Back in November (announced in December), I had the bright idea to share with others a retreat format for incubating creative ideas and projects that had really helped me move forward with clarity of purpose - especially when (and maybe because) I was at a crossroads.
When this idea struck I wasn't in dire need of an "advance" (my spin on "retreat") myself. It would just be a nice good spring cleaning for my mind. I was in the sharing mode.
Little did I know then that I would be at a crossroads and the timing would be impeccable.
In this state of mind I find it awfully hard to market and sell others on this experiential "advance" because I know full well that I've nearly cancelled my own each time.
The voice we usually listen to will shriek "Do not go. Turn back now." That voice will find incredibly valid excuses not to. There is never a "perfect time" to listen to the quiet centered Voice that has been drowned out. In truth the last thing I want to do is to carve out a few days to listen to it. So how do I convince you when I'm dying to bale out myself?
And yet I've always managed to show up. Thank god.
Marketing an iPod, a breakfast cereal, or a running shoe is a very different thing. The voice that raucously shrieks adores seductive products: Come hither, immerse yourself in this and don't concern yourself...yes, forget...forget that silly silly still small Voice.
Right now, I'm sincerely NOT into managing a huge production organizing forty people for four days. I need this retreat, er advance, as much as anyone else attending. So in order to simplify things (although I take a big financial hit for doing so at this hour), here's the new format details:
- I'm opening up the format so that 1-day, 2-day and 3-day options are possible. I recommend all four nights - but it's up to you.
- Single day locals sampler runs from 8 am to 6 pm, $50 excluding Monday. Includes light breakfast, lunch, retreat materials. (One day is NOT enough time to incubate, but this will give you the information and a taste of the experential practices and exercises to conduct your own solo incubation at a later date.) Avail Sat or Sun.
- Two-day option: $90 (includes breakfasts, lunch, materials). Avail Sat, Sun or Sun, Mon.
- Three days or more option: $120 (includes breakfasts, lunch, materials). Avail Sat, Sun, Mon. (Also evening non-activities on Friday evening plus half-day Tuesday as well.)
- Overnighters: We'll probably include some more 'non'-activities after dinner. Dinner itself will be a self-organizing, collaborative creative act in teams (all wiki organized).
- Group and small-group activities will last no more than 2-3 hours per day (and one hour in evening); exercises in the handbook will give structure to optional solo practices the rest of the day with main focus on walking mindfully and attentively in the nature trails on your own, at your own pace.
- Lodging NOT included. Make your own lodging reservations at Hidden Villa, Los Altos, CA (in peninsula of the San Francisco Bay area), 650-949-8648, hostel at hiddenvilla dot org for any portion of this five day period (nights of April 8th, April 9th, April 10th, April 11th). This perfect retreat space nestled into the verdant hillside is typically booked months in advance because the ideal spring weather is a short window of opportunity (and it's entirely off limits in summer.) I released my block so it's now open to the public for reservations. So when it's full, it's full. In fact, you can book yourself into Hidden Villa and do your own thing too.
- If you have just two days, I highly recommend Sunday and Monday as they by far the quietest (closed to day use on Mondays). You can explore the trails and miles of open space abutting the hostel after checkout as well (use the kitchen and showers before you checkout). My March 2004 retreat up in Hidden Villa started Sunday afternoon. I checked out Tuesday at 11 a.m. and continued my walking meditation punctuated by sunny meadow naps well into the afternoon - and that was just two nights lodging and one of my most productive "advances".
- Don't worry: I'm organizing it so it'll work no matter when you show up that weekend and you'll gain reinforcement of the core practices plus additional practices and exercises the longer you stay. Just Saturday, fine. Sat & Sun, great. Fri night, Sat, Sun, Mon through Tue pm, great - in fact, I'm right with you. Just Sunday, fine. (I'm looking into the just Monday option.) I am focused having the bulk of the overnighters be present for: Sunday pm-Monday-Tue pm folks. I'm holding out some great exercises for Monday.
- Please email me and let me know you are going, when and I'll add you to the list. Send checks to ($50, $90 or $120): Evelyn Rodriguez, PO Box 490, Mountain View, CA 94042. Don't forget to book your own rooms if you are staying overnight.
- Bring a friend referral: Deduct $15 for each friend you invite that signs up with you (please list your friends' names and emails, submit separate or combined check in one envelope).
- What if I'm just dropping in for single day? Can I drop by without pre-payment? I'd be great to give you directions, tell you where to meet and what to bring AND I'd really like to limit each day's group to a managable number like 20 max (preferably smaller). So there will be limits. Email me at crossroadsdispatches at gmail dot com even if it is merely "a possibility" and even if seems "too" late. After April 6th, in person payments at the advance are preferable.
Bonus! No temptations - cellphones don't work and you won't be able to blog as there's no Internet access!
This is not simply a vacation. I rarely come away from most of my vacations with any applicable insights - yup, even if I do nothing but lounge around on a beach sipping banana shakes and reading paperback novels (no, not my typical vacation, but I had ten days on beach isles in December that fits that bill).
Within a few days of leaving each "advance" I feel absolutely clear about what to do next - and I'm out of handy waffling excuses (no more "gee, I'm not sure if that is what I am meant to do", for instance). (Yikes, methinks I don't like that part about not having justification of my listlessness and lack of action any more.) I've done three of these "advances" and I know they truly do work for me.
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