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Polishing the Heart - November 2022
Dear Friends,
The crisp cool temperatures of fall. It is a time of turning inward and reflection, a time of gratitude and forgiveness.
Welcome to my new offering, a newsletter I am calling Polishing the Heart, specifically created for my friends in the Dance community. Its purpose will be a way to inform you of my Dance calendar, but also to include teachings and observations in my study of the Dances, the breaths, and writings by Sam Lewis, Hazrat Inayat Khan, as well as those gathered from my own life's path. I hope you find it interesting. I want to thank you and everyone for what the Dances have brought into my life. I find such strong resonance with my personal spiritual journey, as well as confirmation, an alignment with my feelings and understanding of how the universe connects us all as One. I look forward to the next time we hold hands in the circle. _____________________________________________
Sam and Centering
 As I work toward Dance Leader certification, in recent months I have been studying the writings of Sam, along with additional essays from Hazrat Inayat Kahn, and students of Sam, now teachers, such as Wali Ali Meyer, Neil Douglas-Klotz and others.
I’m particularly drawn to Sam’s Centering Walks, a walking meditation that is about seeking attunement. Everyone can relate to taking a moment to center themselves, to find a balance of emotion and intellect within. This allows us to approach any task at hand and decisions to be made from a centered alignment of ourselves, drawing on our highest intelligence. I find this meditation mirrors the Mindful meditation walks of Thich Nhat Hanh. At The Farm Community, we often use a moment of silent meditation before starting a community or committee meeting, as a reminder to be open as we listen and mindful before we speak.
As a Dance Leader, it is important for me to pause between Dances, to take a moment to center myself, so that I may begin the next Dance from a patient and mindful place. This can help ensure my instructions are clear and easily understood. There may be a shift required, from a Dance that is high energy and exuberant, to one of meditation and reflection. I must be conscious of the energy of the circle, and can help members of the circle regain a centered place by calling upon all to take a deep breath. I must pay attention to the other musicians so that we are all together. If I can do all this, I am better able to fulfill my responsibility with the energy that everyone brings to the circle.
 The Farm's first "logo", a mandala by artist Michael Kelly
Bismillah is one of the words that truly speaks to me from the Sufi path. In the Muslim tradition, the word Bismillah is spoken before an action is taken, be it before a meal, or the beginning of a task. It means that what I do next, I do as if it is seen by the eyes of Allah, of God, that I move forward from a place that represents my highest intentions.
When we take a moment to humble ourselves by invoking this intention from our heart center, we are following a path that leads us to the best of who we are, and who we can be.
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My Dance Dance Calendar 2022/2023
December 11, 2 PM, On The Farm
January 2023, Troncones, Mexico
Feb 2-6, 2023 Puerto Morelos, Mexico April 13-16, 2023, On The Farm with guest dance leader Allaudin Ottinger ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chattanooga - December 9, 7-9 PM Location:Movement Arts Collective, 3813 Dayton Blvd, Red Bank, TN 37415
Before the Pandemic, I had started leading dances in Chattanooga, Tennessee, working with a new, aspiring dance leader named Dee Bass. Dee had attended the Dance weekends on The Farm, and she and I began colaborating to get a circle going in her hometown. Dee has gone on to participate in Dance Camps at Ozark, Wilderness, and at a Dance in Atlanta with Amira (Judy Jones). Dee and I hosted one Dance together in Chattanooga last spring (Amira also came and led Dances) and we look forward to our next dance in December.
One thing fun about the Chattanooga Dance Circle is that because Dee is from a younger generation than a lot of the DUP people in the U.S., those who come to her dances are also a younger crowd. Yay! You can also check our Facebook group, Peace Dances of Tennessee. This Dance is open to all.  Dee Bass, an aspiring Dance leader in Chattanooga, Tennessee Atlanta - December 10, 4:30 pm Location: Unity North Atlanta, 4255 Sandy Plains Road, Marietta, GA
Some time back, Amira re-started her monthly in-person Dances in Marietta, a suburb on the noth side of Atlanta. Atlanta is just a couple hours down the road from Chattanooga, and whenever possible I use this as an opportunity to head on down to Atlanta to lead dances at their regular monthly dance. Amira has been a regular at our dance Weekends on The Farm when we bring in guest Dance leaders. She and I led Dances together at a Kirtan event in Atlanta called "Chantlanta," in 2019 and were about to do another in 2020 when Covid hit. It will be so great to be together again! Contact Amira at 678-592-6805 or towardtheone.amira@gmail.com  Amira The Farm, Summertown, TN - December 11, 2-4 PM
I am an early riser, and when I hit the road by 6 or 7 AM, I have able to get back to The Farm from Atlanta in time to host my regular Sunday Dance at our Community Center. This Dance will be open to all, and I hope those of you who live in the area will join us for this special Holiday Celebration. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Escape winter and discover the magic of Mexico!
