HSP Gathering Oct 2-6 2008

by Justin Passing Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:57 pm

Apparently, there's going to be another HSP gathering, this time in the Catskills in upstate NY. The early registration period is already over, but since Jacquelyn Strickland didn't get the word out in time it's been extended until 9/2 instead of 8/2.

http://newyorkhsp.homestead.com/nygathering08.html

Just thought folks might like to know. With luck, the leaves will be changing color in early October, but even if they aren't it's probably quite a beautiful location.

by Rivershine Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:04 pm

I found out about this from the HSP Yahoo group. Normally this announcement would have been made on the AIMOO board, but that is obviously no more..

If anyone is interested in the Yahoo group, Click Here.

by Nucky Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:13 pm

Sounds cool, I don't think I'll make it this year, but one of these years I will.

It's right around the corner from you guys this year, isn't it Justin and Jessica?

by adain Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:00 am

I was thinking about going to the one in the UK, theoretically I'd be over there then, but then I think I'd rather go to one in the US, I'm more likely (maybe) to bump into people I know (sorta).
I think it would be kinda cool, so long as there is no crying or hugging. I've never been to one so I don't know what to expect. Hugging terrifies me!
That wouldn't happen? Would it?
It's a bunch of HSP's, they wouldn't go round hugging random strangers. Now I'm worried. They'd be all like me (well sorta) wouldn't they?
Has any one here been to one, What's it like?

by StrawberryLife Fri Aug 08, 2008 3:07 pm

lol Aidain you can still cough & pretend you have a terrible disease or something if someone threatens with hugging!! lol

There's an account of it online written by Denmark guy - sounded real cool when I read it..
some of it is here: http://melodeon.aimoo.com/General-Discussions/A-few-thoughts-about-the-Color-1-526468.html (no idea why that discussion is there.. ?? maybe wondered off from the AIMOO HSP forum??) This is his blog & maybe it's on there somewhere http://hspnotes.blogspot.com/

Okay, this is the site where I read about the HSP gatherings before, & they sounded quite interesting... http://innerreflections.homestead.com/index.html
a few meet-ups described here (under 'Meeting HSPs' - see index on the left) http://innerreflections.homestead.com/meethsp.html

Another account here: http://www.lifeworkshelp.com/hspgatheringretreats/info.htm#note

lol Aidain if by any chance we end up in UK at the same time, it would be fun to meet up (on a HSP meeting or otherwise) & I'll try not to hug u!! Smile

by Rivershine Fri Aug 08, 2008 5:08 pm

Darn Adain, it's good you said something about it. I'm definitely a hugger. In fact, I think there would be other HSPs who don't like hugging either, so if I went to one of these gatherings, I'd have to ask permission to hug. I remember this topic came up on Aimoo, and there were a surprising number of people who said they weren't comfortable with hugging. I was certainly in the minority.

by waterdragon7 Sat Aug 09, 2008 1:41 am

Adain wrote:...Hugging terrifies me!
That wouldn't happen? Would it?
It's a bunch of HSP's, they wouldn't go round hugging random strangers. Now I'm worried. They'd be all like me (well sorta) wouldn't they?...

I'm sure you have lots of company, Adain. Other than a handshake, I don't like being touched either! My general reaction to people hugging me whom I don't know that well would be: Shocked

and

by Nucky Sat Aug 09, 2008 2:00 am

I like hugs with women, but with men a handshake will have to do.

by Justin Passing Sat Aug 09, 2008 9:05 pm

I like hugs ok, but I still have to "gear myself up" for them for some reason. I'm simply not instantly open to physical contact with people. I have to "prepare" for some reason.

