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Dear Friends of the SSC/Voice of the Turtle Retreat Center:

Thank you for your continued interest in the Southwest Sufi Community.  Residents and visitors continue to find inspiration and healing as we study and experience the Sacred Manuscript of Nature on this beautiful land.  We are striving to manifest the vision of the SSC as a rural intentional community and retreat center where Zikr, Permaculture, Sacred Dance and Walk, and the Healing Arts are primary concentrations.  We invite teachers from all the world’s sacred traditions to come share their wisdom and promote the bridging of spiritual traditions.  As an intentional community, we are part of the movement to create new paradigms of existence in America and the rest of the world.

The annual Southwest Sufi Camp saw another successful year in 2009, with participants enjoying teachings, Zikr, dances, excellent food, campfire songs, and time to simply experience the land.  We had a number of guests come for personal retreats during the year, and continue inviting friends to join us once a month for spiritual practice and a potluck.  Each Sunday everyone on the land gathers for shared spiritual practice, food, and a community meeting.

We had a prolific garden this year, and are still finishing the harvest and saving seeds.  Residents and friends donated countless hours, seeds, and tools.  In addition to our communal veggie garden, we planted a two acre field with a cover crop of oats, in preparation for growing garlic for market.  Sasha worked with some of our rancher neighbors to get the field tilled, and headed up a three week work party during which residents and friends graciously donated the time and money needed to set up an irrigation system and pump, put in fence posts, and plant the field.

Progress continues on the Dargah retreat hut.  Both residents and guests spent quite a bit of time on the project this year, and Tom Morris donated the fridge and stove from his RV.  We hope to offer the space for retreats soon!

While time and energy has not been lacking, the SSC has been feeling the pinch of these difficult economic times, with less income from donations and retreats than we’ve had in past years.  At the same time, our property taxes increased this year.  We are exploring new ideas for generating income, but in the meantime residents will be digging into their pockets to cover this new tax burden, as well as the everyday operating expenses of the Retreat Center.  For this reason we are asking you to please consider donating to the SSC this year.   Donations to the SSC, a 501(c) 3, can be claimed as tax-exempt.  Again, we thank you for your support.

Peace and Blessings,

The SSC Community