Dear Springhouse community,
Winter is upon us – a season of longer nights, slowing down, more quiet, and greater darkness. The dark holds great potency, as it is where all life begins – a human life, a seed, a star, even a new awareness is born from an unknown place. Many of us don’t spend much time in the dark in this over illuminated world. We live in a culture of disconnection and distraction where we avoid the dark in all kinds of ways. We would live in a different world if we spent more time in the places we don’t know or can’t see, especially within ourselves. We need more places to practice this.
Springhouse is a place where teens and adults practice Sourced Design principles that take care of the gift of this life. Living fully, in ways that honor the unknown places in this life, is the most vulnerable choice we can make. We need new life-giving practices, a long-term place of practice and a community to practice with, and the guidance of mentorship to support the choice to live more fully. Springhouse is this place, and to be this kind of place in the world is not only vulnerable – it can feel like we are up to the impossible.
The Sourced Design principles of taking care of vulnerability, cultivating personhood, building beloved community, learning from the Earth, and loving and serving others move us toward a world where all life thrives. If even one of us is not given access to thriving, none of us are truly free.
Self-awareness, generosity, and boundaries that take care of life are fruits of this design. I see it everyday. Teens who are self-aware, who say things like, “I used to orient around pain. Now I am learning that joy can bring me alive too.” The generosity of a staff person who serves the mission by doing everything they can to live it themselves. A community who respects the individuality of each of its members, while also somehow miraculously fostering unity around a shared purpose. Some days, what seems impossible also seems like a miracle.
Our economic model is aligned with Sourced Design – we take care of our resources, and we trust that, if the work that we do is needed, it will be supported. We are a community. We do not sell what we offer. To continue the important work we do, we ask for investment from those who participate because we know health comes from receiving and giving. To support our budget, we rely on grants from aligned foundations and on generous contributions from people like yourself.
Know that whatever you choose to contribute will be taken care of and used wisely.
We thank you in advance, and may this winter season nourish you.
Jenny Finn
Executive Director, Springhouse
