KAWASHAWAY SANCTUARY
VISION-O-RAMA?
APRIL 20, 2002

Faeries gathered at the Hilloway Conference Center, 12040 Hilloway Road, Minnetonka, 
Minnesota.

Several Visionistas, the fae organizers of the Vision-o-rama?, were purported to have 
arrived sometime before 9:00 a.m. and had, by 9:00 a.m., set up a tidy registration kiosk 
near the entrance, supervised the set up of  morning beverages and breakfast snacks and 
tested the audio equipment in the meeting space.  

At the kiosk, the agenda for the day was posted [with facilitators in brackets]:

9:00-10:00 	Arrival, Coffee and Dish – "Hey, Girl!"

10:00-11:00	"What's It All About, Faerie?":  Framing expectations and intentions for 
the day [Eureka and Rocky] and Check-In

11:00-11:30	New Age Hoo-Ha Woo-Woo [White Ash and Eureka]

11:30-12:30	Chunk #1 – "What experiences at Kawashaway are most meaningful to 
you?" [Scooter]

12:30-1:30	LUNCH

1:30-2:45	The Superchunk (#2):  "How do you experience community – at 
Kawashaway and not at Kawashaway?" [Two Bears]

2:45-3:00	BREAK

3:00-4:00	Chunk #3 – "What are you hungriest for?" [White Ash]

4:00-5:00	Chunk #4 – "What is your vision of the organization?" [White Dragon]

5:00-5:30	Closing Ritual [Passion Fruit]

5:30-6:00	CLEAN-UP

By 9:00 a.m., a sometimes allergy-prone faerie, remembering the presence of a cat during 
a site visit a few weeks before, had arrived with his vacuum cleaner and begun to sweep 
the entire meeting space.

Fae participants began arriving at approximately 9:00 a.m. and repaired mostly to the 
kitchen, where java and tea, as well as a small selection of fruit and a profoundly copious 
selection of bread, were available for morning repast. 

The interval from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. was observed as a period of greeting, 
conversation and not-too-terribly-saucy dish.

Nearly dead on 10:00 a.m., a Yoo-Hoo went up from the main meeting space and faes 
gathered – tea in hand, crumbs on face – to circle for the first time at Hilloway.  (A few 
faes arrived after the circle had begun and were welcomed in even by those cranky ones 
who, unaccustomed to seeing morning hours on a Saturday, were still waking up.)

Faes Present:  Garland, Passion Fruit (later in the day to become known, if mistakenly 
and only for a few hours, as Passion Flower), Eureka, Beebalm, White Dragon, Scooter, 
Tanya, Sunny Dish, Yearth Prairie, Will, Poilu, Rocky, White Ash, Two Bears, Ewe, 
Braeburn Blue, Hummingbird.

In the center of the circle was a dark, lacey cloth, an agate with a candle in it, and an 
incense holder with a stick of incense burning.

The circle began with the sharing – and echoing – of names.

Intentions for the day

Rocky and Eureka summarized and invoked the intentions of the day – the reasons given 
by Visionistas for organizing the Vision-o-rama?.

**Near as any fae could tell, the last great vision of the faes of Kawashaway was the 
buying of the land which has become Kawashaway Sanctuary.  This vision having been 
realized, the Sanctuary has served as gathering place for faes for a number of years.

**Stimulated by questions raised by several faes, most recently on the 
nwradfaes@yahoogroups.com e-list (still known by some – and to the confusion of others 
-- as the "One List"), thought was directed at considering the future of Kawashaway: that 
is, what faes now see as its purpose and mission or what they envision it might yet be or 
become.

**It was decided several months ago to call a circle of interested faes to consider these 
questions.  The date of April 20 was fixed and preparations made.  This circle, it was 
thought, would provide an opportunity for faes to consider together how they experience 
community, what they get from it and contribute to it.

**Amid the planning for the Vision-o-rama?, it was decided that it should not be merely 
a day-long verbal discussion but, rather, to the degree possible, an experiential 
exploration of the questions raised.  Thus, while there would be plenty of opportunity to 
talk, there would also be opportunities for non-verbal exploration of the questions as well 
as expression and sharing.  The day, it was determined by Visionistas, would be 
organized in "chunks" – each facilitated by a fae or faes.

