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A world of possibilities.......
Where there is crisis, there is opportunity
Where there is change, there is renewal
Where there is unpredictability, there is room to dream
Where there is unknown, there is infinite potential
- New Zealand Dance Company
Greetings to all around the world. How are you?
Here in NZ we have the good fortune of having escaped the Covid19 pandemic relatively unscathed, and are now turning our energies towards building a different future. Other places in the world are still in the grip of incredible turmoil and distress. This contrast, like many others, can be jarring. Nowhere we can get too comfortable. Everything feels so out there in the open now, everything affecting everything else, and we simply can't ignore the pain of the world. This is where the teachings come alive, here and now, as we continue learning to open the heart to embrace it all. It is good to remember the profound openness that Dharma invites us into - the mystery of life unfolding, and to be that surfer on the crest of its wave, with tools and skills to plant seeds of love and clear seeing for the benefit of the whole as we ride.
With this in mind, we warmly welcome anyone and everyone to come to our Annual AGM and Hui weekend 24th - 26th July, even those who may not be members, or consider themselves "active". This is really the first opportunity we have had to come together as a community since New Zealand's lockdown, and will be a precious time to reconnect and let our collective energy nourish us all.
Registrations are necessary for the Hui and AGM weekend, so please email Amber at wangapekacentre@gmail.com by Friday July 17th with your accommodation requests and dietary requirements.
All the details about the weekend are in this Newsphere, as well as a lovely review of the recent retreat on Angelic Archetypes with Mira.
Hope to see you there!
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Kumanu Wangapeka
From BOT Meeting 13th June :
Visioning the future
The BOT and caretakers met at the centre this month and started with a morning discussion to explore possibilities that could emerge in response to Covid 19 circumstances and as part of the centre’s natural evolution.
Some of the ideas we touched on included ways to foster volunteer opportunities:
* Through hands on practical work
* Through a combination of work and deepening meditation practice
* Through experienced resident practitioners supporting daily meditation practices at a group or individual level
* Through a range of short term and medium term time frames.
This is a process that we want to explore fully with the wider community incorporating many ideas that have been suggested previously and are bubbling along. We will keep you informed and welcome involvement…
To read the full Kumanu report, Read here
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Send in your photos!
If anyone has any photos of Wangapeka nature or people, send them in! We're always on the hunt for photos we can use, both in Newsphere and in our social media outlets. A picture says a thousand words, and it's so great to be able to use pictures taken by members of the community.
We also welcome any suggestions of what you'd like to read in Newsphere, as well as any stories, articles or poems you'd like to submit, reflections on your experience at the Wangapeka or inspiration that has arisen from it.
Please send your contributions to wanga.comms@gmail.com anytime.
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Who Are We, Here?
2020 Annual Community Hui
24th - 25th July
Facilitated by Elli, Dan, Hadleigh, Willow and Rowan
“This body of ours is conditioned by families and societies, by thoughts and dreams …”
Living in a time of global upheaval can deeply affect our inner worlds and raise questions that call us beyond habitual patterns of relationship and action.
What does it mean to recognise and acknowledge the historical wounds that have shaped our society? How can we hold this alongside aspirations for transformation and healing? How might we approach this work together as a sangha, stepping into spaces of challenging learning, with wisdom and compassion as our lamp and staff?
As a Wangapeka community, we cultivate skills passed down through an ancient lineage that help us navigate the complexity of our daily lives. The colonial history of Aotearoa raises particular questions of identity, power, and relationship to place. This year’s hui is a chance for enquiry into these questions, embracing the diversity of experiences and perspectives within our circle.
It is our intention that the hui open an empowering, heart-led space for investigating the ancestral lines and multiple histories that have led us to this moment. Through this wholesome intention, we hope to explore what it means to be good ancestors and lineage holders in Aotearoa. We look forward to your presence in the circle.
