Autumn 2022: Gratitude

Greetings from Wisdom Ways!

I have long held that gratitude is the first, initial spiritual movement. Giving thanks recognizes a gift and it acknowledges a giver. Gratitude is the heart of love and freedom, especially gratitude for the gift of presence. Saying “Thank you,” tells someone that you know that they don’t have to be there for you, but that you are glad that they are. It means that you are pleased with them and that you love them.

A lack of appreciation is taking for granted. It means assuming that a situation will stay the same or that a person will always be available to you. It ignores the finiteness and precarity of each of our lives, based on expectations and presumptions. It passively asserts that we have control over parts of life that we simply do not.

Sometimes, being grateful can be really hard. We might not even be able to see that the fact that we exist is a grace and a blessing. Maybe some do not have people in their lives who reflect this back to them. Yet even in this year of organizational, national and global challenges, I find much to be grateful for in life. I am now living full-time in St. Paul and I have two of my adult children within a few minutes of me. I also have extended family and life-long friends close by.

I have even learned to be grateful for the challenges in my life. While I would not have chosen these experiences, especially cancer and divorce, they have formed me. I have grown from them. I would not be the person that I am today without them. Death and loss can teach gratitude and can help you keep it close. The reminder of my daily cancer meds tells me loudly, “You’re alive!” And I would not be alive without these little pills. Walking with loved ones with serious illness brings into stark reality the preciousness of each shared moment.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve the Wisdom Ways community. I am grateful for our team and the way we work together. I am grateful for the Ministries Foundation and their support of the creation of our digital studio. I am grateful for the sisters who have given their lives for others and who have initiated and supported this ministry.

For those of you who were able to join us at our Summer Solstice Celebration, that event, for me, was one big thank you –a thank you to God or to the universe –whatever language you prefer – for the blessings of life and love.

Know that I am grateful for each of you, reading this letter. Thank you for your past

support of Wisdom Ways and thank you in advance for continuing to be a part of this wonderful gift.

Peace and be well, Marian Diaz

CSJ Organizational Shift

Many of you are aware that the sisters voted last October to transition four ministries, Wisdom Ways included, into a non-profit structure including the Ministries Foundation. Although there is no firm timeline regarding this change, work continues to occur.

Two committees have been active since the new year. One committee has drafted a Memorandum of Understanding and another committee is developing a business plan for the new organization. As director, I have provided the committee with information as requested. The core task for Wisdom Ways over the next three to five years will be to become a financially self-sustaining ministry. While we do not have a name or mission statement for this new organization yet, I am hopeful that whatever is created will continue to support and facilitate the flourishing of Wisdom Ways as a full-fledged non-profit ministry long into the future.

Expressions of Spirituality | Group Art Exhibition

“Let gratitude be like the sun to your flower. Keep your face always turned toward its light.”

-Leah D. Schade

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 works to create authentic, welcoming spaces that advance spiritual growth, integration and fullness of life for all people. Wisdom Ways believes an inherent part of that mission is ensuring the equality and inclusion of all persons regardless of race, class, ability, gender, sex, age, or any other ethnicity. As a programming and story-sharing organization, we will continually strive to feature 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.

Gratitude pg. 22

Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality

A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 1890 Randolph Avenue | St. Paul, MN 55105 651-696-2794 | www.wisdomwayscenter.org

Vision:

Moving people from deep inner listening into courageous action to co-create a better world.

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 dclausnitzer@wisdomwayscenter.org

Carly Swenson, Communications Strategist cswenson@wisdomwayscenter.org

Leslie Aktan, Office Coordinator laktan@wisdomwayscenter.org

Kathy Berken, Resource Assistant

“Do not be dismayed by the brokenness of the world. All things break. And all things can be mended. Not with time, as they say, but with intentions. So go, Love intentionally, extravagantly, unconditionally. The broken world waits in darkness for the light that is you.”

-L. R. Knost

“Why should God make you suffer torment if you are thankful and believe in Him? God always rewards gratitude and He knows everything” (Quran, 4:147)

What’s New at Wisdom Ways?

Self-Guided Online Classes Now Available!

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!

Setting up your Thinkific course is easy and begins at this link:

https://wisdomwayscenter.thinkific.com/courses/introduction-to-the-enneagram

Wisdom Ways is growing its collection of courses, visit for our complete list: https://wisdomwayscenter.thinkific.com/pages/home-page

This course is available now for $150. This one-time payment will provide you with unlimited access to the course for as long as you wish to use it.

