This week's Featured Phone is in Greensboro Bend, Vermont; Tony Wolfe donated this beautiful phone at a 115-acre private retreat. Thank you, Tony, for sharing the story of your phone with us.
Weekly, I shine a light on the story of a beautifully created and placed Wind Phone. Sharing our stories makes a difference because it's in doing so that we connect and heal. To not cloud the Wind Phone creator's message, the format for Featured Phones is to share their answers to the interview questions verbatim.
Where is your Wind Phone located?
63 Winchester Rd, Greensboro Bend, VT 05842. Please note that Sky Meadow is a private retreat center and that the wind phone is intended for use by participants in retreats. The phone is installed in the Cave, which is a 5-10-minute walk from the Retreat Barn.
Why did you choose this location?
I'd wanted to create and install a wind phone for several years, but living in Chicago, it was hard to find a suitable public spot that would be safe from vandalism. When I signed up for the Sacred Harvest event at Sky Meadow, I realized that this idyllic 115-acre spiritual retreat in Vermont would be the perfect place. I purchased a 1957 vintage General Electric rotary phone, cleaned it up, and carried it with me to Vermont. At the end of the August 2023 Sacred Harvest, the wind phone was installed in the Cave, a cozy and secluded subterranean meditation alcove with a peaceful view of boulders, treetops, and sky. The Cave also contains a chair and a vintage wood-burning stove, so with a bit of forethought, it can be used comfortably during the winter months.
What year and month did you place your Wind Phone at this location?
August 28th, 2023
Do you have any advice for someone considering creating a Wind Phone?
Inspired by Itaru Sasaki's act of self-compassion and imagination, we're co-creating a new, grassroots ritual form of working through grief. There is no standard procedure to follow, and that's a good thing. Consider all aspects of your project deeply and then follow your heart.
I love all the wind phones, so near to my heart