While this HSP gathering is certainly close by (2-3 hours drive), I'm not sure if INFP and I will be going. It all depends on who else is going I expect. There are so many things to spend time and money on, and right now an HSP gathering simply isn't a priority. But if some folks I really want to meet were going that would change things.

by adain Sun Aug 10, 2008 7:41 am

INFP, I think I remember that disscussion.
SB, Thanks for those links. It eased my mind somewhat. I'm not sure when I'll be in the UK. Was aiming for October, but it might not be until Feb/March, depending on Money.
Hugging, a bit of a silly thing to be worried about really...I forget HSP are a reserved lot.

by Rivershine Thu Sep 04, 2008 3:07 am

Me and Justin Passing are going to the gathering! Woo Hoo! Extra Happy

by Denmarkguy Thu Sep 04, 2008 12:25 pm

Justin, thanks for posting about the Gathering, here!

Look forward to seeing you and INFP there.

As some of you may know, I'm part of "the help" at gatherings. Or the "PR and general questions department," depending on your perspective.

Adain wrote: I think it would be kinda cool, so long as there is no crying or hugging. I've never been to one so I don't know what to expect. Hugging terrifies me!
That wouldn't happen? Would it?

Well... for a lot of people, an HSP Gathering represents what-- quite possibly-- is the FIRST time in their lives that they find themselves in a place where they can be 100% "themselves" without fear of "weird looks," criticism, judgment, or anyone even THINKING of saying "Oh, stop being so sensitive!" That includes the sudden realization that all those emotions we have bubbling under the surface (but tend to hide) can safely come out... and will be met with support, rather than skepticism. As a result, Gatherings are very emotional affairs for many participants... much kleenex is used. Even by those who arrive, very determined to remain "detached, prim and proper" while there.

Hugging happens spontaneously, as a result of people realizing they are with their "long lost tribe." Maybe that sounds scary... and it's really hard to explain... all I can say is that it never feels "inappropriate." I remember a woman who came to one of the California events, several years ago. When she arrived, she was all about her "personal space" and made big "declarative statements" about what HSPs "like" and "don't like." When the Gathering was ending, I do believe she hugged every single person who attended, whether she'd gotten to know them well, or not.

That said, what is most obvious about a group of HSPs is that we seem to have an innate "instinct" for understanding another's comfort zone... and for making each other feel comfortable with the situation.

A long-time friend-- who has been to something like 10 Gatherings-- once summed it up like this: "I never stop being amazed at the fact that I feel closer to, and more understood by, this group of relative strangers in four days than I do being around my family who have known me for over 50 years."

~Peter

by melodiccolor Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:29 pm

INFP that's me wrote:I found out about this from the HSP Yahoo group. Normally this announcement would have been made on the AIMOO board, but that is obviously no more..

If anyone is interested in the Yahoo group, Click Here.

I just went over to their home page. It seems to be centered around Elain Aaron's book and a requirement of joining that group is that you've read it or are reading it presently.

by Denmarkguy Thu Sep 04, 2008 8:58 pm

melodiccolor wrote:
I just went over to their home page. It seems to be centered around Elain Aaron's book and a requirement of joining that group is that you've read it or are reading it presently.

Yes, and no.

The discussions are not centered around Elaine's books. However, membership does require people to have read at least one of her books-- mostly (I think) to maintain a fairly uniform definition of how people call themselves "highly sensitive."

~Peter

by melodiccolor Thu Sep 04, 2008 9:00 pm

So does reading her research articles on which her books are based count?

by Denmarkguy Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:01 am

melodiccolor wrote:So does reading her research articles on which her books are based count?

No, it's pretty specifically the books.

~P

by 4th Magi Sat Sep 06, 2008 5:39 pm

INFP that's me wrote:Me and Justin Passing are going to the gathering! Woo Hoo!

What a shame I won't get to meet you there this time. I've been to two gatherings (this past spring in Northern California and last autumn in Colorado). They're awesome. I'll be attending others for sure. It'd be great to meet people from the forum in person.

by Denmarkguy Sun Sep 07, 2008 1:07 pm

4th Magi wrote:
What a shame I won't get to meet you there this time. I've been to two gatherings (this past spring in Northern California and last autumn in Colorado). They're awesome. I'll be attending others for sure. It'd be great to meet people from the forum in person.