Here are some highlights of that report:

Early this year, Wisdom Ways worked with Springtide Research Institute to carry out a survey of people connected to our work and organization. As we move into an organizational structure that will eventually report to a board and have a different level of accountability, it’s important to have data to guide our decision making. The survey and its results allow us to listen more deeply to more people that we engage with and have an impact on. The data tells a story and now we have a clearer baseline understanding of who Wisdom Ways has been reaching.

The survey addressed the following research objectives:

- Create a snapshot of Wisdom Ways’ clients

- Evaluate Wisdom Ways’ effectiveness in meeting clients’ spiritual needs

- Identify the usefulness of Wisdom Ways’ structure & programming

- Explore the value of Wisdom Ways for clients

- Identify the lessons learned since COVID-19

The survey was launched in mid-February 2022 and closed at the end of April 2022. In total, 356 clients started the survey and 208 completed the survey, for a response rate of 59%. Springtide Research Institute was very pleased with our response rate. Thanks again to all of you who completed it!

If you would like to read the whole report, it is available on our website under the “Resources” menu tab or visit: www.wisdomwayscenter.org/resources

• W isdom Ways is currently reaching an older population (55+) of people who currently have or have once had a church/faith community. And, while the majority of clients are straight, non-Hispanic white women, there is a strong appreciation for the work this organization does to be a diverse, equitable, and inclusive space.

• Many clients are finding out about Wisdom Ways through word of mouth, have been part of the organization for at least seven years, and typically connect on an annual or bi-annual basis. The most meaningful activities for spirituality building include being in nature, reading, constructive conversation, and living one’s faith.

• Almost all of Wisdom Ways’ clients find that a meaningful life is created through multiple sources, see spirituality as relational (with the self, God, nature, society, and others) and are not limited to one path, tradition, or way of thinking.

• Wisdom Ways’ clients want a spiritual learning center that helps their self-growth, promotes a supportive environment for constructive conversations, and provides new paths for growth and change.

• Recommendations include: expanding our experiences to target younger adults; expanding our offerings to include more traditions, paths and ways of thinking about spirituality and faith; continuing to find ways to make our offerings accessible; utilizing a hybrid model for programming moving forward

As a team, we are looking at the results in detail and having conversations with other groups who are looking at the data as well. Please reach out to someone on our team if you have any other insights or feedback

Digital Media Studio

In October 2021, the Ministries Foundation generously gave Wisdom Ways a grant for the development of a digital studio. Happily, that digital studio is a reality today, thanks to the help of many people! John Viktora-Croke, Executive Director of Operations, helped select and prepare three rooms in the lower level of the Administrative Building. The rooms were cleared out, re-carpeted and repainted. The Wisdom Ways team worked with Mike Kabeya of Kabeya Media to purchase the needed equipment, as well as installation and setup. Mike is also providing additional technical training for our staff. Finally, Ron Brown, of Ron Brown Digital Media is helping us develop policies and practices for its use and rental.

Our dream for this digital studio is for it to become a place for Wisdom Ways to thrive into the future. It allows us to create audio, video and photographic content of all types for use on our website, in developing e-courses and eventually leading to the launching of a subscription service of digital media. In addition, we plan to rent the studio to other non-profits and corporations for use, providing Wisdom Ways with an additional revenue stream.

Available for rent!

We are hoping to have studio rental available by September 2022 for those organizations wanting to create podcasts, audio or filmed interviews, or other video content needs.

More information on policies and fees available soon. Watch our website and newsletters for updates.

www.csjministriesfoundation.org

www.kabeyamedia.com

www.browndigitaldesign.com/

New Website Features

Spiritual Care:

www.wisdomwayscenter.org/spiritualcare

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Spiritual Sounding Boards: What are spiritual direction, group spiritual companioning, and life coaching?

Thursday, September 29, 7-8pm, Online • FREE

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.

New Website Features

Media: www.wisdomwayscenter.org/media

• Featured videos from our YouTube channel

• Flourish blogs

• Free Resource downloads

“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” -Lao-Tzu

Resources: www.wisdomwayscenter.org/resources

• Traveling Labyrinth Rentals

• On-site Labyrinth Information

• SpringTide Survey Results Report

• Men’s Centering Prayer Resources

• Volunteer Sign-up

Free Performances

These programs are FREE to attend, sponsored and paid for by Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality. Donations are greatly appreciated!

