Happy Halloween! “Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us,” said Director Tim Burton. Halloween is a special harvest time in the rural Midwest and especially here, marking the 9th year and 3,285th day and night we’ve resided on our farm in South Haven, Michigan, USA. Over that ten years, we’ve come to don a Ceremonial mask monthly in the service of healing others, and are delighted to wrap up an absolutely off-the-charts October retreat month, with so many developments even RoZie my dog and I could barely keep up. And RoZie runs like a deer, being a Hungarian Vizsla and one of the world’s fastest breeds. Saluki who knewki? Apparently not winning, placing or showing, but coming in 4th at a very respectable 40 m-p-h, as I like to say, she does come in a lil’ hot. She certainly can be your best pal, but jury is out or perhaps more training called for as to asking anything of her. Regardless, you’ll love her, and the feelings of unconditional adoration will most assuredly be returned.
Before this becomes an ad for my sweet sidekick, also known as The Higher Haven’s Rose, let’s pound our wetlands wooded pathway back a few weeks to our Fall Noble Silence Meditation Retreat Weekend. We’ll be working out our Winter schedule and offering some Noble Silence Meditation Retreats (NSMRs) in the Spring of 2024, but for now, there’s still a chance to take in our NSMR’s main teaching at this Saturday’s Meditation + Mindfulness 101 Class. And we’ll pretty much guarantee that if you’re willing to do a little work, you’ll acquire a mini-taste of spiritual purification, a similar experience reported on by new students Brooke and Shelley below. Join us this weekend for one of 2023’s final teachings, watch for our 2024 scheduling that includes our new Winter Zen Walk Workshop — with a sneak preview boardwalk photo above — and more on RoZie’s All Souls Day shenanigans all coming soon.
"We can't stress how much this weekend meant to us. What an amazing stay. For the first time, we felt the positive effects of sitting meditation, and feel it's a great re-start in achieving balance and reconnecting with our spiritual selves. We're both interested in coming again, and have shared with friends who we think would benefit from and enjoy this type of experience. Thanks to Paul — although this phrase doesn't even begin to convey our feelings on it — whose energy helped create this experience. We both loved our time at The Higher Haven, will continue telling everyone what a great time we had, and are looking forward to future teachings! - Brooke + Shelley