Spring 2023: Kindness

The Power of Kindness

A few months ago, the new car that I had purchased to help make my weekly drives between St. Paul and Chicago safer was stolen. Happily, the car was recovered that same day and I went to the impound lot in Minneapolis to recover it. Relieved and finding it in seemingly good shape, it still needed to be towed, checked out and re-keyed. At this point in a long, intense and exhausting day, I sat on the floor of the office (it has no waiting room) and plugged in my phone to charge it while I took care of a few things. I had over an hour to wait for the tow truck.

Within a few moments of settling in, I heard a door open and felt a motion close by me. I looked up and there was a chair on wheels, sitting just outside a door. “He doesn’t do that for just anyone,” the security guard told me. I didn’t see anyone there and I pulled myself off the floor, appreciating this luxurious offering.

I looked toward the few workers behind the windows, but I couldn’t quite figure out who my angel was. After about fifteen minutes, one of the workers emerged from the door and came to greet me. “It wasn’t right.” He said. “You sitting there on the floor, it just wasn’t right.” He noted that he was from Chicago and that he had seen my driver’s license being held while I went to see my car. We talked about “the Chi” and how he ended up in Minnesota. We talked about my transition to the state. And we talked at length about the cultural differences we were experiencing.

My angel’s gesture was an act of loving kindness. I felt a bit like the traveler who was robbed, beaten and left

Reflections of the Season | Art Exhibition

by the side of the road, only to be lifted onto the animal of the Good Samaritan, the figure in the parable who actually crossed over to the other side of the road to see what had happened – and who chose to remedy it. I felt not only seen, but also cared for and then even engaged with and talked to.

As we ended the conversation, we shared our names and his name is Mark. As one who fully believes not only in angels in this world, but also in the continued action of those who have gone before us, I knew immediately that my brother in law Mark, who passed last December 18, had inspired this man to lift me up off the floor physically and spiritually.

Thich Nhat Hahn, in an article on Metta meditation, the Buddhist practice of loving-kindness, says that, “Happiness is not an individual matter; it has the nature of interbeing. When you are able to make one friend smile, her happiness will nourish you also.” I was nurtured by my angel, but he was also nurtured by me and by our conversation. He too was seen and heard. He relished memories of the place that he came from even as he appreciated his new home. May each of you savor the experience of receiving kindness - from people you know and from people who have only just crossed your path - from people who still walk this earth and from those in the great beyond.

Peace and blessings, Marian Diaz

https://tricycle.org/magazine/cultivating-compassion/

Featuring works by: Virginia Averill Oct 15-Dec 31, 2022

In a spirit of wisdom,

We honor the inherent dignity, particularity and wholeness of each human person.

We believe that each of us can call forth healing, growth, integration and expanded freedom for ourselves and each other.

We listen to and support the creative expression of spiritual wisdom across varied religious and secular ways of being.

We commit ourselves to inclusivity, accessibility and liberating justice on behalf of personal transformation and the transformation of the world.

Diversity Statement:

Wisdom Ways desires to create authentic, welcoming spaces that advance the spiritual growth, integration and fullness of life for all people. Wisdom Ways believes that an inherent part of that mission is ensuring the equality and inclusion of all persons, mindful of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, class, disability, immigration status, religious beliefs, age, or any other diverse backgrounds. Acknowledging our purpose as a programming and story-sharing organization, we continually strive to offer a diverse community that features the voices of historically oppressed persons, elevating the shared wisdom of their experiences as a vital element of our mission and society.

An important aspect is accessibility. Committed to the inclusion of all persons, Wisdom Ways acknowledges the societal constructions which restrict and repel persons with disabilities and persons with cultural differences, such as the Deaf community, from attending and participating in on site and online events. Thus, we strive for the inclusion of all persons in our online and in person programming. For questions related to inclusion or to request accommodation, please email dclausnitzer@wisdomwayscenter.org or call (651)-696-2787.

Mission Statement:

Wisdom Ways creates open, accepting spaces that advance the spiritual growth, authenticity and fullness of life for all people. Our resources and offerings aim to help support movement into meaningful and impactful action to advance personal and communal well-being – and you won’t be doing it alone.

Wisdom Ways was established in 1994 as a Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet – St. Paul Province, who build their ministries based on the mission of “moving always toward the profound love of God and neighbor without distinction.”

You can help support our mission!

As we look forward to 2023, please consider making a donation supporting the mission and efforts of Wisdom Ways during your year end giving. Visit: www.wisdomwayscenter.org and click Donate . We are tremendously grateful for your generosity & support.

Marian Diaz, Director mdiaz@wisdomwayscenter.org

Danielle Clausnitzer, Assistant

Director

Carly Swenson, Communications Strategist cswenson@wisdomwayscenter.org

Leslie Aktan, Office Coordinator

Kathy Berken, Resource Assistant

Check out a few new blogs from Flourish!

‘Flourish’ indicates a graceful, dynamic movement or style, as well as growth and fruitfulness.

On Wisdom Ways’ blog, Flourish, we’ll share engaging stories, ideas and themes from a variety of voices. Our first few posts introduce our team and our varied expressions of spirituality, as well as guest posts from insightful friends and partners. New blogs posted bi-monthly.

A Lesson from Pain

by Carly Swenson 9/30/2022

Migraine pain makes even sleeping difficult. It feels cosmically unfair to have to be this uncomfortable and not be able to lose consciousness voluntarily into the beautiful time travel of sleep. So, I became trapped in a loop of increasing pain and self-loathing. My mind did its usual missing-work guilt spiral. Wandering through my shame for potentially disappointing my coworkers. I’m frustrated and annoyed that my body— my body–is not doing what I want, how I want it to, when I want it to. (As if my body has ever actually worked like that?)

However, the more energy and intention I put into thinking, planning, and criticizing—the worse the pain got. The only power I had was to make things worse. This was a message from my body. And for once, I actually listened.

My human body was expressing to me— “No. Nope. No. Carly. Listen. NO. I love you, you beautiful sweet thing. But no. Not today. You are human. You are made of nature. You are the result of so many insane and chaotic elements, some you can affect and control, but so many more you cannot. You can’t think this away. You are in pain, thinking isn’t working–so…try again...”

--Continue reading at www.wisdomwayscenter.org/media

Why Comfort is Overrated

by Danielle Clausnitzer 9/20/2022

In 2012, I spent six months living abroad and taking classes in Yaoundé, Cameroon. I spent these months living with a host family, cooking their food, learning their language, and meeting my Cameroonian family. I traveled around the country and saw things I never thought I would. I even held a chimpanzee, which I didn’t realize was a dream of mine until I was given the opportunity to do so. Spending days immersed in the diversity of religions and beliefs that the world had to offer had a profound affect on me. I grew as a person because of this exposure and my desire to understand a culture and a people that was previously foreign to me. Even today, I seek to recapture those experiences in my personal travels, in what I read, and how I experience the world...

--Continue reading at www.wisdomwayscenter.org/media

Experiencing Group Spiritual Companioning by Marian

Diaz 8/23/2022

Having started offering group spiritual companioning in the early months of this year, Wisdom Ways now has two groups meeting monthly! At this point, all of the participants are women and they each bring their own expressions of spirituality and their life experiences to our time together. Recurring themes include various aspects of our spiritual journeys, including life transitions, health challenges, grief, discerning next steps and relationships. We also spend a lot of time appreciating each other and the mutual support we experience in the group! It brings a particular form of joy during this uncertain time to being to build bonds among people at a deep level...