**Passion Fruit noted that it was important to acknowledge the quite grand 
accomplishment to be found in having realized the initial vision of buying the land and 
building the Sanctuary.

**White Ash noted a hope that the explorations of the day would not be simply about 
community as it is experienced at Kawashaway Sanctuary, but about faerie community in 
a broader sense – in other locations and at time other than the annual Kawashaway 
Gathering.

Check-In

Following the declaration of intentions for the day, the circle turned to a period set aside 
for check-in.  

A talisman – or, rather several talismen (talispeople?) – were produced and passed around 
the circle as those present shared.

During this period faes observed various states of being:  energy moving up and down; 
gladness to be present; being emotionally hungover and tired; a willingness to move into 
"just-go-for-it" in spending time at the Vision-o-rama?; a challenge in adjusting to 
medications for A.D.D.; a feeling of being very present; a feeling of being not-so-present; 
delight in being with other faes; an awareness of "elder" energy; a not knowing how one 
is to contribute to this day (do we look to the past for guidance or discard it?); a feeling 
that faeries are no longer radical faeries but just faeries; a sense – in a larger, global 
context – of this day taking place during decidedly troubling times (accompanied by a 
desire to turn off the radio and not read the newspaper); the experience of now living with 
a trust fund – not a bank account so much as the trust that funds will be available; 
returning from a week-long exile in South Dakota.

The check-in circle concluded at 10:55 a.m. or, as one fae noted, the duration of one 
incense stick.

[There was the New Age Hoo-Ha Woo-Woo, led by White Ash: a circle dance with all 
joining hands.  Given that the time allotted for the Hoo-Ha Woo-Woo had not all been 
spent, at the conclusion of the dance, there was an improvised non-verbal ritual – two 
circles, one inside facing out, one outside facing in.  The circles rotated every few 
minutes, allowing those on the inside to gaze at those outside and those outside to gaze at 
those inside.  There was some fidgeting at making eye contact with so many, but also 
murmurs of delight in all of the views.]

There was a potty break – nothing revolutionary, but the job got done.

Chunk #1: "What experiences at Kawashaway are most meaningful to you?"

Scooter facilitated this chunk, asking for faes to speak not only about what good 
experiences they have at Kawashaway but, also, what we as Northwoods faeries do 
particularly well.  Responses are abbreviated below.

