Our inaugural Virtual Gathering of Holistic Centers has been a heartwarming and inspiring experience, strengthening connection, communication and collaboration throughout the network. Over the course of the gathering, we noticed an element of surprise around an emerging idea… sharing love and connection IS, indeed, possible in the virtual world. Online events will never replace the in-person experiences we love and value. However there IS a loving harmony to be found between humans, nature, and technology. In fact, this is one of the most powerful ways to increase impact, connection, and revenue for centers around the globe. [Read more…]
What’s the Transformation Today?
At the heart of perhaps every center in the network is the recognition of the interdependence of all life. We foster connection to self, other, nature and spirit, in an ever evolving relational dance. Connectivity is vital, a powerful antidote to the chaos and crises of these times. Leading scientists recognise large scale shifts in human consciousness are essential. Is our unique role to create safe space for healing, growth and transformation, to be custodians of the earth and inspire others with our place based centers? HCN seeks to link these centers around the world and to connect with other like minded networks. These include the Global Ecovillage Network and Bioneers. Together we can accelerate and amplify the urgency of our work and maximise our collective impact of doing good in the world. [Read more…]
Mutual Learning and Support within the Network
A few months ago I received an email from Cameron Wenaus, co-founder of Retreat Guru, who bring together retreats, teachers and practitioners, as well as develop retreat management software. Cameron attended the 2016 Gathering at Le Monastère des Augustines and there are natural overlaps and interconnections between our networks.
He wrote to make an introduction, saying, “Heather Scott is the Executive Director of Dorje Denma Ling, a retreat center in Nova Scotia connected to the Shambhala Lineage. I have been to DDL many times for retreats; it is a humble and powerful location.
I was talking to Heather about the challenges they are facing recently and she expressed a yearning in networking with other retreat centers during this next phase of growth and change. I thought that the Centers Gathering might be a good resource.” [Read more…]
Exploring a Map of Consciousness
This article continues on from my earlier post Evolving Centers of Consciousness.
Several years ago members of the Findhorn Foundation (FF) became interested in a well-researched model of the growth patterns of human consciousness known as Spiral Dynamics. In the last 12-18 months this has emerged again more strongly in our co-worker body as we move through a lengthy change process within the organisation.
In brief, the pioneering work of Professor Clare Graves from the early 1970’s was developed by his students Don Beck and Christopher Cowen and integrated further by Ken Wilber, showing how psychological models can be used together to provide more accurate focus to human development.
Spiral Dynamics Integral (SDi) offers a neutral exploration and explanation of the states and stages of consciousness. This can be applied to our evolution as individuals in our personal journey of growing up and waking up, and also to our centers as we aim to evolve organisationally in leadership style, inclusivity, dynamism and a more holistic worldview.
Esalen Farm and Garden
Experiencing the 2012 Gathering
Since the early days of the community, the Findhorn Foundation has been pioneering a new way of living on the earth and linking up with other centres all over the world to form a network of love and light.
Co-founder Peter Caddy said, “It is very much our work to be a point of synthesis, to link centres together to see where we can unite. Each centre has something different that we can learn from, that they can give to us, and we can give to them.”
In this spirit of synthesis the Findhorn Foundation hosted the annual International Holistic Centres Gathering in May 2012, a meeting of peers from around the world who came together to share ideas, experience, hopes and challenges, to learn from and inspire each other, and support the planetary transformation that is unfolding with increasing momentum.
Which Centres attended the 2012 Gathering?
In May 2012, 37 people representing 27 centres in 16 countries on five continents gathered together at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland for the International Holistic Centres Gathering. Together we explored our unity in diversity, shared about our work and service in the world, exchanged ideas, challenges and experience. It was a time of learning from one another, in the spirit of supporting the planetary transformation that is unfolding in the world.
News about the 2012 Gathering
It’s now only two months until the International Holistic Centres Gathering – The Network of Light – an occasion when many different centres, often from different cultures, speak openly, honestly and warmly of their experiences, lessons, hopes and concerns. In this way, we deepen our sense of the worldwide movement towards holistic, spiritual and ecological awakening, and find inspiration and community in the often hard won wisdom of others.
Invitations have been sent far and wide and we now have participants coming from communities and holistic centres in the USA, (including Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington and New York), Canada, Spain, Greece, Denmark, Poland, Russia and India. They represent a diverse range of spiritual traditions, business models and environments, one a remote retreat centre, another completely off the grid, and a third located in one of the busiest cities in the world! [Read more…]
Community Exchange Programme
Many intentional communities share the aspiration of creating a more positive future through a spiritual approach to everyday life, and by exploring more sustainable ways of living based on higher levels of human consciousness.
By making it possible for members of communities to visit each other and experience different cultures in an environment conducive to learning, exchanging ideas, personal growth and nourishing personal connections, greater understanding and appreciation of our unity in diversity can develop.
In the spirit of the Network of Light, strengthening connections between communities, the Findhorn Foundation has established community exchange agreements with the like-minded communities listed below and your community is invited to join this exchange!