This Week At Indralaya

February 13-19

2012-02-20T15:57:00.000-08:00

Much of the week was spent preparing for the President’s Day weekend and first work party of the season. The work party was a relatively quiet one, with around 25 people participating.

A wide range of work was done, ranging from replacing posts for the garden fence to gutting much of the interior of Wisteria cabin. A good start was made on pruning the meadow fruit trees, potholes were filled along the road into camp, fallen trees were cleared off of the trails in the woods and garden beds were attended to.

Scott, Madeline, Amy & Liz tend a garden bed

Carol transfers tree prunings to the chipper area

Wisteria cabin was gutted

fresh bread

“Tree of Life Pie - thank you pruners!”

The kitchen prepared great food all weekend and a fine spirit of camaraderie prevailed.

All in all, it was a good start to Indralaya’s 85th year, with the promise of more to come!

February 6-12

2012-02-13T16:56:00.000-08:00

Krotona Courtyard

We returned from Ojai on Saturday and got back to Indralaya on Sunday. The workshop on ‘cultivating virtue’ was well received. It was a busy time, and good to see many friends and connect with Krotona, which feels like a second home to us. All in all, it was a great week.

Less than an hour after arriving who should we see but David Christensen, who was also visiting from the NW and was showing some friends around the grounds.

Fritz Kunz & friends (that’s Fritz with the hat and mohair sweater)

The following incidental remarks about Indralaya come from the transcript of a talk that Indralaya co-founder Fritz Kunz gave in Seattle in 1958. The talk is titled “The Path - Its Natural Background” and included some insights on virtue that were referred to during the Krotona workshop. The transcript was prepared by Jen Edington.

There (at Indralaya) amid beautiful surroundings, where nothing has been killed for years and years, and where families have (spent time) together on the whole with wonderful amity, affection, and mutuality, and in terms of quiet, inner quiet given by trees that have been loved personally for years. I give you my word on this. Loved as much as animals, (these) individual trees.

There’s a kind of serenity and depth which those who have visited in right terms don’t fail to feel....I’d like to ask you where in the Theosophical Society you find people of advanced years, of middle years, young married people, children of all ages in goodly numbers, all studying the theosophical philosophy out of doors. Where do you find that? Not many places. You really are happy people to have something like that.

Fritz Kunz speaking at Madrona Point

Some 43 years later, much of what Fritz said still rings true, wouldn’t you agree?

January 30 - February 5

2012-02-06T18:30:00.000-08:00

After a busy week, we left Indralaya on Saturday, bound for Ojai and the Krotona School of Theosophy, where I am leading an afternoon program this coming week on “Cultivating Virtue”. We are here now, and the wi-fi connection is incredibly slow, so this posting will be short and sweet.

The program is rooted in the idea that all cultures and traditions have pointed to certain human qualities as being admirable and worthy of esteem. Actions rooted in kindness, compassion, generosity and unselfish love seem to engender universal acclaim and respect. During the program, we'll be exploring our relationship with these and other virtues and consider how we can engender and give strength to these qualities within ourselves. It should be an interesting week and I'm looking forward to it.

We'll be back to Orcas on Sunday, and then on into preparations for President’s Day Weekend and the first work party of the season.

January 23-29

2012-01-30T16:45:00.000-08:00

Last week ended with the announcement that online registration was now open for Indralaya’s 2012 programs. And the registrations started pouring in this week! On Saturday, we sent out 94 confirmations for upcoming programs and work parties.

The 2012 program catalog also was printed and mailed this week. Over 3,800 catalogs were sent out. If you are on the Indralaya mailing list, it should be showing up in your mailbox soon!

Early in the week, Thea and Mike left for a few weeks vacation in Hawaii. As a result, things were fairly quiet around camp. On Thursday, I went to Seattle to pick up the program catalogs and run errands, while Leonie stayed home.

January 16-22

2012-01-23T16:13:00.000-08:00

As expected, more snow did fall as the week went along, though we escaped the ice storms that came further south in the Puget Sound area. The total snowfall was around 5 inches. The wind blew for most of the week as well and temperatures dipped into the high-teens Fahrenheit. This dose of winter weather led to a delay in the printing of the program catalog as the printer's offices were closed for most of the week. We hope that the catalog will be in the mail in the next few days.

Optimistic Crocuses

The weather also provided plenty of reason to stay inside working on updating the Indralaya website with 2012 program information and setting up online registration for the year. There are many links from one page to another and from the program information pages to the registration form, making this a rather meticulous and painstaking process. And despite the efforts made to be methodical, there are bound to be mis-connections and dead-ends that reveal themselves as the registration process gets underway.

Buddha field 7

So far, so good, however. Online registration opened up on Sunday and by the end of the day, close to 40 registrations had been received. With the beginning of registration, there are a few program notes that bear mentioning.

As has been done in past years, registrations for both family weeks are being held until March 15 so that everyone interested has a fair chance to register for these popular programs. If either week is over-booked (i.e. more than 95 people registered), then a lottery will be held to select those attending that week.

This year, registrations for the Deep Singing program will also be held to provide the same fair opportunity for people to express their interest in attending. The ‘hold until’ date for Deep Singing is March 1. If more than 95 people are registered at that time, a lottery will be held to determine who is registered and who is on the waitlist. For the Deep Singing program, registrations for local and day visitors are being limited to a maximum of twenty.

The Inner Temple Inner Convocation weekend with RJ Stewart and Anastacia Nutt, does not have a ‘hold until’ date for registrations and is expected to fill quickly. Maximum enrollment for this program is currently set at 50 participants and is already close to half full. If you are interested in attending this program, we encourage you to register sometime this week!

By the end of the week, the weather had turned more mild, and most of the snow was gone, allowing for a mid-January walk across the top of Turtleback Mountain.

Looking NE from Turtleback Mountain

(the forested knob in the distant center of the photo is Indralaya land)

January 9-15

2012-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

What a difference a week makes ...

... not so much in terms of the ongoing work being done (see last week’s post for more on that), but more in terms of the weather conditions. First our mild winter turned colder, and that was followed by the white stuff seen in this week’s photos.

The precipitation started with some light snow on Saturday. On Sunday morning we awoke to the din of quarter inch hailstones firing down from on-high and hammering our roof.

The hail gradually turned to snow and by late morning there were a couple inches on the ground. As the week ended the forecast was for more snow ahead.

A good friend of Indralaya died this last week in a work-related accident. Herlwyn Lutz was an arborist who tended to the Indralaya trees for many years. Those who have participated in Spring work parties anytime since the mid-1990’s are likely to remember Herlwyn’s tree-pruning lessons. Outside of the work parties, he would spend many days each Spring tending to the trees and completing the pruning that is usually only partially accomplished during the work parties. He would follow up the pruning by bringing his chipper over and turning the pruned branches into wood chips for the pathways between the garden beds and elsewhere. He was highly committed to being of service both here and in the wider Orcas Island community.

Herlwyn attended many Indralaya programs as well and was a core member of the theosophical study group that meets here during the off-season. He and his wife Barbara have both lived deeply devoted spiritual lives. Herlwyn was 77 at the time of his passing. He will be missed.

January 2-8

2012-01-09T17:12:00.001-08:00

A Short Walk Around the Block

All of the photos this week were taken from various places along the loop road that goes around the perimeter of the garden.

The end of one year and beginning of another is a surprisingly busy time at Indralaya. This is partly because the Indralaya fiscal year coincides with the calendar year, so that there are a number of tasks associated with winding up the books on the year just ended, including compiling of financial information for the annual 990 income tax statement, December 31 bookshop inventory, W-2 forms to prepare and setting up the bookkeeping files for the new year, which includes boxing up of the last twelve months worth of deposits and bills paid.

There are also year-end donation acknowledgements and Friends of Indralaya renewal notices to send out. And then there is the production of the annual program catalog, which usually goes to the printer sometime in early January. This effort coincides with setting up the registration program and updating of the website for the new year.

Speaking of programs, there have been a couple changes since the December 19 posting. A program with Nawang Khechog, who was last at Indralaya in 2006, will be returning for a weekend program May 31-June 3. Nawang is an accomplished flutist and former hermit monk and he will be exploring the theme of ‘Awakening Kindness’. The program will also include a Saturday evening concert performance.

The dates for David Spangler’s program have also been changed. Instead of a May 3-6 weekend program, David has stepped into the August 4-9 summer slot. His program on “Beachcomber Consciousness” promises to be both fun and inspiring.

Not all of the work has been going on in the office! Thea and Mike have also been busy with cabin maintenance. This week Thea has been finishing up an exterior repair at Spruce cabin. The flashing between the entry way roof and cabin had failed and rotted some of the wood on the cabin wall to the extent that it was possible to stick your finger through it with no effort at all. As the photo shows, Thea rebuilt the roof, installed new flashing and replaced the cabin siding in the damaged area, as well as the framing underneath.

Spruce Cabin Repair

All of these activities and more were in play this last week, which ended with my boarding the Sunday morning ferry to Anacortes ahead of a meeting with the printer on Monday to sign off on the final proofs for the 2012 catalog, which should be in the mail by early next week!

Good-bye Orcas, I'll be back soon...

December 19

2011-12-19T16:52:00.001-08:00

As promised, this week’s posting provides a glimpse at some of the programs being planned for next year. At this time, nearly all of the programs have been scheduled and we are working on production of the 2012 program catalog. The catalog should be in the mail in mid- to late January and at the same time, program information and on-line registration will be available through the Indralaya website.

Here’s a quick overview of what is in store:

Work Parties: There are six work parties scheduled - three in the Spring and three in the Fall, all of them coincide with holiday weekends in either Canada or the U.S. The first work party will come on President’s Day Weekend (Feb. 17-20), followed by Easter (April 6-8), and Memorial Day (May 25-28). In the Fall, there are work parties on Labor Day Weekend (Aug 31 - Sept 3), Canadian Thanksgiving (this is the big fall harvest weekend, October 5-8) and November 9-11, which is the same weekend as Veterans/Remembrance Day.

Spring Programs (revised Jan. 9 ~ see revisions below and in the January 9 entry)
There will be five Spring programs, beginning with an April 12-15 Mindfulness Meditation Retreat led by Grace Crowley. The following week (April 25-29) Raphael Cushnir will return to Indralaya to lead his well-received program on self-transformation. David Spangler will be here for the weekend of May 3-6 (this program has been moved to August 4-9). Beginner’s Therapeutic Touch, with Sandra Revesz and Susan Wager will be offered May 17-20. Tibetan flutist and former monk Nawang Khechog, will lead a program on “Awakening Kindness” beginning May 31 and continuing through June 3. The last Spring program is scheduled for June 7-10, with Robyn Finseth offering a program on healing, emphasizing physical balance and well-being.

Therapeutic Touch
As has been tradition since the late 1970’s, the last two weeks of June will be devoted to healing and the annual Therapeutic Touch programs. The TT mentoring week will be June 16-22, followed from June 24-30 by “Continuing Explorations in Therapeutic Touch”.

Summer Programs
And then it is on into summer, beginning with our two family weeks. The dates for Week One will be July 2-8, Week Two will begin on July 11 and continue until the morning of the 17th. After a short break, the summer program will continue with Deep Singing from July 21-26, followed by Yoga Week, July 28-August 2. 2012 will mark Melanie Whittaker’s 10th year leading this popular program.

Plans for the August 4-9 program are still being/have now been finalized. David Spangler will be here for the week, exploring the theme of “Beachcomber Consciousness” - it should be fun!

The 11th Connections program will begin on August 11 and continue through the 19th. In addition to the usual area of great projects that are a part of Connections, morning discussion will be lead by Andrie Levey-Bates for the first couple of days and then by Theosophical Society President Tim Boyd. Joel and Michelle Levey will be here to lead the last program of the summer from August 21-26.

Fall Programs
Following on its successful introduction this year, our Fall programs will kick off with a second Theosofest on the weekend of September 14-16. The following week, September 20-23, following on their amazing 2011 Sea Temple Retreat, R.J. Stewart and Anastacia Nutt will return to lead a three day Inner Temples Convocation and celebration of the Autumn Equinox. The program year will then end as it began, with a September 27-30 Silent Meditation Retreat. This retreat will be led by residents Leonie Van Gelder and Minor Lile.

As this is being written, in the early evening under a dark, cloud obscured sky at a northern latitude of 48.7°, we are, once again, on the brink of the winter solstice. It is that time in the cycle of the year when, from our earthbound perspective, the sun seems to stand still as it arrives at the southernmost point of its journey, the line demarcated by the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.4° S. The solstice has been a moment of significance to humanity since time immemorial and its arrival continues to be celebrated in festivals and gatherings all over the world.

In her booklet, The Christmas of the Angels, Indralaya elder Dora Van Gelder Kunz writes,

We must remember that the whole earth is thronged with host of super-physical beings, angels and archangels and all the Company of Heaven, who … are responsible for the guidance and control of the manifold processes of Nature. It is their thoughts and feelings and activities which play so important a part in the creation of that peculiar atmosphere of good will so noticeable at Christmas; and at this time of the year the whole earth thrills with the wonderful forces outpoured by the angels….
(T)he angels see Christmas from the life side, as a turning-point of all the forces of Nature on every plane and at every level, and as a time in which (there is) a direct and mighty outpouring of creative power and spiritual energy…It marks a point of deep significance in the hidden life of Nature.

Blessings of the Season to one and all!

And it’s time for a break ~ the next “This Week” posting will be on January 9.

December 4-10

2011-12-12T18:02:00.000-08:00

“Ahhh, it’s nice to be home....”

After being away for just over a week we returned to Indralaya on Sunday.

Leonie relaxes at the cabin in Twisp

Some scenes from around camp on a crisp and sunny mid-December day:

on the way to Madrona Point

the library

the meadow

looking north towards Eastsound

waiting for the next campfire

Art Clemons was up for a personal retreat the week before we left. While he was here, he put in some time helping with the harvest and clean-up of the cabbage patch.

Check back next week for a preview of upcoming 2012 programs!

November 28 - December 3

2011-12-05T18:35:00.000-08:00

After a few days back at camp following Thanksgiving, it was back down to Seattle for a meeting of the Indralaya Board of Directors. This was the first meeting of the new board following the annual meeting in October (see October 24-30).

It was a full meeting, beginning with a morning retreat during which Board members shared their perceptions of Indralaya’s strengths and areas where there seems to be room for improvement. It was interesting to observe, among other things, that some of the great strengths of the place are also the sources for some of the challenges that arise.

Following the retreat, the Board set fees and approved an operating budget for 2012. Next year’s fees will rise slightly, with the daily rates for plumbing cabins going from $68 to $69 per person per night, stays in the roundhouse will increase from $70 to $75 per night, and non-plumbing will increase from $47 to $49. Tenting fees will rise from $37 to $40 per night.

It was a full and productive meeting. On Sunday, Leonie and I headed for our family cabin in Twisp where we will be staying for the coming week. While we are gone, Michael Short is staying at camp and keeping an eye on things, for which we are grateful.

No pictures this week...

...as I seem to have misplaced my camera!

