Gathering Of Circles 2006 Planning Meeting Updated 06/25/2006 home  Back

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GATHERING OF CIRCLES
Planning Meeting
Wimberly, Texas
April 1, 2006
2pm - 5pm

Follow-up Letter for the GOC 2006 Planning Meeting

The Planning meeting took place on Saturday, April 1, 2006 at the home of Cindy and Ed Benedict close to Wimberly, Texas. Attendees were: Cliff Buchanan, June Baldwin, Marion Russell, Cathy Bails, Angie Ramon, Cindy Benedict, Jazz Jaeschke, Gary Kindrick, Janice Togal.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Cindy and Ed for their gracious hospitality and for making our meeting a great success. The breakfast provided by you two was outstanding.

After much discussion and a few phone calls, our coordinator positions are the following:

Cash  Money reported by Cliff is about where we usually are. It is enough to pay for T-shirts, postage and supplies, and speaker stipend.

“Community” was accepted as our theme this year. Discussion centered around the GOC being a microcosm of world events and that theme seemed appropriate if for no other reason than that. Some of us experienced the Earthtribe community on Saturday morning including a sweat lodge. The Earthtribe and Dr. Will Taegel havemuch to teach us about community this year. We discussed ways to foster that feeling of community in an overt way (not left to chance). Additionally, Will joined us on Sunday morning and we discussed “community” and what it means. Please see www.EarthTribe.com for more info on Earthtribe.

We discussed promoting volunteer participation during the GOC and options to adapt the Give-a-way to high attendance.  We exchanged many good ideas for workshops and information sheets. For those of you who are not on the Planning Committee but would like to help, we are calling for volunteers. Please contact the coordinator by phone or email to offer your assistance.

Other topics discussed were the establishment of a permanent scholarship committee, fund raising events, and the establishment of a GOC Council to administrator long-term policies.

Cliff Buchanan

432-550-3302

Join us this year in the beautiful hill country of Texas as we come together to plan the Gathering of Circles for 2006! The GOC will be held in Cloudcroft, New Mexico starting August 3 thru August 6, 2006. It takes a community to make the GOC happen, so we need everyone's help.  In order to entice you to attend we have a special treat for those who attend the planning meeting this year.  Dr. Will Taegel, our 2006 guest speaker, has invited us to join him for a sweat lodge ceremony the morning of April 1.  His lodge is near Wimberly, Texas and the ceremony will begin at 8:30am (Directions below)

Dr. Taegel is a psychotherapist, spiritual mentor, and author of several books including The Many Colored Buffalo.  He is the co-founder along with his spouse, Judith Yost, of the spiritual community, the Earthtribe. After the sweat we will travel a few miles to the Four Directions  Studio owned by Cindy and Ed Benedict where we will hold the planning meeting.  This is a beautiful space and they open the studio to guests for occasions they deem good energy.  They do ask that we be conservative with water.  They're on well and septic. So answering Mother Nature's call outdoors and minimizing flushing will be greatly appreciated.  There are no shower facilities downstairs - anyone who really wants a shower, see next paragraph. [Note that Will has a hose to rinse off with following the sweat.]  We will do potluck for the Saturday evening meal so bring a dish.  The Benedicts have graciously offered to provide breakfast Sunday morning. Capacity at Cindy's is about 15.  If more than 15 plan to attend, a few will need to look toward the State Park or the cabins or the B&B that are in close proximity.  [Contact info for all three below.] Dogs are welcome in and around the studio on a leash - just stay out of the fenced area that belongs to Sable, an elderly and sensitive German Shepherd. 

Below are directions to the Taegel ranch for those who want to arrive by 8:30 Saturday morning and participate in his lodge gathering and sweat ceremony. That usually concludes around 1:30.  Will needs to know who's coming in advance so that the right number of sweat lodges are prepared. Cindy will be expecting arrivals at the studio any time after noon. If arriving before the group coming from Will's, make yourself at home on the deck and enjoy the peaceful Hill Country. Will suggests that he meet with us Sunday morning since his energies will be somewhat depleted from Saturday morning's ceremony/sweat.  We can have him join us for breakfast perhaps.  He has another engagement around noon Sunday, so everyone can be on the road by then. 

The Current List of Co-ordinators (as of 03/08/2006):

If you are interested in one of these jobs please email Cliff Cliff@ISISoftware.net . Also, we welcome your suggestions, comments and/or any issues you may have regarding the GOC. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are going to attend the sweat and/or the planning meeting.  Will has to know how many will be at the sweat in order to make necessary preparations and we need to know how many to count on for the planning meeting also so we can make arrangements for space, food, etc. 

BE THERE, VOLUNTEER, HELP MAKE THE GOC 2006 A REALITY. IT'S FUN AND REWARDING TO BE A PART OF SOMETHING THIS GREAT AND WONDERFUL!! 

RSVP ASAP: Cliff@ISISoftware.net 

Thanks for your support, see you soon!! Pamela Scheler

Current list of attendees are:
Cliff Buchanan, June Baldwin, Charlotte Burke, Bret Messer, Crystal Duque, Saul Garza, Lazo, Barbara Harris, Cathy Bails, Marion Russell, June Davis, Jazz Jaeschke, Gary Kendrick, Susan Murray.

Info: 
Michael Broyles will offer a flute Making workshop (505) 776-2015 onewinterhawk2003@yahoo.com

Please submit your workshop here:
http://www.gatheringofcircles.com/workshop_presenter_info.htm 

TO WILL TAEGEL RANCH, WIMBERLEY TX:

US290 to RR12 in Dripping Springs
  South on RR12
    Left on County176 - Skyline Dr.
    [1st left after Eagle's Nest Dr]
    Stay on Skyline Dr. to T @ ValleyVista Rd.
      Left on ValleyVista
        Immediately right on Skyline Ridge
          Left @ white brick entry
          Continue till you find cars parked alongside road
          Park likewise and walk on to join the gathering

TO FOUR DIRECTIONS STUDIO 1-830-868-9231 - Clia@mail.moment.net
   [NEAR PEDERNALES FALLS STATE PARK]

From points East [Austin]:
US 290 W from RR12 to TX3232
Watch for brown&white Pedernales Falls sign
Getting close once you pass through Henley; it's the
      turn right after Old Park Road
From points South [San Antonio], West [Odessa], or North [Abilene]:
Your choice to US290 E to TX3232
Watch for brown&white Pedernales Falls sign
Getting close once you see a Shell station and
Friday's General Store on your right as you head E from US281

THEN - from US290-TX3232 intersection:
North 4.5 miles on TX3232 toward Pedernales Falls State Park
Cross Flat Creek - slow as area is animal crossing intensive
Watch for small house B&B on right after you come up from creek
Take 1st right after B&B - Valley View Drive
Pass mobile home on left and house on right
Stay straight to parking area at #213

Pedernales Falls State Park is a few miles further N on TX3232 - $5 per
person entry; $20 camping fee
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/pedernales_falls/ 

Room With A View B&B on TX3232 just S of Valley View Drive:
1-888-588-VIEW [1-888-588-8439]         

Hill Kuntry Kabins & RV on TX3232 just N of Valley View Drive:
1-830-868-2096

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