Stephen Billias sent in the news below.
I’ve also created a photo gallery for the Shintaido Farm so we can all see changes as it progresses. Clicking on the photos below will take you to the images in the gallery where you can view larger versions.
In May of 2005 we broke ground on a new Shintaido center in Deerfield, Massachusetts, the first dojo in the United States owned by Shintaido members and dedicated solely to the practice of Shintaido. We are calling it the Shintaido Farm, because we are growing organic vegetables and Shintaido here!
The cement foundations are poured. Framing will begin in a few days. We hope to be practicing in the new space by Thanksgiving, 2005.
Foundation for the dojo (40′ x 64′)
We need your help. Please come see the Shintaido Farm, practice here, and think about how you would improve it—what you personally could do to help us make this a better space.
View of Mount Toby from the dojo
We’re hoping that this place will be a center from which ripples of Shintaido will emanate in an ever widening circle. Please come join us! For questions, please contact:Bela Breslau or Stephen Billias
595 River Road
Deerfield, MA 01342
Phone: 413 773-1926Please check this web site in the fall for an announcement of an Opening Day ceremony for the new center.
Also, please note that the farmhouse we recently renovated, where we are living now, will be available as a rental on December 1, 2005. If you would like to consider moving to the beautiful Pioneer Valley and living in community with other Shintaido members, please take a look at the flyer.
Dear Bela and Stephen,
I think you are already creating big ripples as we have been lately thinking along the lines of what you are doing ie setting up a dojo space and – you mightn’t believe this – I had just written in my journal this afternoon “Shintaido farm” – and it had a nice ring to it. I think we were picking up on what you are creating there. It’s so exciting!! I’d love to come and visit…
Meanwhile, we make the most of what we have and plan to do workshops in the near future.
Good on ya and all the very best from Vera and Michael in Australia.
PS I’m wishing myself to get to US and Europe this (our) winter so you never know I might just turn up.
PPS By the way, Stephen, you might like to know that I house-manage a writers’ centre in Katoomba, which plays a growing role in the national writing scene, FYI:
http://www.varuna.com.au