I'm settling into the schedule and rhythms of Camphill, figuring out where everything is and what routine is. I tend to be someone who rails against routine, thinking it mundane or boring at best. But what I'm learning is how important routine and rhythms are to the human experience. Since there's so much variety here at Camphill in the weekly schedule, from amazing programs/workshops to meals in other homes, there's always something to look forward to. Structure feels nice.
The schedule is designed mindfully. We start the day with a community gathering/meeting, reciting our daily intention, touching base about changes to the day and singing songs. The mornings are meant for work: friends break off into work crews that they've selected for the year. These work crews are 2-5 friends plus coworkers and include cooking, baking, maintenance, gardening, shopping, herb collecting and weavery. Some friends work independently at local businesses, volunteer or have personal training during this time.
On Wednesdays we all lunch together, other days we eat in our houses (similar to Hogwarts), some days we have guests or are guests in another house. Each day after lunch we have rest time in our houses, then shift into the afternoon activities. These are electives that friends have chosen and can include candle making, movement arts, fiber arts, music, hiking, etc.
Everyone involved here at Camphill are leading robust and enriched lives. I think part of it is that there's a strong sense of ownership. Everyone does their part to contribute to the community, whether it's weaving, weeding or working alongside others. The clearly defined schedule(s) help people know what to expect, and yet there's also flexibility and personal choice. All in all, it feels quite balanced.
Everyone at Camphill contributes to the community. There's a strong sense of ownership and belonging.
The people (friends) who reside at Camphill lead rich, robust lives, tailored to their individual needs and goals.
The friends are capable of incredible things and have numerous opportunities throughout the day to practice/hone their skills.
A predictable routine seems to really help everyone who lives/interacts here at Camphill.
In any given weekday, the Camphill schedule is (roughly) as follows:
7-8 Wake Up
8-9 House Mindfulness Practice & Breakfast
9-9:30 Community-wide Morning Meeting/Circle
9:30-12:30 Morning Workshops w/Snack Break
12:30-1:30 Lunch
1:30-3:30 Rest Time
3:30-5:30 Afternoon Electives
5:30-6:30 Dinner
6:30-?? Free Time & Bed
Morning Workshops are essentially work crews that help the community. Some of the morning crews (offered at the moment this was written) are as follows:
Weaving: using foot and/or hand looms to create unique projects designed and created by each individual.
Gardening: general garden maintenance: weeding, planting, etc.
Herb Crew: gathering herbs and creating rubs, sauces and other botanical projects.
Bun Crew: making and baking buns for the community, varies each week what style of bun and recipe.
Maintenance: working on communal bikes and other simple machines to keep things running smoothly.
Sage Crew: the elderly folks here at Camphill can use this time to pursue personal interests or help in whatever area they feel interested.
Cooking Crews: making meals for the community.
Additionally, there are friends who have jobs at local businesses or volunteer in the community at animal shelters, horse barns, etc.
Afternoon Electives are times when individuals pursue hobbies. Some of these include:
Hiking: going for beach and forest hikes.
Movement: a group that gets together to move their bodies in meaningful ways.
Candle making: hand-dipped candles and other illuminating creations.
Felting: designing and creating felt projects.
Friends can also pursue other hobbies such as dance, art and/or other activities off campus.
Weekends are slightly different. Saturdays are spent doing house outings, such as going to the beach, museums, events, etc. Sundays are spent cleaning and shopping, but generally they follow a similar schedule to the weekdays...just with a bit more time for relaxation.
Comments