--Continue reading at www.wisdomwayscenter.org/media

Spring 2023 Offerings

Hedgerow Institute: Exploring Intersectional Theology

w/ Joan Mitchell & Andrea Pearson Tande

Mondays (12 sessions) Feb 13 - May 1 | 6:30-8:30pm CST

In-person or Online | $25 per session or $250 series

Audre Lorde said, “There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not lead single-issue lives.” Intersectionality has become a prominent term in activist and academic spaces. Perhaps you have heard it on the news, written on a protest sign, or in political discourse. But what does intersectionality really mean and how does it touch us? What might it have to do with our faith lives? Intersectionality is about the forces and identities that cross in our lives. Intersectionality recognizes that our identities are multi-layered and complex, which can affect our relationship with power and with one another. Theologically, intersectionality calls us to recognize our own unique story and use our faith to work toward justice for all people. In a world that often looks for black and white answers, intersectional theology challenges us to embrace the shades and hues of our lives.

In this class, we will explore Intersectionality as a theological concept using the book Intersectional Theology: An Introductory Guide from Grace Ji-Sun Kim and Susan M. Shaw. Core concepts of intersectionality include social inequality, power, relationality, social context, complexity, and social justice. Together, we will bring these concepts from a world of ideas into a space of participation and practice. We will use music, art, and story to help ground our study. We will also feature guest speakers discussing how their intersectional experiences impact their work and everyday life.

Joan Mitchell, CSJ has dedicated her life to the study and teaching of scripture. She has published religious education materials for more than 40 years with the majority of her work being lectionary-based with the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, Spirit for teens, and Sunday by Sunday for Adults.

Andrea Pearson Tande, MA, is Hedgerow Coordinator and Co-Director of Consociate Services with the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet, St Paul Province. She has a MA in Theology and the Arts from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities and is currently pursuing a DMin from Fordham University.

Wednesdays, 6-7pm CST | Feb 1, Mar 15, Apr 26, Jun 21, Jul 26

Celebrating seasonal rituals is an opportunity to honor the Earth in her annual cycle the way we experience the seasons in Minnesota. In our gatherings, we explore how we are affected by the changing seasons, & we find spiritual insights in our responses.

Our circle gatherings are not related to any religion. All are welcome. Please join us. Bring your open mind and open heart, ready for new experiences -- and fun!

Meaning Making: Spiritual Conversations that Matter

Tuesdays, 6-7pm CST | Jan 24, 31, Feb 7, 14, 21, 28 & Mar 7, 14, 21, 28

IN-PERSON Only | FREE | Suggested donation $5

Do you long for a place to have open conversations about what matters most in your life? Are you willing to share about your spiritual journey and to learn from the stories of others? Come join us for a facilitated exploration of how we make meaning in our lives and how we can accompany each other along the way.

For more information or to register visit www.wisdomwaycenter.org

Spring 2023 Offerings

Christian Meditation: A Way of Contemplative Prayer

w/ Deborah Chernick & Susan Oeffling, CSJ

Meditation is a form of contemplative prayer in which we move beyond words, thoughts, and images. We open ourselves to God’s mysterious and silent presence within us and it becomes more and more the reality of our lives. From this place of prayer, we engage in our work in the world.

Tuesday Evenings • FREE

Tuesdays, Jan 3–Apr 4 & Apr 25–May 30 | 7-7:40pm CST

In-Person at Carondelet Center | Online (registration for online attendees only)

Please note that the sessions will begin promptly at 7 pm. During these times of prayer, we will sit in silent meditation with others. Meditating together is a way of deepening and supporting our personal practice. The weekly sessions include a short reading and one 25-minute meditation.

Holy Saturday • FREE

Sat, Apr 8 | 9-10am CST | Chapel Atrium | IN-PERSON Only

In the Christian liturgical tradition, Holy Saturday, the day between our commemoration of Jesus’ death and the celebration of his resurrection, is a day of emptiness, of great silence. We enter into that silence through our time of prayer which includes a short reading, two 25-minute sitting meditations, and walking meditation.

Deborah Chernick completed the Essential Teaching Workshop from the World Community for Christian Meditation and serves on the board of the Trust for the Meditation Process.

Susan Oeffling, CSJ, completed the Essential Teaching Workshop from the World Community for Christian Meditation, has master’s degrees in theology and counseling, and spiritual direction training from the Center for Spiritual Guidance.

Morning Retreat: Preparing for Lent, Reflection on Hope in Challenging Times

w/ Kathy Berken • Sat, Feb 18, 9am-Noon CST | IN-PERSON Only | $60

Join us for a morning of prayer, reflection, discussion, and silence as we enter the Lenten season and focus on a theme of hope in a world that seems to challenge that virtue almost daily.

Kathy Berken After Kathy earned her master’s in Theology and graduate certificate in Spiritual Direction from St. Catherine University, St. Paul, she was a resource assistant at Wisdom Ways. Before her arrival in Minnesota, Kathy had a variety of ministries. She was a house coordinator for the L’Arche community in Clinton, Iowa, where she lived and worked with adults with cognitive disabilities; the staff reporter and marketing manager for The Compass, the newspaper of the Green Bay diocese; and a high school and college math teacher. She is also the author of Walking on a Rolling Deck: Life on the Ark, a memoir of her ten years with L’Arche.

Lenten Lectio Divina w/ Pat Jones • FREE

Mondays (6 sessions) 9-10am | Feb 27, Mar 6, 13, 20, 27 & Apr 3 | ONLINE Only

Space limited, only register if you will attend all 4 sessions.

Lectio Divina or Sacred Reading is the slow, repetitive reading of a sacred text that leads one to the ultimate step of resting in God. It is not Scripture study, nor is it spiritual reading. It is an invitation to take a “long, loving look at Scripture,” says spiritual director Teresa Blythe. “It is a time for falling in love with the Word and experiencing the goodness of God.”

Pat Jones is a spiritual director, Psychologist Emeritus, and former Benedictine.

Exploring Local Advocacy Series

Wednesdays (4 sessions) Jan 11, Feb 8, Mar 8 & Apr 12 | 6-7pm CST

In-person $5 per session or $20 full series | Online $5 per session or $20 full series

In his memoir, Eboo Patel wrote “When thousands of people discover that their story is also someone else’s story, they have the chance to write a new story together.” Come and listen to the stories of people working together to create a better community. Join us to celebrate non-profits and small organizations around the Twin Cities working for a better world. Help us and Interfaith Action, Mad Hatter Wellness, Studio Inside Out and Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Equality write a new story together!

Learn more about presenters and organizations or register online at www.wisdomwayscenter.org

Journey into Soul and Spirit w/ Scott McRae

Thursday (3 Sessions) Jan 26 & Feb 2, 9 | 7-8:30pm CST

In-person $120 | Online via zoom $100

So many have been raised in religious traditions that have answers and beliefs that seem irrelevant if not offensive. Others have been raised with no spiritual traditions and there is a nagging sense that there must be something more. Are you looking for a course that can introduce you to spirituality and how it can support and enrich your daily life? Join us for Journey into Soul and Spirit with Scott McRae. This course seeks to provide a pathway out of this spiritual impoverishment and the related sense of overwhelm that is epidemic at this time. We’ll explore themes such as:

• How the 3 centers of our human awareness & intelligence (Body, Heart, and Mind) can entrance and free us

• What is needed to successfully navigate the 3 worlds that define our human existence (Ego, Soul, and Spirit)

• The difference between horizontal & vertical life orientations and sense of peace, power, and purpose that are activated by alignment

• How to think about non-physical beings and forces

• How we might partner with spiritual beings and forces to gain guidance and empowerment for our lives

The course will include centering times, presentations, and small and large group discussions. It is appropriate for people of all levels of spiritual experience and knowledge.

