Abode Village View – Week of March 22
Dear Friends,
This is a time of uncertainty for all of us. Our state and region, along with other areas of the US and many other countries, have declared states of emergency, suspended public events and gatherings, and mandated social distancing. As a result, the Abode’s plans for the 2020 season have been put indefinitely on hold.
Rental events, our 45th anniversary celebration, rehabilitation projects, and fundraising and development plans are all being disrupted. We are making contingency plans, even while the duration and impact of the disruption is unknowable.
To help address the stress we may feel regarding our health and well being, we are putting in place new or revised activities and policies. Some are in addition to the personal health and sanitation policies we have already put in place and communicated. We intend to act with an abundance of caution to help keep us all safe.
The Abode is closed to outside visitors. Anyone who does not work or live in the main buildings should stay away for now. This includes our friends down Chair Factory Road and Tariqa Nur, the New Lebanon Health Assembly and those who use our healing arts room or other facilities. This policy is consistent with the social distancing and community restrictions being put in place elsewhere.
It will take all of our hands, hearts and heads to manage through this unprecedented time. We must be open to possibilities and opportunities to serve, and to honor the dislocation we may be feeling. Thanks for supporting one another and the Abode.
Al
During Women’s History Month the Abode is sharing quotes by women from a variety of faith backgrounds. Last week we shared quotes from Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, the first Hispanic woman to be elected to the episcopacy of the United Methodist Church.
This week we are featuring Florence Nightingale, an English social reformer, statistician, and the founder of modern nursing. Despite being a member of the Church of England for her whole life, “she had little patience for the male-dominated authority of the church…. She believed strongly that all religions contained truths and deserved respect.” Nightingale wrote extensively about theology and mysticism in private journals which were published after her death.
Her influence in regards to public sanitation and hygiene on England’s Public Health Acts of 1874 and 1875 led to the average British citizen’s life expectancy to increase by 20 years. Nightingale “believed that healthy living conditions such as fresh air, good food, clean linens, and access to books and the outdoors would help the men [in her field hospital] improve as much as anything else. She also implemented frequent hand washing…. Soon, the death rate at her hospital improved dramatically. When, before, more than 40 percent of the injured men died, the rate after [Nightingale] took charge dropped to only 2 percent.”
Quotes taken from Holy Toublemakers & Unconventional Saints by Daneen Akers
We will be streaming our Sufi Message Class with Shakur next week on Zoom at 7pm EST Thursday March 26.
Please come join us in working with the Breath, practices, readings, and discussion to Center ourselves in a positive way in these changing times. All are welcome!
Use this link to join the Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/
Be sure to follow us on Facebook for links to our Sufi Classes and Universal Celebration!
On Sunday, March 22, from 3-5 pm EDT, Pir Zia will offer a class on Ascension. Please check timeanddate.com for corresponding times worldwide.
For this week’s class, we will study Murshid’s Gathas Morals I:7, “Training of the Ego: Constant Battle with the Ego.” Pir Zia will share teachings on this paper, and asks that everyone read the paper before class. A copy can be found here in Dropbox.
Last Sunday’s class was full! We are in the process of increasing our Zoom capacity so all of us may be part of these weekly gatherings with Pir Zia. Zoom is very busy and we hope to increase our capacity by Sunday.