Freeheart Events

Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party

2008-11-14T19:12:00.001-05:00

The Eighth Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party is happening on
Saturday, November 22nd, 2008, 3:00 PM - 12:00 PM

You are enthusiastically invited to the Annual Autumn Leaf Pile
Jumping Party, taking place at my home in Vienna, Virginia. This is an
open invitation - you are welcome to invite your friends and post to
other lists. Kids are especially welcome!

When is the last time you jumped into a large pile of leaves? Has it
been years? Well, here's your chance. I am collecting leaves from the
entire neighborhood, and you are invited to come and jump, roll, play
and frolic. We might even allow the kids to play too! We will also
have hot spiced cider, hot chocolate, and some other traditional fall
things.

Very approximate schedule:

3:00 leaf pile jumping, hot cider
5:00 potluck dinner
7:00 autumn ritual
8:00 chatting, hot tub

You are welcome to come to part or all of the event.

LEAF PILE - A chance for everyone to get loose and silly, and have a
lot of fun. A note from the experienced: sweaters can gather a lot of
leaf fragments that are hard to get out. You may want to wear
something less porous.

POT LUCK - Bring a dish to feed 5 people - main/side dishes
especially welcome. Please email/call me with what you want to bring,
so we don't wind up with 30 pumpkin pies!

AUTUMN RITUAL - This time of year traditionally marks the end of the
harvest before the winter. As the plants began to die and the weather
turned colder it was natural to become introspective. We will have a
simple ceremony where we reflect on the necessity to let go of things
in our lives that have passed on, and to look at our own impermanence,
preparing us to let go of the old before we welcome the new at the
turning of the year. You are welcome to join us for this moment of
introspection.

HOT TUB - After the ritual will be a time of socializing, and we will
open the hot tub, which is clothing-optional. Towels are provided.

PLEASE RSVP TO gene@freeheart.net, or phone 703-255-1009, and let me
know what you would like to bring for the pot luck. In case of bad
weather, please call before you come.

Hope to see you there!

Gene

Gathering - Trip report on Communities in Oregon

2008-03-30T19:00:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, Heidi and I will give a trip report on the various communities we visited in Portland and Eugene during our two-week trip to Oregon, and I will be giving some thoughts about the vision of community that is alive for me today.

Doors will be open at 7 PM as usual, but due to scheduling, the meeting this week won't start until 8 PM. Hope to see you there!

Gathering - Individualism and Community

2008-02-24T08:40:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite topics, the interplay between our desire for individualism and our desire for connection. This Sunday we will have a discussion on these two influences, and look at what we ourselves want in our lives.

At the bottom of this email is an excerpt from a book I am reading called "American Ways", a book intended to help foreigners coming to the US the unique differences in American culture that they need to be prepared for. It has stirred my thoughts a lot as I have prepared for a trip to Portland, Oregon, in my own personal quest for community. I hope you can make this gathering.

* * *

Freeheart Gatherings are a place where people gather who are seeking a
richer physical, emotional, and spiritual life. Unless otherwise
announced, events take place in Vienna from 7 - 9:30 PM on Sunday
nights. Gatherings are free, and donations for expenses are also
welcome. Bring snacks or drink to share. Topics are usually announced
a few days before the event.

For more information on this and other events, go to
http://freeheart.net/events .

* * *

Excerpt from "American Ways" by Gary Althen

Individualism

The most important thing to understand about Americans is probably
their devotion to individualism. They are trained from very early in
their lives to consider themselves as separate individuals who are
responsible for their own situations in life and their own destinies.
They are not trained to see themselves as members of a close-knit,
interdependent family, religious group, tribe, nation, or any other
collectivity.

You can see it in the way Americans treat their children. One day I
was at a local shopping mall, waiting in line to buy an Orange Julius.
(An Orange Julius is a cool drink made in a blender with orange juice,
ice, and some other ingredients.) Behind me in the line was a woman
with two children, a boy who was about three years old and a girl who
was about five. The boy had his hand in a pocket of his blue jeans,
and I could hear that he had some coins in there.

The boy asked his mother, "Can I get an Orange Julius?" "No," she said
to him. "You don't have enough money left for an Orange Julius.
Remember you bought that cookie a while ago. You do have enough money
for a hot dog. So you could get a hot dog now if you want to. Or, you
could save your money, and sometime later when you have enough money,
we could come back here and you could get an Orange Julius."

When I tell this story to people from other countries, they usually
react with disbelief. The idea that a child so young would even have
his own money to spend, let alone be expected to decide how to spend
it, seems beyond their comprehension. Here is a young child whose own
mother is forcing him to make a decision that affects not just his
situation at the moment-whether or not to get a hot dog-but that will
affect him at some unspecified time in the future, when he will have
more money...

This particular mother mayor may not have owned a copy of Dr. Benjamin
Spock's famous book, Dr. Spock's Health and Child Care, to which
millions of American parents have long turned for information and
advice on raising their children. The most recent version of the book
makes this observation:

In the United States ... very few children are raised to believe that
their principal destiny is to serve their family, their country, or
their God [as is the practice in some other countries]. Generally
children [in the United States] are given the feeling that they can
set their own aims and occupation in life, according to their
inclinations. We are raising them to be rugged individualists ....
(1998, 7)

While it has become more acceptable in light of changing economic
circumstances (especially higher housing costs) for young adults to
live in their parents' house, the ideal of independence after high
school graduation remains. If it is economically feasible for them to
do so, young adult Americans are expected to live apart from their
parents, either on their own or in college, or risk being viewed as
immature, "tied to their mother's apron strings," or otherwise unable
to lead a normal, independent life.

