Residential Applications
Each day begins with a quiet, contemplative circle and a short bible reading. The three daily meals are jointly prepared and consumed within a social atmosphere. Clearing tables and washing-up are also tasks in which everyone participates, regardless of position. The main meal is at lunchtime and is followed by a rest-period of one hour where people are free to pursue their own interests. Mornings and afternoons are spent in workshops as described elsewhere in this handbook.
During leisure time, residents enjoy social activities such as badminton, aerobics, current affairs, gospel studies, discos, watching films, swimming and library trips. Artists and musicians visit Corbenic on a regular basis. Monday evenings are set aside for individual house meetings, where residents and live-in volunteers have an equal opportunity to air their views about life in the house and agree future arrangements, be they domestic matters, planning menus or organising activities and outings. Once a month the entire community attends the “Corbenic Meeting” where issues relating to the community as a whole are discussed at length.
Weekends are occupied with leisure and recreational activities. Long walks, shopping trips, and outings are the pattern for Saturdays, along with light household tasks. Saturday evenings are devoted to Bible Supper when all members of the community gather together in their respective houses for a spiritual review of the week. This weekly assembly strengthens the group feeling of the community and develops a sense of concord and affiliation among individuals.
Sunday mornings begin with a visit to the Cathedral in Dunkeld, the Catholic Church or any other religious denomination to which residents and day service users may be attached. Such trips alternate with Celebrations or Services at Corbenic itself and take the form of religious devotion based on the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner.
The remainder of the day consists of Sunday lunch, reading the newspapers, visiting, walks, games on the lawn and, when the weather is bad, watching a film chosen by residents and day service users.
It should be noted that, while considerable attention is placed on regular routines – known as the “rhythms” of the day – all members of the community are free to exercise choice in the range of activities in which they wish to participate. For example, there is no requirement to attend religious services if people do not want to.
For more information or for a Residential Application, please email andy@corbeniccamphill.co.uk
