Joining the Wangapeka BOT by Hadleigh Tiddy

My nomination to the Wangapeka Board of Trustees was as surprising and unexpected as an optimistic kereru crash-landing on a kōwhai.

I had come to the centre as part of the team organizing the annual Hui, and my intention had been to learn more about the mysterious inner-workings of the centre I felt so drawn to. The Hui was fantastic, and the sunrise from Omahu on the Sunday morning was worth skipping breakfast for. During the AGM coffee break, I sat on the couch outside the hall and was enjoying the sun when Cashy Yates joined me. Knowing we only had a few minutes, she quickly unveiled her vision for my future: moving to Nelson, co-buying an eco property, and ushering in the next generation of tamariki alongside my dharma-friend Elli. As the gong rang for us to return, she concluded by asking if she could nominate me as a member of the Board. I was surprised: even by then the idea hadn’t occurred to me, but once she mentioned it, it seemed like an excellent thing to do.

So, like the Kereru and the kōwhai, I launched out and landed on the Board with little understanding of its structure or weight. The branch has been bouncing ever since that sunny Sunday in July, and through each meeting I am learning something new. It is a wonderful opportunity to be working with wise, compassionate, aspiring people, who are willing to spend many hours on emails and zoom calls, doing work needed to keep the centre flourishing for the awakening of all. My perspective continues to widen, as I come to appreciate the vast network of beings, actions, words, thoughts, and lineages that coordinate and coalesce around the centre.

As the world unfolds into futures unknown, may we skillfully apply all of our energies for the benefit of all living beings.