Enjoy this special ‘first-time’ virtual program being offered by Robert Gass and Judith Ansara. They are beloved long-time teachers at Hollyhock and are also well-known/loved by other legacy centres in our network. Join a profound journey for a lifetime of loving. The magic and aliveness of our loving connection is too often lost in deadening habits, competing priorities and the pressures of daily life. Rekindle and profoundly deepen your love and partnership by learning the attitudes and skills of conscious partnership.

Conversation with Thomas Hübl, contemporary mystic and collective trauma expert
Thursday, 3 June
11am – 1pm PT | 2 – 4pm EST | 7 – 9pm BST | 8 – 10pm CEST

The call is for the whole Findhorn Foundation Community, local and global, along with centers in the Holistic Centers Network and Retreat Center Collaborative, along with other communities through the Global Ecovillage Network and Foundation for Intentional Communities who bring their solidarity and witnessing capacity. In compassion for all communities impacted by fire, we invite you to join us in a practice of Global Social Witnessing as we mindfully attend to the recent fires in the Findhorn community with an embodied awareness, and explore possibilities for integration and learning.

By Peter Moore

It’s a busy time, but that’s not new news. To begin, some background, for this is how my mind works. It starts with words that have definitions that develop principles that then give meaning to direct experience. 

I have focused recently on 3 “e” words, all related, having distinct meanings. “Efficiency” is the first one. We have to be efficient just to get through this difficult situation we’re in. To me it means using the least inputs (resources—money, time, labor, emotional turmoil, etc.) to derive the most outputs. Efficiency is a driving force here at BHS these days, and not just for me. It enters into all our planning and implementation.

For over 35 years the annual Holistic Centers’ Gathering has been taking place and in 2021 we met for the second time in the virtual space, focusing on the theme of Emerging Resilience. 64% of attendees were previous participants and 36% were attending an HCN Gathering for the first time. Nearly 250 registrants represented 50 different organisations and we celebrate online tech making it easier for staff in each center to engage in the various sessions.

60% of folk were from the US and we also welcomed friends from Canada, UK, Bolivia, Brazil, China and the Philippines. The session offered by the HCN JEDI Pod and the keynote with Rhonda Magee were both strongly embraced as awareness grows around the importance of social justice work within holistic centers. The Business of Impact session where money and spirituality meets was also a highlight as more centers recognise themselves as purpose driven organisations. 62% of centers describe themselves as non-profit or non-taxable, 12% as a mission-impact organization, 6% for profit and 20% other (eg. emerging centers). Wisdom and innovation were freely shared in the heartfelt conversations with 72% of participants from established centers and 28% from emerging centers.

As we prepare for the Virtual Gathering, commencing on Monday, and engage once again via zoom rather than in person, we continue to reflect on the role and contribution of our place based centers. We know ourselves, and from the many guests that traditionally visit, there is a ‘transformational field’ that supports inner growth in these environments. However, the way we’ve been able to plan our travel has changed profoundly and uncertainty over the future remains. Will people feel safe to travel again? Have their priorities changed? How can we best support wellbeing, spiritual growth and activism that can have the greatest impact in these times? What are the elements that are supportive both on retreat and at home? Join us as we work together for the development of a more conscious and ecological world.

Building Spaces that Breathe:
A Designer and Meditator’s Reflections on Creating Transformational Atmosphere
By Armand Graham

You can meditate anywhere, but retreats are special: a pause from the everyday that nourishes body, mind and spirit. As a meditator, architectural designer, and co-founder of ATMOS, I enter retreat centers for my own spiritual growth and also to learn how spaces can support people to turn inward and gain insight. Having practiced meditation for many years, I’ve had the opportunity to explore this question at several retreat centers, such as the Garrison Institute, Insight Meditation Society, the Omega Institute, and others.

Join fellow members from three networks–Retreat Center Collaboration, the Holistic Centers Network, and Advaya–in an introductory webinar designed to help us understand each other’s communities and collaborative efforts. If you’re interested in an inter-generational approach and curious about non-center based transformational initiatives, we invite you to join us.

Retreat centers are a beacon of light and inspiration in the world, however, centers sometimes struggle to keep the lights on and the pandemic has highlighted new changes. Collaboration opens new possibilities — for retreat centers to address challenges and opportunities as a sector, beyond place, and yet rooted in the deep wisdom of our work.