Scott McRae has been involved in spiritual work in various forms for over 30 years. He focuses on guiding individuals and groups in deepening their spiritual awareness and living more authentically and freely in the world. His professional journey has included parish and campus ministry, as well as spiritual care leadership in health care. He currently divides his work between being a pastoral educator for M Health Fairview, a spiritual teacher and guide, and an Enneagram teacher and coach. He also is the founder Sojourners Institute which offers groups and programs in spiritual development and spiritual direction training. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, Melanie, his three dogs, and he loves frequent visits from their adult daughter, Ana.

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.

Kindness in giving creates love. -Lao Tzu

Illuminating Events

Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreat Series: Hidden Seeds in Darkness: A Winter Courage & Renewal Retreat w/ Winton Boyd, Paula Pedersen, & Sara Thomsen

Fri-Sun, Jan 20, 4-8 pm, Jan 21, 9 am-5:30 pm, Jan 22, 9 am-12 pm | IN-PERSON Only $250 Winter Session or $450 Winter & Spring Sessions

The Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreats (2-Part series: Winter, Spring) These retreats combine the principles and practices of Circles of Trust and the power of music to help us understand and live into our lives. Developed by Parker Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal, The Circle of Trust® approach is distinguished by principles and practices intended to create a process of shared exploration where people can find safe space to nurture personal and professional integrity and the courage to act on it. In the hands of knowledgeable and skilled facilitators, this approach has the power to transform individuals, families, workplaces and communities.

These retreats reconnect our inner and outer lives by exploring the soul. When we catch sight of our own soul, we can be healers in a wounded world, motivated to action from our hidden wholeness amidst the violence of the storm. Our three facilitators bring their experience from several change and justice movements, along with their compassionate facilitation skills and engaging musical talent providing a rich combination of processes and activities for this inner exploration.

Our time together will be structured and spacious. By intention, you will have ample opportunity for personal reflection and relaxation, time alone but in community, time interacting and engaging with others in the group.

Winton Boyd has been a facilitator with the Center for Courage & Renewal since 2007, he heads the Flourishing in Ministry Project. He’s also led Soul of Aging retreats for 3 years. With Paula and Sara, he led seasonal retreats for Wisdom Ways from 2015-17. For 20 years, he was pastor of Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ (Madison, WI). There, he was involved with racial justice work, the sanctuary movement and the UCC outdoor ministry program.

Guiding principles of this process include:

• Honest and Open questions

• An appreciation of paradox in our lives

• Everyone has an inner teacher

• A ‘hidden wholeness’ underlies our lives

Dinner on Friday, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and Sunday are included. These retreats do not include overnight accommodations. Feel free to stay where you would like. Some rooms may be available on-site at Carondelet Center. Please contact the Event Coordinator, Jeni LaValle, at 651-696-2741 or carondeletevents@csjstpaul.org.

Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreat Series: Solitude and Songs: A Springtime Circle of Trust Retreat w/ Winton Boyd, Paula Pedersen, & Sara Thomsen

Fri-Sun, May 5, 4-8pm, May 6, 9 am-5:30pm, May 7, 9 am-12pm

IN-PERSON Only • $250 Spring Session

Paula J. Pedersen figuring out life in retirement after 30 years in higher education as psychology faculty and Director of Education for Inclusive Excellence. Paula is an interculturalist and consultant to educational and leadership groups seeking strategies toward intercultural effectiveness. She is a licensed psychologist and a facilitator with the Center for Courage and Renewal. As an educator, singer and citizen, Paula strives to facilitate understanding of the complexity of multiple perspectives.

Sara Thomsen is a singer-songwriter & weaver of community song. She is the founder/director of Echoes of Peace, a non-profit arts organization formed to inspire awareness, action and reflection on critical social issues through music and the arts. Increasing wonder and awareness, deepening spiritual connection, and widening social engagement through song is at the heart of her work, transforming gatherings into communities empowered with possibility. More about her music at: www.sarathomsen.com

Pilgrimage: An Ancient Spiritual Practice

Experienced Today w/ Ed Sellner

Tuesdays (2 Sessions) Feb 21 & 28 | 7-8:30pm CST

In-Person $50 or Online $40

Pilgrimage is one of the oldest spiritual traditions, shared by all the great religions of humankind. The practice of pilgrimage has been part of Christian spirituality as testified in the gospels, including the pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Passover.

Ed Sellner is professor emeritus of pastoral theology and spirituality, Saint Catherine University, where he taught undergraduate and graduate courses for 35 years. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, he is the author of numerous articles and books, one of his most recent, Pilgrimage: Exploring a Great Spiritual Practice. A spiritual guide, trained at the Jung Institute in Zurich, Switzerland, he has also organized and led groups of pilgrims to numerous holy sites, taught courses and facilitated retreats on the topic, and traveled to South America, Europe, Asia, and the United States in search of wisdom, and most recently to India and Sri Lanka.

Integrating Spiritual Guidance into Therapy

and Coaching w/ Scott McRae

Tue, Mar 21, 7-9pm CST | ONLINE Only $50

Helping professionals understand lasting change involves the body, heart, mind and the spirit. However, we have good reasons to observe boundaries. In this gathering of professionals, we’ll explore what it means to honor and utilize spirituality in the client’s healing process while also maintaining boundaries.

Scott McRae will offer some thoughts on walking this line based on his 30 years of working in the worlds of ministry, health care, coaching, and spiritual guidance and launch wider conversations with the group.

Our Wildest Dreams: The Transformative Power of Your Soul and Subconscious

w/ Brian Bard | Fri, Mar 17, 6:30-8pm CST

In-person $35 or Online $25

How do we find the courage, hope, and vision that we and our world need right now? The sources of divine inspiration at the edges of our consciousness – dreams and daydreams, fleeting memories and imaginings, interactions with art and Nature – are the key. This is a workshop for you to explore your most mysterious experiences, no matter how significant or insignificant they feel. With some helpful structure –and inspired by Octavia Butler, Dorothy Day, Black Elk, Joanna Macy, Bill Plotkin, Harriet

Tubman, and other visionaries – participants will be invited to discover and discuss possible meanings in their Soul-messages. Our goal is to help these spiritual seeds blossom into the individual and collective transformations we need most, inspiring others in the process. Seasoned spiritual director, dream-worker, and storyteller, Brian Bard, will accompany you in trusting and carrying your inner wisdom as a gift, life purpose, and calling.

Brian Bard lives out his own calling as a spiritual guide trained in the Anam Cara tradition through the Celtic Center of Seattle. He’s facilitated workshops, ceremonies, and retreats in many different settings: churches/ spiritual communities, community organizing/activism, funerals/grief support groups, theatre, and universities. He loves writing, basking in Nature, working for Scott and Melanie McRae at Sojourner’s Institute, volunteering with the compassionate men of Illuman, and being a husband to his wonderful wife, Devin.

“It takes courage to be kind”

-Maya Angelou

Illuminating Events

The Masks We Wear, the Journey to Our Authentic Selves w/ Nancy Jambor

Sat, Mar 25 1-2:30pm CST | IN-PERSON Only $110

Showing up as our authentic selves doesn’t come naturally to most of us. However, we can develop practices/tools to aid in developing this skill. You are invited to join this introductory class where you will discover how your Core Values are connected to your authentic self. Core Values are who we are and they inform how we show up in the world. We will explore the different types of masks we wear and how they can protect us or keep us hidden from our true selves. This sampler class will be filled with aha moments, creative writing exercises, and reflection questions to ponder. I hope to see you at this experiential class in March.

