Creating a Better Community

By Xan Hall

Building a community is hard work; it is often also thankless, exasperating, and overwhelming. But the dividends of that work – a community of people who support each other, who do thingsthat are mutually beneficial, who make sacrifices for each other – that’ s worthwhile. 

We all know the stories about the ‘ bad old days’  at the farm. But in case you don’ t, here’s a  recap. There was that time Orren had to fight in court so we could access the land at all, because there was a legal injunction against setting foot on the land from October until April one winter. There was that time Stones Rising happened during a hurricane, and the hardy brave souls who stayed out in the rain raised those Stones anyways, and got soaking wet and weren’ t done before dark. There was that time a car got irretrievably stuck in front of faerie camp, necessitating a bypass (that’ s why the faeries have a parking lane). There was that time a flood took away the lower shower house and many campsites in the Soggy Bottoms. There was that time the woods caught on fire, nearly ending in disaster. There was that time in the kitchen without proper refrigeration, when veggies were stacked in the corner with ice bags and tarps, and two people cooked for a thousand. There was that time...

As an institution, Four Quarters exists to hold the Land open for your Spiritual use, and as a practical Center for understanding and adapting to the emerging global Age of Limits.

Four Quarters is Land owned by a non-profit and now perpetually set aside from the cycles and vagaries of private control. Of this we are truly proud.

We who live here, and our Member Volunteers, are happy to answer your questions, assist in your visit, and hopefully, earn your respect and support. All of us began with our own first visit to Four Quarters. We want your visit to be a new beginning too!

 Contacting Four Quarters

Four Quarters is always open, 365 days a year. For first time visits a call ahead is appreciated, but not necessary. Our office is staffed from 9 am through 6 pm, with extended hours during scheduled events. But we are country people and our lifeways do take us out on the Land unexpectedly. If your call goes unanswered, try again in an hour. We will be sure to pick up.           
               That's...    814-784-3080      9 in the morning to 6 in the evening
We try to answer email query's the day we receive them, but there may be a few days delay during event weekends. If timely information is needed, please do call us!
               Our central email address is:    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Visiting Four Quarters

Four Quarters is almost always open for day visits and over night camping. We really do encourage you to drop by, see the Land and especially experience the Stone Circle. If we have a free moment we will be happy to give you a tour.  We have a No Pet Policy, please do not bring your pets to visit.  Thank you for understanding.

Exceptions are our major fundraising events, when registration for the event is required. Our Events Schedule Page will give you full particulars. Or give us a call with your questions.

 We are located in the Allegheany foothills just a mile from the Pennsylvania - Maryland state lines, 100 miles North West of Baltimore, MD and Washington DC. Three miles North of Exit 68 on Interstate 68.
    Google "Four Quarters InterFaith" and their map will take you to our front door.
            That's...
                       Four Quarters InterFaith
                       190 Walker Lane
                       Artemas PA 17211
.

    Safe Journeys and Our Best Wishes
    Four Quarters

July 31, 2020

Micro Dub

    Our thanks to everyone who made Micro Dub such a success!
Beautiful summer weather, great co-operation with our COVID mitigations,
excellent DJ's and stunning lighting of the forest canopy in New Camp.
    A sweet, easy weekend in the woods, down by The River!

The Old Forest Stage glows in the night at Micro Dub

July 24, 2020

Ivy Sturm, in Service

Iyv graces a Stone in the Stoneyard.

Many of Ivy Sturm's friends know of her two hip operations performed this last winter, and of the slow recovery Ivy has experienced from the second operation. Since January of this year Ivy has been in serious decline, stubbornly attempting to manage her duties in the office, even as we moved her into the main floor of the Farmhouse to make her care easier for all of us
     
     Ivy first came to Four Quarters for Stones Rising of 1996, and has attended every Stones since. Back in those days we were all much younger, and we cooked out of an US Army GP Medium tent over Benzomatic gasoline burners... Ivy rolled up her sleeves and dove right in. After the Starvin' Artist Kitchen was built Ivy took on all of our baking at events, and pioneered our gluten free fare. She also played an over size role in ceremony and could always be relied on to fill in for that "extra" part. Ivy was instrumental in planning the very first WickerMan event thirteen years ago, maintained the mailing list and organized "Bread and Circus" as her eatable Art contribution.
     About six years ago Ivy petitioned for her Novitiate as a Member of the Community of Service, and was accepted. She closed out her personal affairs in Wilkes-barre and moved to Four Quarters to live under vows of poverty and service. From that time until just recently Ivy has managed our office, database and accounting systems; and greeted thousands of visitors. She served for a number of years as a Members Advocate and since 2018 as a fully seated Member of our Board of Directors.