Passion Fruit:		No Talent Show, especially White Ash; raspberries on the way to East 
Lake; the growing ability of Northwoods faeries to be affectionate, 
even sexual, in public
Hummingbird:		Able to be myself; I found the faeries and thought "Oh, that's who 
you are"; space to get away; I'm now 2 ½ hours closer
Will:		We are good at being welcoming (which is not the case in many 
places with long histories of shared experiences among a fixed group 
of people); we're good at being low-tech, making do with very little
Ewe:		I felt the welcome; I can imagine Kawashaway as paradise; and I've 
been there
Braeburn:		The food is incredible, even if the process of getting it there is 
difficult; the land speaks to me
Rocky:		We're good at coming together when something needs to be done – 
for example, DaisyCare; though this getting things done doesn't 
always happen quickly; at Kawashaway, we created something out of 
nothing
Eureka:		My first gathering there was a ritual.  I didn't know what I was 
supposed to do – but I just went with it.  My doubts about it were 
converted into belief – a belief in ritual; I'm a ritual faerie.  That 
happens for me now more naturally.  Building things and the 
connection with other people (I like) – the "we" that happens
Poilu:		Food.  The results are a gift.  The process is not always a joy or easy 
thing.  The first thing that came to mind:  how much love there is.  
The River and being able to be there as we do it – naked, playful, 
joyful fun under a huge sky on public land!
Yearth Prairie:		Faerie theatre – at Kawashaway and in the city; spontaneity; orgone 
(sp?) intensity – the sort of sexual energy described by Wilhelm 
Reich; orgone boxes at Kawashaway would be nice – could we make 
some?; or maybe they're still sold?; "nature points" – the smells, 
sounds of Kawashaway – everyday something comes back to me; I 
don't know how to make Kawashaway happen here (in the city)
Two Bears:		Rituals – opening and closing, Salamander's song at the end of the No 
Talent Show; a place where I can take my shields down (my job 
demands I have my shields up); opening up; trust; fire circle with a 
pretty young thing who waited until all but Two Bears had left and 
then spoke of how so many want to have his body, but have no 
interest in his stories; sitting in the cookhouse chopping vegetables 
and the sensuous pleasures of all that food; a place where I can let my 
tears go, where it's safe to do that
Topaz:		The visual of the faeriesi n the Pride Parade – especially the two-
headed broom; we're wonderful at naming things, ourselves, one 
another, we're not gender exclusive; I love how we honor our 
ancestors, those who came before and how we, now, are the future 
ancestors of those who come later
Sunny Dish:		The experience of arriving for the first time, getting out of the car and 
seeing the arbor across the entrance to the bogwalk with the words 
"Welcome Home" – how could I know all that that would mean?; the 
possibility of new experience; being more in my body than anywhere 
else; the clothes come off and I get the experience of the wind across 
my skin, or the touch of another fae
Scooter:		I love you you finally get there (how it takes time and effort to get 
there); the walk across the bogwalk to the "other side"; the 
fabulousness (quotient) is high – an environment which nurtures 
talent for creating; it's not about nails and bolts, it's about 
relationships – yet, there is a tension between the two, a tension 
between relationships and the physical part (tasks); how do I balance 
between relationships and getting stuff done?; I'm glad it takes awhile 
to get there, glad that there's hot and cold running water
White Dragon:		Too much to put into words; I experience eros – the life force, 
orgone; the Land – can't talk about it because for me it is pre-
language and post-language, though I can communicate about it 
through my pictures; fire circle moments; music is sacred and with it 
I'm able to go non-verbal; the Kawashaway community is really not 
tied to any place, even though (to date) it's not been implemented 
away from the Sanctuary; permission to be myself; sexual permission 
– I'm overweight and sexy anyway; the magical moments are no 
longer tied just to the Land
Beebalm:		Being able to be drawn into other people's pleasures – trailbuilding 
with Will; fire circle; dinner/meals; dinner circle; bringing new faeries 
in; there are many forms – the light gets reflected in a lot of ways; 
variety of people and the ability to surrender to something bigger; the 
capacity for delight; how we name ourselves; our capacity for delight 
in one another and in the Land
Tanya:		Breakfast: someone insults me at Kawashaway and brings a big smile 
to my face as I realize that you really do love me; right brain and left 
brain – at Kawashaway I get to flip the switch; I remember shaving at 
the mirror outside the cabin when a butterfly alighted and I felt the 
presence of Matthew, my first lover – he stayed and watched me; the 
connections with nature are magic
Garland:		Kawashaway is a place where we can be nurtured by our own kind; it 
enables us then to go out in the world; we are the missing link in a 
world that needs magic; walking the bogwalk, you woak through the 
veil; it's a healing place; our world between the spiritual and physical; 
hard to put in words
White Ash:		BIG ENERGY, way beyond physicality; I love the Call and how it is 
that we call one another to be together; the cult of Karen; heart circle 
and someone's soul is bared or comes unglued; we walk a tightrope 
all the time among all the different conceptions (of who we are, what 
we do) and yet we survive; we care
Passion Fruit:		Defining the faeries, someone said, is like trying to bottle fog;  faeries 
are outside the twin strait jackets of consumerism and gender roles; 
people are hungry for more community; much of contemporary 
society is at odds with building community; faeries make a conscious 
choice to come together in community, retreat, heart circle; it's not 
what the larger culture urges on us; it's not about buying anything
Chunk #1 concluded at 12:30 p.m.  There was a preview of the next chunk and then there 
was
Lunch

Rocky and Scooter facilitated lunch – salad and sandwiches, chips and fruit.  There was 
more dish, boisterous laughter (featuring several notable Two Bears guffaws) and a 
visitation by the anti-Karen.