Nancy Jambor is a Life Coach/Success Coach. In addition, she designs and facilitates women’s retreats. She has been coaching clients since 1999 and leading retreats for almost 10 years. She specializes in working with women in their Wisdom Years (50s, 60s, 70s, 80s,) helping them to find clarity and balance in their lives. At her retreats Nancy is passionate about providing a space for women to renew, refresh, and re-energize. Retreat participants often comment on the safe environment at Nancy’s retreats allowing them to feel seen and heard. www.nancyjambor.com

Sacred Depths with Shay MacKay and Diana McLean

Thu, Mar 30 6-7:30pm CST In-Person $40 or Online $30

Based on the pioneering work of Dr. Parker J. Palmer, a process called the Circle of Trust® approach has been developed through the Center for Courage & Renewal that is designed to create a safe, confidential, and sacred space where participants support one another in accessing the voice of their souls and inner lives. Shay and Diana are trained to facilitate two approaches: A Geography of Grace and The Soul of Aging. Although the content of these programs is different, the structure is very similar. In this introductory session, we’ll explore Geography of Grace, in which themes from geography and nature offer metaphors that speak of the inner life and offer a worthy map of the terrain one crosses when working together in circles of trust. The other theme integrated throughout is grace. We will use a variety of artistic media to explore these topics, and we will share in small and large group settings. We will also introduce the Soul of Aging for people who long to understand, surrender to, and be transformed by the aging process. The themes address many of the spiritual aspects of this season of our lives, including questions of forgiveness, where we are in our spiritual development, what aspects of ourselves are still yearning for expression, our relationship with time, how to love

and serve others, and the notion of befriending our own deaths.

Diana McLean and Shay MacKay are a clergy couple called to a ministry of spirituality and the arts. Both ordained Unitarian Universalist ministers, their personal theologies are a mix that includes spiritual humanism, panentheism, the divine feminine, and eco-spirituality. Diana is a poet and essayist, and Shay is a composer and musician. Both have been leading The Soul of Aging and The Geography of Grace retreats and workshops for 4 years. Together they founded Sacred Depths, an arts-based entrepreneurial ministry with a mission of deepening connection to the sacred through creativity and contemplation.

Proverbs 31:26

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

The Enneagram and Tao Te Ching: 9 Ways to Bring Balance and Energy to our Unbalanced Lives w/ Scott McRae

Tuesdays (5 Sessions) 7-8:30pm CST | Apr 25 & May 2, 9, 16, 23

In-person $200 or Online $180

A 5-week course for people with a basic or advanced understanding of the Enneagram. Living with flow is the aim of both the Enneagram and the Tao Te Ching. Both of these wisdom traditions are designed to free us from fixated and conditioned personalities that keep us caught in limiting patterns and perspectives.

This course is a contemplative journey that pairs each of the 9 Enneagram types with a key theme from the ancient wisdom source of the Tao Te Ching. Each theme is a pathway that illuminates a universal spiritual principle that speaks to our contemporary life-challenges. And, each theme invites us into the dynamic Enneagram that releases us from our constricted dominant type. For example, The Enneagram Type 1 is paired with the theme of the Wisdom of Opposites, and the Type 4 is paired with the theme of Acceptance.

This course will be guided by two books: “Roaming Free Inside the Cage: A Daoist Approach to the Enneagram” by William M. Schafer, and “A Path and a Practice: Using Lao-Tzu’s Tao Te Ching as a Guide to an Awakened Spiritual Life” by William Martin. Participants are encouraged but not required to obtain and explore these books.

How to Cultivate Mindfulness and Compassion in Everyday Life

w/ Lea Howard Wilkinson & Richard Bonk

Thu, Apr 20, 6pm CST | In-person $30 or Online $20

In this 1 hour introduction, we will learn what mindfulness is and how to hold your experience with compassion. We will offer a guided mindful breath meditation and a compassion meditation. This session will include small group activity for discussion and sharing.

No experience is necessary, anyone can learn, and everyone is welcome.

Lea Howard, MPH, MMTC, is a certified mindful health and well-being coach, facilitator, and consultant who has worked in the healthcare industry since 2002 focusing on the art of compassionate behavior change. In her coaching practice, she supports people in connecting with their innate wisdom and compassion so they can reclaim a sense of balance, joy, and purpose in life. The teachings and practice of mindfulness have been extraordinary gifts in her life and a trusted compass through career pivots, the reconfiguration of her family, parenting and co-parenting, cultivating healthy relationships, and managing the uncertainty we all face these days.

Richard Bonk, M.Ed. has over 30 years experience in health and wellness as a counselor, educator, researcher and currently works as behavioral specialist supporting mental health and independently as a meditation facilitator, intuitive consultant, workshop leader and artist. With a special interest in the mind-body connection, Richard utilizes techniques such as creativity, hypnosis, dream-work, nature immersion, yoga, and meditation, informed by a personal practice of over 40 years. Now transitioning into “elder-hood” his mission is to understand the mind with applications to address stress, alleviate suffering, encourage happiness and to support the realization of human potentials.

Spring 2023 Offerings

Illuminating Events

A Spiritual Journey with the Phases of the Moon w/ Peggy Foster

Wednesdays (4 sessions) 6:30-8pm CST | Apr 19 & 26, May 3 & 10

IN-PERSON Only, $35 per session or $125 for series

New Moon – Full Moon - Blue Moon – Humans have been fascinated with the moon for centuries! Most cultures have moon rituals and have harnessed the wisdom of the moon to know when to plant crops, hunt, harvest, and even go inward. During this four week class you will learn practical tips to use the wisdom of the moon in your own life. Once you learn this cycle – you can apply it to your life every month. We will also look at the moon and the astrological wheel. Every 2 and a half days the moon travels through a different astrological sign. Emotions are heightened during a water moon,

ideas flow under an air moon, activity is high during fire moons and it is time to get earthy and practical during an earth moon. This class includes art, journaling, a foundational knowledge of moon cycles, and the astrological impact of the moon in our lives.

The North Node: Your Soul’s Curriculum w/ Peggy Foster

Wed, May 17 | 6:30-8:30pm CST | IN-PERSON Only, $40 Exploring the importance of the north node and how to lean into expanding our soul experience. The North Node is known to many as the lessons you came to Earth to learn. This class will cover:

• The Lessons of the North Node

• The Challenges of the South Node

• The Message of Your North Node from an Astrological House Perspective in your Astrology Chart

Peggy Foster is an artist of the heart and a soul coach. She brings real life knowledge to her practice as a retreat facilitator, art teacher, astrologer, and soul coach.

