Spirit Fire, cultivating spirituality and educating people on the importance of consciousness in their everyday lives.
How does one add the faculty of awareness to their day, everyday? How does one deepen the experience of life's moments as they continually unfold? How does one find appreciation for each event that shapes the pathway through their lifetime?
These are the questions that we seek to answer through our mission each and every day. Our short list might include:
Most of all, your giving inspires us to keep Spirit Fire's mission at the forefront of all we do. Below are personal messages from three stewards of our educational non-profit organization. Their words illustrate how your ongoing commitment to Spirit Fire motivates them each day.
- time spent in nature; nourishing your body with healthy foods; time set aside for creativity.
- creating space in your mind; investing in self-exploration; exposing yourself to new ideas.
- placing yourself in a supportive, loving environment and committing yourself to kindness in every regard.
Most of all, your giving inspires us to keep Spirit Fire's mission at the forefront of all we do. Below are personal messages from three stewards of our educational non-profit organization. Their words illustrate how your ongoing commitment to Spirit Fire motivates them each day.
Thank you for your support!
a message from Steve Kramer, president of the board
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Wonder. Appreciation. Eagerness. Curiosity. Excitement.
These are the words we have been drumming to in 2015 and it seems that youth was intended to keep us in step to the beat. Our meditation practice and the retreat center saw an influx of children and teenagers. Who better to bang the drum of those fun-filled words? There is a newness to the experience of wonder, a sense of amazement at what's unfolding in front of you. It was captured in the faces of a delightful group of young girls discovering spotted newts under every log on our trails this past spring. Discovery happens daily through Spirit Fire and I feel wonder-full as I look around at all we have created and all that continues to unfold. The examples are many: the center's new Art Barn, Spirit Fire Radio, and a brand new Board of Directors to assist Spirit Fire in turning over many new 'logs' in the next year. I am excited for our discoveries. I am curious and I am excited. Excitement was in the eyes of a Haitian teenager who pulled me aside this summer to talk about meditation. He was visiting the US as part of an international conflict resolution group meeting at Spirit Fire on retreat. He had a natural knack for deep meditation, but was unable to discuss it with anyone back home... and he was eager to do so. Eagerness. Curiosity. He spoke so fast and with a heavy accent. I was struck by the light in his eyes. It matched the light that he described seeing with his mind in meditation. He wanted book titles, mentor names, guided meditations. All he needed was affirmation that the path he was walking is well populated. And so it is. My appreciation runs deep for those trailblazers, including our founder, who have made meditation accessible to the masses and 'mindfulness' a common word these days. Undoubtedly, that young man's bright mind will show him a bright future. Meditation continues to light the way for so many. I am honored to be a teacher of The Practice of Living Awareness. During a wintery retreat of young stage performers, I listened in as this multi-cultural group of first generation American kids were asked to say grace before dinner. They were to take turns, reciting the words in their parents' native tongue and then asked to describe what the words meant. It began as a begrudged assignment and soon became a celebration of exotic sounds and unique storytelling. Excitement. Appreciation. It was quickly moved to a during-dinner exercise as grace had so much to offer. We are fast becoming a united global community, despite the news reels. Consciousness is universal. Kids know it; they feel it. Me, too. A spiritual life need not contain any more than those five words: wonder, appreciation, eagerness, curiosity, and excitement. Together these words create magnetic presence. You need only to turn to a child and observe the quality of their presence and the level of their engagement with the world around them... this is consciousness in action. Spirit Fire offers me this daily, and through its mission, offers the same to so many people around the globe. I am fortunate to be a part of a creative educational organization with well-being as its primary goal... and one with so many fine drummers! |
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a message from Donna Mitchell-Moniak, founder of Spirit Fire
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2015 was Spirit Fire’s 14th year. It proved to be a year of renewal and fuller manifestation of Spirit Fire’s wide ranging mission. As founder, joy and gratitude are the tone of each day. I reflect upon those whose generosity - in all its forms - ensure that Spirit Fire’s three-pronged vision of conscious living and awareness continues to unfold. Thank you! This year the education and meditation components of Spirit Fire were my primary focus. The freedom to concentrate solely on these areas deepened my enthusiasm to teach the subjects that I love. Gratitude again! As a result, 2015 saw new online programs such as the Symbolism within Tibetan Thangka Imagery and the Vibrational Excellence series. These tried and true metaphysical & esoteric subjects were formatted to meet a wider audience, and they certainly did! I was delighted to see that most students chose to personally invest in the entire Vibrational Excellence series rather than individual modules. As a whole, the series offered a unique view of the human being as a dynamic energy system. Meditations supported classes and classes supported retreats. I am grateful that these teachings are well received online, at Spirit Fire, and across the country at our offsite retreat locations. I receive many heartfelt letters from students and practitioners. Their words mirror my founding inspiration and speak to the heart of Spirit Fire's vision. This student sums it up best: “The retreat offered a valuable opportunity to learn about how and why we meditate. The Path of Meditation thangka was a delightful centerpiece providing much within its beautiful images. Being students of the thangka, as well as students of sitting meditation, created a rich experience for intellectual and spiritual contemplation. Your teaching is focused and relevant. Your passion for The Practice of Living Awareness is clear, and you brought a depth of knowledge along with a warm personal style. I am happy to say that this meditation retreat inspired me to a new level of joy and commitment in my daily practice.” |
a message from Tim Darter, executive director
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For me, 2015 was a year of collaboration, renewal, and empowerment. This year focused on integrating each pillar of our mission: meditation, the retreat center, & education. Our goal was to see each pillar supporting the others in cultivating consciousness. And we are succeeding! Our endeavors are bringing new practitioners to The Practice of Living Awareness so that they may experience the benefits of meditation. The retreat center is attracting groups that share our vision and is exposing a variety of individuals who seek more in the way of spirituality to our educational offerings. And Rai$e It Forward is allowing us to give back directly to groups who support others in a manner similar to ourselves by providing them access to the optimal learning environment that is Spirit Fire Retreat Center. In addition, our Vibrational Excellence educational series introduced the fundamentals of consciousness, including meditation, to more students while providing them the means for deeper self-exploration through associated meditation retreats. With the launch of Spirit Fire Radio, our message is broadcasting worldwide to introduce all that Spirit Fire offers to a wider audience. And last but not least, we have a new board of directors. Their enthusiasm for and contributions to Spirit Fire is just now beginning to take seed. Their exuberance will shape how our mission further manifests in the months to come. Exciting! I am proud to be part of a team that thrives on extending the reach of our mission, shows others how to add awareness to their day and achieves it in a manner that is accountable to our constituents. I look forward to 2016. We intend to travel this path even further and continue to guide others on how to cultivate consciousness in their everyday life! |
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