November 21-27

2011-11-28T16:04:00.000-08:00

It was a quiet week for human activity at Indralaya as we closed the gate and headed to Seattle for the Thanksgiving holiday. While we were gone, the wind blew and leaves fell, as evidenced by the following pictures of the black walnut tree that sits at the base of the garden:

last week

this week

November 14-20

2011-11-21T06:33:00.000-08:00

With the end of season work party completed, it was once again time to drain the water from the solarium, dining hall, and plumbing cabins. Just in time, as a taste of winter weather arrived on Friday with a light snow fall and temperatures dipping below freezing for the weekend.

Welcome Back!
One enjoyable consequence of the cold weather and snow was the reemergence of the Buddha who has been hiding among the bracken fern near the RMC since early June.

November 19 ~ Buddha field 5

Buddha field 3 (from June 6-12 post)

Down but not Out
Earlier in the week, Leonie visited the Orcas Medical Center to check on some serious bouts of persistent coughing and learned that she had a case of walking pneumonia. As a result, she found herself inside for much of the week and spent much of the time working with co-editor Carol Bee on completing the Autumn issue of Meadow Musings, the occasional newsletter that all donors and Friends of Indralaya receive.

History Lesson
This week also saw the completion of an application to renew the 1999 tideland lease with the State of Washington for the dock area. As part of the application, we were required to submit the Deed of Trust that proves ownership of the land adjoining the lease area.

This title document is dated May 1, 1928, and states, in part, that

“the property is to be developed as a center serving a working community, and as a retreat for purposes of study, meditation and investigation, with departments for literature, arts, crafts, dramatic representations, dancing, and rythmic (sic) exercises all in harmony with the general purposes and plans of the International Theosophical Society with headquarters at Adyar, India....”

Not a bad vision for what was to come.

eagle in tree above the grove

November 7-13

2011-11-14T16:59:00.000-08:00

work party conviviality

With the conclusion of the work party this last weekend, another Indralaya season comes to an end. Night falls early and there is quiet on the meadow. Yet even in this time of rest the seeds for next year are already being planted.

Earlier today, I scrolled back through the 34 posts that have been made on this site since the 2011 season began, way back with the President’s Day work party in February. There have been some challenges and many beautiful moments along the way. In looking back over the past eight months, I was filled again with appreciation and wonder for all that this place provides.

Work has been done ~ thoughts and ideas expressed ~ hearts filled ~ lives changed. This extraordinary ‘ongoing experiment in theosophical living’ that we know as Indralaya carries on. May it be ever so!

western sky at sunset

October 31 - November 6

2011-11-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

frost on the cabbage

There were a number of things to attend to and follow up on in the wake of the annual meeting of the Indralaya board last week (see October 31). By mid-week things had settled back down, providing time for us to attend to looming piles of paperwork and begin some long planned overhauling of the filing system. Leonie spent several hours working in the archives, while I attended to the RMC office filing cabinets and various stacks of paper that had piled up over the course of the program season. By the time we were done, we'd generated a 33 gallon garbage sack full of recyclable paper waste!

Minor's desk (before)

Minor's desk (after)

On Sunday morning we joined Tina Rose at her home in Olga for a long-ago planned three mile walk to Doe Bay Resort and Cafe for breakfast. Tina has been the graphic designer for the Indralaya program catalog for twelve years now, since taking over from Carol Stanley in 2000. This was the initial meeting to begin planning next year’s catalog, which will be out in mid to late January.

Leonie & Tina, overlooking Buck Bay

As we turned into Doe Bay, it was a great pleasure to see Indralaya’s former resident managers Shandra and River Augenstein, along with their new born daughter Julia and River's mother, Marlene. They were also on their way to breakfast so we all had a chance to sit down together and catch up on happenings over a delicious meal. The most significant happening, of course, being the birth of Julia three weeks ago.

mother and child

October 24-30

2011-10-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

Fall Colors

This last weekend Indralaya's Board of Directors gathered here for their annual meeting, which, according to the by-laws of the organization, is held in the Fall of any given year. This meeting is when results for the annual election process are tabulated, additional board members are named, and officers are elected for the coming year.

The activities of Indralaya are overseen and guided by the seven member Board of Directors of The Orcas Island Foundation. The Foundation is incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3). It was formed during Indralaya’s second year of operation, all the way back in 1928.

In order to serve on the Board, an individual is required to have been a member of the Theosophical Society for at least one year. Eligible voters must be members of the Theosophical Society and members of the Friends of Indralaya. In most years, the Board meets five or six times.

The election process began back in April with a call for nominations. It was an unusually interesting election cycle this year as six people were nominated and agreed to stand for election. In the second round of the process, which took place over the summer, the number of nominees was narrowed to two. And, finally, at the annual meeting, the results of the final round of the election were announced.

October Sky

The person elected to be the Voting Member Representative for the coming year is Crystal Mossman. Crystal was also elected as the Member’s representative three years ago and was running for her second term on the Board.

Two other board members were leaving the Board after completing their terms. John Levey has served as Treasurer for six years, and Laurie Rotecki has been on the board for the past three years. As a result, there were two additional open seats on the Board.

Kelly Bachman and Megan Barnes were named to these two seats. This will be Megan’s first time on the Board, while Kelly has served previously. Officers for the coming year were also elected at the meeting. They are Jeannie Chamberlain, Chair; Kim Erickson, Vice Chair; Crystal Mossman, Secretary; and Kelly Bachman, Treasurer.

Congratulations and THANK YOU, one and all.

October 17-23

2011-10-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Fall in the Methow Valley

A short entry this week as we were away at our family cabin in Twisp (located in the Methow Valley in North Central Washington). Leonie's brothers Michael, Ian and Arthur, along with their families, joined us for the weekend. Thanks to Carol Bee for staying at camp and keeping an eye on the place while we were gone!

October 10-16

2011-10-17T16:07:00.000-07:00

Last night while I was sleeping

I dreamed–blessed illusion!–
a fountain flowed inside my heart.
Water: tell me by what hidden
channel you came to me
with a spring of new life
I never drank?

Last night while I was sleeping
I dreamed–blessed illusion!–
I had a beehive inside my heart,
and from my old bitterness
the gold bees
were contriving white combs
and sweet honey....

(Antonio Machado ~ Border of a Dream: Selected Poems)

from the evening program at the silent meditation retreat

retreat altar

It was the weekend of the Silent Meditation Retreat, the last program of the 2011 season (one work party remains in November). This annual retreat offers participants an opportunity to immerse themselves in the stillness and healing environment of Indralaya. As one participant put it, “Indralaya provides a safe, nourishing environment that feeds the soul and allows the natural flow of communion with people and nature”.

Though the retreat is largely unstructured to provide as much latitude as possible for the participants to follow their own path, it includes optional group meditations in the morning, afternoon, and evening; shared silent meals; and an evening program.

This weekend also saw the departure of fellowship staffer Caitlin McKinney and kitchen intern Jacob Doty. Caitlin had been here for six weeks, and Jake had been with us since early May.

We are especially appreciative of Jake’s contributions on many levels over the past 5 & ½ months. Now he is off to help his family move from one home to another. After that, he has plans to head to Hawaii to live and work at Joel & Michelle Levey’s Kohala Sanctuary on the Big Island for some of the winter. Thank you Caitlin & Jake!

Magical Jacob Doty

An Ill-fated Tree
The mystery around a troubling incident at the Fall Harvest work party deepened this past week. During the work party, we decided to transplant a Sequoia tree that has been in a pot in the garden to an open area between the water storage tanks on the hill above camp.

The volunteer planting the tree left the site for a few minutes to get a shovel and pick. When he returned, he noticed that some edible shaggy mane mushrooms near where the tree was being planted were no longer there. A few minutes later, after planting the tree, he realized that his fanny pack was also missing, along with a camera and two day old iphone. Our best guess was that there may have been someone out foraging mushrooms in the forest who came across the fanny pack and took it.

One consequence is that for the past week we’ve been spending a fair amount of time out along the trails and in the forest. And this past Saturday I was on my way up and over the hill when I detoured to take another look around the area where the tree had been planted. I was quite surprised to find that overnight the tree had been stripped of many of its branches and its bark. It looked like the work of an animal, perhaps driven into something of a frenzy by the sweet taste of the bark or the tree juices beneath.

Later Saturday night, three racoons were observed in trees down near Madrona Point - were they the culprits who tore the tree up? And might they have had something to do with the missing fanny pack? Perhaps more will be revealed with time.

“I don't feel so good”

Off the Map?
Some say that one of the tell tale signs of being in Tir Na Nog, the legendary island of Irish tales that is said to be far far to the west beyond the edge of any map, is that it is a place where the apple trees blossom and bear fruit at one and the same time. The picture below was taken during the fall harvest work party. What stories does this tree of the Indralaya meadow have to tell us about the true location of this place? A place that many say is so different and far from ‘the real world’ beyond?

Has my heart gone to sleep?
Beehives in my dreams,
have you stopped working?
Is the waterwheel of thought dry,
its buckets empty,
spinning and filled with shadow?

No, my heart is not asleep,
It is awake. Awake.
Not asleep or dreaming, it looks
with open bright eyes
at far signals and listens
on the shores of a great silence.

(Antonio Machado ~ Border of a Dream: Selected Poems)

October 2-9

2011-10-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

This was the weekend of the annual fall harvest work party and over 80 people were here for some or all of the weekend. In addition to harvesting and processing apples (with 70 gallons of delicious cider put away for future use!), people worked all around the camp on various other projects.

apple pickers

apple washers

apple choppers

apple grinders

apple juicers

apple juice!

Adia & Axel

Victoria & Jen

Darla

Michael & Leif

the swing set set

who's feet?

September 26 - October 2

2011-10-03T18:32:00.000-07:00

While I was away in the Seattle area for the week, helping with preparations for my mother's 80th birthday, Leonie, Jake and Caitlin were back home at Indralaya.

Linda Jo surveys the meadow

On Tuesday, Linda Jo Pym visited along with her brother Bruce, his wife Celia, nephews Darren and Andy, and friends Ellie Lang and Betsy Wada. They were on Orcas to see Linda Jo's new cabin, which was constructed by Rolf Eriksen and is located on property just south of Indralaya.

Ellie, Andy, Linda Jo, Celia, Bruce, Darren, Betsy

The Orcas Island Theosophical Study Group, which meets at the Indralaya library from October to May, came together for their annual fall potluck on Wednesday night.

Leonie headed to Seattle and joined me on Thursday. We returned to Orcas on Sunday and began preparing for the big fall harvest work party coming up this next weekend.

September 19-25

2011-09-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

Art objects on display during Theosofest

It was a second consecutive quiet week at Indralaya with no program. This gave Leonie and I the opportunity to leave Orcas for a few days. Prior to departing, we began the initial phases in planning and scheduling Indralaya's 2012 program.

Over the weekend, Leonie attended the 100th anniversary celebration of the Theosophical Society in Portland, where she shared a few thoughts about her father, Harry Van Gelder, who was being honored as part of the festivities.

Harry in the meadow, circa the early 1990’s

I was in Seattle participating in a weekend program with R J Stewart and Anastacia Nutt, who were leaders of the Sea Temple Retreat that began the Indralaya program year back in January. It is exciting to announce that R J and Anastasia will be returning to Indralaya next year to lead an Inner Temples Retreat and Convocation from September 20-23.

Fall staffers Kendra, Caitlin, & Jake

Meanwhile, Jake Doty and fellowship staffer Caitlin McKimmy were back at Indralaya, processing the fruit harvest and tending to various other responsibilities.

looking north along the Indralaya shore

September 12-18

2011-09-19T15:34:00.001-07:00

It was a quiet and peaceful week at Indralaya as the program that had been scheduled for the weekend was cancelled. This offered the opportunity to catch up on various things around camp that had been waiting until the end of the busy summer season.

Some random statistics from the 2011 season as it begins to wind down:

Number of people registered for work parties & programs: 1,084
People on Daily Staff (3 hour workers): 261 (24%)
Fellowship staff & interns: 14
Wwoofers (garden staff): 5
Resident staff: 2
Program Presenters & Coordinators: 33 (thank you!)
Programs: 19
Sold-out programs: 7
Cancelled programs: 2
Work Parties: 6
Eggs consumed: approximately 15,840 (an estimated 1,320 cartons)
Emails sent since January 1: 2,715
Blog hits since January 1: 5,530
Website visits since January 1: 9,230
Evening gatherings in the Grove: 28
Morning meditations in the Library: 87
Beautiful memories: who can say?

August 25 - September 11

2011-09-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Painting Pictures with Words

It's a well known aphorism that one picture is worth a thousand words. This week's entry will attempt to turn that premise inside out and provide a written portrait of the activities of the past few weeks. This is driven somewhat by necessity, as we were away for some of the time and I somehow wasn't inclined to pick up the camera immediately upon our return.

A Musical Interlude

On August 26, Indralaya hosted a donor's appreciation picnic for the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival, with over 80 people attending. Indralaya was chosen for the setting in part because festival co-founders Aloysia Friedmann and Jon Kimura (Jackie) Parker have ties here that go back many years, to when Aloysia would visit for summer programs with her parents. The picnic featured a couple surprise musical performances, first by Aloysia and her father Martin, accompanied by Jackie, performing portions of a Bach Concerto for two violins and piano that Jackie had pulled off of the internet using the dining hall computer just a few minutes earlier. That was followed by a violin and piano duet featuring Jackie and Martin Chalifour.

It was a busy few days preparing for the picnic after the end of the Levey program on the 24th. In some ways, the effort seemed to take even more energy than is usually needed for the transition between programs. Fortunately, there were several volunteers on hand to help things flow smoothly. Thanks to Lin Bauer, Laurie Rotecki, Michael Short, Liz Speorri, Crystal Mossman, Helen Bee, Jake Doty, Marshall Peabody, Ian Van Gelder & Peter Van Gelder!

Work Party Weekend.

Just over 30 people participated in the annual Labor Day/Plum Pickin' work party. Leonie and I were away catching a breather after the busy summer. Several people stepped in to help lead the weekend and by all reports it was a fun, collaborative and productive weekend. Particular thanks to Kari Van Gelder, Jake, Crystal, Megan Barnes, Carol Bee, and Lars Erickson for taking on additional responsibility for the weekend!

As in many past years, the plums weren't actually quite ready for the pickin' that is promised in this late summer/early fall work weekend and we may have to consider changing its name for future years - any suggestions out there among the readership?

Theosofest

This past weekend over 125 people participated in Indralaya's first Theosofest. The weekend was an open house for both local folks and those staying at camp. There were several different elements woven together: an art exhibition in the dining hall featuring local artists opening with a Friday night reception; a Saturday morning open house, offering tours and seven different workshops and presentations; a Saturday evening Deep Singing session in the teepee; and a pancake breakfast Sunday morning benefiting the Orcas Island Food Bank. There was a lot of positive response to the weekend and the pancake breakfast raised nearly $400 for the food bank.