Research by social scientists indicates that the culture of the United
States is the most individualistic (or second most, after Australia)
in the world. American individualism was perhaps epitomized by a
"Walkman dance" at a major university. Students assembled in a large
room, where they all danced alone to whatever music they were playing
on their own Walkman.

Americans are trained to conceive of themselves as separate
individuals, and they assume everyone else in the world is too. When
they encounter a person from abroad who seems to them excessively
concerned with the opinions of parents, with following traditions, or
with fulfilling obligations to others, they assume that the person
feels trapped or is weak, indecisive, or "overly dependent." They
assume all people must resent being in situations where they are not
"free to make up their own minds." They assume, furthermore, that
after living for a time in the United States, people will come to feel
"Liberated" from constraints arising from outside themselves and will
be grateful for the opportunity to "do their own thing" and "have it
their own way." As indeed, many are.

It is this concept of themselves as individual decision makers that
blinds at least some Americans to the fact that they share a culture
with each other. They often have the idea, as mentioned above, that
they have independently made up their own minds about the values and
assumptions they hold. The notion that social factors outside
themselves have made them "just like everyone else" in important ways
offends their sense of dignity.

Americans, then, consider the ideal person to be an individualistic,
self-reliant, independent person. They assume, incorrectly, that
people from elsewhere share this value and this self-concept. In the
degree to which they glorify "the individual" who stands alone and
makes his or her own decisions, Americans are quite distinctive.

The individual that Americans idealize prefers an atmosphere of
freedom, where neither the government nor any other external force or
agency dictates what the individual does. For Americans, the idea of
individual freedom has strong, positive connotations.

By contrast, people from many other cultures regard some of the
behavior Americans legitimize by the label "individual freedom" to be
self-centered and lacking in consideration for others. Mr. Wilson (see
pages xx-xxii) and his mother are good American individualists, living
their own lives and interfering as little as possible with others.
Tariq Nassar found their behavior almost immoral.

Foreign visitors who understand the degree to which Americans are
imbued with the notion that the free, self-reliant individual is the
ideal kind of human being will be able to understand many aspects of
American behavior and thinking that otherwise might not make sense. A
very few of many possible examples:

· Americans see as heroes those individuals who "stand out from the
crowd" by doing something first, longest, most often, or otherwise
"best." Real-life examples are aviators Charles Lindbergh and Amelia
Earhart, golfer Tiger Woods, and basketball player Michael Jordan.
Perhaps the best example from the world of fiction is the American
cowboy as portrayed by such motion-picture actors as John Wayne and
Clint Eastwood.

· Americans admire people who have overcome adverse circumstances (for
example, poverty or a physical handicap) and "succeeded" in life.
Booker 1. Washington, a famous nineteenth-century African American
educator, is one example; the blind and deaf author and lecturer,
Helen Keller, is another.

· Many Americans do not display the degree of respect for their
parents that people in more traditional or family-oriented societies
commonly do. From their point of view, being born to particular
parents was a sort of historical or biological accident. The parents
fulfill their responsibilities to the children while the children are
young, but when the children have reached "the age of independence,"
the close child-parent tie is loosened, occasionally even broken.

· It is not unusual for Americans who are beyond the age of about
twenty-two (and sometimes younger) and who are still living with their
parents to pay their parents for room and board. Elderly parents
living with their grown children may do likewise. Paying for room and
board is a way of showing independence, self-reliance, and
responsibility for oneself.

· Certain phrases one commonly hears among Americans capture their
devotion to individualism:

"You'll have to decide that for yourself." "If you don't look out for
yourself, no one else will." "Look out for number one." "Be your own
best friend."

In the late 1900s, social scientists who studied cultural differences
published extensively about differences between individualistic and
collectivistic societies. Some of their articles offered observations
that can be quite helpful to collectivists and others trying to
understand American culture. Two examples follow; both mention ideas
that are addressed elsewhere in this book.

In the late 1900s, social scientists who studied cultural differences
published extensively about differences between individualistic and
collectivistic societies. Some of their articles offered observations
that can be quite helpful to collectivists and others trying to
understand American culture.

To transcend the distance between self and others, people in
individualistic societies have to develop a certain set of social
skills. These include public speaking meeting others quickly and
putting them at ease ... , making a good first impression, and being
well mannered, cordial, and verbally fluent during initial encounters
with others. These skills are not as necessary for collectivists. When
it comes time for a person to meet unknown others in the larger
society, members of the collective act as go-betweens and make
introductions, describe the person's accomplishments and abilities,
and so forth .... In short, individualists have to rely on themselves
and to develop skills that allow them to branch out in society.
Collectivists have a supportive group that assists in this same goal.
(Brislin 1990, 21-22)

Collectivists will want to understand that individualists are,
according to Harry Triandis, Richard Brislin, and C. H. Hui, likely to

· pay relatively little attention to groups (including families) they
belong to,

· be proud of their accomplishments and expect others to feel proud of
their own accomplishments,

· be more involved with their peers and less involved with people who
are older or more senior in an organization, and be more comfortable
in social relationships with those who are their equals and less
comfortable in relationships with people of higher or lower status
than themselves,

