SPOTLIGHT ON
Ron Bracale
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I grew up in Willowick, Ohio, with my four younger brothers. Our family was Catholic, and around second grade I started questioning the doctrine of the Church, because it seemed to have inconsistencies with the doctrine of the Gospels that it purported. Even as a child, I was very scientifically minded, and in grade school I corrected a NASA Scientist who had printed an article in a Model Rocketry magazine to which I subscribed. (My correction and his admission that I was correct were printed in a subsequent issue.) As a child I would climb trees and look out over the land and sense deep within me that something was seriously wrong; the ghost of the forest that once stood where our neighborhood did now echoed deep in my being. I began meditating in junior high school and since then have followed the guidance perceived through inner peace and awareness.
I went to college as an environmental science major with a minor in mathematics, since I found multi-dimensional calculus to be easy and fun. I was astounded to learn that the professors did not understand that the Earth was a living organism. The “Gaia Theory” was not even proposed in Western scientific circles until the 1990s. A career in Environmental Science in the late ‘70s meant cleaning up messes left behind by corporations and perhaps whistle-blowing about hidden toxic dumping. There was no mention of changing our lifestyle and world view. I knew these changes were the only possible solutions to the problem. The problem was not even clearly defined at the time: the fact is we are living in the Sixth Great Extinction. More species have become extinct in the last hundred years than in any century since the dinosaurs were killed by a series of meteorites 65 million years ago.
I have always loved art and music, and I had really wanted to go to college to be an artist. However, my parents forbade me, since they felt I was destined to be a scientist. I accepted that until I became disappointed with the pseudo-science that I found in the university. What was lacking was a core knowledge of nature - the sacred nature of the web of life and the realization that all of creation is a living, spiritual manifestation.
I then became a spiritual searcher and humble teacher in earnest. I knew that only in enlightenment is there hope for the human race, which even today I see as potentially headed for disaster. We are one, so true enlightenment is a planetary community affair. I also became a musician in earnest. I had always loved music, and at the time several great musicians were trying to spread the message of a new world paradigm with love as the dominant mode of operation. Like them, I wanted to show people that the reactionary mode of a fear-based cultural perspective was not working.
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Through my music and art, I encourage people to consider the implications of a divine presence in all of reality, as opposed to an anthropomorphic God. This presence is aware of our personal existences and has the ability to weave the winds of fate synchronisticly. I want people to realize that these incarnations of ours, which allow us to journey within this most wonderful creation, are a great privilege. Rather than seeking escape from reincarnation, we should be thankful for this opportunity to grow in our love.
I have faith that humanity will eventually awaken and become aware that we are one people residing on one living planet, sharing one system of water and all breathing the same air. I can see a future where war is no longer an option, and where every child is fed, housed, and schooled in such a way that their potential can be a gift to the whole. I believe in a higher culture where all of humanity is living as community.
I’ve been interested in Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) since early childhood. I bought a copy of Project Bluebook in sixth grade and was very disappointed that it focused on the hoaxes, while only briefly mentioning that ten percent of the cases were truly unexplained events, never providing details in relationship to them. Since then, I’ve been reading books about UFOs and Extra-Terrestrials (ETs) and talking to people about their related experiences. For the last two years I’ve volunteered as a Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) certified field investigator.
Professionally, I’m a Development Analyst, writing payroll and HR database code packages for over a thousand employees. I’ve been writing poetry since junior high, and recently published True Love(available on Amazon.com or through www.spiritinservice.com). I’m a musician with four released CDs, the most recent being Shamanic Extra-Terrestrial Initiation(www.bracalemusic.com). My artwork has appeared on a journal cover and several different artists’ CDs (www.bracaleart.com). I enjoy life in the country with my wife, our family, and our animals (www.ourridgehaven.com).
I have been a member of Shadybrook for about nine years, and have been the chair of the Program Committee for the last six. I also served a term on the Board of Trustees. I think that Shadybrook, previously the Layman’s Retreat Project, has been a contributing force in making people aware that daily life is spiritual. I ask that you all consider our new mission and vision statements [Ed. note: See back page.], and see what you can do to make Shadybrook an active force toward a brighter future for humanity. And in your day-to-day life, contribute to a new world paradigm based on Love in whatever humble fashion you may.
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Members of the 2010 Shadybrook Board of Trustees
Shadybrook Board of Trustees, elected at the Annual Business Meeting on March 14, 2010, pictured from left to right:
Back row: Dean Williams, Mike Wojciechowicz, Steve Imbornoni, Teres Sainte-Marie, Barb Saiter.