Thanks to all who participated, particularly Régent Pellerin and Sandora Hedrich for coordinating the art exhibition; Deep Singing leader Helen Bee; and presenters Stanton Stevens & Amelia Bare, Dave Rowley, Kim Fairbanks & Susan Slapin, Liz Francis, Minor Lile, Lynne Riley, Kathi Ciskowski & Polly Sanford.

August 18-24

2011-08-25T16:53:00.000-07:00

This week brings with it an end to the 2011 summer program season. The program with Arun Gandhi ended last Friday. Since Saturday, Joel & Michelle Levey have been leading a “Dance of Change” workshop, offering teachings on mindful approaches to the inevitable changes that are woven into the fabric of life.

It has been a busy summer, with full programs and lots of activity. Eight programs, with average attendance in the mid-60’s. Which matches the average high temperatures that were a prominent feature of this cooler than usual summer.

Experiences have been shared, memories created. Many have expressed their deep appreciation for this place and what it provides for those who come here. New threads have been woven into the lattice work that continuously composes Indralaya and gives it sustenance as ‘an ongoing experiment in theosophical living...’

And after 44 consecutive weekly entries, it is now time for a short break.

This Week at Indralaya will resume on Monday, September 12.

August 11-17

2011-08-18T19:32:00.001-07:00

There is only time for a short entry this week as we are in the midst of a program with Arun Gandhi, a lifelong advocate of non-violence and the grandson of Mohandas K. Gandhi. Arun has been offering insights into the ethical foundations necessary for building a non-violent world and sharing stories from his and his grandfather’s lives that offer examples of these qualities.

Chris & Arun, brewing chai in the coffee kitchen

Arun’s visit was arranged with the help of Chris Farmer. Chris attended therapeutic touch camps at Indralaya and Pumpkin Hollow Farm in the 1980’s. She was inspired to invite Arun to lead a program here because she felt that his teachings are in alignment with the peaceful energies of the place.

Peace to all Beings

August 4-10

2011-08-11T15:37:00.001-07:00

The Connections program began on Saturday and continues through this coming Sunday, August 14. Over 70 people are attending all or part of the gathering. The program places significant emphasis on maintaining and rebuilding Indralaya’s physical plant.

Projects have included rebuilding Heather cabin, completing the siding and renovations to the resident manager's cabin (RMC) that began in 2010, building of a wood shed for the dining hall and construction of six new fire hose stations around camp.

Nick & Steve lay foundations for a new fire hose station

Marilynne and Petr at one of the new stations

the first wall of Heather cabin is raised

Michaela and Bryan working at Heather cabin

Mark & Ian work on the RMC siding project

new dining hall wood shed

Ed Abdill, the Vice President of the Theosophical Society in America,
and author of The Secret Gateway, is also here, leading morning discussion.

deep thinkers

young campers assemble cinnamon rolls

afternoon tea and cookies at the RMC

volleyball is an evening highlight

all for one and one for all!

July 28 - August 3

2011-08-04T15:43:00.000-07:00

dining hall as art studio...

This week just over 50 participants gathered for an exploration of Creativity and the Subtle Realms with Deborah Koff-Chapin and David Spangler. It was a magical Indralaya week, weaving together art, music, exploration of inner realms and subtle experience, great food and open-hearted participation into a cohesive and joyful experience of community and emergence.

Minor, Julie, David, Deborah, Leonie

David shared his insights during morning presentations in the library, while Deborah taught and guided touch drawing sessions in the afternoons as the ideas shared by David were brought to life. Evenings included an August 1 celebration of Lammas around and over a fire in the grove. Lammas is the ancient Celtic harvest festival marking the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumnal equinox. Many of those at the campfire observed the tradition of leaping over the fire three times!

teepee art alter

artistic impressions of the angel of Indralaya
(click on any image to see it full size)

ready for action

Captain Hook
One of the yoga week participants, Arthur Huebner, devoted some of his winter to preparing 108 salvaged hangers for use all around Indralaya. The hangers were installed while he was here for the program and they are turning up in all the right places: cabin walls, broom closets, rest rooms, shower stalls, and elsewhere. Thank you, Arthur!

sunlit canopy

July 21-27

2011-07-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

The completion of the July 23-28 Yoga Week marked the halfway point of the 2011 summer season at Indralaya. The Yoga retreat was lead for the 9th consecutive year by Melanie Whittaker. Melanie is from the Methow Valley, which is east of the North Cascade mountains. This year the teepee was filled with approximately 50 participants for the twice daily hatha yoga sessions that are grounded in the Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa traditions. In the above photo, Melanie exhibits trikonasana or triangle pose.

Spencer sautés breakfast mushrooms

The fellowship and wwoofer staff continue to play an important role in helping programs and activities at Indralaya run smoothly. One of those on fellowship is Spencer Corley (pictured above). Spencer has been here since late June and has been helpful in many ways, including breakfast prep (which begins at 6:30 every morning), daily mopping of the kitchen floor and transportation of food waste to the worm bins for vermiculture composting. Thanks to Spencer and the rest of the long-term staff who are currently here: Alise Nielson, Eric and Jackie Green, Amy Stolov, Terrence Zander, Jake Doty and Petr Senkerik for all your good work.

Aaron Clemons & Peter Van Gelder

Leonie’s brother Peter Van Gelder stayed with us for several days this past week, on a visit from his home in the Netherlands, where he lives in Rotterdam with his wife Lis-Britt. Sitting with Peter in this photo is Aaron Clemons, son of Art Clemons and grandson of Margie Clemons (the sister of Phoebe Bee, Barbara Michelle Berry and Arthur Lehwalder). Aaron and his wife, Ellen Pillow, have been consistent participants in the summer Yoga week with Melanie since its beginnings in 2003.

Swallows leave the nest

This week saw the next stage of development in the nesting box that two swallows moved into back in May (see the entry for May 23-29). A few weeks ago, the chirps of the recently hatched nestlings could be heard and this week they took flight and left the nest!

Far East Beach Art

July 14-20

2011-07-20T16:05:00.001-07:00

Saturday saw the return of Deep Singing week, which has grown to become one of Indralaya’s most popular programs. Attendance this year was near 90.

Participants gather in the teepee each morning to sing songs, chants, and rounds. Every afternoon there are opportunities to explore different styles of song and the evenings are composed of a variety of musical activities: singing around the piano, campfire songs and small group performances.

Although my cinematography could have been better, the following video provides a sense of the shared joyousness that was present throughout the week.

Siyahamba

Two of the participants in the program have ties to Indralaya that go back to its earliest days. Helen Barclay and Joan Taylor (and their sister Susan Brady), came to camp in the 1920’s with their parents, Gene and Viva Emmons. Many of the cabins and the current dining hall were built with wood that was obtained through Gene’s door and sash company. Viva contributed in many ways as well and often led singing at the evening programs with her beautiful voice.

Helen & Joan

Helen conducts Barbershop

“hi mama”

July 4 - July 13

2011-07-14T15:19:00.001-07:00

menu board

The past 15 days have been filled with the two family weeks that traditionally begin the summer season at Indralaya. In all, more than 50 families were represented and nearly 200 people were here over the two weeks.

The family weeks are composed of centering circles, the honoring of the ages, sockhop, arts & crafts, singing, workshops, tea times, the walking of the labyrinth, work on behalf of Indralaya, and the many other memories that weave the days together.

Thanks and gratitude to everyone who plays a part, with particular appreciation for the dedicated and spirited leadership of coordinators Victoria Bennett, Ondine & Elliot Toler-Scott, Viola Marx, Hugh & Annie McManus, and Penny Sharp Sky.

family week morning circles ~ week one above, week two below

many hands

During big weeks like the those that have just finished, those on fellowship and long term staff play a crucial role in assuring that things run smoothly.

Spencer, Leonie, Minor, Jake, Laurie, Christopher, Lilly, Petr & Zach

It Was 84 Years Ago Last Week...

The Excelsior Diary ~ 1927

(click on the photo for a full size view)

These two photos are from Fritz Kunz's day book for 1927. That was the year that Fritz and Dora were married, and journeyed across the country to participate in a gathering of Theosophists on Orcas Island. The penciled note in the lower photo indicates that Dora and Fritz ‘went to Orcas’ on Tuesday, July 5. From that moment in time, much has ensued!

June 27 - July 3

2011-07-04T18:10:00.000-07:00

After a few days for the staff to rest and complete preparations at camp, the family week one coordinators began arriving on Wednesday afternoon. Nearly everyone attending the program arrived over the next day and a half, and by Friday dinner there were 98 people in camp.

The summer season was in full swing!

Beginning next week and continuing until the end of August, new entries will be posted on Thursdays.

June 20-26

2011-06-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

early summer campfire

The week began with the first full day of the Continuing Explorations in Therapeutic Touch program. Many of the participants in this week have been coming to Indralaya for years. Throughout the week there was a shared sense of gratitude and appreciation for the place and the presence of the subtle healing energies that have been cultivated here over time.

healing conversations

good friends meet again

The last evening of Therapeutic Touch is traditionally known as “Id Night” and one never knows what might happen when the id is unleashed!

Here are some scenes from this year's program:

Julie as a stylin’ red wiggler

Cordy shares the many ways to wear a sarong

a rousing chorus

As Lin looks on, Helen and Justin sing a mournful ‘Barbara Ann’

And so, with a short pause to appreciate the good memories ~

(pause)

~ the 2011 T. T. camps are now complete and the busy summer season lies ahead.

June 13-19

2011-06-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

T.T. circles in the meadow

This week saw a transition between therapeutic touch programs as participants in the mentoring week departed on Friday morning and the ‘continuing explorations’ week began with dinner on Sunday.

The labyrinth has taken on a surprising new look this Spring with the explosion of tall grasses along the courses that lead to the center. Recent labyrinth walkers have been finding something quite wonderful about walking through the grasses as they brush against their legs and hands.

tall grass labyrinth

explore the mysteries that lie within

New Artworks in the Library

Two recently donated artworks are now gracing the walls of the library. The print of the madrona (titled “Grandmother Madrona”) was given to us by Peggy Woods, an artist from Montana who has also been helping with ordering clothing items for the bookshop. You can see more of her work at http://www.peggywoods.com/.

This watercolor was a gift to Indralaya from the Temple of the People, in Halcyon, CA (see Jan 31 - Feb 6 post).

With the departure of the chickens last year (see the November 15-21 entry for more on why and where), the potential opened up for new uses of the space where the coop had been. That potential has been realized with the establishment of a new garden bed, which is now filled with freshly planted basil. Staffers Lilly Falconer and Haley Nedderman planted the basil at night, under the light of the full moon.

beds of basil, planted in the moonlight

June 6-12

2011-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

Buddha field 3

As the Indralaya year transitions from a successful series of Spring programs and work parties to the Therapeutic Touch camps that have gathered here in the later half of June for over 30 years, one cannot help but be aware of the continual flow of events, endeavors, personalities, and nature that are so much a part of the Indralaya experience. As this year develops, and as the years unfold, the procession from which Indralaya's rich tapestry is woven continues ever on.

Staff & friends: Wayne, Leonie, Crystal, Jake, Chelsea, Lilly, Haley & Tom

This week we said good-bye to Wayne Hunt as he completed his time on fellowship staff, and said hello to Lilly Falconer as she arrived for a stay that will continue into mid-July.

Mentors Peter Massey, Cordy Anderson, & Cheryl Larden
along with program coordinator Julie Benkofsky-Webb (2nd from left)

As the weekend arrived, so did participants in the Therapeutic Touch mentorship program. It was a real treat to welcome back Jen Edington as co-head cook for the week. This is Jen's first visit since she and her husband Mark left after serving as resident managers from mid-2006 to early 2010.

Jen and Mark have settled in Williams, OR. In addition to living with three (at the moment) English mastiffs, they are enjoying working for Resource Management, Inc., a firm owned by Elizabeth McNanny (known to many of you as a head cook at family week and other programs) that provides energy consulting to individuals, organizations and municipalities in Oregon and 7 other western States.

Jen’s beautiful rhubarb pies

Buddha field 4

May 30 - June 5

2011-06-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

It was a quick turnaround following the Monday morning end of the Memorial Day work party, as people began arriving on Wednesday for the last program of the Spring season. By Thursday nearly 50 participants were gathered for the Self-Healing invitational with Robyn Finseth.

assembling for morning meditation

This was Robyn’s teaching debut, and it was one of those beautiful Indralaya experiences where everything and everyone seemed to be in nearly perfect alignment. The atmosphere was nurturing and supportive, while the weather was truly splendid, with a crystalline-like quality to the air and temperatures reaching into the high 60’s.

convivial conversations

In accord with the theme of the weekend, Robyn’s teachings focused on practices and techniques that were intended to provide participants with tools to help establish and maintain a sense of well-being, balance and connection in the midst of daily life. There was an emphasis on bringing awareness to subtle realms of experience in ways that are beneficial and healing.

meeting around the apple tree

Robyn describing the 'slither' exercise
(thanks to Mark K. for the photo)

On Saturday evening participants gathered in the teepee to listen to music offered by a Bellingham jazz ensemble that Indralaya friend and Dream Rancher Karen Goens sings with. The evening also included deep singing, led by Helen Bee.

I had departed from camp late Saturday morning to attend a concert performance by U2 with Steve Murphy (see Dec 27 - Jan 2). From morning pancakes at Indralaya into the midst of 60,000 music fans at Qwest Field that night ~ quite a juxtaposition to experience over the course of a day!

Joyful quesadilla assemblers Jake and Carol

Donna finishing up some pots

Meanwhile, back on Orcas, the Sunday ferry shuttle turned out to be a near-run thing. Just when it was time to head for the boat, the Indralaya van decided it did not want to go and refused to shift out of parking gear. Fortunately several islanders who were attending the program rallied and everyone got to the boat just in time!

May 23-29

2011-05-30T15:37:00.001-07:00

The Memorial Day holiday has long been designated as a work party weekend at Indralaya. This year just over 50 work party participants arrived and helped with a wide array of jobs around the camp. Many thanks to all who were here!

Naomi & Rachel

Among those attending were Indralaya moms Naomi Desranleau and Rachel Erickson, who came with their children Eames (4 months) and Bella (just over 1 year old) - Eames' first visit and Bella's 2nd - the next generation of Indralaya in the making.

Great food was served up by the kitchen crew all weekend, including this batch of Sunday morning pancakes.

Study Group potluck

Earlier in the week, the Orcas Study Group gathered in the dining hall for their end of the season potluck. The study group meets at Indralaya on Wednesdays from September-May. This past year was a good one, as interest in exploring theosophical ideas and concepts was strong throughout the year. Over the course of the year, participation in the group increased significantly, with many intriguing presentations and discussions.

The bird houses that were built earlier in the Spring (see the April 4-10 entry) have attracted their first residents! After several weeks of watching and waiting, a pair of Violet-green Swallows moved in over the weekend and began to build their nest.

Posting Comments
Your comments and responses to this blog are welcome and invited. Some have found the comment process to be confusing and perhaps a brief explanation of how it works will be helpful.

At the bottom of each weekly entry is a banner that includes information on when the entry was posted and blue text that says ‘__ comments’, with the number of comments for that particular posting in the underlined area. Simply click on ‘comments’, and the ‘post a comment’ box pops up.

