Getting Ready to Take Off
Dear Friends,

During the forced slow down of the pandemic, we have been building Halcyon Arts, a new tax-exempt, nonprofit organization incorporated in Massachusetts. Our stated purpose is to bring music and spirituality to New England by presenting programs to enrich and transform. Music and spirituality are the two wings that give us the ability to fly.

Now that the virus's grip is beginning to loosen, our summer and fall retreats planned at Hallelujah Farm Retreat in Chesterfield, New Hampshire, are confirmed and ready for registrations.

We have built our spirituality wing with Halcyon Institute for Spiritual Studies (HISS) and it is open for enrollment. HISS presents groups, retreats and a two-year program of study. Alongside the groups and retreats, the heart of the program is a core curriculum of four modules. Join the first cohort in spiritual studies exploring the first module, The Two Streams of Western Spirituality, beginning in September. Participants in the program will:
  • Study living streams of spirituality from around the globe with an open heart and mind.
  • Explore varieties and dimensions of mystical experience.
  • Clarify their understanding of the perennial wisdom at the heart of the world’s religions. 
  • Ignite their spiritual goals, values, and callings

The music wing of Halcyon Arts New England is currently under construction and will be a parallel institute for world music studies. In the meantime we have begun to offer online streaming concerts and both online and in-person workshops.

Learn more about all our programs currently offered in this edition of Sound & Spirit.

All the Best,
Beau
Joel Veena &
Mir Naqibul Islam
A guided concert of North Indian classical ragas with Indian slide guitar and tabla

A Live-Streaming Concert
7:30 pm, Saturday, June 12, 7:30 pm

North Indian classical music uses the unique musical form of the 'raga' or 'raag' to stir the emotions of the audience and performers, moving them towards a state of focused joy and harmony. Joel and Mir, both seasoned performers in the art form, will present a concert of North Indian music with explanation and demonstration to guide listeners in an understanding and appreciation of the form and substance of the music. This will include a closer look at their respective instruments: the 20-stringed Indian slide guitar, a relatively new instrument in classical music evolved from a modified Hawaiian steel guitar, and the tabla, perhaps the most popular and versatile percussion instrument associated with Indian music the world over. After the introductions, the audience will be treated to a full length duet performance by the artists; music largely improvised on the spot within the framework of the raga that is at once focusing, calming and inspiring.

From Fear to Joy: Discover Your Inner Singer

September 10-12 with Nancy Salwen
Hallelujah Farm Retreat, Chesterfield, NH

​Claim your birthright, and step into the joy of singing! Whether you’re a “non-singer” who wishes you could sing, or a more experienced singer who would like to delve deeper into the magic of your own voice, this weekend retreat/workshop is for you! Through a combination of games, improvisation and simple songs from around the world we’ll explore different aspects of the voice. We’ll create a tool kit of accessible techniques for you to take home and use as you develop your skills. Discover the joy of your unique voice and let go of that old idea that singing isn’t for you! Read More
Halcyon Institute for Spiritual Studies
Module 1: The Two Streams of Western Spirituality
Four monthly sessions begin September 2021

A new cohort in spiritual studies begins September 2021. Each semester consists of four monthly topics, Facebook group content and interaction, a bibliography, spiritual direction, and a reflection in a chosen medium.

Sacred Texts
Eight monthly Zoom sessions begin September 26

Each month, we will take up the study of a sacred text, core teachings of the world's religions. Using Socratic dialogue, we will unravel hidden meanings and new understandings. We will share personal insights and experiences. We will travel ancient but ever new terrain, paths long forgotten or dimly remembered. Like archeologists of the spirit, we will uncover new insights, inspiration for our personal journeys. Read More
Strengthen The Spirit
August 13-15 with Heath Missner and Robert Bowler
Hallelujah Farm Retreat, Chesterfield, NH

Join us for a weekend of spiritual exploration and companionship. After a long journey of isolation during the pandemic, we are joyful to come together on retreat to strengthen our spirits. Support for your own spiritual journey, as you discover its shape and form, is essential as you build the spiritual muscles to move forward from day to day. Join us for a weekend of prayer and meditation, spiritual friendship, and unconditional love. We will learn about western and eastern spiritual traditions, the varieties of spiritual practice, and soul friendship. We will offer Morning Meditations, spiritual companionship, and Lectio Divina. Guided by prayer and meditation practice, Celtic spirituality, and interfaith understandings, we seek refreshment in one another's company and in nature. Read More
An Introduction
to Celtic Shamanism
October 15-17 with Jane Burns
Hallelujah Farm Retreat in Chesterfield, NH

This workshop will lead you into the hollow hills, the icy sea, and the splendor of the sky, as they once were experienced by the ancient Celtic peoples. Through discussion and shamanic journeying, we will unravel their unique and poetic vision, their wild and courageous heart, and their deep reverence for the natural world, both seen and unseen.​ Read More
Hildegard of Bingen,
​Magistra, Mystic, Musician
​December 3-5 with Ruth Cunningham,
Melinda Gardiner, and Robert Bowler
Hallelujah Farm Retreat in Chesterfield, NH

Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098 - 1179 CE) was a German magistra or monastic leader, mystic, healer, artist, author, counsellor, and composer. In this weekend retreat/workshop we will explore the several facets of Hildegard's prolific life. Read More
Support Halcyon Arts
Your donations, large or small, help us bring our programs to venues in New England, ​Ticket sales and tuition alone do not cover our overhead. We need the generous support of patrons like you. All donations are now fully tax-deductible. And thanks!
Halcyon Arts | 413-345-2917​