On Hallowed Ground w/ Mary Kay Rummel and Gwen Perun

Saturday, October 22 from 6-8 pm CST • Enjoy in-person at the Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel or Live streaming on YouTube and Carondelet Village Broadcast: Channel 991

“Though sometimes as we walk this earth, with the memories of our loved ones shadowing us, we might also become our own holy places: roaming churches, cathedrals, and memory mausoleums.” - Edwidge Dandicat. A program of poetry and music on themes of uncovering the layers, the resonances of sacred spaces tying us to our ancestors, both personal and communal.

Presented by: Mary Kay Rummel ~ poet, Gwen Perun ~ pianist, Rachel Williams ~ cellist, and Elizabeth Ricketts ~ violinist

Light in the Darkness: Songs of Mourning, Remembrance, and Celebration: A Fall Concert with Lumina Women’s Ensemble

Saturday, Nov 5 from 7-8:30pm • In-Person at Our Lady of the Presentation Chapel

Live streaming on YouTube and Carondelet Village Broadcast: Channel 991

As the days get shorter and the nights longer, we take time to remember those who are no longer with us, celebrate the warmth of coming home to family and friends, and always search for light in the darkness. Our varied program features music by living and local composers as well as Renaissance and Medieval masterpieces.

Wisdom Ways rents beautiful labyrinths of all sizes for rituals, celebrations, meditation, games, and dancing. Items can be picked up or shipped (for an additional charge). Renters are responsible for all shipping fees, including international custom fees (when applicable). Interested? Contact the Wisdom Ways office at office@wisdomwayscenter.org or call 651-696-2794.

What is a Labyrinth?

A labyrinth is an ancient circular pattern found in many cultures around the world. Unlike a maze, there are no deadends or false trails. The labyrinth engages the body, mind and spirit through the focused attention needed to walk its twists and turns. For many decades labyrinths have been used as a tool for meditation, prayer, or ritual. Walking the labyrinth can help release patterned behavior, thoughts, and feelings. Strolling through can evoke your body’s natural relaxation response that slows breathing, heart rate, and lowers blood pressure.

How to Use a Labyrinth:

1. Before entering, consider a contemplative question, prayer, or calming image, hold it in your mind and begin walking.

2. Simply walk the path. As you concentrate on your steps, everything else can melt away.

3. Upon reaching the center. Sit or stand with your eyes closed or looking downward. Take three deep breaths, and reflect on how you feel.

4. Walking back. Return to the question, prayer, or image you began with.

5. After walking. Try journaling about your labyrinth experience. What did you discover?

Traveling Labyrinth Rental

www.wisdomwayscenter.org/labyrinth-rentals

Wisdom Ways has a new blog!

‘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.

Love of Wisdom by Marian Diaz

2/25/2022

As a Catholic-Christian, my spiritual energy and development spring from the depth and simplicity of the calls to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The most consistent question I have asked myself daily though out my life has been, “How did I grow in love for God, myself and others today?” As someone who lives this question as a call to integrating my whole self on behalf of active expressions of love, I know that as I approach it every day, I also fall short every day. Within the last few years much of my spiritual growth has shown up in embracing how completely my love of my neighbor’s soul is bound up with how I love my own soul.

One of my many passions since the early 90s has been the Wisdom literature of Hebrew Scriptures. Love of Wisdom, a way of life reflected in this diverse collection of writings, integrates spiritual attitudes and practices with ethical action in the living of a full life in the context of communal relations. While the Wisdom tradition in Hebrew Scriptures is often depicted as being handed down from parent to child, as a mother, I recognize that in many ways I am as much “made” and “formed” by my four adult children as I played a role in their births and development. In my experience, love of Wisdom often exhibits itself through mutual, curious, open, nonjudgmental sharing. This process requires a foundation of shared good will and trust...

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

For reflection:

Do you do any form of a daily review? What does that include for you?

What relationships have been mutually formative in your life?

For action:

Take action on a recent challenge that has been issued to you.

Spiritual Faith & Atheism

by Carly Swenson 3/18/2022

A spiritual atheist may seem contradictory.

However, lacking a belief in the existence of a God–doesn’t actually mean I’m lacking anything. While spirituality can involve religious dogma or doctrine it’s certainly not required. Spirituality does, however, require some form of faith. Faith is defined as “a strong belief or trust”. Spirituality requires a strong belief in self, love, possibility, and hope.

I have faith that I am capable of handling whatever unfolds in the future. This sense of faith is fairly new to me. Having lived with general anxiety and major depression for nearly two decades, I didn’t know how to just be mentally in the present moment. I wanted to because I’m selfaware enough to logically know it’s a complete waste of mental and emotional energy to anticipate every conceivable bad possibility or over-analyzing past interactions...

