Dear friend
Welcome to our August e-news, updating you on the latest news and opportunities from Gaia House and the wider sangha.
Latest news on our Building Appeal
Our crowdfunding campaign raised £9,037 in 6 weeks. And although this is some way from our original target, we are in a much better position as we take our next major steps in Gaia House’s development and we are grateful to all the support received. Together we have raised a fantastic total of £153,000 since last September when we launched the Building Appeal, this is by far the most money our community has ever raised!
As you may already know, in May we were presented with the rare opportunity to consider purchasing a house across the road from us along with 2 acres of land. Given this prospect to create significantly more space at Gaia House whilst achieving many of the objectives of our building plans, we started to explore this as a priority strategy before conducting any major building work at Gaia House.
Our guiding principles and objectives have been very much at the heart of our development decisions: increase the number of showers, toilets and single rooms available to group retreatants, provide additional facilities for wheelchair users and improved coordinator and resident teacher accommodation, as well as minimising disruption to the retreat space by moving our offices outside the main house.
We looked at our business plan, planning permission, resources etc. and the more we looked at our options, the more it became clear that this was indeed a realistic and preferable way forward as it opened up a number of extra advantages over starting building work on the garages at the back of the house:
- Increasing the number of people that can come on group retreats at Gaia House as there will be more rooms.
- Increase number of single rooms than if we did the garage conversion.
- Increased financial security with the money invested in a property that will have commercial value if we ever need to scale down.
- We will be able to move offices sooner (not have to wait for any major building work to be finished).
- Instant improved resident teacher accommodation.
- Additional bathrooms/ toilets.
- Increase future potential opportunities with additional space.
- No need for disruptive and complicated construction work at Gaia House in 2019 and the corresponding reduced retreat programme.
- Increasing income and thereby opening the option for a mortgage.
After consulting the Teacher Council and other groups within Gaia House, our Trust decided to go ahead and approved the purchase. Gaia House’s offer was accepted on 1st August, and now it will take us some months to complete the purchase of the property, along with planning and discussions as we find best use for the space taking care that everyone’s needs are considered.
We feel very grateful for all the support we have received up to date and want to say, truly, without you this would not have been possible.
Would you like to become a garden coordinator?
We have one opening in our coordinator team for a garden coordinator. If you have garden and vegetable growing experience, love of the Dharma and willingness to be of service to others whilst living in community this could the as a unique opportunity for you.
Click here to find out more about the coordinator role and how to apply.
Upcoming retreats
There are still some places availble on the following retreats:
23-28 Aug Living with Illness and Loss with
Zohar Lavie
Facing illness and loss in our lives can be a time to slow down and look deeply into our experience. This retreat provides an opportunity to explore being present with our experience just as it is without judgement or blame, thus opening to the possibility for transformation that this approach brings.
The retreat is full but there is potential for a few places to be opened up. Currently no one is on the wait list so if you’re interested in attending please
join the wait list using this link.
31 Aug-3 Sep: Mindfulnees Beyond the 8 week course with
Jenny wilks and Jaya K rudgard
This retreat is for people who have completed an eight-week course in MBSR, MBCT, or equivalent. Participants will be guided through various practices (including sitting meditation, walking, and mindful movement) and will also have opportunities for inquiry and to meet one-to-one with the teachers. There will also be some short talks and time for questions about the theory of mindfulness, including its roots in Buddhist psychology.
Six-week evening course
We are offering a
six-week meditation evening course in Newton Abbot starting on
Wednesday 5th September. The course will be led by Gavin Milne, a participant of the
Community Dharma Leaders training programme.
Click here for more info and booking, and please pass the details on to anyone you know who may be interested.
Sangha news
News, notices and events organised by friends of Gaia House
Oxford Insight
Saturday 22 Sept with
Mark Ovland
For more details and booking
click here.
A week long retreat in Wales
22-29 Sept Nothing Special – Natural Ease in Practice with
Ajahn Jutindharo and
Laura Bridgman, Hill Cottage Retreats, Powys.
Retreat to Gayles
Eastbourne, East Sussex
30th Nov – 2nd Dec Awakening Inner Peace and Freedom: an Insight Meditation Retreat with
Yanai Postelnik
SanghaSeva 2018 – Meditation in Action
14 - 25 Oct Being Peace Retreat
Being the change we wish to see in Israel and Palestine
26 - 27 Oct Being Peace Weekend Retreat
in Israel and Palestine
31 Dec 2018 - 29 Jan 2019 The Way of Compassion
at Anandwan; a leprosy affected community in India
18 Mar - 6 Apr 2019 Sustainable Living Work Retreat
at Dharmalaya; institute for compassionate living in India
All retreats are facilitated by Zohar Lavie and Nathan Glyde.
Click here for more info and to book