After eating, many faes retired to the meeting space for impromptu napping – until a 
Yoo-Hoo went up from the room.  Those nearing slumber were coaxed to their feet where 
Passion Fruit facilitated post-lunch movement with several exercises in movement and 
communication during which we all learned one another's (1) middle names, (2) area 
codes and telephone exchanges (and among a contingent from South Minneapolis, 
complete phone numbers) and (3) height relative to our own.  It was not rocket science, 
(thankfully) and managed to raise the energy level in the room for the

Superchunk (chunk #2):  How do we experience community at Kawashaway or not at 
Kawashaway?

Garland:		Faeries are magically based – observing the wheel of the year; rituals 
of aspiration tied to the seasons
Two Bears:		Lamas (sp?) or "first fruits"; the other eight points during the year fall 
at times when Northwoods faes are not on the Land in any organized, 
recurring way
Braeburn Blue:	northern lights experienced together
Two Bears:		Some years ago: Tuesday nights at the river – talking and dishing and 
singing and sneaking off to the bushes for sex and chanting and 
drumming; after the deforestation of the riverbank, we tried to 
continue that at Nightingale and Topsoil's
Eureka:		Service work
White Ash:		Community as extended family; community as shared space; 
intentional community
Hummingbird:		the community found on nwradfaes@yahoogroups.com
Sunny Dish:		away from Kawashaway:  building community when I lived in D.C., 
building the regularness of interaction with people until the time 
arrived when anytime I went out of the house, I ran into someone I 
knew; as part of Kawashaway, I notice that certain types of 
community don't happen on-line because they can't – for example, 
the intimacy of being with one another without words or simply in 
silence
Passion Fruit:		community experienced in Minneapolis (where I'm known) vs. 
community experienced in Brazil (where I'm not known); levels of, 
degrees of knowing (by sight, through conversation); desire to have 
organic interaction, not scheduled; the intense experience of co-
habitation is a sort of community experience; I experience community 
in different groupings: among faeries (where I'm as free as any place 
I know), in the artistic community in Minneapolis (which is broad and 
scattered, but has some shared core values), in steam room (when the 
last straight guy leaves and those remaining may create the 
community of sex play then possible); Institute for Renewal of 
Community Leadership; community both restricts and community 
supports; at Kawashaway, no one is working at wage work; the 
working, tasking playing together is community and is a denser web
Two Bears:		dictionary definitions:  community has something to do with being in 
the same location; having shared values; shared nationality or 
ethnicity
Will:		community in terms of "family of choice" – I don't think anymore is 
so much a choice; community is more about one does or will cultivate 
with what one is attracted to; interconnection simply is; we make the 
Gathering together; those who disavow that together-effort frustrate 
me; we haven't figured out how to cultivate that away from the 
Sanctuary; nwradfaes@yahoogroups.com is very large for me, owing 
to my country mouse lifestyle, perhaps larger than for those who 
know one another regularly in physical space
White Ash:		I notice how I experience community in sub-groups of faeries; where 
as a newcomer I said "I'll do everything and anything!", now I'll do 
just this or just that.
Poilu:		1990 was my first Gathering and the first Gathering on the Land at 
Kawashaway; I notice how now I tend only to go to the main 
Gathering on the Land; years ago, I would go to heart circles at 
Patrick's on 24th Street, parties at Mohan's house; the Pride Parade 
and booth in Loring Park were also community experiences
Eureka:		Frequency of interaction builds community; need to schedule in order 
to build in the frequency of contact
Rocky:		We used to have the weekly canasta game, every week sharing about 
the people and place that matter to me
Yearth Prairie:		Roots of words – "comm" means "hold, contain"; "unio" means 
"with"; "-ity" means "the state of"; I don't like the last part so much 
the "state of" and the stasis rather than the process; I think more in 
terms of "communion"; I think of community in terms of receptive – 
letting things happen, and active – getting in there and making things 
happen; a balance between the two is optimal; the lay of the land is 
the law of the land – topography has a lot to do with how we be with 
one another; we have a pilgrimmage to get to the Sanctuary and this 
creates an enforced sense of sacredness; that is, the effort required to 
get there make the getting there sweeter

Sunflower noticed falling energy in the room, notes that the time is 2:55 p.m. – the chunk 
was scheduled to end at 2:45 p.m. – and suggests a break.  

