SUMMER 1999 - ISSUE NUMBER 48
SUMMER 1999 - ISSUE NUMBER 48
Center News
This past season since the Spring Equinox has been a busy one for us here at Neahtawanta. We started off with the Women's Rejuvenation Retreat in late May. Participants enjoyed morning yoga with Sally, drumming and toning with Judy Piazza and Authentic Movement with Uta Buchler. On Saturday night we celebrated the Spring Equinox around a bonfire, doing a little "internal spring cleaning" and inviting in the new energy of the season.Then it was on to Earth Day, with the 10th Annual All Species Parade in downtown Traverse City. Mother Nature didn't totally cooperate, but it could have been worse! At least it didn't pour rain, and we were able to hold the parade and rally outdoors. We were honored to have Joyce Rouse, the Earth Mama, here to help us celebrate with her wonderful songs and energy.
On a more serious note, the NATO bombing of Kosovo began in May. In response, the Neahtawanta Center organized a daily hour-long prayer/meditation vigil for peace in Traverse City in front of the Chamber of Commerce. Some days 25 people showed up; other days it was only one or two. But every day someone was there to sit and focus positive energy on the conflict in Yugoslavia. This type of conflict is more complicated than "the good guys versus the bad guys". Our position is that violence is not an appropriate solution to conflict. The bombing escalated the violence, increased the suffering of the people there, and failed to remove Milosevic from power. It's important to recognize the failure of this type of response to conflict and condemn it as an option for the future.
For the past year, we have been working on an educational project focusing on sustainability in the Grand Traverse region. The project was completed this spring with the production of a CD ROM containing information about sustainability, including a comparison of ownership patterns between downtown Traverse City and the mall areas south of town (see article pg. 19). There is also a list of other resources: web sites, books, periodicals and organizations. In addition, we produced a 4-part radio program containing interviews on the topics of health, agriculture, local economy and an introduction/overview, which is also included on the CD ROM and can be played on a computer with CD ROM capability. We will be distributing the CD ROM to area public and school libraries and hope that you'll take a look at it. This project was funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.
Once again, Roger Eischens returned to the Neahtawanta Inn for a five-day yoga teacher training in June. This event has become a tradition here. Roger's yoga program, which he calls High Energy Yoga, continues to evolve, deepen and develop, and is some of the finest cutting edge yoga training in existence. Participants enjoyed deepening their understanding of yoga, eating fine vegetarian food, relaxing on the beach, kayaking, and ringing in the Summer Solstice around the fire. We look forward to bringing Roger back next year!
After 12 years and 48 issues, we feel it is time to change the format of Synapse. Watch for a new and different publication to appear in the fall of 1999!Earth Day 2000 is also taking on a new appearance! After 10 years of celebrating Earth Day in downtown Traverse City, the Earth Day Committee has decided to move the celebration to a new location. We have partnered with the Shielding Tree Nature Center and they will host the Earth Day 2000 event at their new location, their farm on Point Oneida in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. We'll still have an All Species Parade, informational tables from area groups, and good food. Going along with the national Earth Day theme for next year, which is clean energy, we'll be inviting sustainable energy and building companies to set up exhibits and demonstrations. You'll be hearing more about this event as we move closer to April 22, 2000.
A Yoga Retreat for Men with Roger Eischens is scheduled for November 4th to 6th. Last year's retreat was great! If you are interested, please contact us. (231) 223-7315.
Return to the Indexof Summer 48, Summer 1999