· act competitively,

· define status in terms of accomplishments (what they have achieved
through their own efforts) rather than relationships or affiliations
(the family or other group to which they belong),

· seem relatively unconcerned about being cooperative or having smooth
interpersonal relations,

· seem satisfied with relationships that seem superficial and short-term,

· be ready to "do business" very soon after meeting, without much time
spent on preliminary gettingacquainted conversation,

· place great importance on written rules, procedures, and deadlines,
such as leases, contracts, and appointments,

· be suspicious of, rather than automatically respectful toward,
people in authority, and

· assume that people in general need to be alone some of the time and
prefer to take care of problems by themselves. (1988,271)

Gathering - Eckhard Tolle, part II

2008-01-06T13:46:00.000-05:00

We had a good crowd last time, and stopped the video half way through in order to discuss it before we all lost what had been presented. This Sunday I will show the second half of Echart Tolle's "The Flowering of Human Consciousness - Everyone's Life Purpose". You do not have to have seen the first half in order to get something out of it. Hope to see you there!

The Flowering of Human Consciousness

2007-12-16T22:49:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I will be showing a DVD of Echart Tolle's "The Flowering of Human Consciousness - Everyone's Life Purpose". I have not reviewed it, but as I like Tolle's stuff, I expect to enjoy this. It is a DVD of a lecture - he is a very slow, deliberate talker, so don't come expecting an action film - it is much more on the meditative/philosophical side.

From the Tolle website:

"In The Flowering of Human Consciousness, you will come face to face with Eckhart Tolle, for a transformational meeting with this respected teacher and influential author. In clear language, Eckhart explains the process of entering the "miraculous" state of presence that is always available to us. We are lost, he says, in the maze of our own compulsive thoughts. Only by ceasing this "mental noise" can we dissolve our egos, and enable the "flowering of a new consciousness" to proceed - a transformation that cannot be understood with the mind. From guidance about stress and career to insights into the nature of the ego and the delusion of time, here is a far-reaching session that documents the vision of this modern spiritual teacher, and the truth he brings."

I have a 21" screen, which is sufficient for a small group - if anyone has a larger one they would be willing to bring for the occasion, please let me know.

Annual Leaf Pile Jumping Party

2007-11-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

Due to wet weather most of this week, I'm postponing the party in the hopes that we will have some dry days producing that nice large pile of leaves we are hoping for. So I am postponing the party one week to Saturday, the 24th. All other details as before. I apologize for the change in schedule, and hope you all can still make it.

If you forwarded the original notice to someone, please let them know of the change of date also. Thanks.The Seventh Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party is happening on Saturday, November 24th, 2007, 3:00 PM - 12:00 PM

You are enthusiastically invited to the Annual Autumn Leaf Pile
Jumping Party, taking place at my home in Vienna, Virginia. This
is an open invitation - you are welcome to invite your friends and
post to other lists. Kids are especially welcome!

When is the last time you jumped into a large pile of leaves?
Has it been years? Well, here's your chance. I am collecting
leaves from the entire neighborhood, and you are invited to come
and jump, roll, play and frolic. We might even allow the kids to
play too! We will also have hot spiced cider, hot chocolate, and
some other traditional fall things.

Very approximate schedule:

3:00 leaf pile jumping, hot cider
5:00 potluck dinner
7:00 autumn ritual
8:00 chatting, hot tub

You are welcome to come to part or all of the event.

LEAF PILE
A chance for everyone to get loose and silly, and have a lot of
fun. A note from the experienced: sweaters can gather a lot of
leaf fragments that are hard to get out. You may want to wear
something less porous.

POT LUCK
Bring a dish to feed 5 people - main/side dishes especially
welcome. Please email/call me with what you want to bring, so
we don't wind up with 30 pumpkin pies!

AUTUMN RITUAL
This time of year is traditionally the final harvest celebration
of the agricultural year. As the plants began to die and the
weather turned colder it was natural to become introspective. It
is also the first holiday of the Celts, who believed that the
veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead
was thinnest at this time of year.

We will have a simple ceremony where we reflect on the necessity
to let go of things in our lives that have passed on, and to
look at our own impermanence, preparing us to let go of the old
before we welcome the new at the turning of the year. You are
welcome to join us for this moment of introspection.

HOT TUB
After the ritual will be a time of socializing, and we will open
the hot tub, which is clothing-optional. Towels are provided.

PLEASE RSVP TO gene@freeheart.net, or phone 703-255-1009, and let me
know what you would like to bring for the hot tub. In case of bad
weather, please call before you come.

Hope to see you there!

Gene

Next Gathering

2007-10-07T08:44:00.000-04:00

This date could change - please stay posted.

Gathering - Polyamory and other Alternative Lifestyles

2007-09-23T09:49:00.000-04:00

Many people in our area have experimented with polyamory (having multiple intimate relationships) and other alternative lifestyles - we will discuss the lifestyle and its advantages and disadvantages. Whether you are poly-experienced, poly-curious, or poly-sceptical, this should prove to be an interesting meeting for all.

Our discussion will be focused more on actual experience, and less on theory or opinion. The evening will include a "fishbowl discussion", where those with questions can anonymously ask those with experience what they want to know. And as with the last few meetings, we will take some time for our coffeehouse format, where you can discuss the topic in smaller informal groups. Please bring some tasty snacks or drinks to share during the discussion. I hope you will join us.

Gathering - Sex and Community

2007-08-19T09:48:00.002-04:00

Continuing on a topic we discussed several weeks ago, this meeting
will be focusing on several aspects of sex and community. One is the
phenomena of several groups and communities that have formed in the DC
area over the last few years, who seek to integrate sexuality into
their group as an integral part of what they are about. Another
aspect is sexual relationships within a community, their role, and
their effect on bonding or splitting within the community.

We will be using the coffeehouse format again for this gathering - we
will have time to mill, chat, group and regroup, casually exploring
questions and learning from other people's experiences. Bring some
snacks or food to share with the group. I hope you will join us.

Gathering - Do We Have What We Need?

2007-07-29T20:32:00.000-04:00

Do we have what we need to live an abundant life? Many struggle with their lives - they struggle with loneliness, with their own demons and fears, with finding satisfying relationships or making the ones they have work, with finding purpose in life. Is this the way it was meant to be?

For most of human history, community largely fulfilled many of these needs. Has the cult of individualism and the values of our society made real community inaccessible to us? Can community that satisfies our needs still be created in the modern world?

This Sunday, we will talk about the personal needs we find unfulfilled in our lives, and what would be necessary to have those needs met in community. Come join us and share your needs and your thoughts about community.

Awareness meeting

2007-06-24T07:45:00.000-04:00

A few years back, I created an Awareness Group that focused on becoming more aware - not only of the external world, but expecially of our internal world, the world of others, and how we interact. This Sunday's meeting will have a similar focus - we will look at personal awareness, the role of our shadow in preventing awareness, and gaining awareness through intuition.

Gathering - Autonomy, Relationship, and Community

2007-05-14T16:32:00.000-04:00

This Sunday we will discuss the differing dymanics between our autonomy and freedom as individuals, the dynamic sharing that happens in relationships, and belonging/identifying to a community. We live in a society where much of community has been lost, the family has gone nuclear, and individual freedom has become a cult. But where is the healthy balance? So many long for community, yet we are terrified to give up our autonomy and freedom. Must we? Is there a way to have both?

Come and join in discussing this topic of passion for many of us. I will also share more of my vision of Intimate Community as part of the evening.

We meet at 7 PM. Several people also like to come around 6:30 to do some contact improv, a simple and beautiful form of movement that you can learn in a few minutes - you're welcome to join us for that as well.

Gathering - Cycle of Life

2007-05-06T13:26:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, we will have a gathering with a simple exercise I am calling Cycles of Life. I picked this up from a medicine wheel located at Seven Oaks near Roanoke. We will have a chance to look at the cycle of life and intuit where we are in the cycle.

This week we will preceed our meeting with some contact improv, for those interested - a free-form group movement that is easy to learn, yet very meditative. The contact improv will start at 6:30. We may then have a short time of dancing to free our bodies and minds before we begin the meeting at 7 PM. I hope you will join us.

Gathering: Community and Sexuality

2007-04-15T22:11:00.000-04:00

Many small groups and communities today are much more open about sexuality than groups seemed to be in the past. Our community is very body friendly; hugs, cuddles, hot tubbing, and massage are common, and sexuality is an open subject.

There are many other groups and communities that may have some overlap, but which deal with sexuality in different ways - from simple body-friendly groups like CuddleBuddies, Cuddle Party, Esalen massage, nudist groups, to groups that deal with sexual energy and tantra, to alternative lifestyle groups such as polyamory, swingers, GLBT, BDSM, to groups that engage in sacred sexuality and ritual. Phenomena like "The Vagina Monologs", which one of our community members performs in, would have been unthinkable a generation ago. The list is very long.

What does this all mean? Freedom from the old morality? A slide into decadence? Honesty in facing our sexuality? Using sex as a distraction from deeper life issues? Integration of a part of us that is often treated with shame?

This Sunday, we will open up this "hot" topic for discussion. What part of the current trend bothers you? What has gotten you curious? What has enhanced your life in some way? We will talk about our own reactions and feelings to what we have seen and experienced in other groups, as well as in our own, in an atmosphere of honesty and non-judgmentalism.

Gathering - Welcoming the Light and the Shadow

2007-03-11T22:17:00.000-04:00

We will learn a simple meditation focused on helping us be aware and accepting of what we find in ourselves, both what we perceive as "good" as well as what we perceive as "bad", as well as what we see in others. The evening will also include a simple introduction and practice of tonglen, a Tibetian "giving and receiving" meditation that can expand the heart and engender compassion for ourselves and for others.

Gathering - Significant Lessons

2007-02-11T22:22:00.000-05:00

We will have a Gathering this Sunday to catch up with each other and reconnect. We will take some time to reflect on significant lessons we have learned in our lives. Some questions you may think about are:

- What is something significant you have learned in your life which is totally different than what you knew or understood when you were
20?

- Is there a teacher/mentor/guide who has been significant in your life and why?

- What is something you would like to ask group participants here tonight which you have never directly asked before?

- At this stage in your life, what is your most heart-felt desire for what you want in your life?

We will start with our usual dancing to warm up, then gather to share from our lives. Please join us.

Gathering - The Need for Deeper Connection

2006-12-17T15:03:00.000-05:00

This gathering, we will be trying something new - a coffeehouse format. After our initial check-in and a bit of talk about the subject, we will break up and talk or cluster as we choose. The hope is that the opening subject will spur several smaller groups who want to explore the subject further, but the groups will be casual, with people free to join or leave, and no required subject or format - what I think of as a coffeehouse atmosphere, but with a theme.

The subject will be the need for deeper connection. Most of us have a desire for an emotionally deeper connection with others - our mate, our family, our community, with the divine, with ourselves. What is it that we seek for in those deeper connections? What prevents us from having them? How do we deepen connection with those we already know? How do we open up new connections that have the potential to go deep?

For this format, I ask that everyone PLEASE BRING A SNACK OR DRINK to share - having good food and drink seems important to a warm, open, casual atmosphere. I'd also love it if a few volunteers could take over arranging the food in the kitchen, and cleaning up at the end of the evening. Let me know if you would be willing to do one of these tasks.

Gathering - Advita Gathering

2006-11-19T15:44:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will have open and informal Advaita gathering, led by
Advait (Tom Childers), from 7-9 pm. His description of the evening:

*****************************************

We'll do some meditation, listen & read from modern Advaita texts,
share and discuss. My intention is to create a space where those who
are passionate about waking up to their true nature as "That" can
share with others. For those new to Advaita, this is a place to learn
more.

("That" is a common way of referring to "everpresent awareness",
"spacious presence", "pure beingness", etc.)

If you're unfamiliar with Advaita, you can google it to find lots of
info. In a nutshell, Advaita is the path and teaching of non-duality;
i.e. everything (without exception) is an expression of "That" and is
"That". The purpose of Advaita is to awaken this realization as a
tangible knowing that permeates ones being.

Friends are welcome. Please RSVP so I know how many to expect. If you
forget to RSVP, don't worry; just show up. Please bring a simple
vegetarian snack or drink to share.

Annual Leaf Pile Jumping Party

2006-11-06T12:53:00.000-05:00

Dear friends, instead of our usual gathering, this Sunday we will have:

The Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party
Sunday, November 12th, 2005, 3:00 PM - 12:00 PM

You are enthusiastically invited to the Annual Autumn Leaf Pile
Jumping Party, taking place at my home in Vienna, Virginia. This
is an open invitation - you are welcome to invite your friends.
Kids are especially welcome!

When is the last time you jumped into a large pile of leaves?
Has it been years? Well, here's your chance. I am collecting
leaves from the entire neighborhood, and you are invited to come
and jump, roll, play and frolic. We might even allow the kids to
play too! We will also have hot spiced cider, hot chocolate, and
some other traditional fall things.

Very approximate schedule:

3:00 leaf pile jumping, hot cider
5:00 potluck dinner
7:00 autumn ritual
8:00 chatting, hot tub

You are welcome to come to part or all of the event.

LEAF PILE
A chance for everyone to get loose and silly, and have a lot of
fun. A note from the experienced: sweaters can gather a lot of
leaf fragments that are hard to get out. You may want to wear
something less porous.

POT LUCK
Bring a dish to feed 5 people - main/side dishes especially
welcome. Please email/call me with what you want to bring, so
we don't wind up with 30 pumpkin pies!

AUTUMN RITUAL
This time of year is traditionally the final harvest celebration
of the agricultural year. As the plants began to die and the
weather turned colder it was natural to become introspective. It
is also the first holiday of the Celts, who believed that the
veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead
was thinnest at this time of year.

We will have a simple ceremony where we reflect on the necessity
to let go of things in our lives that have passed on, and to
look at our own impermanence, preparing us to let go of the old
before we welcome the new at the turning of the year. You are
welcome to join us for this moment of introspection.

HOT TUB
After the ritual will be a time of socializing, and we will open
the hot tub, which is clothing-optional. You are welcome to wear
what you want - most people don't use swimsuits. Towels are
provided.

PLEASE RSVP TO gene@freeheart.net, or phone 703-255-1009.
In case of bad weather, please call before you come.

Hope to see you there!

Gene

The Next Step in Your Life

2006-11-05T09:10:00.000-05:00

This gathering will be a bit different in focus. Many in our community are thinking about major life changes: where we want to live, what kind of community we want to live with, what kinds of relationships we want, what lifestyle we want, what we want to do with our life, what we will do after retirement, how we will support ourselves, do we have the finances we need. Often we think about these things in isolation or with little support. This is a chance to express your feelings about where your life is going, hear what others are thinking about, do some brainstorming, learn from what others have tried or heard about, and possibly come away with new support for facing the next step of our lives.

We will spend some time in groups of mutual interest - finances, communities, dealing with emotional issues, general brainstorming, as well as general sharing. Come and join us to look at a very practical side of life in our age.

Gathering - Group Share

2006-10-15T16:02:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday we gather for dance, group sharing, and hanging out. We did the group share once before with good results - we will break up into small groups of 4 - 5 people, based on interest - some may want to get support for personal issues, others get to know each other, others discuss a topic, or others may want to share massages. Each group gets to decide how to spend their time.

We will start with our usual dance time, and have time after the
meeting to talk and connect more.

Gathering - Awareness and Body Sensation

2006-09-10T14:55:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday we will have another gathering, lead by Tom Childers. The focus will be "to bring awareness to our actual bodily sensations and then see the ways we interpret those sensations. The take-away is having the skill to separate bodily sensations from our interpretations about them." The evening will include a short meditation and some movement exercise.