Front row: Art Saulino, Joan Southgate, Laura Imbornoni, Suzette Cohen, Carol Dombrose, Nancy Herrick.
Not pictured: Gary Rosenthal
Officers
Suzette Cohen – Chair (2011) Suzette is a widow with two children and two grandchildren. She has earned three academic degrees: BA from Cleveland State University, M.Ed. from John Carroll University, Ph.D. from Kent State University. Suzette is retired from teaching at CSU and Lakeland Community College as Her current passion is making and selling handcrafted jewelry from fine silver, bronze, and polymer clays.
Gary Rosenthal – Vice Chair (2012) Gary has practiced law in Lake County since 1975. His areas of concentration are estate planning, wills, trusts, and real estate. Gary has served for several years on the Lake County Senior Levy Coalition and the Board of the Mentor Public Library System. He is married with one adult child and one in college. Gary is relatively new to Shadybrook, and he hopes his involvement will help Shadybrook in its efforts to grow and improve.
Art Saulino – Secretary (2012) Art completed 12 years of parochial education and received a B.A. in psychology at CSU in 1970. He worked for the IRS for 8 years, and for Pathways, an outpatient mental health organization, for 20 years in clinical, administrative and technical positions. For 4 years, Art was Board Treasurer of Homesafe, Ashtabula’s women’s shelter. He has studied the Tao Te Ching and Vajrayana Buddhism. Art is strongly interested in promoting the equality of women in this and all human societies. His core values include tolerance, non-violence, and openness to spiritual experience. Art lives in Ashtabula County with his wife, Nikki, who he married in 1988.
Steve Imbornoni – Treasurer (2011) Steve Imbornoni, PhD has been in public service for over 34 years, currently with the Ohio Department of Mental Health. He is licensed as a psychologist, a clinical supervising counselor, and a massotherapist. He has served Shadybrook over the past thirteen years as Board member, Secretary, Chair, and most recently as Treasurer and Chair of the Assets Management Committee. He has been a practitioner of meditation for the past 37 years.
Trustees at Large
Laura Christian Imbornoni (2011) Laura Christian Imbornoni, M.Ed., has been a member of Shadybrook since 1982. She has served on committees and as a volunteer throughout. She served on the Board of Trustees numerous times. She is the outgoing Chairperson of the Board of Trustees. Laura leads Yoga, Movement Therapy, and DansKinetics for Shadybrook and in other venues. Laura is the Recreation Manager at Mentor Senior Center.
Teres Sainte-Marie (2011) Ceremonial leader, healer, ritual artist and teacher, Teres Sainte-Marie is the director of Mother Earth Productions & Touch the Earth Sacred Travel. She is a popular presenter of workshops and ceremony at the Omega Institute, the Center for Symbolic Studies, Earthlands, and other holistic learning centers nationwide. Her visionary work with children and adolescents has been featured in Mothering magazine and on the PBS television series Body & Soul. Drawing on her work with indigenous shamans from North, South & Central America, Africa, Siberia, and the Celtic Isles, Teres weaves ancient wisdom with modern insight, leading individuals through an adventure of spirit that leaves them blessed and forever changed.
Mike Wojciechowicz (2011) Mike, who also goes by “Wojo,” is 62 years young, and feels he is in better shape than ever. He is a member of A.A. and is proud of his 25 years of sobriety. Mike is semi-retired, working part-time for the Lake County Indian Museum, and doing masonry repair work. Since studying acting for two years at Lakeland Community College, Mike has appeared on the stages of Mapleleaf Theater, Rabbit Run, Lake Erie College, Willoughby Fine Arts, Tri-C, and Lakeland Community College. He enjoys stand up comedy and performed in last year's Cleveland Comedy Festival.
Carol Dombrose (2012) Carol Dombrose has provided group and individual counseling for over 20 years. Besides her M.A. from CSU, she has Reiki Master certification and is a graduate of the Ohio Clown School. She is also the mother of seven and the grandmother of thirteen. Dedicated to helping people use their creativity to move through life’s changes, she is the Executive Director of Angel House Wellness Center: For Art and Creative Life Change, where she offers classes in the creative and healing arts.
Nancy Herrick (2012) Nancy Herrick is proud to acknowledge her service as an educator for thirty-five years. She retired from the Beachwood City Schools in June of 2009. In September of 2009, Nancy assisted with the reopening of the Reiki Clinic at Ursuline Academy and is its present director. Nancy lives in Russell, Ohio with her soulmate Kenny Frieder, their dog, Barkus, and cat, Bailey. She enjoys reading, learning, daily walks, and communing with nature.