Move Along: An Immersive Performance Featuring the Stories, Songs and Modern History of the Irish Travelers w/ Sarah Kiani & Fergal O’Brien

Friday, April 21, Performance 6-7:30pm CST, Reception 7:30-8pm CST | In-person $25 or Online $15

A multimedia lecture and performance sharing the world of the modern Irish Traveler featuring community activist, musician and lecturer Fergal O’Brien of S. Armagh with virtual performances by renowned Irish traditional musicians of S. Armagh; singer/songwriter Finbar McGee, award winning Fiddler Breige Quinn, leading Traveler musician/singer William Dundan and live poetry/Bodrahn with performance artist Sarah Kiani and Fergal O’Brien. Reception to follow

Sarah Kiani is a performer, writer and therapist. She is founder and director of Hope Tree Counseling Services and Innisfree Farm. Sarah is a licensed counselor and is certified in Equine Assisted Mental Health. She specializes in working with nature, horses and humans to promote growth and healing. More info can be found at hopetreecounselingseevices.com and on Instagram @innisfreefarmmn

Fergal O’Brien hails from South Armagh. He became interested in traditional music through his mother Ann, an AllIreland Slow Air Fiddle champion, in the late 70’s. He has been teaching bodhrán at all levels since 1986 in Belfast and from 2006 with the Traditional Arts Partnership in S. Armagh. In 2016, following the first graded bodhrán syllabus from the London College of Music, he published the world’s first graded bodhrán tutor book with his colleague René de Kat (www. bodhrangradetutor.com). The 4th edition of the book was published bilingually in April 2021 at the Celtic Junction Arts Cente, Minnesota. It has traveled to 23 countries. Fergal, a qualified social worker, and practice teacher, works as a regional coordinator for a post graduate social work and community development approaches programme in Northern Ireland. He is employed by the health service and works in partnership with Ulster University, where he lectures on the course. In 2012 Fergal obtained an MSc in Social Work at Ulster University on the topic of “Dying 15 years early- what can Traveler men and relevant agencies do”, followed by an MBE for his contribution to social work in 2017.

Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP is a healer, a longtime therapist, and a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in the healing of trauma. He is also the founder of the Cultural Somatics Institute, a cultural trauma navigator, and a communal provocateur and coach.

Book Discussion w/ Marian Diaz: The Quaking of America: An Embodied Guide to Navigating our Nation’s Upheaval and Racial Reckoning by Resmaa Menakem

Wednesdays (5 sessions) Jan 18, Feb 1, 15 & Mar 1, 15

12-1pm CST | ONLINE Only $50

Please join us for an online discussion of The Quaking of America: An Embodied Guide to Navigating our Nation’s Upheaval and Racial Reckoning, by Resmaa Menakem. This book includes somatic processes to help us navigate the political landscape in a divided nation. As Chapter one states, “You will not just read this book. You will do this book. You will experience it with your body. Often, you will pause to process and metabolize your experience. You will experience this book partly on your own, partly with other people—as a pair, as a triad, and as a community that you help to cultivate.”

Book Discussion w/ Marian Diaz

All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks

Wednesdays (5 sessions), Jan 25, Feb 8, 22 & Mar 8, 22 12-1pm CST | ONLINE Only $50

Join us for this online book discussion of All About Love: New Visions, by bell hooks. A New York Times bestseller and enduring classic, All About Love reveals what causes a polarized society, and how to heal the divisions that cause suffering. Here is the truth about love, and inspiration to help us instill caring, compassion, and strength in our homes, schools, and workplaces.

“The word ‘love’ is most often defined as a noun, yet we would all love better if we used it as a verb,” writes bell hooks as she comes out fighting and on fire in All About Love Here, at her most provocative and intensely personal, renowned scholar, cultural critic and feminist bell hooks offers a proactive new ethic for a society bereft with lovelessness--not the lack of romance, but the lack of care, compassion, and unity. People are divided, she declares, by society’s failure to provide a model for learning to love.

Marian K Diaz, DMin is the current director of Wisdom Ways. Her mission centers on the creation of safe face to face and virtual spaces that enable the integration of spirituality and practice on behalf of personal and global well-being.

A note about fees:

We wish we could offer all of our programs free of charge, since we do not want finances to prevent people from taking part in our transformative work. We will continue to offer free and minimally priced events. We also have scholarship opportunities for those who would like to take part in our work but find it cost prohibitive. If you are in need and would like to request a scholarship, please contact our office at office@wisdomwayscenter.org

Seokmun Breathing: Finding One’s True Self w/ Paul Min

Fri, Feb 3, 6-7:30pm CST | In-Person or Online via zoom | $5

Experiential Workshops

Everyone is taking a journey in life to find one’s true self, and there are many different ways to find it as each person is so unique and beautiful. There is also a commonality among this path of life because we all have a Body, Mind, and Spirit. At that point, breathing has an exciting function, enabling us to absorb the Energy from the Universe, harmonizing and balancing our Vitality (Body), Energy (Mind), and Divinity (Spirit). This program will include an introduction to Breathing, Energy, and Life, a soft exercise to relax your muscles and strengthen your core. It will give attendees an overview of Seokmun Breathing and a chance to ask questions about the practice. Participants should plan to bring their yoga mats. All skill levels welcome. This course will feature 30 minutes of explanation and 60 minutes of practice.

“We can recognize our origin of existence and value of existence through Breathing.”

-Great Teacher Hanjo

Dr. Paul Min, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in radiology and a neuroscientist at Mayo Clinic specializing in dementia research. He started his journey of life trying to understand and find his purpose in life. When young, he was heavily devoted to Christianity through the Bible. He further studied Buddhism and learned how to look carefully into himself. At age 25, he met Seokmun Breathing practice while looking for practical methods to develop and train himself to bring out his true potential. After 20 years of practice, he is going through the instructor program of Seokmun Breathing to share the studies he learned about changing and becoming Brighter, Clearer, and Brilliant.

Qigong Class w/ Mary Zelmer

Thu, Apr 6 | 6:30-7:30pm CST | In-person $20 or Online $15 Qigong is an ancient energy practice, thousands of years old. It is a holistic practice of cultivating and mastering one’s life force energy to create healing and inner peace. It helps to balance our energy by releasing blocked energy, restoring energy flow throughout the body, and connecting us to infinite universal energies that are here to support us. In this class, you will be invited into the magical world of energy as we will cover the basics of Qigong.

• Explore Qi through simple movements that will increase your sensitivity to how Qi feels

• Learn an ancient breathing technique that teaches you how to gently and efficiently use Qi

• Learn powerful techniques, such as visualization to direct Qi

The benefits of Qigong are priceless. This practice can become a way to live a life that is uniquely and magically yours. All skill levels welcome.

Mary Zelmer was asked to create an inclusive Qigong community in 2011. She was given strong spiritual guidance to do so and the Qigong Connection was born. She continues to lead, teach, organize and create new programs for the Qigong Connection and the Qigong Odyssey to assist people in broadening their knowledge, experience, and practice of Qigong. Mary’s focus is centered on healing. She has studied and practiced Qigong for over 20 years and is recognized as a Qigong Master Healer and teacher. Mary has led numerous large group healing meditations and retreats, organized conferences, created educational programs, and laid intentional groundwork for healing communities and organizations, both locally and internationally. Mary has also been requested to appear as a guest healer and presenter at workshops, conferences, colleges, high schools.

“True Happiness is a state of mind; One’s existence, as it is, is Valuable, Fulfilled, Harmonious, and Beautiful.”

-Great Teacher Hanjo

Sat, Feb 4 | 9am-noon

In-person $75 or Online $65

Memoir becomes spiritual with intention—when we look for holiness within the details of our personal stories, when we open ourselves to transformation as we write, and when we craft our stories to engage the inner life of an audience. Each of us has a sacred story written uniquely for us within our memories. And all of us can participate in creating and recreating our stories on the page as an ongoing spiritual practice.

