One of Sunburst’s most popular “playshops” (never a “work” shop) is Craig Hanson’s annual Sacred Geometry event. Each year it offers a new creative and educational activity for our enjoyment.
This fall the theme was Triangles, how Nature uses them as the building blocks of atoms, and snowflakes, flowers, seeds, our physical bodies and more.
After Craig’s slide presentation, each participant constructed a star tetrahedron covered with Craig’s beautiful artwork. Every drawing on
it represented a triangular image found in nature.
Comments ranged from: “This was the most fun project, yet,” to “Wow! I loved this event!” Perhaps you’ll find time to enjoy an upcoming Sunburst activity. We hope so!
By Sean Fennell
At Sunburst I employ the principles of Permaculture to observe how I live daily, how I connect with the wisdom of the Earth, with myself and with others. This is the outward journey, having been sculpted inwardly through my practice of the twelve virtues and the eight-fold path of conscious living.
This practice supports a continual path of transformation and growth in my everyday life. It helps me approach ordinary activities in extraordinary ways.
Where Spirit, Nature and people meet in oneness in activity, as well as in non-activity, is that place where I find my center. Permaculture is the marriage of the spiritual with the natural and social and is, therefore, one of the highest expressions of spiritual practice.
Permaculture begins with the individual, and is contingent upon one’s thoughts, ethics and beliefs. This, in turn, is what one can fully utilize in creating a sustainable way of life, starting from the inside out.
By employing the benefits of meditation, deep self-reflection, time spent in nature and group interactions, one’s creative expression and endeavor can translate into a life that’s fun, rewarding and sustainable for oneself, for others, and the Earth!
“If it’s not fun, it’s not sustainable” is the Permaculture mantra.
Sean demonstrating the permaculture method of planting trees.
The backbone of our spiritual practice at Sunburst is the application of the Twelve Virtues in our lives: Charity, Faith, Loyalty, Patience, Honesty, Perseverance, Temperance, Humility, Courage, Equanimity, Continence, and Compassion. This makes for balance, peace, and inner joy — the barometer of all spiritual success. Likewise, the application of these virtues with the Twelve Principles of Permaculture and Permaculture Ethics ensures success in our outward endeavors at Sunburst.
A successful Permaculture project is contingent upon the application of Spiritual Principles, whether we use such terminology or not.
Charity resonates with the Permaculture Ethics of Fair Share and People Care.
Faith and belief in our endeavor creates the motivation for success.
Loyalty among participants ensures steady commitment.
Patience is critical, for even the best designs and objectives in Permaculture are still subject to extremes in environmental conditions.
Honesty is important — As in spiritual practice, we must walk our talk.
Perseverance in meditation and living in virtue ensures spiritual advancement; likewise, perseverance in Permaculture and living in integrity ensures generational rewards.
Temperance in spiritual practice ensures balance; in Permaculture balance ensures that no strand in the Web is broken or weakened.
Humility in spiritual practice ensures that we’re not acting from our lower ego selves; likewise, humility in Permaculture ensures that we are open to suggestions, respectful of other’s opinions, and are able to “hold hands with each other” and work together toward our common goal.
Courage is critical: Spiritual advancement requires courage, patience and perseverance. Likewise, Permaculture cannot survive as a practice without courage, patience and perseverance.
Equanimity in spiritual practice means overlooking obstacles and maintaining even-mindedness in our goal to achieve enlightenment. In Permaculture we are faced with doing the same in order to maintain symbiotic relationships that ensure successful outcomes.
Continence, the practice of self-control, ensures the conservation of vital energies necessary for higher meditational practices. Likewise, self-control is necessary in Permaculture — it ensures that our goals and visions do not exceed our physical capabilities.
Compassion may sound simple; yet, in spiritual practice our ego selves can often propel us into being critical and judgmental rather than compassionate and understanding. Likewise, in Permaculture, without a loving and compassionate relationship with the Earth and each other as we work toward a common goal, there can be no successful rewards.
In the end, Permaculture at Sunburst is Spiritual Practice!
Ischa during Sunburst’s “Permaculture As Spiritual Practice” workshop
Saturday, August 13, 2016 was finally there, charged with anticipation as we prepared for yet another evening of great fun and excitement at Sunburst. Decorating the Lodge, preparing snacks, laying tarp upon the sacred Wheel of Life hill for eager campers created a high-energy environment perfect for those who would stay awake all night looking at the heavens. Celebrations for our customary annual “Star Party” had begun. The Perseid Meteor Shower was to make its grand entrance!
Moksha Badarayan, our renowned Sunburst science teacher, held her large classroom full of eager students, both mature and young, spellbound as she presented a three-part slide show on astronomy that included the latest discoveries and scientific information that kept us riveted in our mental journey through outer space, traversing the Milky Way! How amazing to hear the many theories put forth by science as they try to define and categorize the very subtle differences of what constitutes “life” in outer space – mind-blowing and intriguing propositions that elicited much teacher/audience participation, with the tiny “grown ups” asking the most interesting questions, resulting in the most interesting answers! Needless to say, Moksha’s acumen and preparedness placed both her and the kids among the “stars” that night!
And the evening was just starting! On the patio outside lay mounted three gigantic telescopes, manned by an amazing group of seasoned astronomers, including Sunburst’s own Steve Anderson. Not only were we all in awe peering at the rings of Saturn, the moons of several planets, watching the space station whiz by, but an occasional meteorite would streak by too, further building the excitement of the evening as some made “goop” as a science experiment, drank hot homemade chai, snacked, and continued their periodic visits to the telescopes.
The grand finale marked a short pilgrimage to our Wheel of Life hill that held a 360-degree view and upon which some of would spend all night scanning the heavens, “ooing and aweing” as the heavens presented the ultimate light show – incredible meteors with their comet-like trails streaking across the land! Oh what a night to remember – warm, starlit, fun-filled and joyful. Looking up I could only sum it up in a few words to Moksha camping beside me: “Look what beauty our Heavenly parents have created for our enjoyment.”
Thank you, Moksha for making “Star Party 2016” a memorable one!
This practice supports a continual path of transformation and growth in my everyday life. It helps me approach ordinary activities in extraordinary ways.
Moksha Badarayan, our renowned Sunburst science teacher, held her large classroom full of eager students, both mature and young, spellbound as she presented a three-part slide show on astronomy that included the latest discoveries and scientific information that kept us riveted in our mental journey through outer space, traversing the Milky Way! How amazing to hear the many theories put forth by science as they try to define and categorize the very subtle differences of what constitutes “life” in outer space – mind-blowing and intriguing propositions that elicited much teacher/audience participation, with the tiny “grown ups” asking the most interesting questions, resulting in the most interesting answers! Needless to say, Moksha’s acumen and preparedness placed both her and the kids among the “stars” that night!
And the evening was just starting! On the patio outside lay mounted three gigantic telescopes, manned by an amazing group of seasoned astronomers, including Sunburst’s own Steve Anderson. Not only were we all in awe peering at the rings of Saturn, the moons of several planets, watching the space station whiz by, but an occasional meteorite would streak by too, further building the excitement of the evening as some made “goop” as a science experiment, drank hot homemade chai, snacked, and continued their periodic visits to the telescopes.
One of Sunburst’s most popular “playshops” (never a “work” shop) is Craig Hanson’s annual Sacred Geometry event. Each year it offers a new creative and educational activity for our enjoyment.
