Farm Fresh News - February 2018

• Report from Mexico
• Balancing Politics and the Spiritual Path
• Winter Greens
• Swan Trust hikes and Outings in March

A Circle of Love: Deborah and I (lower right, white hat and long blonde hair) with the Dances of Universal Peace in Mexico

Hi friends,
As you may recall from the last newsletter, Deborah and I have just spent two weeks in Mexico, and well, it just felt like the newsletter could wait until we got home. We had such a wonderful experience.

We would start most mornings with a sunrise walk on the beach, followed by an hour of Qigong to loosen up and stretch our bodies.

Every mid-morning and evening about 60 of us would gather for two-hour sessions of Dances of Universal Peace. Moving together, singing and dancing in unison, we become one. Love, harmony, peace! The energy was pure joy, so healing.

I was honored to play guitar and sing with many of the dance leaders and also got to lead a couple dances on my own. It was such good experience in preparation for our Awakening Heart Gathering here on The Farm May 4-6th. In the meantime, I will be outside Atlanta, GA, at The Heron House Sanctuary, 102 Russel Road Mountain Park, Roswell, Georgia 3007, on Friday evening, March 16, to lead Kirtan, and playing in support of another dance leader on Saturday. Contact me for more information if you would like to attend.

Peace,
Douglas

On another note, a few of you contacted me to say the unconfined text in my recent newsletters made them hard to read. I have returned to an editing style that confines the text and images within a table. Please let me know if this format is better for you.

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Balancing Politics and The Spiritual Path

It is reprehensible that our hearts must be broken once again because of another senseless school massacre. Once again, we hope that this will be the straw that breaks the back of the NRA and its grip upon our government.   The Farm Community has been a leader for many different things across our culture, but none makes me prouder than our agreement that there will be no weapons in our community. It was clear from Day 1 and it remains one our strongest agreements today.    “…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4).   That there are those arguing for more guns in our public schools is unfathomable. It is so disappointing, but not surprising, that the Florida state House voted down a motion for a bill that would ban assault rifles, less than a week after the massacre and with parents and students from the school present in the gallery.

As we try to come to grips with the insanity of our times and the deep divide we feel in this country, it reminds me of the changes I went through when Richard Nixon was elected, taking every state but one in the Presidential race against George McGovern, the candidate who spoke out for peace and against the Viet Nam war. It became clear to me then, that placing all our hopes on political change will always bring disappointment.   It was really after that election that the hippie movement shifted, and withdrew from the political landscape, and became more focused on going back to the land and pursuing spiritual knowledge and wisdom.   We cannot and should not isolate ourselves from the political struggle, but it important to recognize that even the political gains of heroes like Ghandhi and Martin Luther King, were built on a spiritual foundation.    "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. only love can do that. Martin Luther King jr

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Join us for a hike!

Swan Conservation Trust is a nonprofit land trust organization founded by members of The Farm who established the 1400 acre Big Swan Headwaters Preserve that surrounds The Farm Community. The hikes and outings explore the Preserve and scenic locations throughout Middle Tennessee, and are often led by state naturalists and biologists. I served for a time as its president and on the board for over 10 years. Coming up, the first hike of the year: Saturday March 10 - Henry Horton State Park - See the 2018 Calendar

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Our birth resource web site 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 now available on iTunes or at www.awakeningbirth.net

Please spread the word to anyone in your circle who is thinking of having a baby, expecting, your favorite midwife, or care provider. Please like us and give us a good review on iTunes. It helps!

GreenLife Retreats
A division of Village Media Services
PO Box 259Summertown, TN 38483
931-964-2590 - office / cell
Douglas@villagemedia.com
www.villagemedia.com
www.greenliferetreats.com
www.douglasstevenson.com 
Douglas@thefarmcommunity.com