Barb Saiter (2012) Barb Saiter has studied with Rev Karen Hill at Memorial Spiritual Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Her ordination took place on February 28, 2010. She has been serving the church in various degrees of responsibility for about two years. Responsibilities have included assisting with Student Days, serving Message Service, serving regular Sunday Church Service as a back up to Rev. Karen, and handling the special events at the church. Barb has a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. She works as a Research Chemist for State Industrial Products in Cleveland Ohio and lives at her home in Mentor, Ohio, with her lovely little dog Dunkin.
Joan Southgate (2012) Joan Southgate earned a BA in Psychology from Syracuse University, and a graduate degree from the School of Applied Social Science at CWRU. Joan has worked as a foster care worker, pediatric ward medical social worker, adoption caseworker, wife, mother (she has four children and nine grandchildren), teacher, counselor, community organizer and director of the Senior Citizens Coalition. A published author and inspiring performer, Joan’s poetry and prose have earned regional and national acclaim. In 2003 she founded Restore Cleveland Hope - a coalition of activists that worked passionately to save the last standing pre-civil war home on University Circle, Cozad-Bates House, which will one day house a UGRR Education and Resource Center. Joan has twice walked the path of her ancestors, following the Underground Railroad Route between Ripley, Ohio and St. Catherine’s, Canada.
Dean Williams (2012) Dean Williams is an ordained priest and teacher in the Soto Zen Buddhist lineage. He is also a certified Buddhist chaplain. Dean teaches at sanghas in Cleveland, Mansfield, and Wooster, as well as at the Zen center of his teacher in Evanston, IL. He is a volunteer with Hospice of the Cleveland Clinic and a founding member of the Cleveland chapter of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship. Dean speaks at various churches throughout northeastern Ohio and, as a member of InterAct Cleveland, has participated in a number of interfaith services.
SPOTLIGHT ON
Mike Wojciechowicz
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After attending Shadybrook's programs for a few years, Mike Wojciechowicz became a member of our organization last year.
Mike was born in Cleveland, grew up in Willowick and has lived in Wickliffe for the last 19 years. He is a graduate of St. Joseph High School in Cleveland and attended Cleveland State University and Lakeland Community College in Kirtland.
Mike is currently semi-retired. He works part-time as an entertainer and does masonry repair work, mainly tuckpointing. He also works part-time for the Lake County Indian Museum.
In the early 80's Mike studied acting for two years at Lakeland Community College and has been active in community and college theater as an actor ever since. He has performed in many plays with the Mapleleaf Theater and has appeared on the stages of Rabbit Run in Madison, Lake Erie College in Painesville, Willoughby Fine Arts and Cuyahoga and Lakeland Community Colleges.
He has dabbled in stand up comedy and performed in last year's Cleveland Comedy Festival.
Mike was raised a Catholic and although he has great respect for the Church and attends Mass every Sunday, it is not as important to him as his personal relationship with God through prayer and meditation. He is also an inquisitive and open-minded spiritual seeker which is the main reason he joined Shadybrook.
Submitted by Vic Leanza
SPOTLIGHT ON
Dr. Claudia Anders
Submitted by Carla Durnbaugh
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A woman who wears many “hats.” That’s Claudia Anders! Mother, grandmother, doctor, organic gardener, birdwatcher, traveler, and environmentalist are some of her personal descriptive adjectives. Her gardening interest is easy to spot when you arrive at her Berea home and admire the 4 raised beds in the front yard. The back yard is reserved for contemplation in the shade of some lovely old trees and one young witch hazel tree planted to honor a dear friend. Although the garden is not large, it is chock full of veggies and herbs: tomatoes, lettuce, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, snow peas, beans, garlic, beets, leeks, onions, squash, basil, lovage, oregano, echinecea, chives, lemon balm and mint, to name just a few.
Her pets, which she got from a foster care facility called Rescue, may greet you at the door. Both the cat, black/white, and dog, shepherd/collie mix, are loveable and compassionate andsometimes are helpful with clients in her clinic. The animals can help some people with their feelings and expressing themselves.