Once you've written your comment, you are also required to select a profile before it can be sent. One easy choice in selecting a profile is to select ‘name/url’ and simply type your name in the designated area. After you've selected your profile, click on the ‘post comment’ button and the comment is sent to the blog for posting.

That's all there is to it - so please keep those cards and letters coming!

bird's eye view

May 16-22

2011-05-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

The Cedar Grove
Out along the Nature Spirit trail lies a small cedar grove that can be reached by a short branch trail. This branch trail used to be a part of a much longer trail that wound its way across the forest. This old trail was known as the White trail. At the time the Cedar Grove trail was established in the mid-1990's, the White trail had become nearly impassable because of tree fall associated with the big winter storms of 1988 & 1989.

forest guardians

At the beginning of the trail that leads to the grove stand three great guardian fir trees. There is a sense of tranquility and stillness about these sentinel trees that is impressive.

entering the cedar grove

The grove itself is composed of a small clearing that slopes gently from west to east towards the Sound. There are 18 western red cedar that can be counted from the bench that sits in the middle of the clearing.

Arthur Lee Jacobsen, a well-known Seattle area tree and plant expert, describes the western red cedar as,

“a living monument to firm, unyielding resolve; deeply anchored in earth, strongly ascending towards heaven, mocking the might of the wind, resistant to rot, vigorously enduring for untold centuries”

symbols of human spirituality ~ how many can you identify?

Hidden under the seat of the bench are symbols representative of many different spiritual paths. The cedar grove is a peaceful spot, and well worth a visit during your time at Indralaya.

therapeutic touch in the meadow

A busy weekend
Over the weekend, 27 people participated in a training in therapeutic touch for beginning and intermediate practitioners. The program was led by Jane Cornman, Kathy Wilmering and Cedron Sterling.

Coinciding with the program was a meeting of the Indralaya Board of Directors. One of the questions that the board has been reviewing this Spring is around the question of providing internet access to short-term residential staff and people attending programs. After a full discussion extending over two meetings, the Board decided to continue with the policy of not providing wireless access to the internet.

This decision is intended to support the experience of Indralaya as a place that offers some measure of respite from a world that is awash in communications technologies and the perception of a constant need to be connected. In their place, it is hoped that those who visit and participate in the life of Indralaya can experience a more comprehensive sense of connectedness that transcends the limitations of technological gadgets. And, yes, the irony of expressing this aspiration in a blog is not lost on this writer!

May 9-15

2011-05-16T17:06:00.001-07:00

buddha field

This week saw the passing of the last open week in the Indralaya spring schedule. From this point on, programs flow on uninterrupted all the way until the end of September! As such, the week was composed of a wide assortment of preperatory activities, culminating in the celebration of several Indralaya-connected birthdays that coincide on May 14 (Happy Birthday to Carol Bee, Steve Murphy, Tim Hulley and me!).

coconut cream birthday cake

Comings and Goings
Indralaya's garden coordinator, Chelsea Cates, returned from a visit to the John Jeavon's farm and gardening center in Willits, CA, where she has previously interned. Wwoofers John Magee and Ona Lindauer departed after a three week stay, on their way to a farm on Camano Island and the NW Folklife Festival at the end of the month.

first plantings of the season fill the garden beds

Brian Davies arrived on Friday and spent the weekend working in the library. Carol Bee came by to work with Leonie and Crystal on the long-time coming Indralaya cookbook, now being readied for publication in mid-June. And Rolf Eriksen dropped by on Saturday to help troubleshoot some issues affecting Wisteria cabin.

My week began in Bellevue, following a quick trip to Spokane over the previous weekend to attend our niece Laura Anderson's graduation from Gonzaga University. On Monday, on the way back to Orcas I met with David Spangler and Deborah Koff-Chapin to discuss their program (Subtle Realms & Creative Expression) that is coming up July 30 - August 4. We shared several ideas and it is apparent that this program has the potential to offer a wonderful shared exploration and expression of human creative and the artistic impulse.

Look, up in the sky!

Around camp, lots of work was underway, including organizing and cleaning the kitchen, painting Apple cabin, hanging a new door at Fir cabin, and a burn pile was used to clean up a lot of debris that has been accumulating around the upper cabins.

buddha field 2

May 2-8

2011-05-09T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Children's Apple Tree

As May got underway, the meadow seemed to become increasingly resplendent with each passing day. This week the children's apple tree (the one tree in the meadow that children are allowed to climb to their heart's content) came into full bloom.

Weekend Program
It was good to welcome Erik Peper back to Indralaya after several years. Erik is Professor of Holistic Health and Director of the Institute for Holistic Healing Studies at San Francisco State University. He is an international authority on biofeedback and self-regulation, and attended the annual healing camps at Indralaya with Dora Kunz and Dolores Krieger regularly beginning in the late 1970's.

dinner discussion with Erik

Erik arrived fresh from a trip to Kobe, Japan, where he was training Japanese physicians in the use of biofeedback to address post-traumatic stress associated with the March 11 earthquake and its aftermath.

Wayne, John, Ona, Haley, Jake

Stalwart Staff
The full complement of our Spring staff were on hand this week. Wayne Hunt is here for a second year on fellowship. John Magee and Ona Lindauer arrived a couple weeks ago via the wwoofer program and have been stalwarts in the garden and kitchen during their stay. Another wwoofer, Haley Neddermann arrived on Thursday night and will be staying until mid-June. She is the sister of Audrey Neddermann, who was on the Indralaya staff last summer. “Wwoof” is an acronym for “Worldwide Workers on Organic Farms” an international program that Indralaya began participating in last year.

Jacob Doty arrived the day before Haley and is here on an internship that will last into the Fall. Jake arrived on Wednesday from his family home in Williams, OR, where he lives with his dad Rick and Elizabeth McNanny (Mark Seiler and Jen Edington also live on the property). Jake has been on fellowship at Indralaya previously and has been coming to Indralaya since his early teens. His primary responsibility will be to provide support in the kitchen.

It feels quite fortunate to have these good people here contributing to the life of the place. While most of our staff positions are filled for the remainder of Spring and into the summer, there is still space available so please let us know if you or someone you know might be interested in serving on fellowship staff.

Quote of the Week
During a dinner conversation, a participant in Erik’s program who was talking about past visits and treasured moments at Indralaya said proudly: “I got to wash pots with John Roberts once.”

April 25 - May 1

2011-05-02T15:31:00.000-07:00

Pear cabin interior

Cabins Complete!

Work on renovating Salmonberry and Pear cabin began roughly 4 years ago and in the intervening years, two beautiful cabins have arisen in place of the tired and worn out buildings that were there before. After the final push of these last couple weeks, a building inspection was scheduled for last Monday and both cabins obtained final approval from the County.

Pear

Salmonberry

This significant moment provides an opportunity to express appreciation to the many, many, many volunteers who had a hand in the work of rebuilding these cabins. Particular thanks to Rolf Eriksen, who developed the plans and oversaw much of the process. Now it's on to Heather Cabin ~ with plans to submit our request for a building permit in the next week or so and begin work this summer!

Mindfulness Retreat
The weekend saw a gathering of 20 participants in a mostly silent mindfulness meditation retreat. Participants practiced group meditation in the library, ate meals together in silence, and had lots of opportunity to savor the natural beauty of Indralaya. Grace Crowley has offered this retreat at Indralaya since 2007.

Her first visit to Indralaya was in 1995, when she attended a yoga retreat with Pat Cawthon. '95 was also Leonie's and my first year here as resident managers and it was a bit of a shock for all of us to realize that sixteen years have gone by since then.

mindfully pitched tents

A New Tent Policy
Tenting has become an increasingly popular option for people attending programs at Indralaya in recent years. So much so that at times the meadow can seem overfilled with tents. In response, the Board of Directors has decided to place a limit of eight on the number of tent sites that can be reserved for any particular week.

The meadow is now nearly in full blossom. This past week all of the plum trees burst forth to join the pear and cherry trees, and towards the end of the week the apple blossoms were also coming out.

Blighted Madrones

The black leaves on many of the Madrona trees this year are a phenomena that has attracted the concern of arborists throughout the region. According to Herlwyn Lutz, who has tended Indralaya's trees for close to two decades now, the blight goes back to a hard frost last November at a time when the new leaf buds were just beginning to develop.

Who is that masked beekeeper?

And just in time to help with the pollination process, two new hives of bees arrived at Indralaya. They were welcomed to their new home on May Day - the traditional Western European festival day of Beltane, which marks the half way point between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice. It was an amazing day for both bees and birds. Among the birds seen on or above the meadow were swallows, robins, junco, towhee, a kestrel, two vultures, two doves, various woodpeckers, an eagle, an osprey, crow, raven, geese and seagulls.

Finally, this week, the sharing of a new (?) sign that was recently sited in the shop building after it was given a thorough cleaning by Michael Short. Words of blessing that we heartily endorse!

April 18-24

2011-04-25T14:52:00.001-07:00

This last week was book-ended by the 'spring special' and Easter work parties. Several people stayed over for some or all of the week between, including Charles Shimwell, Teresa Harris, Kathy Miners, Alan Lindquist and Michael Short, all of whom worked through the week on projects big and small. On Thursday, our first wwoofers of the season - John Magee & Ona Lindauer - arrived, as did Wayne Hunt, returning for a 2nd tour of duty on fellowship staff.

We had a mid-week visit from Shandra Augenstein. She is now in the 16th week of her pregnancy and very much a beautiful mother to be.

Adia Dolan

Friday saw the beginning of the weekend work party. Everyone reveled in the beautiful spring weather and by Saturday lunch, approximately 45 people were in camp helping with many of the final preparations for the season.

So much was happening that I neglected to take many pictures until after the work day was over!

Isadora & Sedona

Edna & Charles

Ona & Sasha

Can you see the fairy slippers?
(click photo to enlarge)

A sure harbinger of Spring is the annual appearance of the delicate fairy slipper orchid (calypso bulbosa) in various places around the Indralaya forest. This perennial forest plant is delicately scented and was used by the Haida people in various ways. The Latin name refers to the nymph Calypso from Homer's Odyssey, and literally means 'she who conceals'.

revelation

April 11-17

2011-04-18T15:49:00.000-07:00

At the very beginning of the week two fruit trees blossomed simultaneously in the meadow. What mysterious sympathy would bring these two trees, who have lived their lives side by side, to blossom together and ahead of all the others? As the week ended they continued to be the only fruit trees in blossom.

The additional spring work party that was added to the Spring schedule a few weeks ago got underway on Friday. Over the weekend, there were anywhere from 8 to 10 people in camp and a lot of great work was done - cabin cleaning, painting, and construction. These smaller, more intimate work parties are a fun way to experience being at Indralaya.

Megan wields a paint brush

Laurie tends a corner of the garden
while Kari cleans up near the old chicken coop

Alan arrives

Charles preps the old wood room at the library for a new use

Lars & Claes show their stuff

Steve gets ready to mop the kitchen

Michael & Alan outside Pear cabin

Theresa and Kathy on Apple porch

Kathy spent many childhood summers here, in the days when Apple was better known as the Abbenhouse cabin. As people were arriving for the weekend, I was headed the other way to fill a u-haul with new mattresses and other items.

new mattress staging area

While I was away, I also attended a 'creative mentoring' workshop in Olympia with Michael Meade. It was an informative and interesting exploration of the many ways that mentoring occurs in relationships. One of the important points that came out is that mentoring is in large part a process of noticing and blessing (or appreciating) the noble qualities of young people, particularly as they blossom and seek to find their place in the world. What Meade calls 'mentoring moments' can be significant times of change that provide access and insight into the deeper, more vital currents of individual and community life.

April 4-10

2011-04-11T15:40:00.000-07:00

Just as the generative forces of Springtime arise and arise from the earth in greater and greater waves of energy, preparations for the beginning of the intensive human season at Indralaya continued to blossom this week.

In work that will be appreciated by all those who have suffered through the cold or lukewarm showers of the past few years in the Roundhouse, a new hot water on demand system was installed. Volunteer Petr Senkerik visited for several days and installed the interior wiring, plugs and lights in Pear Cabin. The outdoor lights between the teepee and the library were repaired, as were the shower enclosure and floor transitions in Spruce cabin. Fifteen new mattresses were ordered to replace old and worn out mattresses in the cabins.

hot water guaranteed!

Pear cabin electrical

Spruce shower

With the help of Mark and Linda Wilkins, who provided plans and a model, three new nest boxes were built and placed on strategic garden fence posts. We have high hopes that these nests will entice swallows to return and establish a colony. Bees have also been purchased to re-establish our bee colonies and they are expected to arrive by the end of the month.

bird boxes, sitting on the fence

In the garden, Chelsea and Leonie continued to plant and prepare the beds.

planting seeds

an impressive array of starts

While cleaning and organizing the dining hall office, I came across two brochures from Indralaya's past. Although neither is dated, the smaller brochure is likely to have been printed in 1946 as it refers to the beginnings of a five year educational plan culminating in 1951. Judging by the picture of the new dining hall, sans its later addition, the larger brochure was prepared sometime between 1958 and 1964.

brochures

(note the early version of the Indralaya logo)

Both brochures seem intended to introduce Indralaya to those who are not yet involved. They emphasize the exploration of theosophical ideas, communal experience, and our human relationship with the subtle forces of the natural world as essential aspects of the intention underlying Indralaya's ongoing development.

From 1946: “The concept of Universal Brotherhood, the first object of the (Theosophical) Society, has been the inspiration of the project (Indralaya) since its inception in 1927. Camps have been conducted each summer, except during the war (1941-1945), to bring together people sympathetic to the spirit of cooperative enterprise. The programs of these sessions have featured lectures and discussions on the fundamental concerns of humanity, effectively enhanced by a natural and friendly atmosphere.”

(click on the photo to see a full size version)

From the later brochure: “Since 1927 people of all ages have worked in all capacities to make Indralaya possible, and have found their stay enriched by their participation in the many facets of camp life. They have found camp physically relaxing and intellectually stimulating. Chances are you would too.”

March 28 - April 3

2011-04-04T11:55:00.000-07:00

Plum Tree Buds on a Rainy Day

This week there was a dawning realization that suddenly the beginning of the program season is nearly upon us. The Easter work party begins in just three weeks and from then on program activities will continue almost non-stop, as they do every year, through mid-October. Along with this awareness, there seems to be a stimulating sense of anticipation in the air....

Going my way?

... and lots of projects to attend to as well. Here, Leonie is headed off to clean the interior of water tank B, which is a back-up storage tank that holds 27,000 gallons of water when it is full.

off to sweep the driveway!

Our niece Irena was also here for a few days and volunteered several hours on behalf of Indralaya. In recent years, many high school programs have encouraged student volunteerism and some have found that Indralaya is a great place to satisfy those requirements.

James, Margaret, Frankie

The off-season is also personal retreat time at Indralaya. This past weekend James, Frankie, and Margaret Gomez were up from Seattle for a few days. Margaret volunteered at the Theosophical Library in Seattle for several years which is where she and James met. That's Frankie on the right, age 3.

