Relax and Write 3 at Camp Koinonia in Evans Head finished up yesterday. Helena and I are always amazed by the wonderful women who come along and how quickly the magic of Koinonia and the sea and writing and yoga starts to make itself very evident.

Within twenty-four hours, or even less, secrets we swore we’d never tell are shared and held and then let go. Old wounds are uncovered and start to heal. We realise very quickly that all of us have stories that need to be told, alongside those we want to tell. But it is the kindness and upholding of each other which is most precious. With this sharing of secrets a deep bond is forged and we transform from the ordinary creatures we are in our everyday lives as teachers and accountants and mothers and business women and writers and workers into mermaids and scribes.

We did a tremendous amount of writing with workshops on writing your way into a story, writing the body, dialogue and more, and had heaps of fun along the way – laughing and singing and swimming and feasting and dancing.

 

Katrina taught us all the Samba on Saturday night and with Jenni did a performance that made us all gasp! Maria became our photographer and took most of the beautiful shots I include here.

 

 

Carol and Helen and Angela did a fantastic job getting our delicious dinners ready. I loved Helena’s macerated cumquat and almond cake. YUM! That and Nina’s dhal were my food highlights.

 

Josie’s enthusiasm made us all feel good. Jude’s bawdy jokes made us laugh. Helen-Ellie scored a new name and a place in our hearts and Loma humbled us all with her tale of recovery. Nicola wowed us all with the book she’d made herself. Everyone shared hints and tips and made leading the groups easy.

It was sunny but the swims were still cold. I saw a shooting star and had my heart opened again and again by the wisdom and compassion of the women who came along.

 

Special thanks go to Craig and Marie of Camp Koinonia for hosting us all with such generosity. All the years Helena and I have been coming to Koinonia we never knew it’s meaning, but we do now.

The lovely Kathy provided this translation and the beautiful shot below.

“In spite of fragmentation, which is an evil from which we need to be healed, there has resulted a kind of rich bestowal of grace which is meant to embellish the koinonia.”

Koinonia is a transliterated form of the Greek word, κοινωνία, which means communion, joint participation; the share which one has in anything, participation, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution.

YES! That’s the magic of mermaid camp – union – like yoga – a community of women sharing as equals. Each of us feeling valued and embraced.

Come along and join us at the next one!

Lots of love, Edwina and Helena xx