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.

In the early hours of Monday 12 April, residents in the Findhorn Foundation and Community in Scotland woke to the news of fire. Thankfully nobody was hurt and the natural environment is largely intact. The fire brigade was called and arrived on the scene at around 2am. About a dozen Foundation co-workers and community residents in the houses in the vicinity of the fires were safely evacuated and rehoused as the firemen tackled the blaze. Fire wardens assisted the brigade during the early hours of the morning to keep people safe and to communicate with residents. The community responded with care and support throughout the day and is in transition once more. From preparing to finally welcome back guests, they now face the loss of two significant buildings. Please send your love and prayers as they navigate from crisis to opportunity.

As we are starting out on the second year in a world impacted by covid restrictions, our friends and partners the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) are passionate to showcase the powerful work of ecovillages around the planet who have been pioneering a large variety of regenerative ways of living together and with nature.

Because the work all of us do is best done together, and because so many people are aching for better ways of living we invite you to join the upcoming GEN Ecovillage Summit – Living Solutions for a Regenerative World. Join 35 ecovillages and speakers for seven days of connection and hope.

Members of the network have expressed interest in social impact strategies, evaluation, and reporting and this is an area HCN is passionate about. This weeks webinar flows into two sessions offered during the annual Virtual Gathering of Holistic Centers. Each session has been designed to provide an accessible introduction as well as sharing leading practices in impact measurement and performance monitoring for social purpose organizations.