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The vision for SpiralHeart Community and Camp was born in the mind and heart of Heather, with influences and inspirations from many disciplines and the help of many dedicated people, who through the years shared this vision. Blessed Be!
The major intent initially was to build an earth-based community, a spiritual earth-based community, within the geographical area of Washington DC, in the U. S. of America.
Inspiration for the community came from many strong influences and desires. The Association of Humanistic Psychology, founded by Abraham Maslow, Rollo May and Carl Rogers and many thoughtful intentional community practitioners, formed a piece of the vision. The spiritually eclectic philosophy of the Unitarian Universalist Church with its embrace of earth-based religions as taught in the curriculum "Cakes for the Queen of Heaven" was also part of the vision, especially the chapter on Wiccan religions. The landmark book authored by Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade that spawned the organization called The Center for Partnership Education, Washington, DC, provided the home and funding for the first Camp. Starhawk came to the Smithsonian to give a lecture to a standing room only audience in early October, 1994, stayed a week with Heather and mapped out the daily activities, kinds of path work, high play, and ritual experience of a week at camp. All of these practices enhanced the spiritual expectations Heather longed for in her life and that she wished to offer others.
Many actions and sincere efforts were put into play after the coalescing of these influences. Lynn G. and Heather searched for camps sites for a 100 person, secluded camp in the Yellow Pages and found Buffalo Gap in West Virginia. A visit to the dance camp and a casual inspection of the grounds, one windy fall day, gave the vision a location and Heather plunked down $2000 to hold the week of Aug. 13 to 23, 1994.
Having never been to a Reclaiming Camp, Heather and Lynn started to find people who might be interested in organizing a camp. They held meetings and meetings with many people but only five people remained to finally assist in actually giving the camp wings.
The final organizing tasks were accomplished by Heather, Lynn and Ron G. Ninety-four campers attended this rough camp, with shaky finances but with bold vision and fiery intention.
A special collection, and auction chaired by the famous auctioneering team of Sharon and Pomegranate raised the needed money to pay the teachers. Then Ron stepped forward pledging money from his Mother's estate. "She would have praised this use of her money", he said in her name. The Mid-Atlantic Camp was bailed out and Lynn took over the planning for the second year.
The first theme for that Camp was "Vasilisa and the Baba Yaga". This was a fitting send off for Heather who left for a four month contract in Russia with the Peace Corps. She was serenaded with the strains of the Russian Folk Song, "Round and Round."
The vision has grown and expanded to include people from every corner of the US, and the full span of the Eastern Seaboard. Campers have come to SpiralHeart, given this name four years later, from Spain, England, Canada, Argentina, and of course our special relationship with El Salvador. But that's another story...
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