THE

MANITOUPROJECT

NEWSLETTER FOR MEMBERS & FRIENDS • DECEMBER 2005

Founder’s Reflections

A few weeks ago, some of us gathered to celebrate

the Fall Equinox. Part of our agenda was to ‘work on

trails together’ ...something we rarely do. One of the

delighted, surprised filled comments from a long-time,

hard-working member was, “It’s like being a kid

again...building forts...just having fun.” I thought

about this afterwards. Thomas Merton talks about

how “a pervasive form of contemporary violence, one

to which the idealist most easily succumbs, is activism

and overwork.” How often do we ‘just have fun’ on

the Manitou land? Most of us simply don’t have time

for it.

Yet, as we have often told ourselves, we need to be

Manitou if we’re going to do Manitou. I wonder if we

don’t tend to forget to be with and interact with the

Manitou land in the midst of our hectic lives? By

becoming members we’re automatically invited to

explore the paths and trails- and as we do so, to notice

whatever shows up along the way. It sounds so

simple- and it is. Being on the land is central to

everything else, for it means that we’re acknowledging

the land and in our own way communicating with the

energetic Spirit of the land- and thus doing our part in

awakening the nature spirits and allowing ourselves to

be awakened in return. We can’t do it for others if

we’re not experiencing it for ourselves. And if we do

it with open hearts ( perhaps with a child in tow if

there’s one available...or a dog or two) ... who knows,

we might even have FUN in the process!

–Pam Mayer

Come celebrate Imbolc and look to the new year with

the Manitou Project Members’ Annual Meeting!

February 5, 2006 1PM-5PMLocation to be announced. Snow date February 19, 2006.

Manitou Council Elections will be held during this fun and important meeting. We are currently

seeking nominations for four positions that are open this year. We have three candidates currently.

Fred Taylor, Wendy Redlinger, and Jeanette Pfeifer are all seeking reelection. We especially are in

need of folks to serve as Treasurer, Stewardship Cluster Head and Development Cluster Head.

Contact the Manitou Office at 257-1832 with questions and nominations.

Earthfriend Discovery Day Camp

August 2005 brought the second summer of children having

fun and exploring the woods of Manitou at Earthfriend Discovery

Day Camp. Five of our original six campers returned this year

and were joined by four new campers–all ages eight to twelve

(generally the camp is for ages nine to eleven). Each camper got

to know an Earthfriend–an animal, bird or insect that lives at

Manitou–including where the animal lives, what it eats, and what

its medicine might be through research, observation, making

shields and masks. Sometimes getting to know the animals

involved catching them or even getting stung by them–we had a

lot of yellow jacket nests in the Manitou Woods this summer!

We’ll be back in the woods again this August for a third year of Earthfriend Discovery Day Camp. This year we

hope to run concurrently a group of 9-11 year olds and a group of 12-15 year olds. Start talking with the kids you

know who would love exploring the woods, having fun, and bonding with the spirit of Nature and Manitou.

From the Manitou Coordinator

Greetings to Manitou Members and Friends. As

many of you are aware from the email announcement

and word of mouth, the Manitou Council hired me as

the Coordinator in August to facilitate the Manitou

Project becoming self-sufficient with a vibrant

community nourishing the Manitou Land and in turn

be nourished. I greatly appreciate the confidence

expressed in hiring me and look forward to getting to

know everyone involved with the Manitou Project.

As I have looked through the listing of members

and friends, as well as having lived at Manitou for two

years, I have noticed that there are many members

who are not able to come be at Manitou exploring the

trails, sacred sites, and participating in the programs

offered. Yet Manitou calls to you in spirit–a

resonation with our mission to “celebrate the sacred

interdependence of humans and nature” and to be “a

model of land conservation and education integrating

spiritual and practical applications of ecological

awareness.” I have wondered in conversations with

other members and with Pam how we could reach out

to our members who are not able to come to Manitou.

One of the ideas that has emerged is to publish the

Manitou Newsletter at least two times a year and

ideally four times the year. The newsletter is going to

expand from reports of Manitou happenings and

upcoming events to include dialogue on what it means

to be Manitou–to explore our relationship to each

other, the Earth and Spirit–especially as expressed

through relating to the Manitou Land. This dialogue

is open to everyone and can be expressed through the

written word, drawings, and photographs. We look

forward to hearing from you. For the next issue of the

newsletter, I invite folks to reflect upon the following

quote from a wonderfully thoughtful leader in land

conservation, Peter Forbes of the Center for Whole

Communities:

“...when our direct human experience of the

land is limited, our emotional intelligence gets

buried even further. We lose our intuitive wisdom.

