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When: Arrival from 3pm on Friday

8th June till approx 3pm on Monday 11th June (Queens Birthday public holiday)

Who: All welcome. Please note

this retreat is non-smoking, and alcohol and non-prescribed drugs free. Sorry, no pets this time.

Where: Dunes on Shelly, 70

Shelly Beach Road, East Ballina, NSW 2478

How to contact us:

*via the contact page on the website, * email kerrie.pimm@internode.on.net * phone 02 66241330 Where: Dunes on Shelly, 70 Shelly Beach Road, East Ballina, NSW 2478 Brought to you by the North Coast contingent of the Ananda Marga Fringe Festival. BRING PEACE Be here in Acceptance

What is the cost:

Very cheap!

We always keep our costs to the minimum so that the retreat is as affordable as possible for as many as possible and we are about 1/5 of the price of comparable retreats. So, it's not worked out yet for sure, but depending on how many people come, it should work out around $180 - 200 for the whole retreat.for adults, half price for under 16 and free for under 6. Will update soon. Keep an eye on our website at: http://spiritfestballina.weebly.com/ind ex.html Youll need to register as early as you can, even if just to say you think you might be coming and update us later. Visit the contacts page and let us know. :) Then we can also send you email updates.

Ballina Spiritfest
Queens Birthday Long Weekend Friday 8th to Monday 11th June 2012 Dunes on Shelly, Ballina Northern NSW

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of celebration: yoga, meditation, great music, creative workshops, dancing, drumming, childrens activities concerts, new friends, swimming, beachwalking, accommodation and fantastic vegetarian food. All spiritual paths are welcome and collective meditation & kiirtan (chanting to live guitar and drums) are the heart of Spiritfest. But dont let lack of meditation experience keep you away. Were happy to show you the basics. This is a wonderful gathering to share with your kids. We provide an engaging childrens festival with lots of interactive indoor & outdoor fun.

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other

Mother Teresa

Welcome
to the 2012 Ballina Spiritfest more than 2 full days

o Bring: er clothes for days, warm clothes for the night shoes for walks in the bush uit & towel for the beach nscreen, mozzie repellent you prefer mat, cushion & blanket for meditation ok, pen & art materials, money al instruments and inspiration! g bag or blankets, sheet, pillow. Linen is not supplied. Earplugs can be handy.

Ballina Spiritfest is a smaller, slower, cosier version of Sydney Spiritfest. With a usual attendance of 25-30 plus children, we have plenty of kiirtan, a couple of philosophy workshops, morning yoga, some other workshops (e.g. music healing) and two evening concerts. The afternoon soccer game is a highlight as are Bratatis stories and the devotional flow. Theres plenty of time for catching up with old friends and lots of opportunities for making new ones. Its a chance to re-create, re-focus and re-connect. And its a warmer winter in Ballina so we may have meditation on the beach and a dip in the sea is definitely a possibility if you wish. Join us in paying respect to the Arakwal people, the original owners of this area, and keep your eyes open for passing whales, resident dolphins and other wildlife. Be part of the inspiration!

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give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray. I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue eyed gentleman's cold hand. He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you." I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through you to give me hope."

An Acceptance Story:
My husband, youngest son, and I went to McDonald's one morning. We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did. I did not move an inch...an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved. As I turned around I smelled an unpleasant "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two homeless men. As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling". His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance. He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching. The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally deficient and the blue eyed gentle man was his salvation. I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted. He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm). Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I reached out and almost embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action. I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to