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

by Danielle Clausnitzer 5/11/2022

Wisdom Ways has used Zoom to present our programs soon after the pandemic began. As Wisdom Ways begins to offer more in-person programming and events, you may wonder: Why does Wisdom Ways still rely on Zoom?

The answer is simple, and it remains an important part of our vision, accessibility. My involvement in accessibility is rooted in my experiences as a person with a disability, as well as my interest in disability studies as a field of research. At age 11, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. And yet, this diagnosis did not change my feelings about myself. For many of us, having a disability forces us to exist in the margins

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

Self-Care, Bath-time & Spiritual Rebellion

by Carly Swenson 7/5/2022

As an adult, baths lost their purpose–you should only do things that have purpose or are somehow financially viable, right? And with a bath–what do you do? What’s the point? I just sit there. In dirty water. Of ever-decreasing warmth. Then I shower, because I have to clean off my bath. I could just do the last step, showering, and BAM! Nailed it! I have a clean body. They just seemed dumb, sort of silly, and wasteful. Now, I’m 38. And I love baths. I love my lavender salt soak. I set up my little candles with a nice meditation, relaxing music, or maybe nature sounds, like ocean waves playing on my laptop elegantly perched on the toilet seat. If I close my eyes, focus, and concentrate on the beautiful ebb and flow of ocean waves, it feels just like I’m at the beach. In a bathtub. In dirty water. Of ever-decreasing warmth. Because facts are facts regardless of perspective...

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

On the Two Year Anniversary of Mr. George Floyd’s Murder, part one of three

by Marian Diaz 4/25/2022

Last week, the final topic of the year for our series on Hot Topics in Spirituality was entitled “Spirituality

and Power for Justice.” With all of the other topics for the year, I knew what I would talk about and which thinkers I would feature from the day I designed the title. The topic for this month, however, kept eluding me as to how I really wanted to approach it up until the day before the conversation.

I started with the group reflecting on this text: Then they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling and those who were buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold doves; and he would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple. He was teaching and saying, ‘Is it not written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations”?

But you have made it a den of robbers.’ And when the chief priests and the scribes heard it, they kept looking for a way to kill him; for they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was spellbound by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city.*1

I feel that the only authentic and effective way to develop a powerful spirituality of justice is to explore our relationship to anger and to consider how righteous anger might be activated for change in a sustained way using peaceful means. And, no, it’s not lost on me that Mark’s Gospel portrays this moment as the moment leading to Jesus’ crucifixion.

Yesterday around noon, I sat down to write a blog memorializing the death of George Floyd two years ago. It was evolving as a series of Howard Thurman quotes from Jesus and the Disinherited...

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

COVID-19 Update:

Wisdom Ways remains committed to the safety of its staff, presenters, and participants. In order to ensure the safety of all those involved in our programming, we are following the guidance of the Carondelet Center on COVID-19 protections. At this point, we are recommending all participants wear masks and either use hand sanitizer or wash your hands prior to attending any events indoors in the Carondelet Center. If you require extra precautions be taken with regards to COVID-19, please consider attending virtually (if possible) or reach out to our office at (651)-696-2794. See their most recent policy here: www.carondeletcenter.org

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 offer ongoing discounts for St. Kate’s students, CSJ Sisters, Consociates, and Staff Members. 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

“Always be mindful of the kindness and not the faults of others.” – Gautama Buddha

Autumn 2022 Offerings

Retreats & Experiential Workshops

Seokmun Breathing: The Way to Healthier Breathing and Finding One’s True Self w/ Dr. Paul Min

Friday, Aug 26 • 6:30-8:30pm CST • FREE

Healthy breathing is essential; however, it’s not easy to change our breathing habits because they represent our current state of Body, Mind, and Spirit. Hear Dr. Min’s journey of connecting Breathing, Energy, and Life. He’ll share his hands-on experiences and how changing small things in our life could impact deep within and others surrounding that person. Participants will receive an introduction to Breathing, Energy, and Life, a soft exercise to relax your muscles and strengthen your core, and provide attendees with an overview of Seokmun breathing and a chance to ask questions about the practice. Participants should plan to bring their own yoga mat. On-site participants will be limited to twenty people.

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

Dr. Paul Min is an assistant professor in radiology and a neuroscientist at Mayo Clinic who specialized in dementia. He started his journal trying to understand and find his purpose in life. At age 25, he began Seokmun Breathing practice while looking for practical methods to develop 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.

Restorative Writing Day Retreat at Innisfree Farm (Hastings, MN) w/ Lynette Reini-Grandell & