Anastasia's Ms Class: Season Two To Take An Interesting Turn

Under Construction

Updated: October 1

Among the coming changes --

●Group discussions will follow class presentation with Anastasia, Sue -- the only remaining student of the original, Season One Class -- and on-site at Black Bear Mountain Village Auditors. Dial-in auditors will also be offered discussion opportunities tba

● Monthly Fire Circle Storytelling participation will be open to Auditors.

Read on to hear of our fascinating journey, from "there" to here -- now trying to rebuild our lives, post- pandemic and our present "Becoming Black Bear Mountain Village" experiences as we go forward on our "adventure of a lifetime."

Also, find out how to just hang out with us.

From fancy hotel workshop accommodations ro what used to be only a kitchen door back driveway to now becoming "Anastasia's Courtyard" -- under construction, the times are a changing at the New Horizons Harper's Ferry Retreat Center becoming Black Bear Mountain Village.

Last Thursday as Board Members and Provisional Board Membrrs sat down for our first official Ms Class -- Study Groip: Season Two, I found myself stumbling a bit to find my way.

Everything was dramatically different from the beginnings of even Ms Class--Study Group: Season One with its first class -- and its original agenda launched February 28, 2019 -- pre-pandemic shutdowns.

Most dramatically, "Season One" was not intended to be a "Season" though it lasted close to two years -- a very long season if you want to call it that at all.

But what else might we call it?

The original- Class-Study Group had been organized in mid-December, 2019, specifically to support a single board member that we call Tonya, publicly, to preserve her privacy. Tonya had just recently lost her home and all her belongings to one of Northern California's wildfires - and her husband to another woman aong with it.  

To compound her distress, her lurking tendency to emotionally swim and drown herself in the depths of suicidal ideation had taken hold of her to such an extent that I was seriously concerned for her.

So I had prodded her to once again do an "Evaluation Session" with me as a prerequisite. Her earlier one had been almost thirty years ago.  And I would reward her discipline in doing that by doing a five or six week class/study group for all interested NH/ZOP Board Members? focusing on her special needs as the centerfold. 

We had had six Board members at our last annual board meeting in July. However, we began what I now want ro call "Season One

To be continued"

The Ms Class That Saved (Mental Health) Lives During The Pandemic Returns For Its Second Season

 Find out how you can qualify to participate.

On-site at Black Bear Mountain Village or by zoom.

Applications being taken after November 1, 2023.

Details coming soon.

New Student Internship Opportunity (or For Qualified Volunteer)

As of Spring, 2024 -- We will be looking for a live-in female student intern.

Situation:

Live in efficiency apartment. Rent = 10 - 15 hours (to be negotiated) per week, work exchange.

Tasks: Help with cleaning and cooking and general upkeep along with our Property Management and Development Team, headed by Sue deVeer.

Benefits: Life in the mountains, being a part of building our small "zone of peace" -- Black Bear Mountain Village Community

Ideal: For students interested in writing, marketing and social activism. Must be an INTROVERT to match Anastasia who would be your main connection.

Please note, New Horizons’ Executive Director, Anastasia Rosen-Jones who has extensive experience in advertising, marketing and public relations, will supervise internships.

Find out how you can be a part of our team!

Cell for Anastasia: 240.409.5347

email: zonesofpeacenh@aol.com

From Anastasia: Notes For Our Readers On Our Unfolding Journey

 Under construction

Dear Readers,

In the past month the two main blog sites I write for, New Horizons/Small "zones of peace" and my own Anastasia The Storyteller, shot up from 1000 or under visitors during the height of the pandemic to almost OVERNIGHT this month attracting close to 100,000!

What gives, I asked myself, feeling greatly overwhelmed and intimidated as I watched the numbers grow. I was, of course, preparing my organization and myself for creating impact. But not today!

 Later -- next year when Camelot Disrupted would be finished. That was my plan.

What next? On MY end? On.   our "Becoming Black Bear Mountain Village" end?

For starters I decided to take note of the selections being read. And the pattern that emerged is that y'all seem to be seeking Practical Applications -- the way we interpreted it -- for your own small "zones of peace" building. That's how we read the articles you were selecting -- so for our next steps on this blog we will be seeking ways to accommodate that.

Up dates coming soon.

Monthy Fire Circle Storytelling Gatherings To Be Held at BBMV

Collective healing is our goal.

Tentative plan: 

Fire Circle Storytelling - monthly

Topic: From There (March16, 2020 to Here

P.S. Wonder why we"ve had so many aborted plans in our recent past?

Answer: 

1. We've got a mental crisis, actually quite a few of our own. And we draw from the ancient wisdom of physicians -- "physician heal thyself" and also the wisdom of -- "Charity begins at home."

