things take
the time
they take
– mary oliver
Above is one sacred moment I recorded on my phone early one morning on Squam lake. I hope you will take a minute to sink in an enjoy it, let the peace and stillness (that is also full of birdsong and moving skies and water) offer solace to your spirit.
It is no secret that the poems of Mary Oliver have carried me through many, many life experiences and always seemed to have just the right wisdom for whatever situation I was navigating. Her poem, “Things Take the Time They Take” is probably close to a mantra in my world. I refer to it frequently, never more often than this past year and, more specifically, in the past weeks as I have worked to get some wonderful retreats ready for you.
Everything is now ready for you to review and reflect upon. It may be that 2021 is not the year for you to join us again, but you can certainly window shop and enjoy getting to know the teachers and their magic. If you ARE able to join us– wow, beyond exciting and thrilling.
However, please do remember– no stress. No urgency. The reason I had put in the pre-registration option so many years ago was to mitigate the sense of rush.
Because I am on my own here at Squam HQ for the foreseeable future, I don’t have the margins to offer that. So, you can register TODAY, but please don’t stress or rush– trust everything will roll out just as it should. There is always time enough.
This past year has been so grueling, so draining to our personal and collective energies, my hope is that these gatherings will provide you the perfect environment to nurture and replenish your vitality, joy and spirit.
And so, as intention has organizing power,
please begin with steady calm so that the entire experience,
from start to finish is held in a vibration of clear, true light.
No stress no urgency. If it feels right, great. If for any reason this isn’t a yes for you this year, let it go– there will be a time that feels exactly right.
My hope for all of us is that these gatherings will be richer and more meaningful than ever as we will have so many stories to share, so much courage, sorrow, loss, discovery and growth that this past year has given us that, together, we can turn into gold.
bisous, Elizabeth
photo of Phoebe Wahl artwork by Kaitlin Bouchard
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