January 16-22, 2023: Todas mis Relaciones / All my Relations
A Two-Part Bilingual/bicultural retreat featuring Senior Mentor Leader Darvesha, with Elizabeth Dequine, Luis Vizcaino, Ishtar Cynthia Valenzuela and other dance leaders from Latin America and North America.
This is the second bicultural/ bilingual dance retreat in Troncones. Instruction will be provided in both Spanish and English to maintain awareness of the culture where we are dancing and the immense beauty of the nature around us.
I met Darvesha at the Ozark Camp, 2019. One of my strongest lessons from her was the value of Dances which use mantric languages as a way to reach attunement at these spiritual frequencies. I was inspired by her music and original dances and have made them a core part of the dances I choose to lead. I look forward to being with her again in this Dance Leader Training.
January 16-17. Dance Leader Training. All are welcome to be part of the circle these two days.
January 18-22. Dance Retreat, including dance sessions in the mornings and early evenings, plus afternoon teachings with Darvesha. Cost: $150-$200 as you can afford.
January 25-29, 2023: Deepening into Being
Dances of Universal Peace and more, with Sky Roshay, Shivadam Burke and Jen Friedman. A spacious follow-on (or stand alone) retreat with Dances, kirtan, speaking circles, singing circles and whatever else emerges from the hearts and creativity of participants, offering time to deepen into our Selves, our practices and our relationship to the Dances and each other.
Sky Roshay is my Dance Mentor and I can't wait to be with her in this beautiful setting!
Cost: $125-$200 as you can afford.
Detailed flyer, downloadable PDF here Registration form, downloadable PDF here Other information: Troncones, the Venue, Meals
TRONCONES is a small beach village near Zihuatanejo on Mexico’s Pacific coast. You fly into Zihua (ZIH), a small and easy-to-navigate international airport, where taxis wait to drive you about half an hour to Troncones. Troncones has numerous hotels from budget to extravagant, ditto restaurants. There are no loud music venues or huge resort hotels. The ocean hosts spectacular sunsets.
THE RETREAT VENUE, Casa Escondida, is a small center with two large grassy lawns, shaded by tall palm trees, for our dances. MEALS are on your own except for the first evening dinner and the Sunday brunch for each retreat. A list of some restaurants can be found here. Troncones also has a grocery store, a twice-weekly fruit and veggie vendor, a Saturday market and small tiendas. Dances of Universal Peace in Puerto Morelos, Mexico February 2-6, 2023 Many of you may be familiar with, or even participated in the annual winter camp that has been taking place in Puerto Morelos, Mexico for over 20 years. This was the third Dance camp I had ever attended during my year of discovery back in the fall of 2017 and winter of 2018. Bernie Heideman and Sky Roshay became good friends and Sky, my Dance Mentor.
Deborah and I were at the 2020 Puerto Morelos Camp just as the word about Covid began to surface. She joined me in Mexico after attending a Dance week with Grace Marie in Cuba, and as she went through the airport, the people at check-in were asking everyone if they had been to China during their travels. It seemed a curious question at the time. By February 2022, folks were ready to try gathering again, following protocols of proof ov vaccination, a PCR test before leaving your home country, rapid testing on arrival, and a second rapid test 2 days into the camp. This worked, catching some cases before people showed symptoms. Twenty-five souls gathered at our base camp on the beach and no one caught Covid. We are moving forward with our Dance for February 2-6, 2023! I invite you to join us, including five days of Dances in Mexico, with song circles, art projects, and whatever else appears, along with time for walks on the beach, snorkeling (excellent!), dining with friends, conversations, and laughter. We gather to remind ourselves that we are energy beings, and at our strongest when we are together in community. Click here to learn more about Dances in Mexico and to register now!  with Dance Leaders Sky Roshay, Jennifer Friedman, and Douglas Stevenson Unfortunately, health issues with Bernie's wife Adriana make it so that he is unable to join us this year. Sky will be our senior leader, with myself and Jen Friedman serving as co-leaders.
About the Leaders Sky Safir Roshay is a leader, mentor and musician for the Dances of Universal Peace who has been organizing and staffing at Dance camps since 1999. Sky also facilitates “Deeper Dance” conversations at camps, where the synergistic wisdom of participants reveals wisdom about the energy and practice of the Dances, their role in our lives, and the way they can anchor spiritual truths into our way of being in the world and transform our reality. Sky focuses on collaborating with other Dance leaders and leaders of other spiritual practices to offer co-created retreats, believing strongly in the power and wisdom of community: we all bring wisdom to the circle to share.