A break is observed and relished.

There is, subsequently, a Yoo-Hoo and Mrs. Bianca Ash, art teacher, calls those 
assembled together for

Chunk #3:  What are you hungriest for?

Paper and odorific pens, and assorted other art-making materials, are made available and 
Mrs. Ash beats her students into creative submission.  Students are given perhaps 30 
minutes to answer this question using the materials provided or whatever they may have 
brought to class themselves.  The resulting works of art are displayed along one wall of 
the meeting room, a wall of shame is averted, and students comment on what they have 
created for the benefit of others present.  Art works (without commentary) may be 
viewed on-line at the "Photos" section of http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nwradfaes.

After another break, artists reconvened for

Chunk #4:  What is your vision of the organization?  (Stewards/Friends/what?)

White Dragon faciliated Chunk 4, asking assembled artists to render on paper how they 
see the faeries of Kawashaway being organized.  After drawings were completed, they 
were placed in the center of the circle for all to view.  Then, each artist offered a few 
words about her drawing.  (Unfortunately, these drawings were unavailable at press 
time.)

Sunny Dish:		Organization could be about working in tandem.  What comes to 
mind is the moment when one person holds out a hand for another to 
join.  In that moment, that very instant of possibility between one 
person expressing interest in joining hands with another and before 
the other has extended a hand in turn, there is the question:  will this 
joining together happen?  I sense that cultivating a willingness to be 
in these kinds of moments would result in more organization.
White Ash:		Modules
Scooter:		Crumpled paper
Eureka:		Circles.  With the great circle – an annual even to give power to do all 
the things are wanted and needed – then connected with all the 
smaller circles of those who organize to complete the tasks
Garland:		Kawashaway as a springboard to always have a support group; there 
would be no worries about where to go; Masons
Ewe:		The idea is in the middle with conversations about it going on all 
around, conversations which take different shapes and reach out to the 
stars; a network of conversations about what is possible
Yearth Prairie:		Tree (growth); base (envisioning and imagining); top (will, intent, 
energy); flames to focus passions and spontaneity together contribute 
to growth
Dragon:		Echoing Cougar's image of a spider web; spiders in the trees; groups 
and sub-groups gathered around a center; everyone is connected 
through another person
Beebalm:		The center is who we be; the ring around the center is what we belive, 
think, feel; the ring around that is how we design (plans and 
structure); the ring around that is how we manifest feeds back to who 
we be
Rocky:		The many come to the table; together but as individuals; well-rooted
Will:		Envisions several structures within community:
A new sanctuary in the Driftless area of Wisconsin which 
has its own community and a decision making process – 
with others close by
Urban community which has its own organization; others 
who are connected to it
Faebiz – the money making venture envisioned by White 
Ash and others
Kawashaway – clueless about how it is organized; but not 
leaving it without structure
These structures all connected.  Lots of structure, but decentralized.
Two Bears:		Quilt; little figures who work on quilt as they know best; connected 
through threads and fabric; sharing equally in work
Tanya:		I envisioned a circle, I drew an egg; the goal is the key, even if it's not 
realized perfectly; moving toward a goal and getting close counts
Hummingbird:		Many doers; more woelcome; legal eneity exists; need to be able to 
defend that
Passion Fruit:		Something more than 2-dimensional; too perfect looking; tearing it; 
folding it back into itself; weaving the reality
Will:		What I hear is a lot of articulating structure as structureless; I don't 
get any clearer idea of what would happen or be created
Beebalm:		Al-Qaeda is believed to be a strong network, a very modern idea of 
organization; perhaps faeries are ahead of our own organizational 
evolution
Eureka:		This discussion acknowledges the importance of interconnection (in 
contrast to frequent faerie conversation about autonomy, 
independence, doing one's own thing)
Passion Fruit:		Being multi-centered has advantages; when it fails in one area, it 
surges in another; the more multi-centered our faerie community is 
the healthier it is
Will:		Multiple centers could well mean more difficulty in channeling 
energy necessary for Kawashaway Sanctuary
White Ash:		Or it could be that more vibrant multi-centered community will raise 
the level of energy available – to the benefit of Kawashaway
Passion Fruit:		We don't need to assume there's limited energy; there is synergy 
possible
White Dragon:		And greater ease found in it.
Eureka:		And sometimes things are hard.  Sometimes rewards are greater when 
things are harder.
Will:		There's a common theme – the need for more faeries to step forward 
and stick their hand in
Eureka:		When you reach your hand out – as in holding hands – you are risking 
. . .
Ewe:		Not so concerned with what it looks like; being center of other 
activities
Scooter:		The Ashram in India where Steven and I go is connected to thousands 
of people around the world who have never been there, but who 
support it.
Two Bears:		And there are blank sheets (of paper) waiting . . .
Rocky:		I would like to see visioning at this year's Gathering, especially about 
amenities for the Land.  There are lots of faes doing the work of 
Kawashaway, but only three of them are called Stewards – why?  
Keeping up with legal requirements for our organization – how 
important is that?
Will:		How the organization works should not be a mystery.  It should be 
accessible to newcomers.
Hummingbird:		I would rather see no separation between what Stewards are and do 
and what others who work for Kawashaway are and do
Discussion of this question ended here, as Passion Fruit urged the clearing of the room 
for the closing ritual.

