Commonweal, June 2007, part 4

 Thursday, June 18th midday

Just up from lunch…fresh corn tamales with greens and heirloom tomatoes, black bean soup, fresh guacamole and fresh salsa. Yummy. I tried no to eat too much because I am scheduled for a massage in 25 minutes and don’t want to lie on a too full tummy.

 This morning after yoga and breakfast, we had our third morning with Lenore. She began as she has each morning, by leading us through a meditation in which we begin with the breath, move into awareness of our bodies.

Commonweal, June 2007, part 5

 Friday, June 19th, before breakfast           

I opted out of yoga this morning and went back to sleep. I couldn’t stand the idea of being on retreat and having to get up early every single morning.

Yesterday afternoon, after my massage, I had the opportunity to do my first sand tray. Most of the modalities here at the Cancer Help program are familiar to me. But I have never done sand tray before. From what Irene Gallwey, the sand tray facilitator, told us, this is not a standard therapeutic sand tray. I found it fascinating and was immediately drawn to this form of self-exploration and therapy.

Commonweal, June 2007, part 6

 Last night we had salmon for dinner, cooked until it was barely, perfectly tender, more lush heirloom tomatoes with fresh mint, corn, potato salad. Another perfect meal.

Our evening program last night was with Jenepher Stowell, the lovely, graceful and elegant director of the retreat center, whose life work has been to study healing spaces, healing environments.

Commonweal, June 2007, part 7

 Saturday, June 20th, before dinner

Yesterday, instead of our usual circle with Lenore, we had the chance to visit the Commonweal Gardens, a mile or so up the road. The Garden was created 30 years ago, based on the work of Alan Chadwick and biodynamic agriculture and has gone through many different stages of evolution. Everything on the farm is built to inspire people how to live according to sustainable principles. Every system on the farm is based on permaculture—figuring out how to design a system that creates what it uses and recycles what it uses. Wastewater is recycled through a filter of wood chips and gravel and fed back into a pond. The chickens lay eggs and provide food. Their poop is used to keep the garden fertile. And their grazing keeps predatory insects off of the fruit trees.