2. Becoming Black Bear Mountain Village ain't been easy.

Join us for Fire Circle Storytelling. We'll share ours. You share back -- kinda like call and response.

On BEING First -- Ahead Of DOING

From Executive Director Anastasia, A Personal Comtemplation and Sharing

I spent most of the first few months after March 16, 2020 just sitting on my living room couch staring out the windows, gazing at the trees -- marvelous, gorgeous tall old Oaks mostly.

Stunned! In shock! Nowhere to go anyway.

Almost immediately I heard/felt the trees talking back to me. And so it was that I was NEVER alone and discovered that the spirit guides of "all my relations" were with me -- all the time, provided I opened my heart and mind to them.

After a good few months more of this, having since moved myself out of doors onto my favorite warm westher relaxation and tree gazing spot, my old oak rimmed deck outside my living room, situated like a perch high above the mountain road, just right for me to see the occasional car or truck go by below without them seeing me. In this way I began to come to terms with the multilayered crises we were all facing.

Not long after I accepted the state of affairs, I donated my car to charity. Certain I would not be leaving the ten mountainside acres I live on, backed up against 4,000 belonging to the National Park Service -- maybe for forever.

That it has now how it has become. Others would come in and out - board members, contractors, community members and soon a resident intern to live on site with me. And, treasure of all treasures, in 2021 we adopted our family "fur-baby," Charlie B -- an eight week old Chesapeake Bay Retriever, official state dog of Maryland where we are situated.

That is how Black Bear Mountain Village started to become -- born out of the pandemic.

The most important lesson so far - I call it my homegrown Yoda-ism -- is this ...

"BE first. DO after BE"

It is a magical guidepost for me now and it has helped me time and time again these past, going on four years, of unimaginable pressures.

More storytelling from me on the way -- as NH/ZOP becomes Black Bear Mountain Village and I, Anastasia, complete writing Camelot Disrupted -- due out in 2024.

The ride is already becoming a wild one!! My Yodaism keeps me sane and healthy -- happy and grateful

Black Bear Mountain Village Project To Offer Model For Building Small "Zones Of Peace"

Press Release

With their master plan focused on an initial outreach into Frederick County, Maryland, their nearest town, as the starting point for what is intended to be a DMV regional project, Anastasia Rosen-Jones, Executive Director and Founder of the New Horizons/Small "Zones of Peace" Project, and long-time collaborator, Sue deVeer, have named their new non-profit, Black Bear Mountain Village, Inc.  in recognition of their beautiful mountainside location, the site of their community development project, Black Bear Mountain Village (BBMV). And indeed, black bears do live here.

Situated on ten acres just above Harper's Ferry on the Maryland side of the national park, the headquarters of the project has been -- and -- continues to be -- undergoing a major remodeling effort begun not long after the pandemic took hold in mid-2020. New outdoor seating and meeting settings in their wooded glen and new trails up the mountainside are part of the long-range vision, now layng out its foundations, preparing for an almost outrageously huge, long-term endeavor, already set in motion. The purpose of the current remodeling and development project is the reopening of what was originally the New Horizons Retreat Center to now be an experiential training location for the new Black Bear Mountain Village Inc.non-profit.

Significantly -- the entirety of the design they are working from actually dates back fifty years, celebrated this year, an adventurous tale worth knowing, soon to be published in fantasy, historical fiction form, intended to be a Black Bear Mountain Village playbook for social activists. Camelot Disrupted is due out in 2024.

The new entity, evolving out of the organization's former non-profit, New Horizons Support Network Inc, was initially based in Montgomery County and focused on treating the dysfunctional dynamics between codependents and power addicts. The new non-profit is the latest iteration of the original entity and its various projects.

Drawing on community organizing principles such as "it takes a village," the BBMV Project sets out, in particular, to embody the words of Mahatma Gandhi speaking to what is needed fundamentally to build a world peace -- "begin by carving out territories or zones of peace where violence and deceit won’t be used.” 

"The BBMV philosophy augments those words, adding that a “small zone of peace” can be anywhere, even your own backyard,” states Anastasia. "And we are aiming to -- using experiential education as our model -- train people in doing this -- starting off in OUR backyard."

Interested individuals, groups and organizations can keep in touch through our blogs and podcasts to find out how our tale unfolds and how they can be part of this innovative solution to our current mental health crisises -- personal isolation and nationwide polarization. Of particular concern is the disconnect between people highlighted by the pandemic era. Building "zones of peace" community structures -- is our solution.  We are seeking volunteers, interns and new members to add to  our Board of Directors. We invite you to build community with us.

For information on participating in this profound project, contact us at: Mountainwomanrj@aol.com