July 9, 2020

At Drum ’N’ Splash 2020

Mike McConnel lights up the Meadow with dazzling fire spinning.

Drum and Splash was fun …. and weird … but mostly fun. It was particularly amazing seeing everyone this year. Covid has certainly changed my perspective on seeing and hanging out with chosen family and friends. These moments are just extra sweet because they are so rare. Seeing friends, hanging out with chosen family, sharing space and experiences was something I used to take for granted. Now, there are no guarantees when the next time will be. I can’t believe I’m saying this and double true if you know me … I miss people. I miss hugs. I can’t believe I just owned that … lol. It was so weird feeling like that and then feeling this little edge of fear creeping in … c o v i d. I refuse to capitalize the “c” anymore, I am not giving it any more power.

Living Close to The Land
Orren Whiddon


For those of us who live at Four Quarters, simplicity has always been a way of life, either through necessity or foresight. In the early years we relied on gifts of food and clothing from Members simply to survive and make it through the hard winter into the next season. By the turn of the millennium times were easier, and we focused on maximizing the money available for the camp by minimizing our living costs. Five years ago we began a very conscious effort to put into practice the skills required for long-term adaptation to the emerging Age of Limits. It has been a process that began from simple need and has grown to be seen by us as an integral part of our Earth Spirituality.

We have learned a lot over the past ten years, and we have quite a few “facts on the ground” to show for it. Energy efficient buildings, gardens, orchards, root cellars, tools and equipment. As important as the physical is the social, the mechanics of how a diverse group of people can come to share their everyday living needs and arrangements in an emotionally and financial productive way. And as we have learned on our local level we have expanded our understanding of the global predicament, the exponentially growing ecological load on our very finite planet. The Age of Limits.

Ours is a rural strategy, obviously; but we believe there are urban strategies of “Power Down” that are just as valid. And we use the word strategy, because the challenge before us is that of evolving adaptations to address how we live and interact with the planet. It is not a set problem that is amenable to a set solution.

In the beginning, it is a matter of education as to the nature of the global predicament and how each of us are tied into that web of cause and effect. How the sum of our small everyday choices have huge ramifications. Once we reach an understanding of that big picture, we can begin learning about the small, but important changes we can make in our choices. Many of these choices are technical in nature and range through our options in more efficient transportation, housing and personal energy generation. Others are cultural-financial and often reflect what we chose to stop doing and stop consuming. Finally, the deepest choices are social, how we interact with those closest to us and to the global society of which we are a part.

We living here at Four Quarters are under no illusions that there are quick and easy answers, but we know from our own experience that it is important to start somewhere, sometime. And that place is here and now. Four Quarters  is our start in taking on a larger mission, personally and as an organization.



We want to share what we have already learned of the nitty-gritty of sustainable country living, and we want to increase that storehouse of knowledge. We want to identify and develop the strategies of adaptation that are appropriate to the urban setting too. We believe that there must be a broad mix, that there is no “one way.” Gardening techniques vary between the city and the country, and an amazing amount of food can be grown and stored in a small city house. Where to start, how to begin? Some may have the financial resources for large scale grid-tied photovoltaic systems, while others will will need the basic hand skills to wire up a system for their laptop and a light. Solar thermal systems can be equally complex or simple, and great savings are possible through simple details. How do they work, what does it take? Very sophisticated automobiles are in the offing, but transportation efficiency is also as deep as choosing to live where you work. And the deepest response is how you live, day to day. Understanding the global picture and making preparation.    

Earth Living will not develop overnight, it will take years to create the content and infrastructure required of a teaching center. It is not a money making project and is very long term, like much else that we do here at Four Quarters. But we are well under way with what has already been learned and created, and the need is pressing.

In the near future we hope to have installed the beginnings of active solar thermal, photovoltaic and windmill systems; and with our shops we can show you how to build and understand these systems. In our gardens we can range from small to large scale food production with bio-char generation for soil remediation. And it may be that a CSA from our gardens will be in the offing for the Members. We hope to organize our first full weekend intensive for the fall of this year, to focus on the fundamental issues of global resource depletion. And we will soon begin a complete redesign of the Four Quarters websites, with the goal of recreating them as information access portals for issues of Earth Spirituality and Earth Living.

For the time being The Center will operate under the Four Quarters non-profit umbrella, but it may be that in time it will spin off into its own non-profit. We would appreciate hearing about your own concerns and interests, what kind of programming would benefit you and your family and how you would like to see the Center for Earth Living become a part of the mission of Four Quarters.

