Convivial living celebrates our differences. Where these differences are exposed through dialogue, people learn to defend their own beliefs with good reasons, and make their own judgements about novel ideas or ways of living. In other words they learn to think well, to be philosophers in their daily life. On this link you will find challenging games, stories, articles which will encourage you to think about and discuss some of the big questions that are often not considered in the rush of daily life.
Tingrith Meetinghouse can accommodate at least ten people in luxury dormitory accommodation set in natural Australian bush. The studio has two bedrooms and a commercial kitchen, a large woodfired pizza oven and room for a number of bunk beds, ideal for school camps. The Save the Forests campaign accommodated 25 people one winter weekend and GreensSW has used it for their meetings.
There is a large TV screen through which computer content or DVDs can be shown, and a large whiteboard, The meetinghouse can be used for weekend residential workshops, ranging from spiritual retreats, permaculture groups, art classes, art exhibitions, ecological bush walks, bird watching, parties.
Sessions usually begin at 5 pm on a Friday night and conclude at 4 pm on the following Sunday, though other arrangements can be made. Costs and bookings here.
Concerts:
The lovely Loren Kate launched her new CD Moving On in Tingrith, and in 2010 we held a fantastic Sound Healing Concert to protect the land against the neighbouring prospective coal mine.
Workshops:
We have had Ruby Philogene MBE present Master Classes in opera, a Sound Massage workshop from Maranta Sound Academy, many Transition MR Film evenings, a seasponge painting workshop from Lori Burke, Ancestral Healing, Philosophy in Schools professional development sessions. In 2016, there are plans for a shamanic workshop, cooking classes with Ian Parmenter, a Sacred Theatre workshop and a workshop on mazes and mandalas as we rebuild the small labyrinth together. Richard Yiap has cancelled his proposed visit in searchof extraterrestrials till 2017, but we are trying to persuade David Kennett from Auria to come down for four workshops on Water diving, encountering the divine, his programme at Auria in his place
Rituals:
We c
elebrate solstices and equinoxes often with meditation and a large tipi with a sweat lodge has been constructed by Peter Godden in the northwest corner of the farm. The first sweat lodge was held in June, but another open one was held with twelve participants on July 12th. A fantastic success in which we shared our wishes with the Great Spirit and celebrated our connections with each other and the earth. Thanks to Peter for leading the ceremonies and preparing the site so well. And Emily for providin
g music and cheerfulness and everyone for providing such stimulating awareness of our connectedness All under a brilliant SuperMoon.
Peter also lit the fire and played music to the celebration of the winter solstice up by the meetinghouse on June 21st, in which fifty local people celebrated the turning towards the light.. We had a great Easter sweat lodge under a lunar clipse on Easrer saturday and also celebrated Julia’s 30th birthday. Gianluca, my energetic Italian farm worker, who lives in the caravan behind the labyrinth, experienced his first sweat lodge and found it an amazing experience.
Elaine Clocherty was artist-in-residence with her family for three months and has created an earth work with four pods reflecting the Pleiades, in which one can lie and stargaze. Simon Walsh living in the Lodge at Tingrith, has composed a half hour of celestial music for such stargazing ceremonies.
There are two labyrinths – the large 35m diameter one based on the Chartres maze, and the smaller eight-turn one based on the Cretan dancing goddess Ariadne. Ideal for morning exercise and meditation. I have just purchased about fifteen new books on labyrinths, including their Minoan history and it is hoped to run a series of three workshops on labyrinths, with Joan Parkes from Busselton, The Uniting Church pastor from Margaret River, and Felicity, culminating in participants actually making mosaics for the path in the Cretan labyrinth which reflect their own rituals and totems.The small labyrinth has been concreted, and the mosaics and map of the maze are ready..