Join Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew for an introduction to the art and spiritual practice of writing memoir. What is memoir and how is it different from autobiography? What makes memoir spiritual? How can the practice of writing memoir, whether for an audience or no audience, support spiritual growth? We will start with the basics, using writing exercises, readings from master writers, and conversation. Elizabeth will also offer suggestions and resources to sustain the practice moving forward. All skill levels of welcome.

Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is a wisdom teacher and writing coach dedicated to facilitating creative emergence. She is the author of Swinging on the Garden Gate: A Memoir of Bisexuality and Spirit, two books on writing: Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir and Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as Spiritual Practice, winner of the silver Nautilus Award, and other books. You can connect with Elizabeth at www.spiritualmemoir.com & www. elizabethjarrettandrew.com.

Playing with Words: Poetry for Heart and Soul w/ Wendy Brown-Báez

Sundays (6 sessions) 2-4pm CST

Feb 19, 26 & Mar 5, 12, 19, 26

In-person $50 per session | $250 full series

Online $40 per session | $200 full series

Poetry is the practice of paying attention, of being fully present in our lives, open to both beauty and heartbreak. And like prayer, poetry is a path to seeing the divine in the ordinary. We will savor poems written by dynamic contemporary poets Ellen Bass, Jericho Brown, Joy Harjo, Ada Limón, Michael Kleber-Diggs, and David Whyte, and discuss why they move us. We’ll explore how words become embodied experience through specific images, metaphors, and line breaks. We’ll discuss playfulness and purpose and opening from the personal to the universal. We’ll generate our own poems using prompts to get us started. All level of poets welcome.

Wendy Brown-Báez is the author Heart on the Page: A Portable Writing Workshop, the novel Catch a Dream and poetry collection Ceremonies of the Spirit. Her poetry and prose appear widely in journals and anthologies, such as Mizna, Poets & Writers, Talking Writing, Water~Stone Review, Peregrine, Tiferet, and Wising Up Press. Wendy was awarded grants to teach writing workshops in non-profits. She facilitates writing workshops in community spaces such as healing centers, state prisons, libraries, spiritual centers, and the Loft Literary Center.

www.wendybrownbaez.com

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”

-Dalai Lama XIV

1-Day Creative Retreat: Sand, Symbol, and SoulCollage® w/ Lisa

Sat, May 20 | 9am-3pm CST

IN-PERSON Only, $100

Mer

No prior experience needed. All supplies will be provided. Come play for the day using your creativity, imagination, and intuition! Join us for a day retreat using two fun and unique modalities. Sand & Symbol and SoulCollage® are empowering spiritual practices that can bring awareness and insight from the unconscious to the conscious mind. With Sand & Symbol, you will, individually, choose from a variety of symbols and create a scene in a tray of sand. The symbols tend to call out to you and surprises are often present. Time will be given to reflect and share your insights With SoulCollage®, using recycled images, you will begin to create a personal deck of cards. These unique, colorful, collaged cards will reflect different parts of you and can carry deep meaning. You will have time to give voice to your cards to discover their messages and gifts.

Lisa Mer (she/her) is a certified spiritual guide, trained facilitator for SoulCollage® and Poetic Medicine’s Poetry as a Tool for Wellness. She offers on-going series in both as well as Sand & Symbol, a spiritual sand tray practice. Lisa is also steeped in Parker Palmer’s Courage and Renewal work and served in public education for over 30 years. She believes that symbols, images, and metaphors are powerful ways to give voice to our inner wisdom. www.soul-symbol.com/

Ritual, Nature, and the Creative Process

w/ Ann Viveros

Sat, Jun 3 | 10am-12:30pm CST | Outdoors

IN-PERSON Only, $60

In this workshop we will integrate the wisdom of meditation, the joy of art and the love of nature into this outdoor mandala making, meditative arts experience. We will slow down, listen deeply, and attune with the natural world. We will participate in an exploration of ourselves through nature, art, and ritual in order to transform, heal, and renew our spirit. This is a practice in relating and welcoming impermanence. It is an opportunity to experience creativity and mindfulness in nature and an invitation to explore ritual.

Ann Viveros is an inquiry-based mandala artist, educator, ritualist, death doula and meditation teacher. She is a certified Sacred Passage End of Life Death Doula and Coach through the Conscious Dying Institute, supporting individuals and their families during the dying process. Ann is a certified Morning Altars practitioner and teacher, creating impermanent land art for ritual and celebration. Ann studied meditation and inquiry intensely for fifteen years with the esoteric Humans in Training Institute. www.annviveros.com

“No one has ever become poor by giving.”

-Anne Frank

Exploring Celtic Camelot with Sarah Kiani & Dr. Patrick O’Donnell

On-site at Innisfree Farm, Hastings, MN • Sat, May 13 | 9am-3pm CST | IN-PERSON Only, $150 (Including Celtic Camelot: Tales of Magic and Mystery for All Ages on May 14 1-2pm CST)

This one day workshop is presented in the pastoral beauty of Innisfree farm in the Mississippi River Valley, surrounded by this enchanting natural beauty participants will explore the rich and ancient literary depths of the Celtic world of King Arthur. Workshop contents will include an in depth exploration of the historical roots of Celtic Camelot amongst the trees by Dr. O’Donnell. The day will include immersion into the poem the Lady of Shallot by Alfred Lord Tennison with Creative writing prompts. Drawing on parallels with the importance of horses in Medieval culture participants will experience the therapeutic benefits of close encounters with our equine friends at the farm.

The second day, included in the price, offers a theatrical performance of Celtic Camelot. You do not need to register separately for the performance.

Sarah Kiani is a performer, writer and therapist. She is founder and director of Hope Tree Counseling Services and Innisfree Farm. Sarah is a licensed counselor and is certified in Equine Assisted Mental Health. She specializes in working with nature, horses and humans to promote growth and healing. More info can be found at hopetreecounselingseevices.com and on Instagram @innisfreefarmmn

Dr. Patrick O’Donnell was born in Ireland. Patrick grew up in Dublin and became interested in the magic of stories and myth. He followed his interest and studied at University College Dublin with a degree in literature and philosophy. He immigrated to Minnesota in 1993 and has taught as a Professor English at Normandale College for the last 24 years. In 2010 Patrick returned to Ireland and completed research for his dissertation on the Irish Roots of the Guthrie Theater and received his Ph.D. in literary history from University College Dublin. Patrick is the director of Irish Education program at Celtic Junction in Saint Paul ,MN. There Patrick has established rich programming in Irish language studies, Irish history, literature, creative arts and wellness. Patrick has special interest in the roots of Celtic Camelot and the exploration of its rich and complex literary history.

Celtic Camelot: Tales of Magic and Mystery for All Ages

IN-PERSON Only • On-site at Innisfree Farm, Hastings, MN Sun, May 14 | 1-2pm CST | $15

A multimedia, interactive, and creative performance featuring the Lady of Shallot and three other acts. This multi-layered performance will include audio recording of the Lady of Shallot and three live acts highlighting tales from Celtic Camelot:

Act One: “The Irish Knights of the Round Table”

Act Two: “Merlin and Morgan le Fay”

Act Three: “The Young King Arthur with his Irish Steed, Sword and the Stone.”

The performance is designed for all ages and is a creative immersion into Camelot for children and adults alike! This event is perfect for Mother’s Day! Bring your whole family to enjoy this performance together.

