2007-02-03

Snow bursts sparkled in the air from time to time today as the deep freeze weather continued. We were cozy and warm inside. After Morning Offering and everyone getting their breakfast, we picked up where we had left off yesterday and moved through the discussion and meditation upon the rest of the archetype pairs for the archetypes of the mind during the morning and afternoon.

I felt a good deal of useful contemplation and thought was shared by all. The focus was intense and I think by nightfall we were all a bit punchy from the sustained study and thought. But it was delightful, provocative and savvy conversation with everyone pitching in – the mark of a great gathering.

We broke in the middle of the day to go to the Cheesecake Factory Restaurant, a place where vegetarians are as much at home as carnivores and where the food is really good. We brought back some cheesecake for Mick, who had to miss the luncheon because of needing to sprinkle calcium chloride over both parking lots and all the walks at St. Luke’s. Snow bursts are predicted for the whole weekend, and Jim wanted to make sure that those who gathered for the Saturday evening service there had firm footing,

After the work of the conference proper was done at around 7 PM, we said good bye to one of our group. Steve M had to leave early in order to respond to a sudden illness in his family. Please keep Steve, his Dad and his whole family in your prayers.

Tiffani took him to the airport, as he was lucky enough to find an immediate flight. And we were all fortunate that Tiff had to go to the airport at that time anyway in order to pick up her boyfriend, Ryan, who arrived late for the weekend. He came because he wanted to meet Jim and me and see what Tiffani liked so much about our material. We were delighted to add him to the company.

Ken and Cindy S left soon after the end of our official work, needing to get back home to go to work tomorrow.

The rest of the crew chowed down on their choice of both the luncheon and the dinner items from our previous meals this weekend, kindly cleaning up our refrigerator of the its and pieces of good dishes and really enjoying the food. Everyone was most complimentary about our offerings. I do think that a gathering runs on its stomach, so we try to have good food around at all times during one of these gatherings.

After supper we cracked the wine and spread the cheese and crackers and offered the Gaia Meditation, which in this case was an extended toast. Then we chose teams for a Trivial Pursuit game which lasted until almost 11 PM and created a great goof-off lightness to balance out all the deep thoughts and profound insights which were the harvest of our work on the archetypes. We had Ed and Michelle’s infant, Maya and Valerie’s grade-school child, Ocean, for the game and the kids were a real addition, creating laughter and fun for everyone as the infant kept waddling carefully after the cats, who were glad to flee her, while Ocean, Valerie’s daughter, tossed the die for us, figuring out ever more creative ways to roll the bones. We had some chasing of that die to do when she rolled it off her head, but the fun was great.

We all said good night around 11:30 – Jim and I had a bogus, sudden death win just to end the game - and Jim and I snuggled with the kitties until almost 1 AM, as we are sleeping in tomorrow morning.

I have felt wretched all weekend with both the IC symptoms and chest pain, and Tobey has felt worse than I by far, as he deals with serious inflammation of his right knee. I think he will be staying here an extra day or two while he heals up. Thankfully, he can work from here, as his job is on his computer, which he has with him. It has been a good exercise for me in knowing that all things are well even as Tobey and deal with these symptoms of discomfort.

We agreed at the next Archetypes Gathering to take up where we left off and study the archetypes of body and spirit.

Steve and Sara T left after the TP game was over, so we have now slimmed down to the crowd that will take in the channeling meditation and the SuperBowl with us tomorrow.