Her home serves as a clinic where she practices Naturopathy specializing in Integrated Kinesiology. This unique career started as the result of a traumatic event. Nineteen years ago, while recovering from a disabling car accident, Claudia heard about Integrated Kinesiology. At the time she was in constant pain, walking with a cane, eating pureed foods, and struggling topractice as an Occupational Therapist. Although her medicaldoctors had encouraged her to go on disability, Claudia decidedto find out more about Integrated Kinesiology. After 6 months of treatment with Integrated Kinesiology, a gentle, non-invasivetechnique, one of her M.D.’s wrote, “case resolved.” Realizing the potential for this type of work, she began dual studies inNaturopathy and Integrative Kinesiology.
Integrative Kinesiology is an approach to wellness which is based in muscle response testing and assists in soundness, completeness, and balancing in all aspects of life. It is not “medical” care. Claudia feels there are times in our lives to “dial 911” or pursue conventional medicine. However, she has also seen the power of IntegrativeKinesiology in the treatment of wellnesschallenges in people of all ages with issues from A (attention) to P (pain) to Z (sleep) and many issues in-between and beyond. Naturopathy supports and complements this wellness approach by recognizing that once the body systems are in balance, the body can heal itself! To support this balance, Claudia offers suggestions for lifestyle changes, food, exercise, and herbs. She enjoys her current doctoring career because “Every day is unique! Witnessing God/Source/Innate’s Power and Wisdom asindividuals achieve wellness goals is exciting,” says Claudia.
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Keeping-up with current information in Occupational Therapy, Naturopathy and Integrated Kinesiology is an on-going and fairly intense process. Her studies in Naturopathy and Integrated Kinesiology have led to domestic and international training from Las Vegas to Figi! Luckily, Claudia enjoys the adventure of travel and also the opportunity to study with some of the best doctors on the planet, including 11 of the 12 founders of Integrative Kinesiology. Some her teachers whose names you may recognize are: Dr. Goodheart, Dr Thie, Dr. Dennison, Donna Eden, and dolphins.
One of her most memorable adventures occurred on the way to an International Research Conference in New Zealand. Claudiasaid, “The last leg of the journey was in an eight passenger twin engine aircraft. We flew in the lull of a ‘Southern Gale’ with winds gusting to over 100 mph. I sat behind the pilot, hanging on to his seatback -figuring where he went—so would I!! You know I was using all the techniques I knew to remain calm. I was very happy to land on ‘Terra Firma’!”
When Claudia is not working in her clinic, traveling to aconference, or gardening, she enjoys spending time with her son, his wife, and toddler grandson. “Grandparenting is awesome!” says Claudia. She often baby-sits and has funplaying, cooking, reading, and discovering the world with him. In fact, she has engaged him in another of her hobbies, bird watching. He even has his own binoculars and National Park Junior Ranger uniform!
In support of her love of nature, Claudia volunteers at two park systems. This Spring, she had the exciting experience of being one of the Wildlife Watchers for local eagle nests in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. During this time she was able to teach park visitors about the importance of eagles to our ecology, including that their main food is fish.
“Eagles have had a special place in my life,” said Claudia. “Following the first kinesiology treatment, while I was driving back to my hotel in the middle of the Utah desert, miles from water or mountains, a bald eagle flew in front of my car! As I pulled off the road to watch it soar in all of its majesty and beauty, tears of overwhelming emotion ran down my cheeks. The tears did not hurt! For the first time since the accident, my cheeks did not hurt!!! The Integrative Kinesiology was working. Upon arriving in my hotel room, I noticed that the free Gideon Bible was open to the verse: ‘You will mount up with eagle’s wings.’ Two signs affirmed that I would be well.” Years later, a business consultant asked her, “What will you call your clinic?” Without hesitation Claudia said, “Eagle Therapy!”
With all of these interests to keep her busy, Claudiaoccasionally finds time for a personal retreat. It was at anArtist’s Way Retreat at Lakeside, Ohio, that Claudia found Shadybrook. It just so happened that Shadybrook member Linda Durnbaugh and Claudia were both presenters at the same retreat and they started talking and, well you know the rest of the story!
Claudia’s positive attitude pervades everything she pursues. When asked for “words of wisdom,” she offered two quotes.“If you think you can’t, you can’t. If you think you can, you can” (Henry Ford), and “Laughter is good for the “heart!” (a personal mentor).
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Ro Eugene
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Love of travel and people seems to be a thread running through Ro’s life. Whenever either of us has spoken to her she emanates positive, creative, loving energy for life. Where did this all start? Maybe in her childhood -- when she and her family moved around 4-5 times a year. They “traveled with the weather” since her parents had a binocular and souvenir concession at horse races. Reflecting on that time, Ro said, “I never thought much about all the moving: it just seemed normal. Didn’t everyone go to 4 or 5 schools a year?” Ro was born in New Orleans, graduated from high school in Bill Clinton’s home town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and then majored in Drama at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. In fact, she was a Chi Omega sorority sister with Joanne Woodward. Interestingly, one year Ro was awarded “Best Actress” over Joanne. Another of her memorable college moments was standing on the steps of the Drama building and thinking: “The reason I want to act is to bring beauty to the world.”