Gathering - Anger and Forgiveness

2006-07-30T12:00:00.000-04:00

Come and join us this coming Sunday for another gathering. The focus will be on anger and forgiveness. Several of us have been discussing this online lately, in particular, anger and resentment at our mothers, and how to let it go. We will focus on sharing from our own experience instead of discussing theories and ideas.

We will start with our usual dance time, and have time after the meeting to talk and connect more.

We will meet at 7 PM. I hope you will join us.

Gene

Gathering - Sharing and Connecting

2006-07-16T20:06:00.000-04:00

This coming Sunday, we will have another casual gathering, focused on sharing and connecting. We will take some time in small groups to share and connect, get to know each other better, give emotional support where it's needed, give hugs or cuddles or a shoulder rub, or simply casual conversation. Each group can choose how to spend their time as it best fits their needs.

We will meet at 7 PM. I hope you will join us.

Re-gathering Sunday, 6/11

2006-06-01T09:35:00.000-04:00

Dear friends:

We will have a re-gathering on Sunday, June 11, to bring us together again and share where we are on our paths.

The evening will be part sharing, where we each will have an opportunity to talk about what we have learned since we last met, and where our lives are going - and part informal, a chance to chat individually and catch up with each other.

We will meet at 7 PM, and have some sharing around 7:30.

It will be good to see you all again!

Taking a Break

2006-04-23T14:21:00.000-04:00

Dear friends:

As I wrote before, I'm taking a break from the Sunday gatherings. This Sunday will be our last one for a while. It will be a fairly casual evening - pot luck, chatting, maybe some singing or dancing, hot tub. I'll also set aside a bit of time for sharing what's been happening in our lives, and where our path is leading us at this time. It's a chance to meet once again and renew our friendships.

The house will be open at 6 PM; we will aim to start the pot luck around 7, and go as late as people want to stay.

I am still looking at what I want to do next. Several ideas have come up, but right now, the break feels good to me, and I'm just going to relax and enjoy myself. I am concerned about losing connections with many of you - please feel free to call to chat or get together, and I will do the same.

See you all Sunday evening!

Gathering - Heart of Now Introduction

2006-03-26T15:37:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will have an introduction to a set of practices called the Heart of Now, presented by Debby Sugarman. The essence of The Heart of Now is the practice of being present with your whole self: your emotions, your thoughts, your body, and the place in yourself that is connected to everyone and everything. When you are present with yourself, you can be experience the people, situations and circumstances of your life with greater honesty and clarity. It is from this place that you can free yourself from the limitations that have held you back, and all possibilities are available to you--you are free to create your life as you want it to be. We will experience some of the practices that make up The Heart of Now weekend.

The Heart of Now is a weekend-long experiential weekend that is
taught monthly at Lost Valley Educational Center in Oregon. The
facilitator of this evening, Debby Sugarman, is an assistant for the
course and is working to bring the course to the DC area this
year. For more information ahead of time, you can email Debby at dsugarm@efn.org or go to www.lostvalley.org .

Shalom Retreat - March 24-26

2006-03-24T09:32:00.000-05:00

A Shalom Retreat is a powerful transformative weekend experience, helping people become aware of blocks and move past them through breathwork, imagery, and community. Eight people go through a process together of opening up and looking at the parts of themselves that block them from being fully free and loving. A Shalom retreat is not therapy - it is growth along our individual journeys towards more connection with ourselves, those around us, and the universe.

Shalom Retreats come from Shalom Mountain, a retreat and study center in the Catskill Mountains in upper state New York, and now we are bringing the Shalom retreat to the Washington DC area. You can read more about the retreat here.

I am holding the retreat at The Land Celebration just west of Winchester, at a cost of $300 per person, $250 if you pay by 3/18. The retreat runs from Friday night through Sunday afternoon. All accomodations and meals included. Since space is limited to eight people, it is best to register early.

See the comments under the previous Shalom retreat to get a feel of what participants got out of it.

Gathering - Journeying to Music

2006-03-19T09:51:00.001-05:00

This Sunday we will be using music and breathwork to allow ourselves to enter a different world. For those of you familiar with holotropic breathwork, this will be a lighter and shorter version of that. Lying down in a safe atmosphere, we will let music guide us on a journey into inner realms of feeling and imagery.

Gathering - A Taste of Shalom

2006-03-12T21:26:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will have a taste of the process used at Shalom Mountain for bringing us healing and new awareness. The process centers on the wisdom of the body rather than the mind to tell us where we are blocked, and on the loving support of a community to create the space for movement and growth in our lives.

Gathering - Goalbuddies

2006-03-05T21:21:00.000-05:00

GoalBuddies - This is a practical meeting focusing on accomplishing our goals, moving towards our dreams, and getting the mundane done. If you need encouragement and company on your path towards your goals, this may be a good place to start. Each person who desires will get time talking about what they are trying to do in their life, and the group will brainstorm and share resources that could be of use. We will also buddy up, for those who choose to, so we can have someone to periodically remind and encourage us towards our goals. Please join us.

Gathering - Religion and Spirituality

2006-02-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

Most of us, at some time in our lives, make major changes in our outlook on things religious. Many of us abandon our childhood religion to start on a long journey for spirit; others of us grew up with no particularly strong religion and may or may not embrace something along the way. All of us seem to seek for something.