Closing Ritual

The closing ritual was composed of three exercises facilitated by Passion Fruit (who, by 
this time, had been restored his rightful name).  

Everyone lay in a large circle, heads toward the center.  First, Passion Fruit asked that, 
after his instructions, people choose between:  (a) remaining silent; (b) copying the sound 
of someone else or (c) introducing a new sound.  There was a chorus of breaths and 
screeches and orgasmic gasps and turkey calls and calls to Gladys as voices responded.  
When the sound quieted, Passion Fruit then asked that people choose between: (a) 
remaining silent; (b) copying the sound of someone else as nearly identical to that 
person's sound as possible (it's not about tweaking someone else's sound) or (c) 
introducing a new sound – but only one original sound from each person.  The chorus 
reached an even higher creshendo with the introduction of howling and other new sounds.

Finally, Passion Fruit asked all assembled to take to their feet to assemble close together 
(but not pressing on one another) in the center of the room.  In an exercise evocative of 
the behavior of flocks, anyone behind that those at the front was to imitate the behavior 
of the one in front – until the one in front was no longer in front.  The front seemed to 
circle counter-clockwise for a few minutes with arm and leg movements of various sorts 
– and then seemed to jockey back and forth from one end of the room to the other.

The flock eventually came to rest and assemble in a circle, which brought the invitation 
to help with clean up and bring the day to conclusion.


A Post-Event was called for 8:00ish at the fire circle across from where Rocky and 
Passion Fruit live.  Faes gathered to dish, yet more, and wait for the snow storm 
scheduled to begin at 3:00 a.m. CDT.

###


The following pages contain comments solicited by Two Bears and submitted by 
Salamander and Cougar, who were unable to attend the Vision-o-Rama, but wanted to 
share some thoughts.

Salamander020411

Dear TwoBears: The lazy redundancy-opposed side of me says I've already answered all 
of these questions once in our email network exchange. I wish someone had held on to 
those responses. However! Many thanks for asking. 

1. I am by nature an introvert with good people skills. This means I like to be around 
people, on the fringes of activity, but don't necessarily step into the middle (strange as 
this may sound!). Thus my usual morning behavior: having stayed up as late as possible 
dancing or plaing canasty, I sleep as late as my body needs, which is generally late by the 
clock. I then go to the cookhouse and make my tea, sitting in relative isolation physically 
while surrounded by the whole gathering. After a pot of tea and a crossword or two I am 
ready to enter into groupness. This doesn't mean I don't experience community during all 
this--it's going on all around me and I feel its flow and energy. But I don't need to interact 
with it until I'm ready. THEN... I experience community best when it is intentional, that 
is when we focus on building community through shared activities, rituals, work projects, 
meals, notalent, etc. Mostly it's about hanging out together, spending time being around 
each other. It's about being a household--in a household each person has a role and a 
responsibility and shares the benefits. Community implies communion, shared bread. 
'Nuff said. 