To begin living out her childhood dream of being a professional actress, Ro joined her family in Chicago, their summer home, after graduating from LSU. Her acting career in Chicago included being on the first-ever soap opera made for TV called “Hawkins Falls.” It was at this time that she met Hugh Downs who was very helpful in introducing her to influential people when she moved to New York City three years later. While in NYC, she did some “Off Broadway” shows and summer stock performances with Robert Q. Lewis, Veronica Lake, and Gloria Swanson. She also had a role in the soap opera “As The World Turns,” and TV appearances on the “Hallmark Hall of Fame” and “Philco Presents.” TV commercials for Swanson Dinners and the first-ever Dove commercial were part of her acting career in NYC.
It was traveling with a Glidden Paint Industrial (trade) Show that brought her to Cleveland. Glidden used to gather paint retailers and produce a play which demonstrated why its product was the best. Ro, who was “never gonna get married, live my life as a single actress,” fell in love with the production manager for Glidden and eventually married him. She said that she has always loved Cleveland and was happy to settle here with her husband. Ro feels fortunate that she has always been able to recognize when one door is shutting and another is opening.
Her life circumstances changed when she had her family and another door opened when her acting career ended. She became certified as a Montessori Teacher and helped start a Montessori School on the West Side, then later started another on the East Side.
As time went by, her Cleveland Heights home became “home” for many university student boarders whom she came to know as friends. She still keeps in touch with many of them, including a man in Kenya and a woman in Hawaii. Currently recovering from a recent bout with cancer, Ro is looking forward to visiting Hawaii next |
March for the wedding of her Japanese friend who has generously paid for her trip. After that wedding, she will continue on to Phoenix for the April wedding of her daughter Danielle. Meanwhile, a friend has asked if she wants to go to London next summer. Ro told her, “You find the plane trip, and I’ll go!”
It seems that London is a favorite spot for Ro as she has traveled there at least six times, never with a tour group, but often with friends. Other favorite destinations include Germany, France, Switzerland, Scotland and South Africa which she toured with one of her daughters. After hearing about Findhorn in “the old days at Shadybrook,” Ro included visits to that community on a couple of her trips to Scotland. It was not easy to get to, traveling on her own; she had to make connections with two different buses. But, she claims that it was well worth the trip. “Everything felt spiritual -- even the coffee shop!” said Ro. “It was a lush and beautiful spot in the midst of rough, craggy and windy country. My, it was windy.” The residents represented the “greenest kinds of living, everyone living in an environmentally friendly way.” [If you haven’t been there yourself, go to www.ecovillagefindhorn.org to see what she is talking about.]
Ro reconnected with Shadybrook a little before its 50th Anniversary celebration in 2005. She fondly remembers the “old days” when the name “Shadybrook” denoted a House as well as an organization. (Shadybrook House, located in Kirtland Hills was most recently the site of the Lake County Historical Society.) The House’s dedication occurred in 1957 under the directorship of Don Boyce who remained in that position into the 70s. Ro’s whole family of two boys, three girls, and her husband Don, participated in Family Weekends as well other programs offered at Shadybrook House. In those days, many members were young adults in their 30s, not the demographic profile of today. Yet, Ro feels that personal growth and spiritual exploration remain strong themes for Shadybrook. Her good memories continue to prompt her to think about how the current Shadybrook organization can reach the 30-year-olds adults who seem to be so busy doing other things.
These memories also prompted her to tell Carla, “It was more FUN back then and not as ‘serious.’ The people seemed to have a love of life and more enjoyment of the present than I see in the meetings today. I think it would be good to add a little joie de vivre to our gatherings. I don’t know if it’s the surroundings or the setup or the seeming need for laughs and smiles, but it wasn’t as ‘heavy’ as it seems today.”
When asked what her philosophy of life is, Ro replied, “To give love. That’s really what it’s all about.” She says that wherever she goes, she enjoys sending love energy to the people she sees. What a wonderful idea. Her jacket has a little white button with red: I ♥ ♥ (I love love).
