Current Newsletter
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Newsletter 4 July 2010
Hi,
This is Claire. I sit here on my doorstep with Bowden acreage extended before me... it’s one of the cooler of these summer days we have been having. I came back to Bowden a month ago having been away for a month, I am relatively new to the Bowden Community and I feel fortunate to be feeling into the summer from this special vantage.
People are coming and going regularly as festivals are in full swing and the beach beckons, yet it seems everyone is enjoying a gentle pace as the heat reminds one to breath and rest. It seems lots of clearing out of the old is happening, trips to the tip and drop offs to charity shops. Space is opening up as time is moving on and building work is really coming together. Excitement thinking about interior design, colour scheming and decorating....
The land here is really beautiful it has developed a lot in the past couple of months, it is like an oasis amongst the surrounding farmland, green, lush and bursting with produce. It’s so nice to receive notes from Nick, our garden gnome, about what the latest edible fancy is ... new potatoes on the menu!
We had a beautiful celebration for Summer Solstice, firstly a meditation in the orchard in the mid-afternoon, resting in the shade around freshly picked flowers followed by an evening gathering. We sat around the fire, with a purply, blue sky. The Mbira group, that meets regularly at The Woodshed joined the gathering. Magic tones lulled the air into quiet peace, singing and fingers plucking Mbira notes reminded us of how lucky we are to have all this on our doorstep, before popping our heads on our pillows for a short night of sleep.
Two of our burly men have returned from adventurous times away, Doug and Jason, they are both happy to be back as I am to have them back. My experience of coming back and being met by deep warmth and love was staggering, having not been exposed to community living previously it felt very special and heart-felt. Something clicked in me, “This is about supporting each other as fully as we can to be at ease and happy.”
Our garden mornings are still happening every Thursday with a steady commitment of visitors who help tremendously to keep the gardens in order and learn green-fingered tips in the process.
I joined Sunday morning singing for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. Standing in a circle singing your heart out to simple, beautiful verses and swinging your hips in the process. To see everyone enjoying it so much, unabashed and free expression. A cracking way to start a Sunday morning, it felt like a physical and mental cleanse.... so natural and powerful.
July is here, how amazing we have another few months of summer living to enjoy, the famous English Summer is here and I could not imagine a more beautiful setting to enjoy it from.
Enjoy your summer wherever you are,
Love,
Claire
PS We’ve decided to have our annual break from all regular events (choir, Taize, Dances of Universal Peace, gardening and grounds maintenance group) for all of August. There will also be only one Community Action Day, on Saturday, August 21. All as usual in July and back in September.
REGULAR EVENTS AT BOWDEN HOUSE
BOWDEN CHOIR
Thursday evenings, 7.30-9.30pm
Come and enjoy singing in our beautiful Angel Hall with its amazing acoustics. This is an informal group of people with no ambitions (as yet) to perform. All songs are taught by ear by our expert resident teachers Nick Prater and Ian Hague.
Suggested donation: £5
Contact: Ian on 01803 862376, ianhague@phonecoop.coop or Nick on 01803 849001, Nick@prater.totalserve.co.uk
COMMUNITY ACTION DAYS
Our Community Action Days continue to happen every first and third Saturday of the month from 10am-4pm. These are for anyone interested in working with us for the day to find out more about the community. The next Community Action Day will be on Saturday July 17. Please note that in August we will have only one Community Action Day, on Saturday, August 21.
Please contact us before you come via info@bowdenhouse.co.uk. Thank you!
THE WOODSHED - SCULPTURE STUDIO AND COMMUNITY ART SPACE
There is now a beautiful and exciting Craft Area at Bowden House where a variety of workshops based on environmental awareness, practical sustainability, personal growth and skill sharing are held. Upcoming workshops include the new Green Woodwork space which is in the making, a place for zero carbon wood-turning using pole lathes and shave horses. For more information and details on courses please visit http://www.woodshedcollective.co.uk
YOGA
Anne Wright runs a yoga class at Bowden on Friday mornings. She is also doing a special workshop on Sunday, 11 July, 11am-1pm. For more information contact her on 01364 642150.
JULY 2010
Tuesday, 13 July, 7.30-9.30pm
Dances of Universal Peace led by Nick Prater
From the beginning of time, sacred movement, song and story have brought people together - at times of seasonal ceremony and celebration, as part of everyday life and life passages, in daily renewal and meditation, etc... The Dances of Universal Peace are part of this timeless tradition of Sacred Dance. The Dances use simple music, lyrics, and movements to touch the spiritual essence within ourselves and others. No musical or dance experience of any kind is required and everyone is welcomed to join in. The mood of the Dances is infinitely variable, evoking feelings of love, joy, and compassion.
Suggested donation: £5
Contact: Nick on Nick@prater.totalserve.co.uk or 01803 849001
Sunday, 25 July, 7.30-9.30pm
Taize
led by Nick Prater and Ian Hague
An evening of inspirational singing, drawing from the rich chants from Taize with additions from the Iona Community, Harmonic Temple and others. All songs are taught by ear and no previous experience is needed.
Suggested donation: £5
Contact: Ian on ianhague@phonecoop.coop or 01803 862376
SEPTEMBER 2010
Saturday/Sunday, 4 & 5 September 2010, 9am-6pm
Family Constellation
In this beautiful work developed by Bert Hellinger, we are encouraged to deeply see, acknowledge and hand back past traumas and secrets and allow the ‘order of love’ to nurture and support us to fully live our lives.
This is a very special opportunity to work with an experienced and very skilful facilitator and her apprentice. Barbara has been facilitating this work for over 12 years, and has a background in Gestalt Psychotherapy. She has worked with Bert Hellinger, Hunter Beaumont and many other leading people in the field. She is a trainer with Constellations Work Training based in Bristol and offers an apprenticeship in Family Constellations. Pia has been involved with Family Constellation work for 7 years, having worked with several different facilitators.
Eight full participants will be given the opportunity to present and work on their own material. There will also be the opportunity to work as a representative in other peoples’ constellations, which is also a very deep and exciting experience.
Cost: £160 as full participant with Barbara facilitating, £120 as a full participant with Pia facilitating under Barbara’s guidance.£75 as a representative.
Please contact pia for more info piamartinus@yahoo.co.uk