On Sunday we ventured down near the north shore of East Sound to check out a garage sale and found ourselves at Carol McKinstry's, an artist and co-leader of several recent Creativity Weeks at Indralaya. The photo below, taken from Carol's deck, looks south across the water to the northern shore of Indralaya.

Indralaya Calls to Me...

March 21-27

2011-03-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

A prominent theme for the week was that of continuity with the recent and more distant past. The week began with an appreciation of our Indralaya elders and ended with the departure of the VW vanagon that was purchased as a ferry shuttle vehicle in 2007. On the days in between various other projects and responsibilities received attention.

Registration Update
On Saturday, confirmations for nearly 150 family week participants were processed and sent. So far, over 500 people have been registered for all our 2011 programs and work parties!

Two upcoming programs are now fully registered, the Self-Healing Invitational with Robyn Finseth and Family Week Two. Wait lists have been started for both these programs. Deep Singing week will also be full soon, as there are just a handful of remaining spaces available.

A Peachy New Pear Cabin
The analogy of building your house on a solid foundation is familiar to all of us. Perhaps it has something to do with the tried and true theosophical tradition of doing things in a somewhat contrary manner that with Pear cabin this concept was turned on its head to some degree, as a solid new cabin has been being built on top of a questionable foundation. This situation was amended this past week as maintenance staffer Thea Patten and volunteer Michael Short established several new footings and replaced much of the old foundation.

new water tap

Life-giving Waters
Some changes to the water delivery systems in the dining hall have also been recently completed. A new filtered water tap was added in the coffee kitchen and a hot water tank for the basement washing machine was installed. This washing machine is used primarily for bed sheets and linens, so hot water is an essential ingredient.

new water heater

Waste Water Systems
While work was being done on altering the library roof line earlier this year (see January 10-16), we learned that the tree that fell between the roundhouse and library a couple years ago had cracked the lid to a waste water tank when it came down. This week the tree was cut so that we could get access to and replace the lid.

Note the hollow tree core above right - soon to be an Indralaya planter!

This holding tank is one component of Indralaya's septic system. It contains waste water that has been pumped up from another holding tank that services the three waterfront cabins (Cedar, Ocean Spray and Kunz). Water from the tank is then pumped to a drainfield located in the meadow. This is the largest of Indralaya's five drainfields. The holding tank is one of 11 waste water tanks that are on the property. Recent county regulations require that these be inspected regularly and I recently attended a workshop for this purpose.

Wake Up and Smell the Roses

In between continuing to plant new starts in several of the garden beds, Chelsea Cates, our new garden coordinator (see the March 7-13 entry for more about Chelsea) also found time to tend to the rose bushes located along the SE corner of the garden fence.

Good-bye Vanagon ~~~

March 14-20

2011-03-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

The honor of being an Indralaya Elder was bestowed upon three prominent members of the community this past weekend. Helen Bee, John Levey and Linda Jo Pym joined six others who have received this recognition in the past.

Elders are those who are recognized for their capacity to transform accumulated life experience into wisdom and insight that can be shared with others. In choosing these three outstanding individuals to represent the qualities of being an elder in the Indralaya community, the Board of Directors expresses its respect and admiration for their many contributions to camp life over the years.

Linda Jo Pym & John Levey

Linda Jo, John and Helen have collectively served camp in almost every possible capacity: program leader, crew boss, pot washer, pie maker, head cook, resident manager, camp manager, and on. In addition, each has served as chair of the Board of Directors and their combined service on the Board accumulates to nearly sixty years. Perhaps most importantly, they have, each and every one, given fully of themselves in service to Indralaya.

Helen Bee

Each has been presented with a signed certificate that states the following:

“In recognition of your lifelong involvement, abiding commitment, unyielding devotion and wise counsel, we, the undersigned members of the Board of Directors of the Orcas Island Foundation, do hereby, and with great love and respect, confer upon you the status of Indralaya Elder, with all the privileges and honors attendant therein”

In receiving this honor, these three join a select group to be so named by the Board of Directors. John Abbenhouse, Dorothy Abbenhouse, Austin Bee, Phoebe Bee, John Roberts and Marjorie Toren are the others who have been named as Indralaya Elders in years past.

“ … elders serve a higher purpose as well as a deeper order. Elders lead by remembering back further than others as well as by seeing more clearly ahead. Elders serve as ‘seers’ who can see behind and beyond the politics of the day and perceive the needs of the future .... In becoming wise old souls, the elders more firmly know and more clearly hold the inner sense of meaning and purpose that first surfaced during their youth.”
Michael Meade, “Fate and Destiny: The Two Agreements of the Soul”

UNSEEN BUDS

Walt Whitman

Unseen buds, infinite, hidden well,

Under the snow and ice, under the darkness, in every square or cubic inch,

Germinal, exquisite, in delicate lace, microscopic, unborn

Like babes in wombs, latent, folded, compact, sleeping;

Billions of billions, and trillions of trillions of them waiting,

(On earth and in the sea--the universe--the stars there in the heavens)

Urging slowly, surely forward, forming endless,

And waiting ever more, forever more behind.

March 7-13

2011-03-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Springtime signs continue to emerge from the fertile soil of Indralaya. Daffodils and Crocuses have arisen from the ground and the first beds have been planted in the garden. Registrations continue to arrive at an impressive clip. On Thursday, we left for a few days in Seattle. As a consequence we were not here when the wave created by the powerful earthquake just off the coast of Japan arrived. In Friday Harbor, there was a measurable effect as buoys in the harbor rose approximately 0.3 feet.

This Old Stove
Last November, we were reminded that those who regularly visit Indralaya in the summer are not necessarily acquainted with the wood burning stove that heats the dining room during fall, winter and spring programs. We felt renewed appreciation for the dining hall stove during last week's Sea Temple Retreat. While there were challenges in heating some of the cabins for the weekend, the dining hall was warm and cozy the entire time. The stove was donated by Chris Senn in the late 1990's. The stove usually makes its annual migration to the basement at the end of the therapeutic touch programs in June and returns during the Plum Pickin' work party over Labor Day Weekend.

Waking up the Garden
Leonie was joined by Chelsea Cates and Mark House in planting the first starts (lettuce, arugula, cilantro, & parsley) of the 2011 season on Wednesday. We were introduced to Chelsea through longtime Indralaya friends Bill and Barbara Humes. Mark is the assistant garden manager at John Jeavon's Ecology Action Garden in Willits, CA, where Chelsea was an intern in 2009. The raised beds in the Indralaya garden were inspired by Jeavon's sustainable mini-farming biointensive methods.

Mark & Chelsea

We are excited that Chelsea has agreed to serve as Indralaya's garden coordinator for the coming year. Chelsea will be working in the garden for 10-12 hours a week through the fall. She is an Orcas Island resident and also the garden keeper for the Orcas Island School District.

Inner Administration
We were in Seattle to attend a weekend satsang with Adyashanti. Adya is a 48 year old Californian who teaches a form of non-dual awareness. He is a remarkable teacher, with a capacity to lead one right to the awareness of the deeper reality that is always present just behind the veil of everyday life. The time was composed of meditation, discourse and interactive dialogue between Adya and participants.

The weekend provided a timely opportunity to step back slightly from the busyness of our responsibilities at Indralaya and to re-connect with the sense of calling and desire to be of service that informs our work here. Among other things, we recognized once again how important it is to assure that there is also time for stillness and reflection in the midst of everything else that happens.

Heading home, we met a pod of Orca in the channel between Orcas and Shaw Island.
(click any photo to see it full size)

February 28 - March 6

2011-03-07T15:41:00.000-08:00

A rare early season program provided the ingredients for a somewhat intense week at Indralaya. The below freezing temperatures that had defined the previous week continued into the early days of this week, which meant that the water in the dining hall and plumbing cabins couldn't be safely turned on until Tuesday.

This made for a very busy few days leading into the program as turning the water back on inevitably leads to a few surprises. This year, for example, we learned that over the winter someone had turned the power to the empty hot water tank on in Moss, which burned out the heating element. From Moss it was on to Wisteria, where one of the plumbing lines under the cabin had somehow come uncoupled. Once that was repaired and the water was on, a sour smell began to emerge from the shower drain. Whether that has something to do with last year's installation of a new shower in the cabin remains to be seen.

Cedar cabin was next. At the February work party a crew had installed plywood skirting around the base of Cedar to keep out the otters that have been eating their meals under the cabin. One problem with the project emerged - no human access point had been provided, so when water was heard running under the cabin the only way to get at it was to pry off one sheet of the plywood skirting. Fortunately, once there was access the problem was easily solved. It was also fortunate that turning on the water in the rest of the cabins and dining hall went smoothly.

There was further fortune in having the help of maintenance staffers Mike and Thea during the run up to the program. Mike helped with the water problems and also installed a new filtered water tap in the coffee kitchen, while Thea was busy tacking chicken wire to some of the slippery porches around camp.

On Tuesday, Linda Jo Pym and Kathy Miners were here for an afternoon visit. Linda Jo and I spent some time working with the registration program, while Leonie and Kathy cleaned cabins. Crystal Mossman, along with Kari and Margot Van Gelder also came by and provided much needed support. Crystal prepared bread and granola for the weekend while Kari cleaned up the dining hall and lounge. Margot cleaned up branches and other debris from the labyrinth.

Crystal prepares bread

On Thursday morning it felt like everything was ready to go. It was a bit of a shock, then, to check the morning weather and find out that an 80% chance of sleet (sleet?!?) was forecast for the next 24 hours. However, it seems as if someone had put in a good word with the weather gods, for the sleet never came and in fact the sun was out for much of the weekend. It was hard to deny that Spring was arriving in each moment.

By Thursday night, the 44 participants attending the program had arrived and the 2011 program season was underway! The program was a Sea Temple Retreat, led by RJ Stewart and Anastasia Nutt. Their teachings are rooted in the faery tradition of the British Isles. During the weekend, we were led on a series of inner journeys and visualizations aligning with and attuning to the powers and energies of the Sea Temple. Among other attributes and qualities, this inner temple of the West is said to be the source of love and compassion on our watery planet. On Sunday morning there was a procession to near east beach, where offerings were made to the sea.

Among the participants were Shelagh and John Levey. On Saturday we celebrated Shelagh's birthday. John and Shelagh noted that 2011 marks the 40th anniversary of their first visit to Indralaya. This leads one to speculate on how we might open our arms to a family or families that will visit for the first time this year so that they might still be coming with their children and grandchildren forty years hence.

happy birthday Shelagh!

Shara waits for the bell to ring

This was the first visit to Indralaya for both Mary and Beth. Mary attended therapeutic touch camps at Pumpkin Hollow, Indralaya's sister camp in upstate NY, during the 1990's.

at the beach

offerings

RJ pipes the offerings to sea:

February 21-27

2011-02-28T16:49:00.000-08:00

It was a quiet week at Indralaya following the work party. Largely enforced by yet another round of cold and snow. The last of the work party folk left on Monday morning. On Tuesday the water was drained from the dining room in anticipation of an arctic blast of cold air barreling down the Fraser River Valley. By Wednesday, the nighttime temperatures were dipping into the 20's and we had 3" of snow on the ground. The cold lasted through the weekend.

We used the time to get a little bit more moved into the RMC office and unpack a few more of our personal belongings as well.

The RMC Office

A Moment of Reflection

Last weekend a small milestone was noted as this blog, which began at the end of October last year, had its 2,000th pageview. That's an average of 500 pageviews per month. Some of the threads that have woven their way through these four months are the build up to the 2011 program season, the migration of the yew tree on near east beach, winter weather, and the overhaul of the resident manager's cabin (RMC).

Some of you might be wondering what ever happened to the blue dinghy that floated up on near east beach last year (Oct 25-31 and Nov 29-Dec 5). It disappeared shortly thereafter and hasn't been seen since...

sprout smorgasbord

February 14-20

2011-02-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

Tending the Orchard

The week just past began with a Valentine's Day wind storm and ended with a season opening work party. In between there were registrations to process, projects to organize, and an interesting meeting of the Wednesday night Theosophical study group.

Weather Watch
One of the prominent ways that people pass the time on Orcas Island is keeping track of the weather. And keeping up with the weather was especially relevant this week. There are several different online sources for weather news - none of which ever seem to be in complete agreement with each other - and one of the forecasts for the weekend was predicting a dramatic drop in temperatures for the weekend, down into the low 20's Fahrenheit (-6 Celsius) on both Friday and Saturday night.

With the work party coming, we were concerned that if we turned water on in the dining hall for the weekend, there might be a risk of water freezing and bursting the pipes. Ultimately we decided to take the risk and proceed with the work party...

President's Day Weekend
...with no regrets, as the weather was magnificent, with crisp air and clear skies. A capable crew of about 25 participants were in attendance and much good was accomplished. Particular emphasis was placed on pruning the fruit trees, but work was also completed in several other areas of the camp.

circling up

updating the job list

garden crew

picking up sticks

relaxation time

Where two or more are gathered...
After the work day was completed on Saturday, a healing circle gathered in the library and joined together in a healing meditation for friends and loved ones.

Perhaps more heartening than the physical work that was done was the following comment that was received from one of those attending:

I'd like to say how much I enjoyed being a part of the wonderful gathering of helpful souls this past weekend. Besides getting some experience tree pruning it also proved to be the perfect environment for doing some spiritual pruning, and this morning I awoke feeling a sense of renewal and excitement for this next season of growth and fruition in my spiritual life.

And isn't that what the real work of Indralaya is about?

Registration Update
In the week since we returned from our travels, it's been a challenge to catch up with the initial deluge of interest in our 2011 programs. Over 200 registrations have been received so far.

People seem to be appreciating the new look of the catalog. Over the weekend, we learned that it has yet to reach many mailboxes in Canada, though just today we heard from a person on Vancouver Island that it was in today's mail. So if you haven't received the catalog yet, it should be arriving soon. And of course information about all the 2011 programs and work parties is available online at www.indralaya.com.

February 7-13

2011-02-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

After a couple days in Seattle, we arrived back at Indralaya on Friday. Our trip up the coast included visits with Cordy Anderson in Eugene, Lin Bauer and Kathy Arquette in Salem, and a stop at the Theosophical Society in Portland to drop off copies of the 2011 program catalog.

While we were gone, the curtain drain near the dining hall that had backed up and flooded the basement late last year (see December 6-12) was replaced by local contractor Eric Lum.

Thanks to Tom, Audrey and Petr for staying at Indralaya and tending to the place while we were gone. Petr is now here with his son Kalle. They will be staying through the season opening work party coming up next weekend.

Kalle & Petr

Not surprisingly, there was a huge pile of emails and correspondence to catch up with in the office. Early registration has been booming, with registrations for Spring and Fall programs well ahead of last year at this time.

Seaside Migrations

There continues to be a lot of action on the Indralaya beaches. While we were gone there was a small landslide at the bottom of the steps to near east beach.

The fallen yew tree that was discussed in an earlier blog entry (Oct 25-31) has been pulled from the rocks at the west end of the beach and is now sitting just below the steps.

