Sneak preview of our Birthday celebrations, and a new Angel meditation

Dear Friends,

There are two big pieces of news I’m delighted to share with you!

First, our 60th Birthday week is shaping up to be a really joyful gathering, and we hope you’ll join us here in The Park from 12 to 18 November. Celebrate 60 extraordinary years of this community, which has brought so much love, light and transformation into our world. More details below.

The other good news is that Daniel Greenberg, our new Director of Education, has arrived in The Park! Although he’s already been involved and listening deeply from afar, we’re so pleased to have him with us. He’s passionate about the role of the Findhorn Foundation and the Community in the world today. ‘The Magic of Findhorn is needed as much as ever,’ he said. ‘I really do believe that our best days are ahead of us and I'm excited to be a part of it.’

I’m happy to say Experience Weeks are in full swing again, now running every second week with full groups, Cluny is open for retreats, and our online courses are reaching people all over the world. ‘We’re opening up!’ as Britta Schmitz says below. Please read her lovely, newsy update of what’s on the go here.

With love to you wherever you are in the world,

Caroline
Caroline Matters, Lead Steward

Alongside singing, dance, comedy and theatre, here are some highlights so far:
Saturday 12th: Opening celebrations in the Universal Hall.
Sunday 13th: Robert Holden and friends celebrate the founders.
Monday 14th: In Memoriam – photos, words and music for those who have passed; plus Roger Doudna on ‘Findhorn Carbon Neutral by 2030?’
Wednesday 16th: Transformation Game.
Thursday 17th: Procession to celebrate six decades and the future.
Friday 18th: Ceilidh and closure.
More events are being added all the time, and a full schedule will be listed soon on Celebrating One Incredible Family.

ONLINE Spirit of Iona: Equinox 18 September, 4-6.30pm UK time
Celebrate and explore the deeper aspects of the Autumn Equinox with Findhorn Fellow Katherine Collis and special guests. Deepen your connection to the Divine and be inspired by the stories and traditions from the Celtic world.

AT THE PARK Conscious Foraging & Highland Banquet
18 September, 1-8.30pm
Join local foragers Kirsty Wallace and Daniel Lacasta for an afternoon of foraging in and around Findhorn, starting in the Hinterland.

AT THE PARK Market at The Park 24 September, 10.30am-3.30pm
Come and enjoy incredible locally produced food and beautiful crafts.

AT CLUNY Game of Transformation 26 September - 1 October (see above)

AT THE PARK Wild Camping Weekend 30 September - 2 October
Immerse yourself in the healing wisdom of the land on a wild camping weekend retreat in the woodlands, with the Findhorn Hinterland Trust.

11 October - 30 January, Tuesdays every other week

Travel through eight steps that deepen connection with the essence of the Findhorn Foundation, creating lives that are physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy and whole.

AT THE PARK The Art of Facilitating Transformational Fields 18-21 October
Join Robin Alfred for a highly experiential advanced facilitation training, from building group cohesion, awareness of transference and countertransference, how to co-facilitate and more. By application.

AT CLUNY Core Coaching and Mentoring Skills 8-21 October
Develop a range of tools and strategies as you take a journey of growth in self-awareness and skills essential to coaching and mentoring.

From Britta Schmitz:

As we’re approaching the Autumn Equinox here in the North of Scotland, the nights are noticeably drawing in and we feel the freshness in the cool morning air. The main harvest is being brought in and the first Northern Lights have been seen at the beach, sure signs that the season is turning.

So while everything in nature is closing in, we are opening up more and more to guests at this special time of the year here in Scotland (and always online of course). A group of us has joined new Experience Week training, reconnecting with the impulse of our core programme and exploring the new five-day structure that has emerged after the pandemic.

It’s exciting to see how Judy McAllister and Sue Miles (who have been holding our core programmes for decades) have adapted this week according to the calling of our times. Through many attunements they have distilled its essence, making it ‘leaner’ so that it works ‘like a dream’ as Sue says. Having heard from our guests and now from Judy and Sue, we are excited to get into the swing of holding our beloved Experience Week again and fully embrace the new structure, which has deepened the core elements of the week and made changes where needed to reflect what’s taken place around us over the last years. Exciting times!

Cluny is also open for lightly held retreats and events. The plan is to have Cluny as a warm, cosy, community home during the winter months. Our land-based weeks at Cluny, The Park and on Iona and Erraid are infusing us with new energy. At the moment there is a Permaculture group at The Park, the Hinterland Trust is offering a Wild Camping retreat in Wilkie’s Woods, Erraid is open for retreats and ‘Love in Action’ weeks and our first Iona retreat in years takes place next week. We’re hoping more Iona weeks will follow.

It is wonderful to witness how participants and guests are touched by their experiences with us. As our second ‘Creating Findhorn Where You Are’ online programme (which I am co-focalising) comes to a close, I’m so impressed that what we are holding sacred here in our Community can travel through the magic of technology all over the world, reaching people who wouldn’t be able to join us here in person. It’s a privilege to witness the positive changes our sessions have on their lives.

As you will see on our website, a lot is going on here at Findhorn and we hope you will come and join us.*

With lots of Love, Britta

* Even though things are getting busier for us, we’re still holding meditations and reading Eileen’s guidance on Facebook and live online, so please visit us there and enjoy. Dominique is reading Eileen’s guidance from 12 September at 9am on Mondays and Fridays, Ash holds the 5pm Light of Findhorn meditation on Tuesdays and I’m holding a guided meditation in nature on Wednesday mornings at 8.35am.!