Pause…

“In the expectation of wonderful things to happen in the future one doesn’t hear the sound of the wind and rain, the breath and heartbeat of this instant.”

—Toni Packer

And so we pause, not because we made a decision to, but because it’s where we find ourselves in the middle of this pandemic. And in this pause there is the sound of bird wings, of a chorus of peepers; the sensation of warm sun and chilly breezes on the skin. Formerly missed perhaps, “in the expectation of wonderful things to happen in the future.”

And now, “the news we hear is full of grief for that future, but the real news inside here is there’s no news at all.”

— Rumi

~~~~~~

We are learning about alternative ways of connecting with friends and have begun to take advantage of these. For the first time ever the Center held a group event on Zoom on April 4. Fifty old and new friends gathered for three hours to sit in silence, listen to a talk, and dialogue together and for those moments there was a beautiful kinship that emerged from this “pause.”

While the Center remains closed, in an effort to share many more of these moments, the Center will continue to offer events via Zoom and look for ways to keep in touch. We will keep you in touch as we move forward.

In regards to the pandemic, Susan Schepp has written “Being Here in the Midst of Uncertainty” which is posted on the Center’s FaceBook page.

Let us know how you are or aren’t staying connected and what these days have been like for you. It would be wonderful to hear from you and perhaps we can share your thoughts in a later update.

April 25-28 Online Retreat

Because of the ongoing Coronavirus situation, we will be offering our April 4-Day retreat as an online retreat. We will gather in virtual presence using the Zoom platform and there will be daily talks, sitting periods and both group and one-on-one meeting times. Stew Glick, who was to lead the April Retreat, cannot commit to a full time attendance at this retreat, but the entire teaching/retreat facilitator staff has indicated that they will also be participating in the retreat, as their schedules permit.

We hope to have a good working draft of a schedule available within a few days—and plan to post it on our web and Facebook sites. We do need to make some considerations around time-zone issues and will re-arrange and reduce some of the group sitting periods. The retreat will begin on the morning of April 25.

While we hope to see many of you (virtually!) at this upcoming event, we would like to limit attendance enough to make it possible for one of the eight retreat teachers to participate in each breakout dialogue group. This would still, however, allow for about 60 participants, more than we can physically accommodate here in Springwater.

Register for this retreat by email. Registered participants will receive an email with a schedule for the retreat and a link for Zoom.

While not asking for our normal retreat contribution, it would be helpful if people were willing and able to make a nominal donation of $25 a day or $100 for the whole retreat. Click the button below to make a donation. In the Comment box on the donation page let us know that your contribution is for the April 25-28 retreat.

Thanks so much for your continuing interest and support of the Center! We look forward to sharing this new way of being by ourselves and together—and perhaps seeing that in the quiet stillness of retreat—and in the noise and movement of daily life—we are never apart, that we are never really separate from each other, or the whole of life.

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What about the May and June retreats?

At this time we can only assume that the 10 Day retreat, May 9-19 and the 7 Day retreat, June 6-13 will not take place as planned. The same can be said for the May 30 All Day Sitting. In their stead online retreats will more than likely be offered. As more is known, those who have registered will be contacted in regard to any refunds that need to be made.

Sittings, Dialogues and Meetings with Teachers/Facilitators on Zoom

Plans are being made to live stream morning and evening sittings and weekly group dialogues on Zoom. In addition, Springwater Center teacher/facilitators will be available for one on one meetings by appointment, also on Zoom. Check your email for details in the upcoming days.

Erica Finch Rejoins Staff

Welcome back Erica! Since her return she has been hard at work getting the garden ready for planting and learning all the ins and outs of the Zoom platform in preparation for the Center’s new online offerings. And that’s not all, she has enthusiastically pitched in wherever help has been needed. It’s good to have her back.

Susan Parks

Susan’s good friend Susan Esons told us of her death in March in a loving letter, which was posted on the Center’s FaceBook page.

Friends here mourn Susan’s passing. She was a long-time member and good friend of the Center. We remember with love her lively updates from sojourns in Italy, and her gifts of hand-made soap and goat cheese. Above all, we will miss her alive, gentle, intelligent presence in retreat. Our deepest condolences go to her spouse, Jane Kerstetter.

The only reading material Susan kept by her bed was a small booklet, “Hsin hsin ming, verses on the faith-mind” by Sengtsan (Sosan in Japanese), the third Chinese Zen patriarch, translated from the Chinese by Richard B. Clarke. A few lines from it:

For the unified mind in accord with the Way
all self-centered striving ceases.
Doubts and irresolutions vanish
and life in true faith is possible.
With a single stroke we are freed from bondage;
nothing clings to us and we hold to nothing,
All is empty, clear, self-illuminating,
with no exertion of the mind’s power.
Here thought, feeling, knowledge, and imagination
are of no value.
In this world of Suchness
there is neither self nor other-than-self.

CARES Act Tax Deduction Available

Closing the Center because of the Coronavirus epidemic has meant a major loss of income from guest stays and retreats. At the same time the Center has just incurred some heavy, unexpected repair costs. We’ve applied for a Paycheck Protection loan through the government’s stimulus package, as well as a disaster relief grant.

During this period of economic uncertainty, donations to the Center are especially needed and welcome. Donations may be eligible, through the CARES Act, for a new, above the line deduction for up to $300 of contributions to a charitable organization. There are several links online explaining who’s eligible, or consult a financial adviser or tax preparer for information.

Thank you all for your support and interest in these unprecedented times.

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Special Edition April Update