Dear Friends,
I am back on the road after a year of sabbatical. In 2009, I’m teaching in some of my old favorite spots- Pendle Hill, Quaker Center, Powell House, and Friends General Conference. Plus new places- North Pacific Yearly Meeting, Colorado Regional Gathering of Friends, Wellness Works in CA.
I return to work from the luxury of rest. To do something for a long time and work hard to get good at it is a blessing. To rest from the work, wonder at it’s meaning- brings focus to doing more. I am so very grateful for this. Sabbatical brought the inspiration of overview and the gratitude of accomplishment for balance and continuance. Also clear from sabbatical is that spiritual life is cumulative. I may not move as fast at 56 as I did at 30, but I do more with less effort and fewer missteps, thank goodness.
In addition to my usual, I’ve been at work on 2 opposites. The first is the cleansing of the noise, fear, and rush of modern life from individuals by teaching simple massage and energy work. The second is to continue the work of ending American torture that is practiced in US prisons and military training involving doctors. To this end, I join with others of the Quaker Initiative to End Torture- QUIT. These two are similar opposites-to be clean of fear brings Light and to end torture is to stop the worst humans do. These, among other works, keep me very busy. A new journal blog on my website offers new and old writings to you-
Life with Marshall in Vermont is better than ever- 20 years married now. But can an itinerant Quaker healer/teacher continue in a worldwide depression to work by invitation and live mainly by gifts? So far, yes. I began working in the rape crisis in 82 and then with AIDS. Work with inmates and tortured refugees followed. A spiritual gift of releasing physical and emotional pain following trauma grew with my work. The life pattern of work by invitation and gifts also grew. I trust I’ve been brought this far to continue. Your support makes this possible. To live on gifts in a manner of service is an old idea, simple and basic. To do so now fights the gravity of financial and cultural fear. I need your gifts to continue.
In the Light,
John Calvi April 2009 P O Box 301 Putney, VT 05346 www.johncalvi.com
WWW.JOHNCALVI.COM
New engagement dates, new photos, and new writings at my website- also a new journal blog.
My thanks to Sehoon Ahn for website expertise.
John Calvi’s Partial Incomplete Calendar – 2009 (as of April 2009)
March 12-13 Quaker Initiative to End Torture- QUIT Planning Mtgs Penn House Wash, DC
March 28 Mountain View Meeting of Quakers- On The Light Within Denver, CO
March 29 Colorado Regional Spring Gathering of Quakers- On Spiritual Deepening Denver, CO
April 24-26 Woolman Hill- Abandon All Weariness woolmanhill.org Deerfield, MA
May 29-31 Pendle Hill- Lay Down the Burden and Rest pendlehill.org Wallingford, PA
June 14 Putney Friends Meeting Quaker Initiative to End Torture Update Noon Putney, VT
June 27-July 4 Friends General Conference- Abandon All Weariness fgcquaker.org Blacksburg, VA
July 15-19 North Pacific Yearly Mtg Keynote/Friend in Residence npym.org Missoula, MT
August 3-5 New England Yearly Meeting workshops neym.org Smithfield, RI
August 9 North Sandwich Friends Meeting Quaker Initiative to End Torture Update N Sandwich, NH
September 22-23 Dragonfly Transitions dragonflyadventures.com Klamath Falls, OR
September 25-27 Quaker Center weekend workshop quakercenter.org Ben Lomond, CA
Nov 6-8 2009 Powell House The Body as Temple for Spiritual Work Old Chatham, NY
Nov 14 Wellness Works workshops wellnessworksglendale.com Glendale, CA
PLEASE SEND A GIFT TO MY ADDRESS BELOW.
Definitions- tax law says a donation carries the expectation of work for which I am taxed.
A gift is given out of respect, affection, or charity, such as
my birthday- May 14, my wedding anniversary- August 26, or a Christmas gift.
P. O. Box 301 Putney VT 05346
IMPORTANT!
Postage is prohibitive. I need to reduce paper mail to actual live Beethoven Letter readers. I am happy to keep you on my Beethoven mailing list Email or paper. Simply send word. Please help by sending your e-mail address to calvij@sover.net or a postcard to P. O. Box 301 Putney VT 05346
