It’s that time of year where I live where the days are long, there’s a looseness in some daily activities, the schedule is changed, some travel takes place, we’re outside.
During this season where I live, and all the time I grew up, kids went to Summer Camp. No regular school.
Summer holidays are often a time of travel, rest, cleaning-out, home projects, classes, art, learning fun things, lazy days swimming in the lake, gardening, a change-of-pace, a summer job.
Right now when I write, I’m sitting by an open window smelling fresh air after a morning summer rain, and the sun has been up for hours already.
My favorite thing of all about summer is feeling the sweetness of summer on the inside: rest, relaxation, calm, enough time, growth, quiet, an inner change-of-pace.
This inner quiet couldn’t happen without self-inquiry as a practice.
How so, you might ask?
Well for me, to question a troubling worry, or an angry or frightened thought about life, has to come before I open up to peace, in general. Inquiry offers insight in the most soft, sweet, kind way I’ve ever experienced.
When I was filled with anxiety, or anger (even rage) or sharp opinions I knew were RIGHT, I sought peace and had a lot of advice given to me over the years. I read tons of books (many of which were brilliant and helpful). I took classes and programs. I went on retreats and had loads of psychotherapy.
I tried to think “positive”.
I set up my daily life schedule to be productive and NOT upset and I focused on the advice and support I heard.
(Not that there’s anything wrong with that–people have some amazing and good ideas about how to live, right?)
But when I used my own mind to inquire, wonder, consider, contemplate and meditate….hunting for no one’s answers but my own….that’s when my inner world started to truly shift.
To be honest, I didn’t like finding my own answers that much at first.
Can’t someone just tell me how to live well, what works and what doesn’t, how to be successful, how I should think….
….so that I have some peace for crying out loud?
I know. I’ll just copy someone. Like Byron Katie. Or Jesus. Or the Buddha. Or Gandhi. Or Adya. (And many, many more people who I encountered).
But.
It just never worked at a deeper, permanent level. Not ever.
Yes, I love the wisdom I gather from sacred texts, silence and the wise words of others. But the powerful, juicy, vital and deepest insights come from this mind actually identifying and questioning beliefs when it becomes confused or upset, and then continuing to connect, watch and be open to the world and reality.
Which is how summer got paired with The Work to form this fun program called Summer Camp for The Mind.
You stay where you are physically (your body doesn’t need to go anywhere) and you dial-in to share with others in The Work.
There’s no homework, no lessons or classes or requirements….which is like camp, right?
Summer Camp is simply people gathered together to bring some dilemma or problem to inquiry. Live. There’s a meeting every day, from Monday through Friday. And every single meeting is optional. Every day has it’s own special meeting time.
If you’ve been trying to keep a daily practice of The Work, or do it just a little more often since it can bring such interesting personal insights….then this may be a perfect way to try inquiry more regularly.
Here’s how Summer Camp for The Mind works:
- Everyone joins live or watches the replay of Opening Day (July 6th).
- Everyone gets the same dial-in number for all calls for the summer.
- Everyone marks their calendar for the daily time-slots when we meet on the days you can attend.
- You bring your one-liner (a stressful concept) or your Judge Your Neighbor worksheet on anything that’s bothered you if you want.
- You can listen-only and simply be there with us all in inquiry, if you want.
- No one has to speak out loud, but there’s time for feedback, questions and sharing after every single inquiry
It’s sliding scale pay-what-you-can to join (recommended $150 – $500 for the program). You could calculate about $30 per session you’ll plan to attend if you wanted to cover all costs for the program.
There are many costs to run summer camp, and time and study put into it….and having said that, this is summer camp. It’s loose. Time for me to give, personally, and do my own work, honestly.
It’s also a time for people who have been curious but unable or too shy to come to any other more substantive program during the year to hop in and see if it works for you.
You can decide what works in your schedule and budget and what doesn’t. It’s a time when people can join who need the financial support of pay-what-you-can if you’ve been reading Grace Notes and want to go deeper.
You don’t have to be smart, or know The Work, or “get” the full process of inquiry, or know what you’re doing.
You can be a complete beginner.
We always have so much fun. A great group gathers. People from all over the world connect, and we just “go” and see where the inquiry takes us. Sometimes people find facilitation partners they adore and continue with in inquiry beyond Summer Camp.
Everyone joining Summer Camp can bring whatever ails them. People have so many kinds of problems and concerns that can be addressed with this powerful inquiry work: relationships, money, career, friendships, family of origin (FOO), love, decision-making, parenting, addictive patterns, worries, betrayals, fear, job changes, divorce, marriage, dating, moving homes, physical pain, sickness, loss.
Everything is welcome at Summer Camp.
Wondering what the actual schedule is? All calls are 90 minutes and listed here in Pacific Time first.
Summer Camp runs July 6th – August 17th, 2018. The very first day, Friday July 6th, will be 2 hours long and open to absolutely anyone for free.
For Opening Day of Summer Camp, click HERE to join on July 6th.
Then, for the rest of the Summer Camp, we’ll meet like this:
- Mondays Noon-1:30 pm PT/ 3-4:30 ET/ 9:00-10:30 pm Europe
- Tuesdays 8-9:30 am PT/ 11-12:30 ET/ 5-6:30 pm Europe
- Wednesdays 2-3:30 pm PT/ 5-6:30 pm ET/ 10-11:30 pm London
- Thursdays 4-5:30 pm PT/ 7-8:30 pm ET/ 7-8:30 am Australia on Fridays
- Fridays 7:45-9:15 am PT/ 10:45-12:15 ET/ 4:45-6:15 Europe
You pick the days that work best for your time zone. You might come to Summer Camp once a week, or every single day. You get to choose! There are no requirements.
I can’t wait to begin and see where the summer takes us.
Read more details about Summer Camp, or go ahead and sign up, right HERE.
“It was the best thing I’ve done for many a summer, or maybe any summer for the past several decades. All I can say is….it started to change everything for me. Every relationship in my immediate family. All the people I thought were a disaster (and I include myself). Summer Camp I thought was going to be a way to try The Work, and it turned out to show me a way to living with The Work as a practice (as you know I joined Year of Inquiry). I just wanted to tell you, it all started with Summer Camp for The Mind”. ~ Participant Summer 2017
Much love,
Grace
P.S. Summer Camp for The Mind has always been seven weeks of jamming with inquiry without recording one single session. That’s changing this year. We record unless you request it NOT to be recorded (which is A-OK). This way, people can listen and listen, even if they can’t attend live.
P.P.S. For those seeking ITW credit (Institute for The Work) for Summer Camp you need to attend at least 10 classes to receive ten credits (attendance will be taken for you).