Over on the north side of the property there was a significant rock fall just west of the dock platform. The bluff that rises up from the shoreline in this area has been prone to slides for many years.

Krotona Memories

Finally, in case you missed noticing the young hawk perched on the Krotona School sign in last week’s entry, here’s a close-up:

January 31 - February 6

2011-02-07T18:40:00.001-08:00

Special Krotona Edition

We are on our way back to Orcas now after a week at Krotona, a theosophical community and school that was established in Ojai, CA in 1924. There are longstanding ties between Krotona and Indralaya. It was once something of a tradition to make the long pilgrimage up the West Coast every summer from Ojai to Orcas and spend some time at the camp. Will Ross, for example, was a long time resident of Ojai who traveled to camp frequently and designed some of Indralaya's main buildings (including the teepee and dining hall).

There are also several current Indralaya families with Ojai ties. Leonie lived with her family in the Ojai valley for several years, and the Bees (Austie, Phoebe & Leif, Kim and Dana Erickson) also lived there for a time.

Ojai is also the home of the Krishnamurti Foundation and the Besant Hill (formerly Happy Valley) School, which was established in 1946. Graduates of the school with close Indralaya ties include David Christensen, Brian Young, Carol & Helen Bee, Rene Quenneville and sisters Ondine Toler-Scott and Kyra Canfield. Rolf Eriksen was lead contractor in the construction of several of the school's buildings in the 1980's and 90's.

Annine & Joy

Current Ojai resident Annine Wycherley and her husband lived on Orcas for a year in 1974-75. They lived at Indralaya for part of that time and while they were there, Annine was the camp registrar. Joy Mills, a long time Krotona resident and well-loved teacher and mentor in the contemporary theosophical world, has long been a friend of Indralaya. She first visited the camp in 1946 or '47 and has been back many times since.

The following photos provide a glimpse of the beauty of Krotona:

Gardens and entrance to Library

Star Fountain

student pod

On our way home, we stopped in Halcyon, CA, which is the home of a community that has ties to the Theosophical tradition. We happened by on clean-up day at the Temple of the People, and met community guardian Eleanor Shumway. At the end of our conversation, Eleanor gave us this watercolor from the Temple's collection as a gift to Indralaya.

Leonie & Eleanor

January 24-30

2011-01-31T18:34:00.000-08:00

Topa Topa
(Did you know that pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them? Give it a try...)

We are in Ojai this week and staying at Krotona, a theosophical community and school that was established here in 1924. The above picture was taken from near the Krotona library, looking eastward over the grounds of Krotona towards Topa Topa bluff. We arrived on Saturday and have been enjoying our visit.

Signposts to the Past

In a recent walk around the Indralaya forest, a variety of artifacts revealed themselves.

These first two pictured items are remnants from the old yellow trail. My recollection is that this trail was originally established by Phyllis Roberts, though I’m not 100% certain of that. This was a long trail that ran in an east-west direction across the middle of the Indralaya forest, then down and around the waterfront to Inspiration Point and back up to the Grove.

This first trail marker is just north of and below the Grove.

The Yellow Trail was abandoned in the late 80’s and early 90’s after two severe winter storms brought down innumerable trees in the middle of the forest and made the trail impassable. Some efforts were made to clear it at the time, but there were those in camp who sensed that this section of Indralaya was closing itself off for some purpose different than human access and a decision was made to honor that perception.

This second trail marker is to the southwest of the Mossy Meadow trail. Near this marker is a lonely fence post that can be seen from the trail. This fence post is a remnant of the days before the south forty acres of the property were acquired. The first meetings at Indralaya were on the McClaren farm, which was approximately 30 acres in size. The south forty was acquired in the late 1940’s. Austin Bee (father of Helen and Carol Bee) was instrumental in this acquisition. Later, an additional eight acres were purchased, bringing Indralaya to its current 78 acre size. The eight acre parcel is on the western side of camp and is the location of our water source and water storage tanks B&C.

The old sign in this picture is a remnant of a series of descriptive signposts that were placed in different areas of the forest to provide information on different tree and plant species. Leonie’s recollection is that these signs were made by Jack Davis, Doreena Toomer’s father. This particular sign is a description of the Grand Fir that it rests against. The Grand Fir (Abies Grandis) is native to the Pacific Northwest.

January 17-23

2011-01-24T21:14:00.000-08:00

This week’s “this week” is being posted from Portland, OR. We left Orcas on Saturday and are on our way to Ojai for a visit. It has been an intense few weeks setting up the Indralaya website for the 2011 programs and registration and getting the catalog completed. Online registration opened up on Friday and close to 40 registrations came in over the weekend.

Audrey

Petr

Petr Senkerick, Tom Long and Audrey Nedderman are taking care of camp while we are gone. Petr fixed an amazing vegan lunch for us in Spruce cabin on Saturday as we were preparing to leave. And Audrey did the dishes. Tom and Audrey were both on fellowship staff for extended periods last summer. Petr is a skilled craftsman and electrician who was on fellowship last summer and built the new woodsheds that can be found around camp.

Shared Housing

At the beginning of the week we noticed an unfamiliar, somewhat meandering pathway leading up to Kunz cabin from the waterfront. Upon examination, we realized it is a game trail, made by the daily passing of a family of otters who have taken up residence underneath the cabin. We were aware of the otters, as they had cohabited with Crystal Mossman, who lived there while serving as kitchen manager for the summer. It’s hard to miss their odor. We’ve now installed some otter eradication devices (bright construction lights actually) to try and coax the otters out from under the cabin.

otter meander

January 10-16

2011-01-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

It was a full week at Indralaya as the new year begins to gather momentum. Final edits were made to the 2011 program catalog and it was sent to the printer on Friday. This coming week we will review the proof copy. Then it will go into production and should be in mailboxes soon.

The task of setting up the website for 2011 work parties, programs and registration is also well underway. Online registration for work parties is available now. Program registrations should be up and running by the end of the week. One program, the Sea Temple Retreat with R. J. Stewart, for which early registration was offered, is already full. It filled up within 72 hours of opening for registration on January 3.

Leonie has been busy with various contractors who are doing pieces of work around the place this winter. This week, Paul Groeninger, who put the front half of the roof on the RMC this past fall, returned and altered the roof line at the library entrance to make room for the fir tree that has such a presence there. Shelagh Levey generously donated the funds that made this work possible. Thank you Shelagh, for ‘walking the talk’ and protecting this well loved Indralaya tree.

new library roof line

We also spent our first night in the resident manager’s cottage (RMC). There has been a lot of unpacking. Some of our belongings have been in storage (thanks to my mother’s basement and attic!) since we left in 2006. On Sunday, the debris was sufficiently cleared away and there was room for our first waffle bash since returning to Orcas. Twelve guests came by our new old home, including Darla Eaton, who was here for a personal retreat.

In mid-week, the Winter issue of the Quest arrived. The Quest is the Theosophical Society members’ magazine. This issue includes an article I wrote and submitted during our time at Krotona, the theosophical community in Ojai, CA, where Leonie and I spent four months in early 2010.

The article is an exploration of the old story of the stone that the builder refuses, which later becomes the head cornerstone. This allegory points to the value hidden in things that we are oft times inclined to reject. The article explores the idea from early theosophical history that the Theosophical Society, which is certainly neglected, if not rejected by the contemporary world, was founded as a cornerstone for the future religion of humanity.

The magazine also included a call for Indralaya fellowship applicants. Along these lines, we had our first ever Skype interview with a person interested in being on fellowship. She is Lily Falconer, and during our conversation we agreed that she will be here for six weeks or so beginning in mid-June. Lily’s mom is Jody Falconer, a therapeutic touch coordinator and one of the presenters at last year’s Spiritual Landscape program.

Are you perhaps interested in serving on fellowship staff in 2011? Let us know!

fellowship staffers Vidya & Jonaa - June 2010

January 3-9

2011-01-10T16:52:00.000-08:00

There was more winter snow over the weekend. The snow began falling early Sunday morning, just as dawn was breaking and continued into the late morning, when the clouds parted and the sun came out.

To form a nucleus of Universal Brotherhood

Since beginning this online journal (or blog) in late October, people from all over the world have checked in for a visit. Not surprisingly, over 90% of the visitors are from the U.S. and Canada. But there have also been people looking at the site from the Netherlands, Malaysia, Mexico, Germany, Brazil, India, Australia, the UK, United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas (hi Mary!) and elsewhere.

Last week there were fifteen hits from Russia. The site that was directing the Russian traffic to the blog was www.yandex.ru/. Everything on the yandex site is in Cyrillic, so I don’t know why they were coming to the indralaya blog site, but there was a word that looked a little bit like ‘horoscope’, so maybe it was some kind of metaphysical website that randomly selected ‘This week at Indralaya’ as their site of the week or something like that. Or maybe it was H.P. Blavatsky’s relatives, generations later, checking in on theosophical sites. In any case, it is fascinating to really see at first hand the wide reach of the internet.

Additions to the Fleet

Just before the New Year’s weekend, family week one co-leader and expert car guy Elliot Toler-Scott and I met in Seattle and went car shopping for camp. A few days later, we completed the purchase of two new vehicles. The first is a 2003 Tacoma Toyota pick-up, the other a 2004 Dodge Caravan mini-van. The Caravan will be used for trips to meet people at the ferry when a full sized van isn’t necessary. There are also several times a year, particularly at work parties, when two ferry shuttle vehicles are necessary. The pick-up is intended to be a work vehicle for which we anticipate a wide range of uses to complement the larger Chevy truck that camp has had for several years.

Sound, Stillness and the Awakening of Compassion

On Wednesday, Leonie spoke at the Orcas Study group.

In addition to leading the group through several exercises (beginning, of course, with humming), Leonie shared some engaging insights on sound that are found in the theosophical tradition.

Theosophy stresses the unity of all life, and when we talk of this unity, we say that all manifestation is made from the same “stuff”. This stuff is called akasha, sometimes called the Sounding Board of Nature. Akasha is the root of manifestation and its one quality is sound. Sound is thus a basic component of the universe. One could say that sound is the substratum of manifestation.

In H.P. Blavatsky’s Secret Doctrine, she writes, somewhat poetically, that the construction of the Universe begins when perpetual Motion becomes Breath; from the Breath comes forth primordial Light, through whose radiance manifests the Eternal Thought concealed in darkness, and this becomes the Word (Mantra). It is that (the Mantra or Word) from which all this (the Universe) springs into being.

All together now: “AUMMMMMMMMMMMMM”

December 27 - January 2, 2011

2011-01-03T17:17:00.000-08:00

The world seemed quiet and still on the first day of January

looking NE towards the town of Eastsound

Looking SE towards the mouth of East Sound

But there were also signs of heavy weather from weeks gone by:

overturned bench at Inspiration Point

This buoy, now tangled in some tree limbs, broke free from the dock anchor lines

New Look RMC

Renovations that began last summer during the Connections program are nearing completion. With a refreshed exterior and interior, the RMC, which also includes Indralaya's business office, looks like it is ready for another thirty five years of service.

Leonie and I brought up most of our belongings on New Year’s Eve and moved everything into the cabin on January 1 - just in time for the start of the new year. There are still a couple weeks to go before we’ll move in ourselves.

Steve Murphy came up to help us with the NY’s day move. Leonie’s sister Melanie, her friend Jim, as well as Tim Hulley and his friend Meg, all dropped by during the day too. Steve, Tim and I all share the same birthday - May 14 - as does Carol Bee. We half expected to see her as well!

Steve, Minor, Tim

Minor, Leonie, Melanie, Jim, Steve, Tim, Meg

Happy New Year One and All!

December 20-26

2010-12-27T14:53:00.000-08:00

It was both a quiet and busy week at Indralaya as we had a lot to get done before leaving on the 23rd to catch up with family for the Christmas weekend. A central focus was the 2011 program catalog, which we anticipate will be in your mailbox sometime towards the end of January.

It’s great to be working with Tina Rose again on the catalog. Tina is an Orcas resident and friend who has been involved in the design and production of the catalog for over a decade. This is the time when we are rounding up the last of the program descriptions and beginning the layout process. As in every year, there is a lot of effort put into finding just the right pictures to include, so if you have a good picture that you think should be considered send it soon! (indralaya (at) indralaya.com). Pictures need to have a minimum resolution of 300dpi to be usable.

Work is also underway on setting up the Indralaya web site for next year. We’ll be offering early registration for the March 3-6 Sea Temple Retreat with R.J. Stewart beginning January 3, and other 2011 programs will be available for on-line registration in mid-January.

On Wednesday, Leonie and I attended Susan Osborn’s concert at the chapel in Victorian Valley, an annual Christmas event that we’ve missed in our years away from Orcas. It was a lovely evening in the small candle-lit chapel. One of the traditions for Susan’s concert is to have everyone take different parts and join in the singing of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Leonie and I took on the part of the two turtle doves this year!

We caught an early boat off of Orcas on Thursday and headed for Twisp and the Methow Valley, located in north central Washington, where we have a family cabin. While we were there, we had a chance to visit with our friend (and Indralaya Yoga Week leader) Melanie Whittaker, who lives up the valley in the town of Winthrop. Thanks to Lars Erickson for taking care of the camp in our absence.

Outside the Rocking Horse Bakery

While we were in the Methow, we received news of the passing of Jenny Vonckx. Jenny was an artist and courageous woman and she will be missed by her many Indralaya friends. We met Jenny back in 1997, when she showed up on the right weekend for the wrong program (there’s a story there!). This was the beginning of Jenny’s relationship with Indralaya, which became a valued part of her life. At the time, she was struggling to come to terms with a brain tumor that was then threatening to and eventually did take her life.

Jenny at Indralaya - 1998

2011 Fall Programs

This week, the conclusion of our three week survey of next year’s program. Last week’s entry provides a summary of what’s in store for next Summer and the week of December 6-12 offers a glimpse at the Spring line-up.

The Fall Season will be begin with the Labor Day weekend work party, September 2-5. There will be two other fall work parties - the apple harvest weekend October 7-10 and the end of season work party November 11-13.

On September 9-11, we are going to offer Indralaya’s first Theosofest. The weekend will combine an open house with exploration of the theosophical ideas that lie behind the way of life that is found here. We’re planning to offer music, art, lectures, discussion, good food and companionship.

Tim Boyd will be visiting from Olcott, the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in America, on September 15-18. Tim is a candidate for the Presidency of the TSA and current head of the Theosophical Order of Service. Tim is an engaging speaker and he’ll be exploring the question of what the wisdom tradition can offer a world that is undergoing great stress and change.

Nawang Khechog, the world-renowned musician and former Tibetan monk, will return to Indralaya for a program on Awakening Kindness, September 22-25. The program will include a free public concert on Saturday evening.

The 2011 program season will conclude with a Silent Meditation Retreat, October 13-16, led by Linda Jo Pym and Leonie Van Gelder.

