Bill and Jennifer Marratt hosted us at Blue Mountain Farm. Their beautiful retreat center is in a very private setting of forty lush acres of hiking trails, woodlands, and wetlands in the Nooksack Valley near Bellingham. The rural setting was perfect for us. Immediately to the east lie hundreds of square miles of undeveloped government lands, providing ample opportunity for introspective walks and invigorating hikes. Our meals were lovingly prepared and timed to match our exact needs. We had a building to ourselves. Bill built a fire in the fireplace of our private meeting room every night. We spent nearly six hours with Tana Hamiter, who led us in shamanic journey work. For me, this evoked a stronger sense of who I am and who our staff is, individually and collectively. We were also joined by Arlene Arnold (who no longer works with us here, but with whom there remains a strong two-way energetic connection). Arlene has been doing incredible work with color, and led us in a powerful meditation. When we completed our work together late each evening, we relaxed in the hot tub under starry skies. I had sort of expected our time together to result in a list of refinements to the things that we do or ideas about things that we could do. None of that was to happen. The outcome of our time together clearly pointed to aligning our life energy collectively and individually more closely to the goals, purposes, and values that The New Times stands for — in a similar way as the energy imbued in a lovingly prepared meal is passed on to diners. So here at The New Times we are reexamining our routine to look for ways that we can imbue all that we do and produce with the highest principles that we are working toward. On November 5, I had the opportunity to participate in Gregg Braden's 8½-hour workshop on "Decoding the Lost Science of Prayer and Prophecy." Of the many themes that emerged, one that seems appropriate to me right now is that prayer shouldn't be reserved just for special times and settings, but rather can be integrated into all aspects of our daily lives. For me, this would mean being more clear about my values and intent, making choices that are consistent with my values, holding energy for the needs and aspirations of those who are important in my life, and consciously transmuting negative energy when I come into contact with it. Parenthetically, one of the many blessings of this work for me is the wonderful, positive people that I work with, but occasionally I do run into someone who is spewing negative energy. Interestingly, because it is increasingly rare that I do interact with a negative personality, I notice that the impact on me seems more intense. I guess I used to have thicker skin, so I am now called to master a different art. The changes that you will notice in coming issues of The New Times as a result of our retreat will likely be more subtle, but perhaps more profound, than any in recent years. I'm guessing that if you are reading this column, you must like something, if not many things, about what I am doing, what my staff are doing, and what the collective community that is embodied in our work brings to each issue. I'd like to put in a blatant plug for you to consider giving a subscription of The New Times to someone important in your life, including yourself. On the next page, you'll find details about how to do that as well as information on special savings through December. Why should you pay for a subscription to a publication that is given away free? First of all, you get convenient home or office delivery, and never have to worry about missing an issue. Secondly, because I only have the resources to give away a limited number of copies, your subscription makes a copy available to another first-time reader whose life can be blessed and enriched by our work. And finally, you make a choice that supports and energizes our vision. Usually I don't toot my own horn, but based on the feedback that I receive from people who spend time in other parts of the country and have the opportunity to compare The New Times with publications with similar content in other geographic areas, The New Times is a truly outstanding publication. We are entering a time of year that is filled with expectations, stress, limitations, beauty, and bounty. My wish for you is that you find more clarity in your values and intent, that you are drawn to choices that are consistent with your values, that you are able to take the time to hold energy for important persons and concerns in your life, and that your are able to transmute the difficult interpersonal relationships you may experience. Many blessings to you. |
One of my continual frustrations at The New Times has been my limited ability to have time for myself and still put in the long hours to required to meet our weekly deadlines. I certainly have gained a huge amount of respect for small business owners who must pour enormous amounts of energy into their work. I am happy to report that our four-person staff went on a retreat the weekend prior to commencing work on the four-week process of bringing you the December issue.