The (very) unofficial "rumblings" (aside from the UK Gathering in April) is that the next US based Gathering will be in Colorado, September 2009-ish, perhaps...

(I have the official HSP Gathering corkscrew here, btw.... Extra Happy

~Peter

by Nucky Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:07 pm

So how was it, Justin and INFP?

by Justin Passing Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:46 pm

It was great Nucky. We got to meet a bunch of VERY nice people and stay at a VERY nice place hidden away in the Catskill mountains. The fall colors there were nearly peaking, so everything was very beautiful. I've got a few pictures of the location. Hopefully I'll get to post a few soon.

The only person there from the forums was DenmarkGuy, but there were quite a few who participate in the Yahoo groups. In fact, apparently they start a new private Yahoo group for each HSP retreat so that participants can stay in contact with each other. Interestingly, quite a few people came from Canada, especially the Toronto area, so you may have some new "friends" waiting to meet you Luna. There was also a British woman who's currently living in Texas that I'm hoping to invite over here.

I'd write more, but I'm still reeling a bit from it all. My mom broke her hip over the weekend. She's doing fine - the surgery went well and her bones are still strong enough to break two of the surgeon's drill bits! Going to visit her in the hospital means I haven't really had the time I need to "recover" yet, so I'm still "loopy", and stumbling around trying to write even simple posts like this one.

((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))

by Luna Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:00 pm

Oh wow that's great that you guys had such a good time! Oh there were people from Toronto!? Now I'm really kicking myself fot not going, I would love to meet some HSPs from this area. And it was so close. Sigh. I just couldn't take the time off from my job. I will get to an HSP gathering at some point I hope. I would love to hear more about it when you guys are able.

by melodiccolor Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:44 pm

Justin Passing wrote:It was great Nucky. We got to meet a bunch of VERY nice people and stay at a VERY nice place hidden away in the Catskill mountains. The fall colors there were nearly peaking, so everything was very beautiful. I've got a few pictures of the location. Hopefully I'll get to post a few soon.

The only person there from the forums was DenmarkGuy, but there were quite a few who participate in the Yahoo groups. In fact, apparently they start a new private Yahoo group for each HSP retreat so that participants can stay in contact with each other. Interestingly, quite a few people came from Canada, especially the Toronto area, so you may have some new "friends" waiting to meet you Luna. There was also a British woman who's currently living in Texas that I'm hoping to invite over here.

I'd write more, but I'm still reeling a bit from it all. My mom broke her hip over the weekend. She's doing fine - the surgery went well and her bones are still strong enough to break two of the surgeon's drill bits! Going to visit her in the hospital means I haven't really had the time I need to "recover" yet, so I'm still "loopy", and stumbling around trying to write even simple posts like this one.

((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))

I too want to hear more about your trip when you've had a chance to recover. You met a british transplant from texas that you actually want to invite over; wow! You really must have met some great people at the gathering. I am glad you had such a great time.

I am sorry to hear about your mother; a broken hip is no small matter, no matter how strong the bones are.

by Reamsie Thu Oct 09, 2008 7:27 am

It does sound like it was a good experience.

by Justin Passing Thu Oct 09, 2008 10:22 am

It was great Reamsie. There were activities so that you felt like there was some reason for being there, but they were loose enough to accommodate what was going if that differed from what was planned. People were free to come and go as they chose, and do what they wanted to for the most part. And best of all, there was time for warm, healthy, meaningful interactions with people. Our group was a bit over two dozen people, so I didn't get a chance to speak with everyone, but it was wonderful talking with those I managed to hook up with.

It took a day or two for the bonding to really get rolling, but when it did it was wonderful. All those happy, open spirits, rejoicing in spending time together in a rather magical setting. It's a marvelous and quite rejuvenating feeling.

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