Chrysalis Blog

At last, I look out my back door and see a yard transformed by the outburst of leaves.  This year, I have been yearning for them.  The trees began to appear so very naked to me by the end of March!  The plethora of green and the natural privacy afforded by so many leafy trees is quenching my longing.  Springtime.

Please join us for a light hearted evening on April 28, for Awakening the Whimsical!

Our electricity is mostly out...the main breaker in our electric panel is dying.  The panel will be replaced in 2 days, so it will be a weekend without electric energy, with the exception of a few outlets.  I sit in semi-darkness, wearing my headlamp; the Verizon modem is plugged into one of the working outlets so internet is available!  I think about all of the people in the world who have sporadic or minimal electricity.  I count my blessings.  And I count Chrysalis among those blessings.  The Sacred Circle Dance on Wednesday (March 31) will be lovely!

We received an email compliment from new member Lily Cascio:
"Hello Martha,
 
I'm  happy to hear from you and I'm grateful for the many programs and events that Chrysalis offers. It is one of Richmond's treasures!"

Gloria wrote this poem during her Ember Day retreat and shared it with us in the closing ceremony.

Ember Days
 
The seasons pass
marked by quiet reflection.
Community passes in silence
all held in the gentle Earth,
  quiet and tall oaks,
   whispering winds
   open skies.
The travelers have made
passages through the distant
landscapes of their lives.
Yet returning
   walking this sacred ground
   breathing
   present and open to their smallest rustlings...
   inner and outer.
Home

Yesterday, I participated in my first Chrysalis Ember Day, after having "planned" several times before to go but always canceling at the last minute because I was too busy or too tired. I almost blew it off again, but reminded myself that the purpose of a silent retreat day in a beautiful natural setting was the antidote to being too busy and too tired. I hopped in the car and in a rush,  glanced at the map  without actually reading the directions only to discover that there is no exit for Route 604 off of 288!

I was a half hour late trying not to stress out!

When I arrived at the Clearing, I was a little disappointed because the site was in the midst of very tall oak trees, the ground was covered with dead leaves and broken tree branches and it looked and felt very winterish. The green evidence of Spring I'd seen on the drive out was not very evident in the forest- like setting. Gloria Umbach, who was leading the retreat, showed me around and we worked to build a fire in the outdoor pavilion. It took several attempts to get the fire going as the wood we first gathered from outdoors was too wet to burn. But, after discovering a stash of dry firewood, we were in business. I sat in a rocking chair by the fire and read, ate a peanut butter sandwich for the first time in years and added a log from time to time. Quite satisfactory.

By about noon, it was warmer and sunny so I lay on a sleeping bag I'd brought on the leave-covered opening by the Pavilion along with some other retreaters.
I dozed a bit and when I woke up I noticed lots of little white and blue flowers and clover leaves poking out from underneath the leaves. Suddenly, I started seeing tiny buds of green on the trees and bushes and noticed some daffodils poking their heads up through the leaves.

I followed a path throuhg the woods and listened to some very loud frogs. When the path turned swampy I returned to the Pavilion to find my fire dwindling out. I stirred up the embers and decided to sit by the fire for the last 30 minutes. The wind picked up blowing ashes and sparks around and I was mesmerized by the embers. Then it dawned on me: I am watching the embers of my fire on Ember Day. Corny coincidence?

I didn't want to leave the fire but it was time to go back to the cabin for our closing. I thought about savoring the last of the embers and savoring the beginnings of spring.

At our closing, Plum Cluverious noted that she too had not really noticed the small signs of spring poking out from underneath the leaves until about half way through the retreat. She's been coming to Ember Days for years and always is a little disappointed that the retreat day is at the beginning of each season rather than in the season's full bloom.

But, maybe that's the point. As we leave one season, especially this past snowy winter!, we long for the next season to be here in full glory and we miss the beauty of the tiny beginnings....the small changes that mark the transitions from one season to the next.

A lesson for me? Notice the small transitions in my life that mark progress on my spiritual journey instead of being disappointed that I haven't reached the fullness of the next stage.

My daffodils are now blooming profusely, and each day the outdoors becomes more lush.  I can now anticipate the age-old comforting scent of freshly cut grass!  In a few blinks, neophyte leaves will adorn the trees.  Spring is here, I believe.  In this time of rebirth and growth, we hope that you will participate in some mind/body/spirit expansion by signing up for a spring program or two.  Develop a healthy relationship with money (with Susan Buniva and Plum Cluverius on March 24), examine religion in public policy (with Sylvia Clute on March 27), dance in a sacred circle (with Peggy O'Neill on March 31), explore your unlived life (Carol Jacobs and Kay Davidson), move from conflict to connection (Mimi Weaver on April 24), and awaken your whimsical side (April 28).  More to come in May! 

We have decided to reschedule the "From Conflict to Conversation" workshop.  This is a wonderful opportunity to learn the basics about Non-Violent Communication from Mimi Weaver, spiritual counselor and teacher extraordinaire.  Formerly scheduled for Feb. 20, we will soon announce the new date for this workshop, and for the practice group that will evolve.

We are planning to add links to multiple web sites that may be of interest to members, and we hope to "co-link" with several of our facilitators and instructors.  Stay tuned!

Greetings visitors to our beautiful new web site!  Much time and effort went into planning and implementing the site and while we are still working on some organizational aspects, we think that you will find it easy to navigate and pleasant to peruse.

Our winter/spring newsletter is now posted on the site.  Click on the Publications tab and select "newsletters" to download it and enjoy reading about our upcoming programs and practices.  Online registration is simple; if you prefer to register by mail or by email, that is always an option.

Join us for "Painting Intuitively: Discover Your Inner Creativity", a Soup and Soul program on Sunday, February 7.  Former Chrysalis president Priscilla Burbank and experienced healer, educator, and painter Gloria Umbach will help you enjoy your creativity and will provide a congenial environment for nourishing body and soul.

Qi Gong is the topic for our program on Tuesday, February 9.  Respected teacher Glen D. Moore, owner and operator of Strong Mountain Kung Fu School in Richmond, will share his knowledge about Chinese medical theory and the practice of Qi Gong.  Come and learn about the combination of movement, breathing, and meditation that leads to healing energy flow and good health.  Be prepared to breathe and move!

We hope that you will be enticed by the exciting array of programs and practice groups.  We also encourage you to become a member, if you have not already done so.  Our membership fees will increase in March, so this is a good time to sign up!

Take care,
Martha Tyler, President