What has been your religious journey - what religions and doctrines have you navigated through? And what has been your spiritual journey - how have you dealt with the basic experiences and questions of our existence? Has religion helped or hurt your spiritual journey? Shalom Mountain says that those of us who have abandoned our religion must eventually go back to face what we have rejected in ourselves. Is this true for you?

Come join us in a sharing of our spiritual journeys through the world of religions, beliefs, and experiences.

Gathering - A Taste of TLC

2006-02-12T10:52:00.000-05:00

Many of us occassionally go to an eclectic newage chapel in Winchester
called The Lord's Chapel, or TLC. This Sunday, we will again take
some of the typical elements of the Chapel and bring them to the
gathering. We will start off with some silent meditation, sing some
songs, have a period of communing with each other, have a healing
circle and have a time of sharing. Music for meditation will be
playing when you enter - please join us silently.

CSL - Body Acceptance

2006-02-04T09:27:00.000-05:00

I will be presenting the workshop Body Acceptance at Community for Spiritual Living (CSL) in Falls Church, Virginia. CSL meets the first Saturday of every month - contact Roger Telschow for more info at Telschow@erols.com.

How accepting are you of your body, just the way it is? Sometimes we see our bodies as vehicles that carry our head around, rather than a home in which we live.

When we were first born, we were fully accepting of our bodies, without inhibition, without embarrassment. For most of us, something happened at some point in our lives that changed that state to be less than fully accepting of our bodies. Please join us as we look more deeply at how we feel about the "soft animal" that is our body.

Gathering - Inquiry Into Physical Intimacy

2006-01-29T09:26:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will be continuing our discussion on intimacy, focusing on sexuality. This is an opportunity to learn and share things about our experience in a safe environment. We will also do the "fishbowl" exercise, where we can anonymously ask questions of the other gender.

Gathering - Inquiry into Intimacy

2006-01-22T14:01:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, back at our usual location in Vienna, we will be sharing our experience and thoughts about emotional intimacy - what have we found that has lead to greater emotional depth between us and others? What do we crave when we seek intimacy with others? What blocks us? What is the balance between intimacy and alone time? Come join us.

Gathering - Bach Flower Essences

2006-01-15T21:44:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will be using a DIFFERENT LOCATION. Randy Goldberg will be hosting and leading a presentation on Bach flower remedies. The Bach Flower Essences is an energy medicine system of 38 Flower Essences that corrects emotional imbalances. We will get to see which one are best indicated for each person there. See www.bachcentre.com for more info.

Randy: My address is 2347 Ashmead pl nw, DC 20009, Lower unit. It's 1/2 a block off of Connecticut Ave. by the Chinese Embassy, up the hill from Dupont Circle past the Hilton, one block pass Kalarama rd (stop light), just before the lion bridge to Woodley Park. Red door with stain glass window is upstairs, come down the stairs to the left, to my basement apt. If lost call 202-518-0442 Parking is a challenge. I'm 4 blocks from the Woodley Park metro. Walk downhill (south) over the lion bridge, and turn left on Ashmead pl.

Gathering - Contact Improv

2006-01-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

I will again be giving an introduction to Contact Improv, a wonderful form of gentle movement to music while in contact with another person. No experience necessary - dress for movement and flexibility. Space is limited, so RSVP's are appreciated for this event.

Gathering - The Pursuit of Happiness

2006-01-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, the first day of the new year, we will have an open discussion on what makes us happy - are there specific techniques that bring happiness? Certain beliefs? A sense of purpose? A spiritual experience? Being in the present moment? Join us to look at how we can live with more happiness in our lives.

Gathering - Christmas Pot Luck

2005-12-25T10:00:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will have a Christmas Day pot luck. If you have no where to go that evening, or have had enough of relatives, come join us. This will be an informal gathering - no program, but we might do some singing or whatever we feel like doing.

NOTE DIFFERENT STARTING TIME: The house will be open at 5:30 this time, and the pot luck will start around 6:30. Please bring food to feed 5-6 people. If you can cook, please bring a main or side dish - we'll leave desserts and drinks for the non-cooks among us. Let me know what you are going to bring when you RSVP so I can keep a loose track on how much of what items we have.

Hope to see you Sunday!

Gathering - Sunday, 12/18 - EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)

2005-12-18T12:15:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, Michael Smith will present and demonstrate EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).
"Many people bar themselves from health, healing and happiness by allowing negative emotions to linger and grow inside. They don't understand that emotional well-being is essential to physical health, or the medical establishment has conned them into believing they must shell out thousands of dollars for conventional psychological care. One answer is EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) which is psychological acupressure, a simple and proven way to eliminate the negative emotions barring you from a full and healthy life. You can learn how to do it in 5 minutes and we will spend the rest of the workshop practicing and releasing negative emotions in the group."

Gathering - Sunday, 12/11 - Contact Improv

2005-12-11T12:00:00.000-05:00

I will be giving an introduction to Contact Improv, a wonderful form of gentle movement to music while in contact with another person. No experience necessary - dress for movement and flexibility. Space is limited, so RSVP's are appreciated for this event.

Shalom Retreat - 12/9-11

2005-12-09T06:51:00.000-05:00

A Shalom Retreat is an intensive growth experience set in a loving and supportive community. This is a transformative weekend retreat from Shalom Mountain, a study and retreat center located in the Catskill Mountains. The retreat will be held here in Virginia this weekend, and includes lodging and meals. Click here for more information about Shalom Retreats.