Practical things:
You may arrive on Friday evening for shared kai, or Saturday morning for the whole day, or on Sunday morning for the AGM, or all of the above! We only ask that you come for the whole of Saturday, rather than arriving halfway through the day. If you come on Friday night, please bring dinner to share if possible for a truly co-created feast. We will provide soup and bread to supplement, so if cooking or shopping is a barrier for you at the end of the week, please come empty-handed, prepared to be well nourished.
Rough schedule:
Friday night -
6 potluck dinner
7 orientation for the weekend
Group sit
Saturday -
6.30 morning sit
7.15 breakfast
9 - 12 morning session
12.30 lunch
Afternoon session, times TBC
6 dinner
Emergent evening activities
Course Manager: elliyates@gmail.com
Link here to website
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Invitation to the AGM
Kia ora koutou! You are warmly invited to attend.
This is a wonderful opportunity to come and spend time with the Community. The Wangapeka Trust is offering all food and accommodation for this weekend on the basis of dana.
Please come for the whole weekend, or just a day.
There will be a dana bowl for any contribution you would like to make to help run our Centre, as well as one for our wonderful cooks for the weekend.
RSVP is essential for catering and accommodation space allocation.
Please contact Amber wangapekacentre@gmail.com to by 17th July, at the latest, with your arrival and departure dates and times and also any dietary requirements.
Nominations for Board of Trustees
At the AGM, members are elected to the Trust Board. Nominations can be sent to the secretary Tim Leyland tjleyland@yahoo.com or can be made at the AGM itself. The nominees, movers and seconders all need to be financial members.
New members wanted for Board of Trustees
Please consider going on to the Board of Trustees. This is also dana; offering your time to attend the monthly Trust Board meetings in person or on Zoom. Engaging with the other Trust Board members in this way is always a good and worthwhile experience. While the Board would benefit from some new faces at Trust Board meetings, it would also really like someone to take on the position of Treasurer. While Pierre Mitchell continues to do a great job looking after our financial wellbeing, he would be very happy to give advice and help anyone new easing into this role.
Notice of Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of the Wangapeka Educational Trust will be
held in the main hall at Wangapeka at 9.00am on Sunday 26 July 2020
Agenda
- Short meditation
- Apologies
- Minutes of 2019 AGM
- Matters arising
- Reports
- a. Treasurer
- b. Coordinator
- c. Office caretaker
- d. Land caretaker
- e. Maintenance
- f. Programme
- g. Communications
- Election of Trust Board members
- Any other business
Lunch will be at 12.30pm
Link here to website
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The Wisdom of Angelic Archetypes Retreat Review
by Arielle Kauaeroa Monk
Well, I don't think any of us were expecting the wisdoms that were bestowed upon us during the Angelic Archetypes retreat with Mira Riddiford at the Wangapeka in early June. But sacred wisdom we have all received, with gratitude. A neophyte retreatee, I had visions of blissful sessions on angel whisperings and hours meditating in the hills. The reality? My 10 month old squalling in the night, intensive sessions excavating the effects of systems of oppression, and the contemplation of practice without awareness equaling spiritual bypassing. Mira is an unflinchingly honest teacher. The kind of teacher we need more of. We retreatants were reminded of the intersections within which we all exist in this human life, and how our spiritual experience is within those intersections – the depth of which may be measured by how deeply and presently we navigate them. The offering Mira prepared for us did indeed bask in those angelic whisperings – Raphael, Gabriel and Michael were all with us. Just as their shadow aspects were, with Mira facilitating the peeling back of the veils to help us expose what lay hidden within us all. I nurture my wish-fulfilling jewel morning and night, speak to the angels and try to stay woke. Ngā mihi nui ki a Mira me ngā hoa o Wangapeka.
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Life as It Is (2020)
A Family Friendly Retreat
with Louise, Karen, and Glen, 17 – 19 July 2020
A community practice weekend for everyone. All ages, family and community welcome.