We lose our sense of belonging, our tolerance, our

affinity because we are just operating in our own

little world.” –Peter Forbes from “The Yurt Talks”

CD.

Send your ref lect ions by emai l to

ManitouProject@peoplepc.com or mail to The

Manitou Project, PO Box 161, Williamsville, VT

05362.

-Amy Hyatt

Fun and wonder exploring the fens with campers

Ursula, Kacie, Daniel and Nick.

Manitou offers new series of Retreats

This season, Manitou initiated a new dimension of

its programs, a series of day long retreats for Manitou

members and community groups. Our hope has been to

offer more in-depth programs that will reach out to

members and others in the area. By

providing a space to step aside

from the busyness of everyday life,

we hope to enable such groups to

build community, and grow from

shared wisdom gleaned from the

land.

We offered the first retreat on

May 28, to members of the

W i n d h a m E n v i r o n m e n t a l

C o a l i t i o n , a g r o u p o f

representatives of organizations in

the area with a sustainability or

environmental focus. In spite of

being postponed from an earlier

date due to weather, thirteen

people attended. We had a rich

time listening to the land guide us

in our work. The trees, lichens,

streams, and other rich life of

Manitou offered much wisdom

about the importance of patience,

attentiveness, respect for diversity

and cooperation. One participant

said, “I almost didn’t come, but I

am glad I did. I feel I know

everyone much better and feel that we will be there for

each other.” We hope to offer such retreats in the future

to other groups in the area, and see them as an important

part of Manitou’s service to the community.

Then, on Sat. Oct. 29, a retreat for Manitou

members offered an opportunity to spend a day together

on the land and explore our connections with place and

the sacred. Twelve members attended. After an

introductory sharing circle (always a treat with Manitou

members!), a meditative walk to the Three Sisters

provided the space to reflect on our childhood

connection to place – where did we first find our

connection to the sacred through nature? The group had

a lively sharing of stories of these

places, which gave us all new

insight and appreciation toward

each others’ connection with place

and spirit – and some hearty laughs

as well, as we heard about each

others’ childhood tree-climbing,

wild adventuring, and favorite

secret places.

Then, after a breathing

meditation, we wandered the land

on our own, pondering the meaning

of the sacred in our lives, allowing

ourselves to be drawn to a place

that represented that for us. With

guidelines for writing about the

place and its connection to the

sacred, we wrote and later shared

our writings and reflections

gathered around the woodstove in

the cozy hogan.

Both retreats were a great

success – one directed out to the

community, and one inward to our

membership. They fulfilled our

intention that spending time

together on the land can be a powerful experience that

builds community, and deepens our spiritual connections

to the land and each other. If you’re interested in

developing such a retreat for a group you belong to, or

want to participate in a future retreat, please contact

Fred Taylor, Benjamin Robin Mercer, or Amy Hyatt at

802-257-1832.

October Retreat Reflections

Hemlock GuidesTree tall and scaly black barkThick trunks, roots - one legbalancing the other.Shining crowns of verdant green,Breathing through yellow and orangebeech-speckled...air.

Giants step down toward the stream.Over rocks and mammoth stoneWith hairy toes that wiggle in softmoist cushions...moss.

Following whispers of snow, whiteveils, Trails etched on rusty paper Of brown, taupe, beige - bronzeBronze pathways run through hours, through leaves...time.

Giants step beyond this place, my soulDown, down toward the streamMoving with me, throughme...swiftly, into the racing waters below.

-Em Richards

Manitou Programs Winter 2005

Wednesday December 21 at 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Winter Solstice Celebration: Comest

celebrate with good friends by a bonfire! We’ll be having a ceremony including eating the Famous

Flaming Raisins and storytelling. Afterwards we will join together for potluck at the Mayer Family

Cabin. This event will be at Toad Hill–the Rock River side of Manitou. No need to worry about

driving on Sunset Lake Road. We look forward to seeing you there! Call 257-1832 for more info.

Sunday February 5, 2006 1PM-5PM Imbolc Celebration and Manitou AnnualMeeting: As the light returns and the first hints that winter is beginning to concede to springtime,

come join us as we celebrate the journey of

Manitou this past year and look ahead to what

the new year brings. This includes voting for

the Manitou Council– if you are interested in

running or would like to nominate someone

please contact the office at 802-257-1832.

We will be voting for four Council Seats (3-

Year Terms). Remember to renew your

membership for 2006 beforehand.

Cluster Contact People:StewardshipBill Schmidt, 257-0233, elysian2@sover.netDevelopment & OfficeAmy Hyatt, 257-1832, ManitouProject@peoplepc.comMembershipClaudia Diperi, 254-8834, cdiperi@sover.netProgramsFred Taylor, 387-2681, r_taylor@antiochne.edu