Earth Living through Earth Spirit.

What could be more natural?

Ceremony with No Tools:
Meditation Communication with Guardian Spirits

By Patricia Althouse


Two years ago I wrote a ceremony that used no tools. It was a general ritual, accessible to anyone, and a ritual that could help connect or deepen one's relationship with the Elements and the Divine. It was intended to help provide a physical, mental, and magical space to grow and connect with the Earth on a spiritual level.

One of the elders of my path of Wicca, known as Stone Circle Wicca, has taught me that it is through Wiccan ceremony – especially its regular practice thereof – that we come to innately know our overwhelming ethic, which is the knowledge of our connectedness to everything around us. This connectedness is inescapable to one practiced in Wicca, and a source of spiritual intuition which informs our active intention as we navigate the conflicting choices we make every day. This feeling of connectedness extends beyond ceremony and into our every day as we live our life.

 

Our Return to the Land!
A Four Quarters Members and Guests Weekend
Friday May 1st - Sunday, May 3rd, 2020

Updated 3-18-2020

We regrect to inform our Members and Guests that Beltaine 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 National Emergency. We hope to restart our season on Summer Solstice Weekend, June 19-21, 2020. Please visit the News Page or Contact the Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 814 784-3080 for the latest information.

   
    Balefire burns in our bellies and the Maypole rises to reach new heights while Drummers and Dancers unite as one.
    It is time to return to the Land, to dance, to sing, and bless the Land and its Tribe with love of life and fertility.
    The Land awakens with the tribe returning to the Land: setting up and cleaning, making ready for a new season.

Highlights from 2019!
-- Friday afternoon: Thanks and Blessing of Sacred Sites
-- Friday evening: First Fire Drum Circle
-- Saturday afternoon: Annual Tea Party and Raising of the May Pole
-- Saturday evening: Main Ceremony Blessing of the Land
-- Sunday morning: Raising of the Seed Stone by the Children's Stone Crew

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    Etain Preston
    is our Host for Beltaine 2019.

    Ably assisted by JoAnn and Walter Bachteler, Beth Thomas and John Robinson.
    The Starvin' Artist Cafe Saturday Feast with Pamela Alexander.


  Want to present a workshop, or get involved?
  We need help with building the Wreath and the MayPole.
  The Ladies Tea Party too.
  Many hands make for light work.
      Call the office or email us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

      In addition to all your gear and springtime finery, please bring flowers to share for the Beltaine workshops and ceremonies. We want to the see the beauty of flowers everywhere we turn, so, if you would, pick up a grocery store bouquet or two on your way, and drop them off at the buckets by the Coffee Dragons.

The Starvin' Artist Cafe
Hosted by Pamela Alexander
Omnivore  
Slow Roasted Pot Roast with Gravy;  I don't know about you all, but this is better than my Momma made.
Candied Root Vegetables;  Sounds bad. Tastes good. Pinky Swear.
Green Beans from the can;  I don't know why we love them so much,but I have finally learned not to mess with success.
Corn Bread hot from the amazing new oven.  In fact, lf you are enjoying all the baked goods...thank a BOD member.
Herbivore (instead of pot roast) Comfit of portabella mushroom on toast with darkbrown gravy and onion.
GF Option actually the same as the Vegetarian option but handled carefully and served on GF toast.

Meal Plans
Saturday's Beltaine Feast is free for all attending.
Beltaine Meal Plan by the Starvin' Artist Cafe!
3 meals and the feast, Friday Dinner-Sunday Brunch.
Omnivore and Herbivore options available.
Pre-Registration required, $45/person.
     As Always you are welcome to arrive before Friday and stay after Sunday.
     Early-In, Late-Out Camping $5/night for Members, $10/night for guests!

Our online orders are placed through Vanco,
our longtime provider of church focused credit card processing.
By Electronic Check, Debit or Credit Card.
Completely secure and smart phone enabled.
Got Questions? Need help? Prefer Humans?
Call the office to process your order    814-784-3080.

Online Memberships and Event Registrations

Promoting Members RSVP's, Accomodations, Auto, Fire and Tent permits by calling the office.
Registration Information:
Pre-Registration Deadline is April 26th.
Member's Pre Registration: $60
Guest Pre-Registraion: $80
Guest Saturday Arrival Pre-Registration: $70
Gate Registration: $90
Gate Saturday Arrival Registration: $80
Children Under 16 are Loved, Cherished, and Free!