Written, Directed and Created by Sarah Kiani and Ellen Hedrick

Starring: Sarah Kiani, Mariam Ben Said, Adam Kiani, Ellen Hedrick, and Jack Hedrick

2-Day Restorative Art and Healing Workshop at Innisfree Farm

Sat & Sun, Jun 10 & 11 | 9am-3pm CST | $250

Day One: Celtic Artist Carrie Finnigan will teach drawing principles and lead the group through gesture drawing exercises of horses with line, shape and form designed quiet the mind and open the creative spirit. Sarah Kiani will offer close encounters with horses, forest bathing, labyrinth walking and breathwork/ mindfulness exercises designed to free the mind and restore the body.

Day Two: The ancient art of weaving takes us back to the rhythms of movement where body meets form. Weavers will with the use of gifts from the forest and fiber materials. Concepts covered will include introduction to use of fiber and natural elements, texture and form and basic design principles of weaving. Participants will leave with an original woven work.

Sarah Kiani is a performer, writer and therapist. She is founder and director of Hope Tree Counseling Services and Innisfree Farm. Sarah is a licensed counselor and is certified in Equine Assisted Mental Health. She specializes in working with nature, horses and humans to promote growth and healing. More info can be found at hopetreecounselingseevices.com and on Instagram at @innisfreefarmmn

American artist Carrie Finnigan is best known for a playful approach in painting and drawing abstracted representations of human figures and nature. Raised in the North Woods of Northwestern WI, in close proximity to forests and water where she developed a deep affinity for the restorative nature of art. Visually exploring the connection between people and nature she opted to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and a Bachelor’s of Science in Art Education

Introduction to Judaism w/ Local Jewish Leaders • FREE

Thursdays, (4 sessions) 7-8pm CST

Feb 23, Mar 16, Apr 27, May 18

In Minnesota, almost 66,000 people identify as Jewish. And yet, labeling all these practitioners as “Jewish” just begins to scratch the surface of the complexities of this religious, ethnic, and cultural tradition. Join us as we present an introduction to Judaism, an address of Reconstructionist Judaism, an overview of Orthodox Judaism, and a lecture by Marcia Zimmerman on different elements of Womanhood and Judaism.

Self-Guided Online Classes

Wisdom Ways is proud to announce a series of online courses featuring instructors like Scott McRae! Our first course, Introduction to the Enneagram: Nine Ways to Move from Trance to Dance features video lectures and downloadable materials you can use to learn more about the Enneagram at your own pace. After enrolling in this course, you will be able to use the Thinkific platform to comment on and discuss the materials with other people who are enrolled in the course. You will also be able to use your account to sign up for Thinkific classes in the future! Visit www.wisdomwayscenter.org and click on the red “E-Learning” button on the top right.

These events are intended to nurture a supportive and vulnerable space for men. Please only register if you identify as male.

Climate Change: Spiritual Challenges & Possibilities w/ Buff Grace

Thursdays (2 sessions) Mar 2 & 9 | 12-1:30pm CST

IN-PERSON Only, $80

As a nation, more than half of us are alarmed about climate change and its consequences, but only a little more than 11% of us are doing something about it. This two part series helps connect our personal and spiritual values to the science of climate change, uniting head and heart, to change the story of this overwhelming crisis to one of hope and opportunity. Part 1 connects our personal story and values to climate change and presents a model sustaining practice for response. Part 2 delves into a variety of specific actions we can take individually and collectively, which actions make the biggest difference, and resources to guide us in healing our relationship with the planet. Lunch is included for both sessions.

Buff Grace As Director of Faith Networks for Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light, Buff guides faith communities across Minnesota to take bold action for climate justice. Having served as a congregational pastor, a wilderness guide, a market gardener, a news reporter, and a non-profit entrepreneur, Buff brings a wide variety of perspectives to environmental justice efforts.

Harnessing the Unlanguageable: Poetry, Interfaith Dialogue, & Social Justice

Thursdays (2 sessions) Apr 13 & 20 | 10-11:30am CST

IN-PERSON Only, $80

Poetry is the art of putting language to that which is beyond language. The practice of poetry relies heavily on curiosity, observation, and interpretation. What effect do these disciplines have on the work of social justice, especially within a variety of faith traditions? We will gather over two periods to first explore poems of journey and growth and examine how these help inform interfaith dialogue that leads to positive connections and change. Our second gathering will be off-site at the Hindu Society of MN temple in Maple Grove. During a private tour we will be shown the 21 ornate shrines, “temples within the temple,” hear about the history of this significant spiritual community in Minnesota and more fully come to understand the Hindu values of truth, non-violence, love and compassion. Afterward we will finish up our interfaith exploration over lunch at a nearby restaurant.

Charles Patterson Curry is a poet, minister, and retired business consultant and instructor. He is the author of That Which Is Near, a poetry book published in 2022. His work has appeared in The Martin Lake Journal, Saint Paul Almanac, The Herald, Minnesota Zoo Tracks, and other publications. He serves as the financial officer of the Minnesota Multifaith Network. He holds an MBA from the University of Michigan and a Master of Arts in Religion from Graceland University.

Men's Centering Prayer • Free

ONLINE 1st Wed each month | 7:30-8:15am CST | Starting Jan 4

IN-PERSON 3rd Wed each month | 4:30-6pm CST | Starting Jan 18

We’re creating a hope-filled space for men. During these times it’s more important than ever for us to continue supporting our practice, even in an online format. We all need specific times for silence and quiet to support rich inner lives. Centering Prayer is the “prayer beyond words,” a practice of self-surrender that supports extending interior silence into daily life. Please join us as we gather to experience Centering Prayer, have a short sharing and offer support among men from a variety of experience levels.

Terry Shaughnessy is a longtime spiritual director trained in Ignatian Spirituality through the Master’s in Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. He conducts retreats and workshops and teaches Centering Prayer for Contemplative Outreach of Colorado and other venues. His primary passion is offering spiritual direction, “the ministry of compassionate presence,” and supporting many men from a variety of backgrounds in their inner lives.

Louie Doering is currently retired and is a group leader for Centering Prayer groups at St. Stanislaus Parish in St. Paul. Louie has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from the University of St. Thomas and a Master of Science in Instructional Leadership from the University of Wisconsin. Louie volunteers his time in many activities focused on Male Spirituality, especially Centering Prayer.

Would you be interested in Men’s Spiritual Group?

Too many men carry an unfulfilled desire for meaningful male friendships. Often cultural expectations emphasize men prioritizing their identities through work and accomplishments rather than through meaningful soul work and authentic connection. Group Spiritual Companioning consists of open and dedicated men meeting together with the intention of exploring deeper meaning through reflection and community. A spiritual men’s group is not another place for men to compete but rather a compassionate supportive space for growth and contemplation with the assistance of a facilitator. Here men share and receive that rare gift of listening deeply, reflecting broadly and discussing topics which can shape them and the group through authentic relationships.

Terry will s hare more regarding his vision for this particular type of spiritual men’s group and discuss the possibilities for forming an ongoing men’s spirituality group through Wisdom Ways’ blog at www.wisdomwayscenter.org/media

If this sounds like something you’d potentially take part in or would like to learn more, please express that interest by emailing: office@wisdomwayscenter.org Subject line: “Men’s Group Spiritual Companioning

New Website Features

Spiritual Care:

www.wisdomwayscenter.org/spiritualcare

• List of Spiritual Directors

• Information on types of Spiritual Care

• Booking for the following services

Spiritual Sounding Boards: What are spiritual direction, group spiritual companioning, & life coaching? Thu, Jan 12 | 7-8pm CST | FREE | Online via zoom | Everyone Welcome

Are you looking for more spiritual engagement and support, but aren’t sure where to start? We’ll explore the distinctions between one-on-one spiritual direction, group spiritual companioning and integrative life coaching. What are the purposes and benefits of each? We welcome you to join us with any questions if you’re exploring ways to enhance your personal growth and improve your active presence in the beauty of daily life.

