Dear Heron Dancers,

Heron Dance has experienced many changes over the years, and the dawn of the new decade promises continued transformation. We want to thank you for your support in keeping the Heron Dancing on its evolutionary journey.

Once a year we ask you to consider making a contribution to support the Pause for Beauty and our other work. We’re putting a lot of effort into projects that have the potential to reduce or remove our dependence on donations, but we still need your help. To support Pause for Beauty please scroll down.

Heron Dance will be published four times in 2010, up from twice in 2009. Each issue will be shorter but we’ll make those pages as beautiful and thought-provoking as we can. Each issue will celebrate the beauty and mystery of the natural world and explore what it means to live an alive, spiritual, adventurous, creative life. We’ll further develop the Archibald Campbell character. While he is a fictional character, the aspects of life that preoccupy him, preoccupy me. Recently, I’ve been in a more reflective, solitary, contemplative mood. So has he. Together we’ll explore conflicting thoughts on enlightenment.

What’s it like to make living an enlightened life a central focus of one’s life? How does that impact the amount of fun one has? How do efforts to live an enlightened life affect one’s inclination to embrace the adventures that present themselves? How does living an enlightened life affect one’s relationships, one’s inclination towards solitude? What impact do efforts to live an enlightened life have on one’s creative work, on one’s willingness to embrace fear in the pursuit of one’s potential?

I do plan to include sexuality as part of the overall mix, but probably less so than in the recent past, and probably more in the context of relationship. What impact does a desire to live an enlightened life have on relationships with a significant other? I’d say that a deeply peaceful, loving relationship is probably more conducive to an enlightened life than lots of partners or sexual friends coming and going, and all the associated drama.

Heron Dance continues to support other nonprofits through the donation of art for fundraisers. We plan to launch a revolving auction shortly that will be available to non-profits in support of their fundraising efforts. If you are associated with a nonprofit that may be interested, please email us at outreach@herondance.org.

We continue with plans to launch, later this month, a new e-newsletter called The Other Dance that will include nude and erotic paintings by me and an essay by a different female guest writer each issue. We’ll send signup information soon.

On that happy note, thank you to all who have supported us in the past, who have enabled us to do this deeply satisfying work, and who enable us to continue it.

In celebration of the Great Dance of Life,



Roderick W. MacIver

When you make a donation to support the Pause for Beauty, you'll also receive our print publication, unless you indicate otherwise. Any amount you can afford is acceptable. Please visit here.

If you make a contribution but do not want to receive the print publication, please send an email to heron@herondance.org to let us know.