After talking with Ro for over an hour, Carla felt as if she had only touched the tip of Ro’s knowledge, background, and experience. Ro has many stories and adventures to share. May many of you have the opportunity to seek her out at a future Shadybrook event to hear them. Then again, she may be out and about –visiting friends, giving love—just by driving her car with license plate LUVUALL.
Submitted by Carla Durnbaugh and Linda Durnbaugh
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SPOTLIGHT ON
Diane Schurr
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Hello to all my friends at Shadybrook. And “Hello!” to the many others who might not remember me from my all too brief stint as Administrative Coordinator in 2003-04, and to any new readers of “Dimensions”. I was so thrilled to be asked by Carla and Linda (when they were vacationing here in Santa Fe, NM, where I now live) to write something for the Membership Spotlight. I was not at all surprised by the synchronicity of following the delightful memories that Carolyn Andrews Schlemmer shared in the Spring issue, of her experience of community in Turkey. Community is a theme that first attracted me to Shadybrook. There it is in the description, “…providing opportunities for people of diverse interests to meet and develop a sense of community…” Community is a central theme in my own life.
As I have searched for the meaning and purpose of my life over the years, I have been able to articulate that my life’s dream, the yearning of my soul, is to be my “Authentic Self in Community with Compassion, Justice and Magic.” There is a delicious dichotomy in this for me. I must first find and free my Authentic Self!! That is enough of a quest for a lifetime; and one that, although I have found so many sources of help and inspiration from others along the way, is ultimately an endeavor that I must engage in alone. I am the only authority on what it means to be my authentic self. I imagine that I will spend my whole life finding and freeing my authentic self. And I believe that each of us has this incredible gift of our own unique authentic selves that we bring into this world. For me, community is what happens when these unique authentic selves come together and find ways to connect with each other.
I do believe there is something in our collective human consciousness that longs for that connection with others. For me this is not limited to other people but encompasses our longing to connect to the Mystery and Divinity in all things. I have also come to believe that creating and experiencing community comes with a great many challenges! I have heard it said, and I have come to agree, that the attempt to live in community is the toughest and the most effective personal growth experience one might ever experience!
For those of you who are familiar with astrology, you might agree with my assessment that, with my Aquarius Sun, Scorpio Moon and Leo Rising, I am predisposed to take on the challenges of creating opportunities and even structures that might support and nurture “community with compassion, justice and magic.” I have drawn from many sources and experiences throughout my life. I count the people I met through Shadybrook as valuable resources. I have been most influenced by and would most enthusiastically recommend a place called Diana’s Grove (http://www.dianasgrove.com/) for their Mystery School, |
which offers opportunities for personal growth and leadership development in the areas of interpersonal relationships and group dynamics. A couple books that have been invaluable for me are Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities by Diana Leafe Christian; and The Way of Conflict: Elemental Wisdom for Resolving Disputes and Transcending Differences by Deidre Combs. And for a sampling of the wide array of communities that are out there, I would recommend checking out the Fellowship for Intentional Community (FIC) (http://fic.ic.org/).
So, what am I doing now to create a community where I can be my authentic self? you might ask. For the past couple of years I have been working with a group of people from all over the country to create Reclaiming-inspired intentional community. This is our vision and mission:
“All life is sacred and interconnected and each of us embodies the Divine. We imagine a world with shared power; intellectual, spiritual and creative freedom; a questioning attitude; open leadership; and a balance of individual autonomy with responsibility. We envision a world which values all genders, races, ages, sexual orientations, and people of different life situations and abilities. Our multi-generational, Reclaiming-inspired community honors the wild and calls for service to the Earth and community. We use permaculture and magic to support and engage in activism, provide healing for ourselves and others, and strive to live sustainably.”
I could fill this whole Dimensions with stories of our challenges and successes!! You can find out more about where we are at now by visiting our web-site: http://reclaimingcommunity.org/. More recently an immediate opportunity to go in on a group purchase of land near Diana’s Grove in Missouri in order to protect the land from clear cut logging has presented itself and I am involved in the creation of a LLC (Limited Liablity Company) to do that (http://www.dianasgrove.com/landproposal.html). And always I am creating community with my partner, Carol, my two dogs, and all the people (strangers, colleagues and friends) who I interact with in my daily life.
Thank you to all of you who are a part of this Shadybrook community. Even though distance keeps me from being more actively involved, I am honored to be able to still call myself a member of Shadybrook. I wish you the best as you continue to engage in the challenges of finding and articulating the common visions and intentions that will help Shadybrook to more fully become the community that your hearts desire, and that this world desperately needs.
Written by Diane Schurr. Photo by Carla Durnbaugh
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