 Sweat Lodge at Four Quarters

 The Sweat Lodge ceremony, is older than recorded history and is practiced in some form by every culture in the world. We heat ancient rocks in a fire and bring the glowing hot rocks into the center of the lodge. When the lodge is closed, we pour water on the rocks and pray. Through prayer and sacred songs we ask for support and give thanks for what we have already received.

Our sweat ceremonies facilitate personal and inner cleansing and healing. The lodge brings us into connection and harmony with the Mother Earth and all of Creation. This ceremony is open to all people of all beliefs and remains a gift and an offering to those who are open and willing to further their own personal journey, and who want to participate and experience the beauty and wonder of this most powerful and healing ceremony. It is a place to repair your spirit, of refuge and healing, and to obtain personal answers and guidance Our ceremony leaders represent a number of sacred traditions and we follow the same interfaith view as Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary. All are welcome to come pray

Revised* 2020 Lodge Weekends:

Summer Solstice Weekend ~ June 19 - 21
Flower of Life ~ June 27
Drum ’N’ Splash ~ July 1 - July 5
Honcho ~ August 22
Stones Rising ~ September 2 - 7
Big Dub Sweat Camp ~ September 30 - Oct 4 - New Date!
Samhain ~ October 30 - November 1

The Covid-19 Emergency has forced us to revise our schedule. There may be other events added to the schedule, or other changes, please see the News Page for announcements. Call the Office at 814 784-3080 or email us at office@4QF,org with any questions.

*Subject to change and the needs of ceremony
** We are considering offering some Sweat Teachings at Beltaine, and/or The Members Weekend.
please contact Kurt or the Four Quarters Office if interested.
† Tentative Events, please contact us to verify.

Sweat Lodge 2020 Covid-19 Policy

By Kurt Griffith, and the Sweat Lodge Team

The Ceremony team has determined that we shall provide Sweat Lodge ceremony in the 2020 season subject to “Extreme Informed Consent” of all participants, based on the principle of Shared Responsibility, Shared Risk. We feel that It would not be appropriate to not provide ceremony in a time of crisis out of fear. But we recognize and have to articulate, in no uncertain terms, that there is risk involved. Everyone who participates in sweat is at some risk, and shares that risk with everyone in the ceremony, and furthermore risks everyone in the ceremony.

The two physical principles in play, beyond the physical challenges of the ceremony itself, are people in a small, enclosed environment with limited ventilation. On the other hand, the heat and humidity are somewhat hostile to the virus, as close to an autoclave as humans can tolerate. The ceremony leaders understand this, every participant must as well. Covid-19 mitigation protocol guidance will be provided at the time of ceremony.

All participants agree to abide by The Five Agreements as described in our Health and Happiness policies.

Ceremonies shall have a maximum limit of ten participants, to limit crowding and exposure. Priority shall go to people who assist in preparation. We expect people who are Covid-19 Positive, symptomatic, or under quarantine limits, to refrain from ceremony, same as people under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or substances. All participants shall read and sign a sweat specific release form. Legal name and contact information shall be collected against potential need for contact tracing.

Policies subject to revision and Ceremony Leader's discretion.

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Growing a Sweat Lodge Tradition

by Valerie Haag, Kurt Talking Stone, and the Lodge Team
Wheel of the Year Calendar 2017

The Sweat Lodge Site is a beautiful and sacred place on the land at Four Quarters and we invite you to come by to pray and sweat with us! The sacred fires will be continuously burning, and at any time you are welcome to come in to meditate, visit with the helpers and facilitators, chill out, talk with us, and reconnect in this area.

The Sweat Lodge ceremony is older than recorded history, and is practiced in some form by every culture in the world. Our sweat ceremonies facilitate personal and collective inner cleansing and healing. The Sweat Lodge at Four Quarters holds to the same interfaith view as Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary and does not follow a single tradition or path. Our Water Pourers represent a number of sacred traditions including Navajo, Lakota, and others. All are welcome. From time to time, we have had visiting Elders and ceremony leaders offer ceremony for our community.

Fires Rising 2020  
Updated 3-18-20

We regrect to inform our Members and Guests that Fires Rising 2020 has been cancelled due to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 National Emergency. We hope to restart our season on Summer Solstice Weekend, June 19-21, 2020. Please visit the News Page or Contact the Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 814 784-3080 for the latest information.

     Friday June 5th through Sunday June 7th
..:: Meal Plans included with Registration::..
     Setup and First Fire Thursday Night
Alchemical Fire Circles: Friday and Saturday nights.
..:: Ceremonies intended to allow earlier bed-times if needed ::..
  **A clean and sober event**

“That which is Below corresponds to that which is Above, and that which is Above corresponds to that which is Below, to accomplish the miracle of the One Thing.” – The Emerald Tablet
 
    Like the Dragonfly, Fires Rising will be a looser, free-er distillation of self-expression - we have thrown away the mold! Go to bed if you need to, greet the dawn if you need to. One day shorter to accommodate work schedules and meals are included.

