The Blue Deer Center is busy with activity this week!

With colder evenings and cool days, the Blue Deer Center is busy with activity.( and yes, it has been cooler here the last few weeks even in August) the Center has hosted several programs and events over the past few weeks. Mostly recently, The Fire Keepers for the Sacred Fire Community have finished their annual retreat here. As these important members of the community head home, member of the three organizations- Sacred Fire Foundation, Sacred Fire Community Organization and the Blue Deer Center have begun arriving for their annual board meetings on the land. The Center is blessed by their arrivals and their community here.

In recent feedback to the Blue Deer Center, there have been requests for additional lamps in the rooms and hooks to hang towels and clothing. Good News is the Blue Deer Center Staff has purchased several lamps and will be installing hooks through out the guest housing areas for your convenience. The staff is working to make your stay with us better every time.

Over the last few weeks the center has seen a steady stream of volunteers. Many of our volunteers working on the land have been young people from around the community. We would like to send out a great big thank you to some of those young people who have returned to help again and again.  Sarah Schuman, Nathan Juckett and Nick Gionfriddo. It is so nice to have such energy on the land helping to care for it.

The next few weeks things get to quiet down here at the center. The staff will have time to get things back to ship shape before programs begin again in a few weeks.

If you have feedback on your experience here at the center, please let us know.
Questions, concerns or comments can be sent to jennschuman@bluedeer.org.

And I hope to see you at the Blue Deer Center!

Plant Spirit Medicine Class

Last week at the Blue Deer Center, the Plant Spirit Medicine class came back to the center for session five. In between class time, students are able to blow of steam and have some fun. Jimmy spent a lot of time walking around on his hands.

 Students share thoughts, ideas and drawings to help in their studies. They are able to keep their smiles while working hard on their studies.

 Lunch was a great time for conversation and enjoying the delicious and healthy foods prepared fresh each day by our chefs.

 Students work together to develop the techniques needed. They give each other advise and use each other for practice. Here they are practicing pulses.

 A sense of humor goes along way during their studies and a good cup of tea.

 After many weeks of studies together over that past year and half, great friendships have been formed and will last for many years to come!

Next Week, The Plant Spirit Medicine Association Conference comes to the Blue Deer Center.

Take a look at the changes in progress at Blue Deer Center

Renovations are picking up and moving along on the expanded office space and elder's residence. Walls are being removed and reconfigured and the space is opening up. Our goal is to be using the new offices and to have Eliot moved in by the fall of this year!

Above: Walls have been removed at the Kitchen and Master Suite areas to create a more open layout. New load-bearing beams have been engineered and created utilizing the existing wall framing above.

Above:Walls have been removed and new walls are being framed in the Master suite of the residence.

Below: A new opening is created from the lower office level up to the residence level for a new stair.

Fireball At The Blue Deer Center!!!!!!!!!

This past weekend, the Fireball ! Great times were had by all. There was dancing, talking, healing music, Bocce games, Silent Art Auction and lots of conversing with the many who attended.
Here are just a few pictures! Lots of new people came to see the Blue Deer Center. I enjoyed meeting many of them.

It was an amazing time and I can not wait for next year! If you are interested in becoming part of the committee who puts together Fireball, please give us a call! We need your help. Jennschuman@bluedeer.org or 845-586-3225

Speaking about Water Event at Blue Deer Center

Last Weekend, The Blue Deer Center hosted the Speaking about Water Event. People came from as far away as Ohio to attend. The Global Processing Institute facilitated the event. Local residents from Margaretville, Andes and Roxbury joined together in discussion and debate about our local watershed, the rules and regulations that effect our everyday lives and so much more. Thursday night was an open forum for all to share their experiences, feelings and views on how the watershed effects each of us. Friday and Saturday consisted of in depth conversation about the importance of water in our daily lives.  I would have to say, it was a very interesting, engaging and enjoyable program. I am looking forward to more programs like this one in the near future!

Wisdom of the Divine Natural World Class at Blue Deer Center

 This past week Eliot Cowan led the Wisdom of The Divine Natural World class at the Blue Deer Center!

This course is for those who wish to explore the natural world and discover themselves. You may be a beginner or a veteran. You may be a healer. You may have no interest in healing. You may consider yourself talented or dense, spiritual or mundane. It doesn’t matter. Whoever you are, you are a child of the world, and your Mother has much to share with you.

In this largely experiental course we will delve into:

• Believing is Seeing and What You See is What You Get
• The World Forces: Sun, Soil, Mineral, Rain, Growth
• Emotion – How Do I Touch the World? How Does the World Touch Me?
• The Voice of the Seasons
• Learning Plant Spirit Language
• Plant Wisdom and How to Hear It
• Dream and Reality
• Ancestors, Soul and Spiritual Path
• Time Around the Fire

 Students spent time at the river journeying and reflecting on the Divine Natural World. Here students sit by the river and the fire with Eliot. Student also had time in the yurt.

As well as in discussion and conversation with Eliot. A few students have stayed on at the Blue Deer Center as volunteers for our next program and to help turn things over. It is a busy few weeks here at the Center.

As I write this we are hosting our Speaking of Water Event which will be the blog feature next week.  Thanks for tuning in and Hope to see you at the Blue Deer Center next time.

Fireball is coming and We need your help!

The 11th Annual Fireball is scheduled for Saturday, July 5th, 2014 and 1:00-10:00. This Day of music with performances by Blue Paradox- Electric & Eclectic Dance and Trance, Myra Melford- Solo Piano, Steve Gorn & Ray Spiegel- Indian Classical Twilight ragas, The Breath Collective "unplugged"- Psychedelic rock from the Hudson Valley, Kirtan & Drum Circle- Grab a drum and join in, Eliot Cowan- Book signing and Saskawhihiwine- The beautiful timeless sounds of the river. Admission is $10. Lodging and Camping spaces available onsite, book your reservations today.

There will also be food vendors, raffle- a weekend at the Blue Deer Center for you Hamlet and more, Homemade Dessert Auction, and Silent Art Auction. We need you help getting these events and raffles put together. If you would like to volunteer to help with one or more of these events please contact Jenn Schuman Or Aaron Bauman at 845-586-3225.