Once a touring singer/songwriter with two albums of original folk music, Jen Friedman is a Dance leader and mentor-in-training, musician and interfaith minister. Warm and welcoming, Jen shares a deeply sacred presence and authenticity without the pretense. She holds a Master of Divinity from The Iliff School of Theology and serves as part-time hospital chaplain at two Northern Colorado hospitals. She founded and co-led the Longmont DUP Circle for 13 years and currently leads monthly DUP circles on the first and third Sundays at Nyland Co-housing Community in Lafayette, CO. Jen has led Dances and sacred singing at events throughout North America and the world including at the Parliament of World Religions and on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Jen has been personally transformed by the Dances and the direct transmission of Source energy and wisdom that they offer while simultaneously fostering a communal sense of the peace that is possible in our world. Find out more at www.jenniferfriedman.com
Douglas Stevenson has been a musician for over 50 years, playing many types of music at festivals, in auditoriums, living rooms, and small, intimate gatherings around the fire. He had led at Dance circles all across the US as well as in Mexico, Guatemala and Turkey. His home and sangha Dance circle is at The Farm Community in Tennessee.. “By far the most fulfilling music I have ever played comes from leading group singing and Dances. They empower each person to find their voice, linking our spirits in a shared vibration. The synchronicity of music and movement creates unity and builds community, filling the space in our hearts with joy and love, so needed in today’s world.”
We will also be inviting other leaders in attendance to have a chance to share their gifts in the circle. There are always some incredible musicians as well. Hassan Ravenwolf hopes to return again to join us. Helga from Canada is an incredible flute player and will also be leading some of our art workshops during the afternoons. Cost: $175 - $225 sliding scale
Accommodations: Accommodations are not included, but are relatively resonable in cost.
As we did in 2022, The Alaska House will serve as our base of operation, with dances and other offerings taking place in the courtyard out back. The Alaska house will also serve as the accommodations for the Dance Leaders.
Dave Walker has reserved 7 rooms for us at Gota de Sal (thank you Dave!), the hotel adjacent to the Alaska House. Visit the Dances of Universal Peace Puerto Morelos Facebook page for more info or email Dave at daavewalker60@gmail.com
February is peak season for Puerto Morelos and accommodations in all places are filling up fast. We recommend using a reservation service like travelocity.com, Hotels.com, or AirBnB ASAP to reserve your room at other locations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 April 13-16, 2023, On The Farm with guest dance leader Allaudin Ottinger We were so grateful when Allaudin helped ignite our Dance Sangha at The Farm Community when we hosted our first Dance Weekend back in 2018. It is with great joy that we announce his return! Stay tuned for more details!
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About The Farm: Creating New Pathways Podcast
I recently did an interview for a podcast called Creating New Pathways. Check out the links below to hear my overview of The Farm, its history, and my current take on the State of our Union.
I recently did an interview for a podcast called Creating New Pathways. Check out the links below to hear my overview of The Farm, its history, and my current take on the State of our Union.
(It's also on Google Podcasts and Amazon)
Thank you for your time and attention!
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A big thanks to everyone who has become a patron!
When you become a subscriber, your contribution helps spread the word about community-based alternatives and the spiritual path.
Take this one small step to be part of the solution!
When you become a subscriber, your contribution helps spread the word about community-based alternatives and the spiritual path.
Take this one small step to be part of the solution!
You can help keep my newsletters going by pledging $2, $5, or $10 a month, or by making a one-time contribution.
Peace,
Douglas
Watch my TEDx Talk: Out to Change the World - Living the Hippie Dream
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Speaking Engagements
At the same time, I recognize that I can reach a lot more people if I go outside the community. One of my goals is to speak at colleges and universities where I can talk to young people about Right Livelihood, Service, and Finding Sanity in an Insane World. This is a time when people need to hear an uplifting message of hope.
If you are part of an organization, event, or school (or you just want to learn more about my life's work), I invite you to visit my website www.douglasstevenson.com, where you'll find information on my lecture topics and how to bring me to speak in your area.
Thank you for your interest, and your support. I hope to see you down the road.
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My wife Deborah has mostly retired from practicing midwifery on The Farm but continues to teach midwifery workshops and classes at the Farm's College of Traditional Midwifery. If you, a friend, or family member are considering a midwifery-assisted birth, I encourage you to visit The Farm Midwifery Center's website and make an appointment with one of the midwives currently taking on clients.
Deborah's birth resource web sites for families seeking guidance on subjects such as
- Choosing a Care Provider.
- Health and Diet
- Challenges and Complications
- and much more!
- The Awakening Birth podcast is available on iTunes or at www.awakeningbirth.net
Village Media Services
Douglas@villagemedia.com
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www.douglasstevenson.com
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.villagemedia.com
www.douglasstevenson.com
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com