Santa & Stockings - HO HO HO

December 13-19

2010-12-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

As this is being writing in the late afternoon at Indralaya, under a darkening sky at a northern latitude of 48.7°, somewhere beyond the light cloud cover the near full moon is beginning to rise in the Eastern sky. Tis the brink of the winter solstice and all is well.

Looking ahead one day beyond the current week, to December 21, there is an alignment of the full moon at 1:13 am, PST, and then the moment of winter solstice at 3:38 in the afternoon. The winter solstice marks the time when, from our earthbound perspective, the sun seems to stand still as it arrives at southernmost point of its journey, the line demarcated by the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.4° S.

This combination of a full moon and the winter solstice doesn’t happen all that often - throw in the total lunar eclipse that will also occur and one has to go back nearly 400 years - to 1638 - to find the last time such an alignment occurred. Interestingly, it will happen again relatively soon, 84 years from now, in 2094.

The solstice has been a moment of significance to humanity since time immemorial and its arrival continues to be celebrated in festivals and gatherings all over the world.

In her booklet, The Christmas of the Angels, Indralaya elder Dora Van Gelder Kunz writes,

We must remember that the whole earth is thronged with host of super-physical beings, angels and archangels and all the Company of Heaven, who … are responsible for the guidance and control of the manifold processes of Nature. It is their thoughts and feelings and activities which play so important a part in the creation of that peculiar atmosphere of good will so noticeable at Christmas; and at this time of the year the whole earth thrills with the wonderful forces outpoured by the angels….
(T)he angels see Christmas from the life side, as a turning-point of all the forces of Nature on every plane and at every level, and as a time in which (there is) a direct and mighty outpouring of creative power and spiritual energy…It marks a point of deep significance in the hidden life of Nature.

And so we note this moment in the passing of the year.

Yew Tree #3

The story continues to unfold. As discussed in earlier entries (see Nov. 1 and Nov. 15 below) there are Yew trees located above the steps to both Near East and Far East beaches. Now a third yew has revealed itself, near Madrona point. These trees certainly know how to pick a prominent spot to reside. This particular Yew provides a good representation of the aerial roots that are a distinctive aspect of the species.

Comings and Goings

Our friends Jeremy Berg and Freya Secrest came up for an overnight visit last Tuesday. They both work closely with David Spangler and are instrumental in the activities of the Lorian Association. Jeremy is the publisher for the Lorian Press, while Freya is a spiritual director and on the faculty of the Lorian Center for Incarnational Spirituality.

Freya & Jeremy

Herlwyn Lutz is an Orcas Island resident and arborist who has taken a prominent role in tending to Indralaya’s trees for many years. This past week he did a beautiful job cutting back a cedar tree that was growing into the side of Cedar cabin down on the waterfront.

Herlwyn

On Wednesday, Phoebe Bee hosted the annual study group potluck and gift exchange. This was the last meeting of the Study group until the new year.

Phoebe

Summer Program Preview

Last week’s entry provided a look at our 2011 Spring programs. As promised, here’s a quick look at next summer’s line-up.

As has been the practice for many years, there will be two Therapeutic Touch camps in the latter half of June. The mentorship week will begin on Saturday, June 11 and continue until Friday, June 17. The second healer’s camp: Continuing Explorations into TT Theory and Practice, is scheduled for June 19-25.

The summer season ‘officially’ begins with Family Week One, June 30th to July 5, followed by Family Week Two from July 8-14. Family Week One will again be coordinated by Elliot and Ondine Toler-Scott, Viola Marx, and Victoria Bennett. Coordinator’s for Family Week Two will be Michael Sky, Penny Sharp-Sky, Hugh O’Neill and Annie McManus.

Deep Singing comes next, led by Barbara Bellamy and Helen Bee. The dates are July 16-21. All voices welcome!

Yoga Week, with Melanie Whittaker, will be July 23-28. All body types welcome!

A new incarnation of Indralaya’s traditional Creativity Week will begin on July 30 and continue to August 4. David Spangler and Deborah Koff-Chapin, will collaborate on an exploration of “Creativity, Manifestation and the Subtle Worlds”. David is a teacher, mystic, and author of numerous books. Deborah is the founder of The Center for Touch Drawing. She is a teacher and practitioner of what she has recently been calling “Sacred Expressive Arts”, incorporating sound, movement, drawing, and other creative modalities to help call forth that which is within us and wanting to be expressed.

Connections is next, from August 6-14. Ed Abdill, a well known and well regarded teacher in theosophical circles, will be participating and leading morning discussions.

From August 16-19, Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, will lead a three day program on ahimsa and the practice of peace, including elements involving stories of his grandfather. This special program has been arranged with the help of Chris Farmer, a friend of Arun’s who attended many t.t. programs at Indralaya in the 1980’s and early 90’s. Learn more about Arun and his work at www.arungandhi.org.

Joel and Michelle Levey will return on July 20-25 for the final program of the 2011 summer season. The theme for their program will be “The Dance of Change: Wisdom Teachings for Turbulent Times”.

It is going to be a busy and wonderful summer at Indralaya. We look forward to seeing many of you here. Next week, a glimpse at what is scheduled for Fall 2011.

December 6-12

2010-12-13T18:52:00.000-08:00

Wetness

There were a couple of heavy rainfalls on Orcas this past week, with close to an inch of rain on Wednesday and another downpour of just over an inch on Saturday night. A blocked drain line at the dining room resulted in a 2” flood of water in the basement. With the help of Crystal Mossman and Chappy’s Septic Service, we were able to get the water flowing again on Sunday. It turned out that the blocked line was caused by tree roots that had broken through the drain tile and grown to the point where the water could no longer flow around them.

The following videos will give some idea of what things looked like both in the basement and in the meadow, where there was a large pool of standing water on Sunday. Please excuse the amateur production values - I’m still learning how to use my new Flip video camera - editing is next!

Comings and Goings

Pia Van Gelder, our niece from Sydney, Australia, was on the island for several days just after Thanksgiving and stayed over at camp for a couple nights at the beginning of the week. It had been over four years since Pia’s last visit to camp. In our previous stint at Indralaya, her visits to see her dad (Arthur Van Gelder) had been more frequent and she was able to visit camp almost every year.

Pia, Leonie & Minor

On Wednesday we headed to Seattle for a couple nights. I returned to Orcas on Friday, while Leonie headed to Bainbridge Island for another Sound and Healing workshop with Pat Moffit-Cook. Pat developed a close following at Indralaya through the six Fall workshops she led here from 2000-2005.

Many Indralaya folk continue to participate in Pat’s Open Ear Center workshops, including Lin Bauer, Liba Stafl, Greg and Janie Reboulet, Frances Krygier, Bev Forster, Rifaat and David Fay, Jeannie Chamberlain, Kathy Wilmering, Cordy Anderson, Linda Shockey, Robert Glasner, Nancy Frey, Dianna Blom, Anna Thelen, Carol Krasel, Janet McCully, Marsha McEwan, Claire Van Bloem, Tim Hulley, Deb Seidel, and Anne Walker - apologies to anyone I missed.

While we were gone, Brian Davies, a chief volunteer in the library, arrived and spent several days both by himself and with Phoebe Bee working on their current project to re-label the book collection.

On Sunday, I took another niece, Ian and Kari Van Gelder’s daughter Margot, to the annual Christmas concert of the Orcas Choral Society. It was a wonderful performance. Margot told me afterwards that the hours flew by like minutes. Two highlights were a performance of “The Lamb”, a Sir John Taverner piece with lyrics by William Blake, and “Lux Aurumque”, words by Edward Esch and music by Eric Whitacre. Indralaya friends Helen Bee, Antoinette Botsford, Herlwyn Lutz, Penny Sharp Sky, and Tina Rose all performed with the 58 member choir.

2011 Program Preview

Over the next few weeks, check back for a sneak preview of next year’s programs. It’s looking like a great line-up and we are really excited about the way things have come together. This week, a quick look at programs for the Spring.

The program season will begin early with a Sea Temple Retreat with R.J. Stewart, March 3-6. R.J. is a fairly well known teacher of western esoteric traditions. The Sea Temple is the hidden temple of the West. It is said to be rooted in love and compassion and to hold the gateways for planetary change from within the deepest heart of our world.

Enrollment for this program is limited to 35 participants and there is already a great deal of interest. Early registration will be available through the Indralaya website in the next couple weeks. Please notify us if you are interested and we will let you know when registration opens up.

April 28-May 1 will see the return of Grace Crowley, leading her fifth mindfulness meditation retreat at Indralaya. Past program participants have often expressed appreciation for Grace’s insight, clarity and capacity to set an appropriate tone for the meditation weekend.

Carl Calleman will lead a program on “2012 and the Tree of Life” on the weekend of May 5-8. Carl has authored several books on the Mayan Calendar and 2012. He was a good friend of John Roberts and initially became interested in these themes, which have become very much his life work, when he attended a 1991 workshop at Indralaya that was led by Peter Balin.

May 19-22 will offer Basic and Intermediate Therapeutic Touch with Jane Cornman, Cathy Fanslow-Brunjes, and Cedrun Sterling.

On June 2-5, Robyn Finseth will offer an invitational workshop on self-healing. Robyn is a chiropractor and healer in the Portland area. Robyn is married to Gary Finseth, and is the daughter of Ken and Bea Lawrence. She worked closely with Harry Van Gelder and has been coming to Indralaya for her entire life.

There will also be at least three work parties: President’s Day Feb 18-21, Easter April 22-24, and Memorial Day, May 27-30. In addition to these traditional gatherings, we are considering a Spring Cleaning work party as well as the possibility of a work party to finish up work on Pear cabin.

Next week a glimpse at what’s in store for next summer.

November 29-December 5

2010-12-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

They Came, They Met, They Concurred

The Indralaya (Orcas Island Foundation) Board of Directors met in the camp library on Saturday and Sunday. This was the initial meeting of the new Board. Meg Sather and Lin Bauer were welcomed to their first meeting (see the week of Oct. 25-31 for some background on Meg and Lin), and in the wake of her six months as kitchen manager, Crystal Mossman was welcomed back and reappointed to the Board.

Laurie, Kim, Lin, Meg, Jeannie, Crystal, John

After these and other formalities, the meeting continued with a morning retreat. The retreat was intended as a time for Board members, along with Leonie and me, to establish a foundation for working together in the coming year by setting aside the usual business of a board meeting to spend some time collectively attuning to the deeper rhythms of camp.

The first order of business after the retreat was the election of officers. For the coming year, Jeannie Chamberlain will serve as Chair, Kim Erickson was elected to be Vice Chair, Laurie Rotecki, Secretary, and John Levey, Treasurer.

A key agenda item for this meeting was the adoption of an operating budget for 2011. The approved budget estimates operating income of $226,000 for next year. Operating income is composed of program income (estimated at $151,000 for 2011), donations ($35,000), member dues ($8,500), bookstore sales ($5,500), and investment income ($26,000).

There are six operating expense categories: program, outreach, hospitality, facilities, management, and administration. The 2011 budget estimates operating expenses of $254,222, which would result in a projected net operating deficit for the year of $28,222. Major expense line items are food (budgeted at $30,000), building, grounds and equipment maintenance ($26,500), part-time maintenance staff ($22,500), depreciation ($33,200), manager stipends ($28,800), and insurance ($17,000). $5,000 has also been allocated for the acquisition of new bed mattresses, as we begin to establish a regular schedule for mattress rotation.

Going once, going twice ...

Friends of Indralaya member dues will be increasing in 2011. The dues for membership were last changed in 2004. Dues for an annual membership will be $40, a family membership will be $80, and life memberships will be $400. These changes will become effective on January 1, so now is the time to consider renewing your annual membership or becoming a life member at the current level.

Kitchen Manager & Garden Coordinator

If you or someone you know is interested in living and working at Indralaya for several months as either the kitchen manager or garden coordinator, please contact us for more information about these core staff positions.

It’s back!

The blue dinghy that washed up at Near East Beach several weeks ago (see Oct. 25-31), and was last seen heading north, has returned to Indralaya’s shores. It is now set upon the rocks south of Near East, perhaps on its way back to wherever its journey began.

Two roads diverged ...

In the aftermath of last week’s winter weather, we’ve learned that driving over snow on the Indralaya meadow leaves tell-tale evidence of the Gator's presence ... and as Robert Frost might have added, ‘though as for that the passing there had worn them both about the same...’

November 22-28

2010-11-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

The snow has melted and temperatures have lifted, but memories linger ...

madrona point

john a's bench at madrona point

steps to near east beach

icicles at the beach

Leonie and a big icicle

looking NE towards Madrona Point

ahimsa

volleyball anyone?

November 15-21

2010-11-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Orcas Island Study Group has been meeting in the camp library on Wednesday evenings during the fall, winter and spring since the early 1970’s. The group’s meeting this last Wednesday, November 17, coincided with the anniversary of the founding of the Theosophical Society 135 years ago in New York City. To note the occasion, some excerpts from Henry Steele Olcott’s Old Diary Leaves were read, describing the events leading up to the founding of the Society. Olcott and H.P. Blavatsky are generally considered to be the two key founders of the Society.

An interesting historical footnote, given the many discussions that have taken place over the years on the distinction between ‘small t’ and ‘BIG T” theosophy, is that the name of the Society was chosen almost at random. According to Olcott,

The choice of a name for the Society was, of course, a question for grave discussion in Committee. Several were suggested, among them, if I recollect aright, the Egyptological, the Hermetic, the Rosicrucian, etc., but none seemed just the thing. At last, in turning over the leaves of the Dictionary, one of us came across the word “Theosophy,” whereupon, after discussion, we unanimously agreed that that was the best of all; since it both expressed the esoteric truth we wished to reach and covered the ground of Felt’s methods of occult scientific research. Some stupid story has gone about that, while the Committee were sitting, a strange Hindu walked into the room, threw a sealed packet upon the table and walked out again, or vanished, or something of the sort; the packet, when opened, being found to contain a complete draft of a Constitution and By-laws for the Society, which we at once adopted. This is sheer nonsense; nothing whatever of the sort occurred.
(Old Diary Leaves, Vol. 1, p. 132)

The rest of the study group’s evening was spent in discussion of the three objects of the Society. These objects are a succinct statement of the purposes of the TS and they have changed little since the early days of the Society. They are also prominent in helping to frame the vision, activities and programs for Indralaya. The three objects are:

1) To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color;

2) To encourage the comparative study of religion, science and philosophy; and,

3) To explore the unexplained laws of nature and the powers latent in the human being.

The Chickens Have Crossed The Road

After a great deal of thought and consideration, a decision was made at the October Board meeting to find new homes for the Indralaya chickens. This wasn’t easy to come to, as in the year and a half that they have been a presence in the garden, the 26 hens that lived there have contributed to camp life in interesting ways.

There were several factors that supported this difficult decision. For one, there were a lot of issues that came to the surface this past summer around the appropriate cleaning and use of the fresh eggs in the Indralaya kitchen, which is a commercial kitchen that is required to comply with a fairly strict regulatory framework around the use and consumption of eggs.

