Holistic Centers Network

New Generation Leadership Program

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A few years ago I was struck by the poise and eloquence of an inspiring woman I met from Meru in Kenya, called Karambu Ringera. She was attending a workshop at the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland and later joined the Centers Gathering hosted there in May 2012.

Karambu is the founder of International Peace Initiatives (IPI), a Kenya and U.S. based organization that provides Homes for orphans and vulnerable children, supports African grassroots organizations and community leaders, and provides trainings in peace education and conflict resolution. The IPI tools are education, enterprise and empowerment and we have long shared the vision of a Centers Gathering in Africa one day, bringing together many of the centers and people involved in transformational initiatives there.
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Mutual Learning and Support within the Network

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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

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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.

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Evolving Centers of Consciousness

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Each January the Findhorn Foundation holds an internal conference for co-workers, the one week where we close to participants in programs. A time to come together, vision into the future, engage in group bonding and a deep exploration of who we are as individuals and as a center dedicated to transforming consciousness in everyday life.

During the conference twelve months ago I was fascinated by one co-worker speaking about Spiral Dynamics, a theory I knew only by name not by experience. I’m not even sure if he described it that way but I was intrigued by the way he spoke about ‘the shadow of green’ and the importance of ‘integrating the previous stages of human development’. I was even more intrigued by the way he was shut down by others in the group when he stood up to speak. I wanted to know more and find out what this was all about. After six years as a full time co-worker dedicated to exploring human potential, I intuitively sensed something of interest… [Read more…]

Come Alive at The Haven in B.C. Canada

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Come Alive is the enticing name of a program that draws people from all over the country, and further afield, to a tiny island of the West Coast of Canada. I imagine each one of us sitting in the opening circle were curious to find out what this really means, some perhaps clearer than others as to the reasons that drew us here.

ViewFerryFor 30 years The Haven has offered programs in personal and professional development on beautiful Gabriola Island, B.C. and I was part of the latest intake responding to the invitation to ‘grow, transform, connect.’ After a few days exploring Vancouver I arrived via seaplane and then ferry, the day becoming progressively brighter with stunning views across the water.

I actually came to Canada to attend the annual Holistic Centers Gathering. However, travelling all the way from Scotland and with an ever curious spirit, I was keen to experience The Haven on a deeper level by extending my stay and immersing myself in the learning environment of another center. [Read more…]

SPLASH at Findhorn – A new holistic initiative

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BACKGROUND NOTES TO SPLASH –
SPIRIT LED APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE HOLISM:
A MONTH-LONG HOLISTIC PEER GROUP PROGRAMME

Holistic living involves the whole self and therefore includes the following parts of the person:

Physical

Emotional

Mental

Spiritual and

Relationships between people and groups (Social)

If there is a hierarchy in holistic learning, the process should be led by the higher self or the spiritual self. A helpful analogy is that the whole person can be likened to a carriage and driver pulled by a horse. The owner is inside the carriage, the driver is high at the front with the reins of the horse in his hands. The owner represents the higher self (spirit); the carriage (body); the driver (mind) and the horse (emotions). The direction should be set by the owner, (the spirit) and not by the driver (the mind). Each part then has a clear function in making the carriage move to its destination.

So the idea is to gather a group of people together and do a month-long journey together, making goals and logging results. As individuals this enables us to look at our current ways of living holistically and expand on them or identify areas where we are weaker and need to improve. We can especially look and share at the ways we already let our spiritual or higher self lead out lives. I use meditation as a spiritual practice and can only work as a creative person if I listen to my higher self and wait for ideas to emerge. Creative work is a spiritual practice for me. Other people may use Taize or devotional singing or walks in nature or gardening. There are many, many ways to access the spirit.

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A Historical Perspective – 2012 Invitation to the Findhorn Foundation

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The Findhorn Foundation are delighted to be hosting the 2012 Holistic Centers Gathering from 12 – 17 May, with the theme the “Network of Light“. Held in Europe for the first time in a decade, this is a unique opportunity to connect with your peers from around the world and share ideas, insights, wisdom and experience in an open, supportive and creative way.

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Experiencing the 2012 Gathering

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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.

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Which Centres attended the 2012 Gathering?

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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.

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Findhorn, Kitezh and Ecologia Youth Trust

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The Findhorn Foundation, are excited to welcome the founder of Kitezh Children’s Community, Dmitry Morozov and two key members of the Russian foster family community to visit us here in Scotland in May.

There is a strong connection between the Findhorn Community and Kitezh through Ecologia Youth Trust. Liza Hollingshead, founder of Ecologia, which is based in the Findhorn community, shares the story…

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This gathering has been INCREDIBLE. As a small center based way out in Yosemite National Park, I really feel folded into the greater network. This feels so vital. Thank you for creating this!

Heather Sullivan, Executive Director & Co-Founder, Balanced Rock Foundation