Come and join us for a warm community weekend of mindful practice and exploration where we will explore together how we grow a sense of support, connectedness, curiosity and kindness no matter what is happening in our lives- at work, at school or at home. Read more.
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AGM and Community Hui 2020
24 – 26 July 2020
You are warmly invited to attend! This is a wonderful opportunity to come and spend time with the Community. The Wangapeka Trust is offering all food and accommodation for this weekend on the basis of Dana. Please come for the whole weekend, or just a day. There will be a Dana bowl for any contribution you would like to make to help run our Centre.
RSVP is essential for catering and accommodation space allocation, especially if there is still Covid 19 social distancing requirement.
Please contact Amber wangapekacentre@gmail.com to by 17th July, at the latest, with your arrival and departure dates and times and also any dietary requirements. Read more.
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Chenrezig Meditation Retreat
with Mark Schrader, 31 July – 4 August 2020
This is an experiential meditation course that focuses on developing compassion for both oneself and for others. Both beginners and those wishing to deepen their practice are welcome to attend. Read more.
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Harp Meditation and Intuitive Development Retreat
with Annemieke Harmonie, 7 – 10 August 2020
A journey of light, remembering and insight, embracing the parts of us that are needing us most. The sounds of the harp interwoven with words and intention will take you deeper into yourself, where you can safely explore while being held by the soothing sounds of the harp. These harp guided explorations have lasting positive effects. Read more.
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Every Precious Moment – Mindfulness of Death, Impermanence & Uncertainty
with Della, Di, and Chani, 14 – 16 August 2020
Death isn’t just something that happens on one particular day. Death and dying are intimately related to life and living. In this weekend workshop, we will work together to explore what it truly means to make friends with life’s only certainty. Read more.
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Explorations and Mindfulness on the Nature of Wangapeka
with John Massey, 21 – 23 August 2020
The ‘Book’ of nature is the greatest book. Antonio Gaudi said ” nature is a book, read it”!
An opportunity to focus on the foundational practises of Compassion, Wisdom and Non-clinging Awareness through this eternal relationship between ourselves and the natural world we inhabit. Read more.
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Don't Just Do Something.
Sit there! (2020)
with Duncan, Jane, and Mark, 28 – 30 August 2020
Want to learn to meditate? Perhaps you have tried and need some more skills and extra encouragement? Or possibly, you already meditate and wish to develop your practice and drop into a full weekend of meditation. If so, then this weekend retreat will support you in exploring this.. Read more.
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Sanctuary In Uncertainty
Insight Meditation Retreat
with Jeremy and Kanya, 16 – 20 September 2020
In these unprecedented times of radical change and uncertainty, a new world is being born. Courage and compassionate presence strengthens us to face into the chaos and not turn away. With wisdom and determination, we can move forward together to create a world based on justice, kindness, and shared resources, rather than on greed, hatred and delusion. Read more.
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Coming Down to Earth
At Home in the Body, At Home in the World
with Chani Grieve, 15 – 21 October 2020
Our journey to freedom starts with the body. It offers a down-to-earth and
immediate way to connect with ourselves and align with what is real. Our
bodies show us exactly where we are, and also the next step we need to take along our path. In this retreat we will explore through movement,
meditation, and creative enquiry, the intimate relationship between healing
ourselves and restoring our world. Read more.
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Advanced Shamanic Training & Vision Quest
with Dr. John Broomfield, 29 October 2020 – 2 November 2020
This is a rare opportunity for intensive practice with a senior shamanic teacher. Exploration of shamanic cultures from around the world will lay the groundwork for our own practice of advanced techniques. Read more.
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Garden of Mindfulness Family Retreat
Alice in Wonderland Edition
28 December 2020 – 4 January 2021
This year’s Garden of Mindfulness is based on the themes in “Alice in Wonderland”, including by special request a focus on the Fool archetype via The Mad Hatter, and the rivers of creativity flowing through Sarasvati via Alice. Read more.
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