Spiritual Directors:

Kathy Berken, MAT

Marian Diaz, DMin

Diane Gardner, CSJC Chuck Kausalik-Boe, CSJC

Mary Lamski, CSJ

Ed Sellner, Phd

Mary Kaye Medinger, CSJC

Terrence Shaughnessy

Christine Treanor, CSJC Jill Underdahl, CSJ

Please note:

Wisdom Ways does not offer counseling or psychotherapy.

All of these approaches to spiritual growth can be held on site or via zoom.

Did you know Wisdom Ways posts new videos every week on our YouTube channel?

www.youtube.com/c/WisdomWays

You are invited to take part in our upcoming community art project!

How it works:

1. Color. Color this drop design however you’d like.

2. Cut. Cut it out along the thick black outer edge.

3. Mail. Place your colored, cut-out drop shape in an envelope and mail it to:

Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality

1890 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN 5510

4. See. Check out the completed group artwork using all the individually submitted drops at our Summer Solstice Celebration, June 16!

Due Date: Only pieces received by June 1, 2023 are guaranteed to be included.

When you are finished coloring, cut the shape out, along the outer edge of the thick black line.

About Sarah’s

Sarah’s... an Oasis for Women is a home dedicated to the safety and dignity of a diverse community of women who have survived violence, abuse, torture, war, discrimination, and trauma. The residents of Sarah’s begin new and productive lives through programs that build self-esteem, self-sufficiency, confidence, determination, and community. Sarah’s connects its residents to social services, education opportunities, job preparedness training, and necessary medical care.

VOLUNTEER:

www.sarahsoasis.org/volunteer-application

DONATE: www.sarahsoasis.org/donate

LEGACY LABYRINTH:

www.sarahsoasis.org/legacy-labyrinth

Interested in employment opportunities?

Visit the CSJ employment page to see open positions: www.csjstpaul.org/employment-opportunities/

Sarah’s Networking Event

Thu, Mar 2 | 5–7pm CST - SAVE THE DATE!

Sarah’s strives to provide educational and career opportunities that will motivate and expand their options around the community. We will be looking for virtual presenters for Sarah’s 2023 Networking Event who have expertise about programs and opportunities for our residents to explore possible career paths, education, training, and new employment. Registration will open on Sarah’s website in early 2023 at www.sarahsoasis. org/. If you know of any other employers or educators that might want to attend our Networking Event, please pass the word.

Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute

Sarah’s strives to be trauma-informed within our community. Volunteers, staff, and community supporters who want to connect with us are encouraged to become more informed through programs and opportunities of one of our partner organizations, the Minnesota Peacebuilding Leadership Institute. Particularly we encourage enrolling in the STAR (Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience) Lite training. Find availability and register at www.mnpeace.org

Second Sunday |Second Sunday of each month, 10am • Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN

Men and women gather on the second Sunday of each month at Carondelet Center to share the Sunday scriptures and their own life experiences and to break bread together. All are welcome. Please call Therese Sherlock, CSJ, (612-722-3914) with any questions you may have. We hope to see you on any Sunday you can make it.

Event Spaces and Guest Rooms Available at the Carondelet Center

Carondelet Center is the ideal meeting space for weekday and weekend conferences, seminars, workshops, retreats, and receptions. They offer 8 unique meeting rooms to accommodate groups of various sizes, and a full range of dining services options available. Carondelet Center also offers a total of 10 guest rooms for overnight stays. All rooms feature two or three beds and a desk. Linens and towels are provided, as well as wireless access. Shared bathrooms and shower facilities are located on both floors. Audio visual equipment rental available. Audio visual technical support is not provided.

For further information, available spaces and pricing: www.carondeletcenter.org

1890 Randolph Ave | St. Paul, MN 5505 Call: 651-696-2750 | Text us at: 612-439-5138

Young Adult Spirituality and Community Engagement

Nourish Spirit – Inspire Social Action – Experience Community

Participate in the mission and spirituality of the Sisters of the St. Joseph and Consociate community. Young adults (20-35 years old) and others are welcome. Our work is rooted in the Catholic, Christian faith, we welcome people from all spiritual traditions. For more information: www.csjstpaul.org/ celestes-dream Sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter and follow us on Facebook.

Some programs we offer include:

· Community Garden and St. Kate’s/CSJ Food Access Hub

· Earth Day and other Ecological Justice events

· Open the Door: Prayer & Discernment Retreat

· Twin Cities Nuns & Nones

· CSJ Way

· From Mask to Mirror: Beauty and You

· Spiritual Guidance

· Visiting Women’s Religious Communities

Celeste’s Dream Community Garden: Building Resilience & Community Through Nutritious Food

Community Garden 2023 Join us!

Weekly gardening | Tuesdays 5-7pm CST

May-Oct 2023 www.csjstpaul.org/celeste

You are welcome to join us for harvest, cultivation, food processing and potluck gatherings. Learn organic growing methods and enjoy healthy heirloom produce! Build community with Earth and other gardeners by participating in a local food system. Share the harvest!

Book Discussion & Tea w/ The Seed Keeper

Author, Diane Wilson

Tue, Jan 17 | 5-7pm

Tue, Feb 7, 5-7pm: Garden Planning and soup dinner

Tue, Mar 28, 5-7pm: Seed Starting

Tue, Apr 25, 5-7pm: Transplant Seedlings

Sat, Apr 29, 10am-12pm: CSJ Earth Day

Tues, May 17 or 24, 5-7pm: Plant the Garden

CSJ Membership and Association Informational Sessions: Thu, Feb 2, 2023 6:30-8pm

Come and See the CSJ Way: Community, Spirituality, and Justice –

An information session with the The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, Consociates and other forms of affiliation. Come learn and pray with this community steeped in spirituality and justice. Explore CSJ history and current ministries as well as a wide range of opportunities for deeper connection and growth. www.csjstpaul.org

Location: Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul or via Zoom

FFI contact: Joan Pauly Schneider at 651-690-7063 or jpaulyschneider@csjstpaul.org

CSJ Centering and Sharing of the Heart:

Every Tuesday | 4:30-5pm Online via zoom through Apr 11, 2023.

CSJ Centering and Sharing of the Heart is an invitation to join others in a weekly practice of taking 30 minutes to quiet and center oneself, listen and reflect on a poem or reading offered, and to share in small groups the spiritual practice of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Community called Sharing of the Heart. It is open to all. Register once for the year and attend whenever you can. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqd-Gqqz0qGdf-JpkO_hyvAypkj9eLE1_j

CSJ Community Connection- Hospitality Night - Beginning again in January 2023!

Monthly, Every 3rd Tuesday | 5:30-7:00 pm CST | In-Person • CSJ Ad Center, 1884 Randolph Ave.

CSJ Community Connection- Hospitality Night is an informal gathering for anyone who is interested in connecting with the CSJ community. 5:30-6:00 light supper/snacks, 6:00-7:00 Prayer, A brief story of the CSJ charism/mission and then a Sharing of the Heart. It is a lovely opportunity to connect with the CSJ community of Sisters, Consociates, Agrégée, Friends of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Workers, Partners in Mission. RSVP’s are helpful but not required. FFI contact Joan at jpaulyschneider@csjstpaul.org.

Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality

A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

1890 Randolph Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55105