At some point I’ll get an email with the photo of our entire group, 60 strong, including 6 incredible musicians, and numerous dance leaders.

This year’s Midwest DUP Retreat was located at the
Lindenwood Conference Center, Plymouth, Indiana, about 3.5 hours from here (Bloomington).

A fabulous event, all around, food, lodgings, beautiful large lakefront room for dancing, on and on. And of course the beautiful souls who long to connect, and do.

Here’s a photo with a backstory: Liz, the woman on the right, Liz, and I have a hilarious relationship, which shocks others at times, like yesterday, when I yelled out to her, as she came in the room, “Hey, are you still in a bitchy mood?” or something like that, and we both dissolved laughing. The woman on the right, Tijali, new to our group (but not to the Dances) was the one who was shocked, though instantly got in the spirit of our sisterly rapport. The sweet man, Kim, is someone I have been present with at I think every single DUP event I have ever attended in the midwest (I’ve lived here for over 23 years, and was going to Dances in Montana and Colorado when I lived in Jackson WY ) — ever since 1996 I think it was.

I credit my main daily spiritual practice — to encounter, or even as I just pass by strangers while meeting soul to soul through the eyes — to this DUP practice.

The entire weekend felt like a blessing. Plus, I noticed that this morning I am starting out again very slowly. Not because I’m “tired,” but because I got in the habit, over 48 hours, of actually being present. Plus, hardly even noticed that I was off-screen for 48 hours . . . usually when I deliberately go on a 48-hour screen fast, I have a great deal of trouble, the habit is so strong. But this weekend, my attention was redirected from that little tiny staticky dot dot dot dot to the swelling/subsiding ocean of love that envelops us all, whether or not we “know” it.