2. Same thing generally applies. I have relatively few close friends aside from Dennis. 
That's intentional in a way. But I crave community. Were I single, I would probably 
consider living in an intentional vowed community, for all the reasons cited above. In the 
meantime I seek that community and am attempting to build it through my church 
congregation. I'm glad that the faeries exist in the background of that, but they are a 
support or subrosa version of my foreground work. 

3. I take it that this means "at Kawashaway"? The question is unclear. It varies: a deep 
sexual connection, sharing that joy with someone; community rituals; fire circles that are 
focused energy; community theatre; time alone or just sitting while the activity whirls 
around me. All are equally meaningful but all require a degree of group intention. This 
doesn't happen by accident. 

4. Hungriest for? Those moments of shared experience that raise me to bliss are generally 
both immanent and transcendant. Where we gather as a group to do...anything...and the 
energy clicks so that it feels "magical". I can't explain it better than that...I just "know it 
when I feel it." 

5. Can't really speak to this. I realized some time ago that I couldn't be a steward any 
longer because I'm shepherding another community. I can be a friend and offer financial 
support. Whether that's good enough? The current worker bees have to figure that out. 

Salamander 


Hiya HoneyBearBear!

Thanks for asking for my input.  Here goes:

Two Bears wrote:

> Dearest Cougar,
> Although you will be unable to be at the Visionorama in person, your input
> via e-mail would be welcome.  We will be addressing the 5 questions listed
> in the Visionorama invitation:
>
> How do you experience community at Kawashaway?

Mostly in one to one relationships and interactions.  Some in small group
activities.  Occasionally in large group activities (over say 15
participants),  those which are fully participative rather than a few faes
planning and implementing an activity while most others are
spectators/following.

> How do you experience community not at Kawashaway?

The elist has a sense of community for me and person to person email is an
experience of community.  I have on-going friendships with several members of
Kawashaway community apart form gathering times.  Since I live away from MN I
don't attend other events although there are a couple of SF folks who are also
part of my KaSa community with whom I spend time in person.

> What experiences are most meaningful to you?

The experiences that are most meaningful to me apart from one on one time with
individuals who are part of my inner circle are small to medium sized
activities (~3-12  faes) at KaSa that have a focused intention.  For instance:
"we're going to do the dishes together and sing now" or "we're going to drum at
the bonfire" or "we're going to have a heart circle now about sexual
empowerment"...   Focused intention and a number of participants that everyone
is actively involved and present...  These usually involve a person or two that
I am familiar with and trust and at least a few others that I don't know and am
not yet known to.

> What experiences are you hungriest for?

Play with others that involves explorations of mind, body, and spirit in medium
sized groups.  Heart circles of quality, both general ones and specific-topic
ones.   I want some attention to QUALITY of these experiences, i.e. paying
attention to doing whatever we're doing well, not just doing it.  I.e. "if it's
worth doing, it's worth doing well."  That means having an openness and
awareness of what it's like to NOT do something well.

I want to know what others want to try (like a BIG wish list paper sheet of
interesting activities at the gath!) and connect on what resonates with me.
Sometimes that's hard to combine with just letting it all unfold...

> Stewards/Friends – dissolution, evolution, repatterning, or ???

Huh??  guess I haven't been in on that discussion topic...

Thanks and love, over and out, (and likely back in again), Cougar

> Should you choose to respond to these questions, your responses will be
> communicated to those attending the event.  Please post your input to me no
> later than Thursday, April 18th; (I'll need some time to collate all the
> responses).  I am certain some sort of "minutes" or report will be written
> up from the events of the day, and will be available via e-mail for those
> who could not attend; more on this later.
>
> Please remember this is not a once-and-for-all event.  Discussions started
> at the Visionorama are hoped to continue on during Gathering, and hopefully
> we will have a full weekend retreat opportunity this Fall; however, it
> should also be acknowledged, this is the wishful thinking.  Of course, when
> faeries are involved, wishes can come true!  Gratefully Yours, Two Bears


Kawashaway Santuary  ?  Vision-o-Rama?  ?  April 20, 2002