Gathering - Sunday, 11/27 - Sing and Share

2005-11-27T19:37:00.000-05:00

This week we will have a more casual gathering of singing and sharing. We will start with some time to share what is happening in our lives, what we are learning, and how we are growing. Then we will do some singing - bring an instrument for sing-alongs. We will end with some of the songs from the chapel in Winchester.

Gathering - Sunday, 11/20 - Longing for Happiness

2005-11-20T18:09:00.000-05:00

This week, we will look at what makes us happy. Some questions to think about: What role does pleasure play in being happy? What role does personal fulfillment play? Is happiness found in the moment or in accomplishment of future goals? What do you really long for? We will have some sharing as well as experiential exercises. Come and join us.

Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party 11/12

2005-11-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

The Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party Saturday, November 12th, 2005, 3:00 PM - 12:00 PM

You are enthusiastically invited to the Annual Autumn Leaf Pile Jumping Party, taking place at my home in Vienna, Virginia. This is an open invitation - you are welcome to invite your friends. And kids are especially welcome!

When is the last time you jumped into a large pile of leaves? Has it been years? Well, here's your chance. I am collecting leaves from the entire neighborhood, and you are invited to come and jump, roll, play and frolic. We might even allow the kids to play too! We will also have hot spiced cider, hot chocolate, and some other traditional fall things.

Very approximate schedule:

3:00 leaf pile jumping, hot cider
5:00 potluck dinner
7:00 autumn ritual
8:00 chatting, hot tub

You are welcome to come to part or all of the event.

LEAF PILE A chance for everyone to get loose and silly, and have a lot of fun. A note from the experienced: sweaters can gather a lot of leaf fragments that are hard to get out. You may want to wear something less porous.

POT LUCK Bring a dish to feed 5 people - main/side dishes especially welcome.

AUTUMN RITUAL This time of year is traditionally the final harvest celebration of the agricultural year. As the plants began to die and the weather turned colder it was natural to become introspective. It is also the first holiday of the Celts, who believed that the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead was thinnest at this time of year.

We will have a simple ceremony where we reflect on the necessity to let go of things in our lives that have passed on, and to look at our own impermanence , preparing us to let go of the old before we welcome the new at the turning of the year. You are welcome to join us for this moment of introspection.

HOT TUB After the ritual will be a time of socializing, and we will open the hot tub, which is clothing-optional. You are welcome to wear what you want - most people don't use swimsuits. Towels are provided.

In case of bad weather, please call before you come.

Hope to see you there!

Gathering - Sunday, 11/6 - Imago Therapy

2005-11-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

This week, Randy Goldberg and Thierry Barston will give an introduction to Imago relationship therapy, and there will be time to practice the technique. Imago focuses on building trust in relationships by teaching some communication skills which very quickly create a feeling of safety. The website, http://www.imagotherapy.com has more information.

Gathering - Sunday, 10/30 - A Taste of TLC

2005-10-30T10:05:00.000-05:00

Many of us occassionally go to an eclectic newage chapel in Winchester called The Lord's Chapel, or TLC. This Sunday, we will take some of the typical elements of the Chapel and bring them to the gathering. We will start off with some silent meditation, sing some songs, have a period of greeting each other, do a healing circle and have a time of sharing. Please join us for this special experience.

Gathering - Sunday, 10/23 - Experiencing Oneness

2005-10-23T10:06:00.000-04:00

This Sunday, we will look again at separation and oneness - this time with an emphasis on the experiential. What causes us to feel oneness and connection with others? What causes us to feel separate and alone? Do we feel accepted by others? Do we feel accepted by ourselves? Do we feel safe in the presence of others? Do we feel safe on the earth?

Come join us for an exploration of discovering our oneness.

Older Events

2005-10-01T10:08:00.000-04:00

I am slowly converting the event announcements from the old format. To see events older than the last one, go to http://freeheart.net/freeheart/gatherings.html.

Directions

2005-01-01T15:00:00.002-05:00

DIRECTIONS: From the DC beltway, take 66 west to the first exit, Nutley St, towards Vienna. Go one mile and cross Rt. 123, then turn left on Windover Ave. I'm in the last unit of the first building on the left, 548 Windover Ave. Park on the street, come down the sidewalk, and come around the end to the back entrance. Phone: 703 255 1009.

Freeheart Gathering details

2005-01-01T15:00:00.000-05:00

Freeheart Gatherings are a place where people gather who are seeking a richer physical, emotional, and spiritual life. Unless otherwise stated, events take place in Vienna from 7 - 9:30 PM on Sunday nights. Gatherings are free, and donations for expenses are also welcome. Bring a snacks or drink to share. Topics are usually announced a few days before the event.

All Freeheart Gatherings are open, and you are welcome to forward send the announcement to others. Click here to join our mailing list. To be removed, click here. We also have an email chat list for those who come actively to the gatherings - let us know if you're interested.

Our usual schedule:

6:30 - arrive: Help set up, snack, chat, and dance.
7:00 - program: Please arrive on time.
9:30 - hot tub: For anyone interested.

RSVP: I appreciate knowing how many are coming - to reply, go to Freeheart Events and click on comments under the announcement.

Click here for directions to the Gathering.