Highlights from 2019... 

Your Host for Fires Rising 2019
Ken Crampton

  Join us for the 15th Fires Rising, as we explore the archetypes and images of Alchemy. If you thought that “turning Lead into Gold” was an impossibility, guess again! It’s a metaphor for the spiritual process of seven “Operations,” Chakra by Chakra, Planet by Planet. Our Fire Circle will be transformed into a living Alchemical vessel, a container for our own transformations.
    Think of the Dragonfly: It begins as an egg in the water, then becomes a nymph, until it reaches its final form soaring above, flitting so fast that in a blink, you’ll miss it... yet able to stop and hover as if defying gravity. By the end of this experience, we will all be Dragonflies!
    This year, we will distill Friday and Saturday nights, with some of us staying through to the dawn, although that is not required. We explore Alchemical metaphors with afternoon Playshops and Discussions, and turn them into rhythm, song, dance, and random acts of beauty for the nightly Laboratory.
    We strive to remain fully aware and fully present, taking personal responsibility for our own safety, healing, and entertainment. In that spirit, we refrain from alcohol and other mind-altering substances, Fires Rising is a SOBER event. Fire, Community, Creativity, and the Night are our potent ingredients.
    All faiths are welcome here, and all ability levels — so whether you’ve circled this fire before, or you’re brand new to the Laboratory, all we ask is that you bring your Whole Self: your strengths and talents, your love and kindness, as well as your hurts. Bring on the didgeridoos, gongs, singing bowls, frame drums, incense and oils. Bring on the drums, chants, spoken word, dance, painting, fire spinning, theater, and decorations — bring YOU, in your Truth and Creativity..

“The pendulum-swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.” – The Kybalion

Registration and Accomodations
Our online orders are placed through Vanco, our longtime provider of church focused credit card processing.
By Electronic Check, Debit or Credit Card.
Completely secure and smart phone enabled.
Got Questions? Need help? Prefer Humans?
Call the office to process your order    814-784-3080.

Online Memberships and Event Registrations

 Promoting Members RSVP's, Accomodations, Auto, Fire and Tent permits by calling the office.

Registering by May 25th:
Four Quarters Members $85
Guests $110
Pre-reg by May 25th, $125 after that date. 
Children under 16 are loved, cherished and FREE. 

     Registration covers your attendance at Fires Rising and Dinner Friday, Brunch/Dinner Saturday and Brunch Sunday.
    Additional services such as dorm space, car camping, in-camp car parking passes, etc are available at a reasonable fee when you register.

    Our In-Camp Dormitory is available for rent: handsome, hand-built bunk beds as well as private rooms. You must call the Office for reservations as space is limited. Handicapped, special circumstances? Questions about accomodations or to reserve? Call the Four Quarters office at 814-784-3080.

    Volunteers and participants co-create Fires Rising, arriving early on Thursday to set up and build the Alchemical Container. If you can, do plan on arriving then; you will be glad you did! Saturday arrivals are welcome but please, arrive in time for the afternoon playshops. You are welcome to arrive before Thursday and stay later than Sunday. Early In and Late Out camping is $5 a night for Members and $10 a night for non-members.

    Children under 16 are loved, cherished and FREE. And while Fires Rising is not anti-child, we are pro staying up all night! Supervised children are welcome, but no separate children's programming will be provided.

The Starvin' Artist Cafe
Hosted by Pamela Alexander

Meal Plan Information
    Our Friday Dinner through Sunday Brunch Meal Plan is included in your registration.

    The Starvin’ Artist Café offers a meal plan of delicious, hot meals able to accommodate a wide range of dietary restrictions including vegetarian and gluten free.
    Meals offered are Friday dinner through Sunday brunch, four meals; Included with your Pre-Reg.



In addition to the meal plan:
~Please plan to bring any snacks you would like to eat throughout the day or night.
~Please also bring a store-bought, individually wrapped snacks and/or food items to share at the Food Altar at night. Examples would be single serve packs of snack foods (chips, beef jerky, dried fruits), or single serving size juices. The Food Altar is a communal space to grab a snack in the middle of the night when your energy is flagging, and it is stocked by the attendees of Fires Rising. Four Quarters provides The Coffee Dragons, serving coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

“We are travelers on a cosmic journey; stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment.”      Paulo Coelho