Even more significantly, as we looked down the road a few years, the future lives of the hens arose as a matter of concern. The typical hen lives for 12-15 years, but only lays eggs for three. Most who tend to and work with laying hens establish systems in which new chicks are raised and the existing flock is culled (i.e. selectively slaughtered) as the bird’s egg laying capacity wanes. This did not seem like an appropriate option for the Indralaya hens, so part of our decision was based in finding good homes for them while they are still in their productive egg-laying years.

Another element of the decision is that there will only be two of us living at camp during the off-season. The daily requirements of caring for the flock - they need to be fed, let out of their coop every morning and closed back in every night, eggs need to be gathered, etc - meant it would be impossible to leave camp even for a single night without finding someone to care for the hens.

In the wake of the Board’s decision, Leonie went to work and made some phone calls and found some good new homes for these former denizens of the coop at the top of the garden. Shandra Augenstein took eight of the birds and they now have a new home in the Doe Bay garden, while Kari Van Gelder took the rest of the flock. Kari, Ian and Margot will be keeping a few of the birds and placing the rest with families around the island. Kari also promised that their chickens would be available for visits to Indralaya in coming years so we haven’t seen the last of the chicken tractor!

Blow winds, and crack your cheeks!

The later part of the week was dominated by the arrival of winter weather on Orcas Island. Early in the week, the National Weather Service forecasts were predicting high winds and a steep drop in temperatures for the weekend - a dreaded ‘arctic express’ was expected to come roaring down the Fraser River Valley, across the Salish Sea, and through the San Juan Islands.

This meant, among other things, that it was time for the annual ritual of draining the water from the plumbing cabins and dining hall because the plumbing was not built to withstand severe or extended cold weather.

On Wednesday the winds began blowing. On Friday, they shifted around to the Northeast and the temperature began to drop dramatically as evening approached. Not only that, but just as the last glimmerings of sunlight were draining from the sky a light snow began to fall. We woke up to just over an inch of snow on the ground on Saturday morning. Not so much snow by Orcas Island standards, but accompanied throughout camp by sheets of ground ice that made walking up and down the hills a little bit tricky. Though little more snow fell over the weekend, the winds have stayed constant and temperatures are expected to continue to drop for the coming week as we head into Thanksgiving.

November 7-14

2010-11-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

The meadow map board has been taken in for the season and life at camp continues to flow on into the generally quieter rhythms of late Fall. Tiffany and Maia ended their fellowships last week, while Crystal is staying on through the end of the month.

Meanwhile, it is quite busy on the building maintenance front, as Mike and Thea settle into their jobs. The interior work at the RMC also continues to move along as Gregory Reboulet prepares the walls for a coat of mud. Greg and his wife Janie live here on Orcas and have been involved with the camp for nearly fifteen years. They’ve attended family camps, Jamal’s gatherings, interfaith weeks, Sacred Sound and Deep Singing programs. Greg is an accomplished musician and producer. For several years now he has helped prepare recordings of the Deep Singing program. He is also adept at Feng Shui and is utilizing the insights of that practice in helping us choose appropriate colors for the RMC walls.

Signs and Portents

Earlier this year, Rick Crease prepared a yet to be published article for Meadow Musings (the next issue should be in your hands soon!) on Indralaya’s signs. In the following excerpt, he shares some of his insights about the “SOUND” sign that has been visible along the road into camp for a number of years:

The first sign you see after you arrive on the other side of the camp gate is the slightly eerie and mysterious “SOUND”. It is painted on a weathered and bowed old board that is attached to a large tree about fifteen feet above the road. The sign warns you of oncoming traffic yet seems also to speak of something less apparent and more layered in significance. The Sound of Silence? The Sound of God? Evidently, the driveway was once marked with three signs some fifteen yards apart. As you progressed towards camp, the signs read “SOUND MIND”, “SOUND BODY”, and then “SOUND HORN”. Weather and neglect have caused the disappearance of the original three signs, but somehow the first half of the “sound horn” sign managed to survive...

Until recently. For now the SOUND sign has mysteriously disappeared. The tree is still there, but the sign is gone.

Where's the sign?

Just below this bend in the road is a modern day midden deposited by past generations of Indralaya’ites, back in the day when it was commonplace to simply back the truck up to the edge of the road and dump refuse over the side. In looking for the missing sign we were drawn to the refuse piles and came across this ancient relic, probably left over from sometime in the 1950’s or 60’s.

In those days, Shasta soda drinks were very popular. This is a can of "True Fruit" Black Cherry Flavored Soda, with the well-known (to people of my generation anyway) 'it HASTA be SHASTA' tag line added just below.

Yew Too

In a previous entry (October 25-31) the demise of much of the yew tree overlooking the stairs to near east beach was discussed. The question was raised of whether this was the only lonely yew to be found at camp. In the interesting way that these questions sometimes answer themselves, a second yew has been found ... this one overlooking the stairs to far east beach! Coincidence or intelligent design? Yew be the judge.

November 1-7

2010-11-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

It’s often amazing to look back at how much happens in a week at Indralaya. Here’s a day by day recap of some of last week’s highlights.

Monday: Shandra and River, with the help of River’s mother Marlene, completed their move out of the Resident Manager’s Cabin (RMC) and into their new home at Doe Bay Resort. Leonie and I were in Seattle for errands and some rest following the weekend’s Board meeting. Crystal, Tiffany and Maia, our kitchen coordinator and current fellowship staffers, stayed at camp while we were gone.

Tuesday: Tuesday is the designated day of rest for resident and fellowship staff this Fall. Leonie and I finished up our errands in town and caught the 3:30 boat back to Orcas. The weather turned sunny and warm, with high temperature records set throughout the northwest, including Eastsound, where the temperature hit 60º F.

Wednesday: The temperature rose even higher on Wednesday, setting a new record for the date of 64º. It was a very busy day at camp. Thea and Mike, our new maintenance staffers, arrived for their official first day of work and got right into the interior renovations of the RMC that are being done before Leonie and I move in. The plan is to remove the old wood veneer paneling that was installed when the cabin was built in the 1970’s and to ‘mud’ the drywall underlayment.

While they were working in the RMC kitchen, an old hand written recipe for Quesadilla Pie came to light from behind a cupboard that was being removed. Experts, including her son Steve (on Saturday) confirmed that the handwriting was Marjorie Toren’s. It’s likely that the card fell behind the cupboard sometime during the years from 1972-1985, when John and Dorothy Abbenhouse lived in the RMC and Marjorie was a frequent visitor.

Darrell Toland and his friend Jim came up from Seattle for an overnight stay. They are assessing the potential for installation of a solar energy system on the roof of the dining hall and kitchen. That’s Darrell on the left. Kathy Arquette and newly appointed Board member Lin Bauer also arrived on Wednesday. They came up from their home near Eugene, OR, in anticipation of the weekend work party. In the evening, the local Theosophical Study group met as usual in the library.

Thursday: The morning began with the pumping of the dining hall septic tanks and kitchen grease trap. These tanks get a lot of use and are checked annually. Much of the rest of the day was taken up with preparing for the End of the Season work party. Lin and Kathy worked at sharpening saws, clippers and any other bladed object they could get their hands on.

Friday: It was surprisingly quiet for the first day of a work party weekend, but by dinner time at 6:30 over forty campers had arrived and the dining hall was in full swing. Crystal and her crew prepared an excellent meal of pumpkin chili, cornbread, green salad, ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Saturday: So many things are happening at a work party that it can be difficult to encapsulate everything. Highlights of the day included all the work that was done - removal of the interior paneling in the RMC, further progress at Pear Cabin, apple and plum tree pruning, putting much of the garden to bed for the winter, chopping of kindling and fire wood, preparation of good healthy food in the kitchen that helps sustain all the good hard work that is being done, and so on.

In a simple and mostly dignified ceremony at breakfast, David Toren, Leif Erickson and I (all three well-seasoned breakfast cooks) welcomed Lars Erickson (Leif and Donna’s son) to the newly formed “Order of the Breakfast Spatuliers”.

Those who were there tell me that the evening gathering in the lounge was especially pleasant, with people singing, telling stories, doing improvisations, dancing, sacred sound, and even some gymnastics (among the six and under crowd!). I’d left for Seattle in late morning to meet with some possible 2011 program presenters and attend a workshop with Joanna Macy at Nalandabodhi, the Tibetan Buddhist education center near the Fremont and Wallingford neighborhoods.

Sunday: Lars stepped into his new role as a breakfast head cook and, along with the usual full breakfast, also prepared some delicious blueberry muffins for the morning meal. By early afternoon, most of the work party participants were homeward bound and a measure of quiet had returned to the dining hall and meadow.

Later in the day, the program dates for next Summer’s Connections gathering were set for August 6-14. Connections will be followed by a special Tuesday to Friday (August 16-19) “Stories of Grandfather” program with Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Non-Violence (ahimsa). After a full afternoon at the "The Dharma that Reconnects" workshop on culture, ecology, whole systems and community with Joanna Macy, I returned to Indralaya on the last ferry of the day, ready for rest and the beginning of a new week.

October 25-31

2010-11-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

This Old Yew

This story begins with a walk I took to Near East Beach on Friday morning. There was something a little bit mysterious in the air as I headed down the path toward the beach, so in a sense it wasn’t surprising to find a beat up old rowboat resting on the shore of the beach with the waves lapping gently against its side.

The boat must have been shaken loose from wherever its previous resting place was by the storm winds that blew through the islands last week. It was clear it had been neglected for some time, as there was sand, driftwood and shells sitting inside it. West Beach” was stenciled on the interior of the boat in a couple places and if that is where it originated it has been on a long journey because Orcas Island’s west beach is on the outside of the island almost due west of camp, so it would have to somehow migrate seven miles or so south along the shore, then east through the narrow channel that separates Orcas and Shaw islands, then all the way up East Sound to the camp shoreline.

However it got here, my eventual feeling was that it would be best to send it further on its way. So I coaxed it along the shoreline and around the point of rocks at the east end of the beach and back out into open water.

In doing so, I found myself tangled up in a cluster of yew tree that has its own story to be told. The Yew is a tough gnarly old tree. Both in medieval Europe and among the NW native people, the yew was often used for the making of long bows. In recent years, it has become endangered in places because of over harvesting. The yew above near east beach is perhaps the only one that can be found within the camp boundaries. (If you know of another, please advise in the comment section.)

Much of the tree has recently fallen to the rocks because the earth that held it for many many years finally eroded enough that the tree became un-rooted and fell to the rocks below.

This yew is the source of the beautiful tree branch that has sat proudly above the mantel in the dining hall for many a year. Susan Brady (Carol and Helen Bee’s mother) was responsible for the cutting and mounting of the this beautiful branch. The remainder of the branch that the cutting came from now rests solidly against the rocky shoreline.

Is the demise of the yew a further sign of the effects of rising sea levels? As the scientific community and media are generally careful to say, no single event can serve as proof of a much larger evolutionary trend, but it is sufficient, along with the deepening signs of erosion along other sections of camp shoreline to make one wonder how the rising waters of the world will affect this particular place.

In other news, John & Shelagh Levey arrived on Thursday and stayed overnight in the Roundhouse, on their way to the Indralaya Board meeting, which met near Seattle over the weekend. John wanted to check on some financial information to help in preparing his Treasurer's report for the meeting.

The Board met on Saturday and Sunday. Among other actions taken, the votes of the Friends of Indralaya election were tabulated and Kim Erickson was elected by the voting members of the Friends of Indralaya to a three year term. Lin Bauer was appointed to a three year term on the Board and Meg Sather was appointed to complete the two years remaining in the term I was elected to last year. The by-laws for the Orcas Island Foundation provide that people cannot serve as both a board member and camp manager, so I resigned from the board on September 1.

Meg is a Senior Vice President for GMMB, an issue advocacy public affairs firm with offices in Seattle, Washington DC, and Los Angeles. She provides strategic counsel to global organizations working to improve health and provide opportunities to people living in poverty. Her work on a child nutrition project with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation takes her to Bangladesh on a regular basis.

Her first visit to Indralaya was in 2003. She has been on fellowship staff and attends family week and work parties regularly, where she can often be found doing something wonderful in the kitchen.

Lin first came to Indralaya through her friendship with Neila Campbell. Her first program was a Therapeutic Touch program in the 1990's. She also attended several of Pat Moffit Cook's Sacred Sound weekends and continues to study with Pat through the Open Ear Center. In the time since that first visit, she has attended many programs, including therapeutic touch camps, Deep Singing, and numerous work parties. She was head cook for this year's Advanced TT week. Lin will soon be retiring from a 32 year career in Special Education with Oregon Public Schools.

Lodging and meal fees were also set for the coming year. The overnight fee for plumbing cabins will be lowered by $2.00 to $68 per night, while unplumbed cabin fees will rise by $1.00 to $47 per person per night. Fees for the Roundhouse will remain unchanged at $70 per night.

More information about decisions made at the Board meeting will be provided in the weeks to come.

October 17-24

2010-10-25T20:00:00.001-07:00

Highlights of the past week included hiring of two part-time maintenance staff people and a weekend visit from Gary and Robyn Finseth.

We are very excited about our new part-time maintenance staff. Thea Patten and Mike Schifsky are both long-time Orcas Islander’s who have a variety of talents and skills. Thea is a carpenter who has worked for several different companies on the island and also built her own home on Waldron Island. Mike was the manager of the Eastsound Water Users Association for several years and in addition to basic carpentry skills, he also is well versed at plumbing and electrical systems and equipment maintenance.

Mike has already been up working on the hood fan above the kitchen. Thea will start work in early November. We’re looking forward to their being around.

An interesting tidbit that came up in our conversations during the hiring process is that Thea first rode into camp on a horse at age 14, looking for her big sister, who had come for a summer at the invitation of John and Polly Verral. John and Polly were responsible for introducing many young people to Indralaya in the 1960’s and 70’s, among them being Ellie Lang and Rolf Eriksen.

Gary and Robyn Finseth arrived on Friday morning and were here for a couple of days. It has been several years since their last visit to camp. Robyn is planning to lead a program here next June on self-healing and we spent some time discussing that. Robyn also brought along a sourdough starter that she inherited from her mother, Bea Lawrence.

On Saturday night, we had the first big wind storm of the fall. The day began with an almost perfect calm. The first stirrings of the wind arose in mid-morning and by afternoon, it was quite gusty and the waters of East Sound were quite active. The wind howled overnight and then died down again to a near perfect calm as dawn was breaking.

In another glimpse at next year’s program offerings, we also made final arrangements for a Sea Temple retreat with RJ Stewart. RJ is a well known teacher and mage who divides his time between the U.S. and Britain. It has been nearly ten years since RJ last led a Sea Temple retreat, which is a work of relating to and working with the beings and energies of the oceanic realms that can be especially powerful in times of great change and global transformation.

This program comes about with the help of Peter Berry, who was here as a presenter at the Spiritual Landscapes program in September. Peter, RJ and I had a three way conversation on Thursday afternoon Orcas Island time. RJ was on the phone from Glastonbury, England, near Glastonbury Tor, the legendary site of King Arthur's Avalon. He said it was a cold night and our conversation closed as he was getting ready to go outside and chop some more wood for the fire.