 pp (5 max)
Overnight- Friday 7pm - Saturday 4/5pm-$75.00 pp (5 max)
Registration limited to 10
Deposit Deadline:July 4th (easy to remember!)

Phase ll - Naming the Re-Purpose Shed!

Friday morning, before the Bird Watching as a Meditation retreat began in the evening, I picked one name from all the submissions that I felt best communicated the purpose (or should I say re-purpose) of the shed as a place for prayer, meditation and hearing the still, small voice of God in our lives. It was a fun process and some of the submissions were very creative, but unfortunately only one could be chosen.

And that GRAND WINNER is....KAVANAH.  Now I know it isn't as clever as some others sent my way, or as silly, like "bovine cow tow now," (?) but it has a meaning that is spot on for Heart by Nature Retreats.  Kavanah is a Hebrew word meaning the focus, intent and direction of the heart. It is most associated with prayer, but can apply to the larger context of life, as well. I not only loved the definition but the sound and spelling of the word, as well.  

When finished, the sign will hang to the left of the door above the chair

So, during the time when some of the women at the retreat decorated bluebird boxes...I painted the sign...or at least the first part of the sign.  There is still some outlining and images to add...but like Kavanah...more embellishing will come with Phase lll!  And I'm still trying to decide if it should be Kavanah Place, Shed, Niche, etc.  To Be Determined later, as they say :)

Three of the Bird Watching as a Meditation participants, Linda, Carmella and Julie holding the sign
and searching for the elusive Yellow-breasted Chat!

By the way, the winning name was submitted by Marty Davids from the Chicago, IL area. Thanks, Marty...the book will arrive soon!  And thanks to all of you who took time out to use your brain power and send me ideas! 

 

FALL SABBATICAL-WEDNESDAY

This morning I again settled in with a cup of tea on the front porch to watch the rain and let my mind focus on God.  Mist, like soft organza, inched its way up from between the jagged hills to return to the solid white sky, where drizzle originated unseen.

The blue spruce next to me seemed to be a stop-over for all the birds that call my home, their home.  A flock of white-throated sparrows hopped in the branches for awhile, then moved on.  Several cardinals, among other species, passed through, too.  But one lone mockingbird remained, dominating the air waves with a strange, singular screech.  Maybe this was one of a pair of mockingbirds that nested in the tree in spring, so close to the edge you could see them from the porch swing bringing in nesting materials.  By early June they were prematurely gone, no eggs no nestlings or at least none that survived.  A mystery.
 
During this time of contemplation, I've been reading through a book called, The Still Point, which has short, weekly readings for meditation - an opening prayer, several scriptures, excerpts from books, some poetry and a closing prayer.  The authors range from contemporary to 18th and 19th century, all the way back to the desert mothers and fathers and the "saints of old."  I'm finding it a lovely way to start my day.

One of the scriptures for this week was Psalm 84, whose writer also notices the birds at the Temple and writes about them, saying how blessed they are to live and sing in God's house.  That is how I felt this morning - blessed beyond measure to be in this temple of Creation, listening to the birds, the rain, the drip of water into the watering can under a leak in the porch roof.  Feeling also a little bit like that lone Mockingbird, calling out to the others to just be still, stop moving, stop striving, abide. Sometimes it can be a lonely calling.  But the Psalmist also writes:

 "I would rather be a doorkeeper in your courts,

than to take my fate upon myself" 

And I think about how long it took me to get here - how long, and how many prayers it takes to get to contentment.  To finally see the forest for the trees.  As I rose out of the chair to warm my tea up, a phrase popped into my head out of nowhere.  This is often how God speaks to me and the deep thought for today was this:

"There are no answered prayers...there are only unfoldings."

I heartily agreed, thinking about my own journey and how answers to the big questions were often only there in retrospect. How when we cried out for one thing or struggled with God over another, God was at work, changing us, so that looking back we can see how the life we needed to grow, transform and heal, unfolded. That was true for me on this particular morning at least, as I thought about a hope realized, my eyes filling with mist and my heart filling with gratitude. 

EARTH DAY SABBATICAL...and beyond!

I've decided (again) to practice a bit of what I preach and take a 3-week sabbatical at Prairie Pond Woods starting on Earth Day.  Spring is the season I love the most...it used to be the Fall...but then I learned about all the LIFE that passes through overhead or comes back again after a long dormancy.  Once I started identifying and learning the names of migrating birds, wildflowers and other emerging creatures, as well as their specific habitats and behaviors, I was hooked.  Ignorance is definitely not bliss in nature.  Education only enhances the appreciation and understanding for what has been created as a gift to us all.  I plan to learn as many new things as possible while I'm there.

I have several other goals for this sabbatical (just how goal-oriented should one be during a sabbatical?).  One is to continue more diligently the breeding bird survey for my 10-square mile transect in Adams County.  Another is to post daily nature-journal entries on the blog...so brace yourselves for a lot of  notifications.  Another is to finish a short story submission for a writing contest due mid-May.  Plus, I plan to finish reading one 3D book (A Thousand Splendid Suns) and one CD book (The English Major). 

My last goal is less artsy-fartsy, less interesting and less fun...eat right and exercise at least 5 times per week (not just my rambling-discovery-walk kind of exercise...but the kind where I'm pleading for oxygen).  "They" say that to develop a good habit, it takes 3 weeks of repetition.  I'm putting "their" theory to the test during this down time...when I have no other commitments, no distractions, no stress, no TV and no bad food in the house to go along with it.  Do I dare take and post a "before" and "after" picture?  We'll see. 

I'll be back,

Cindy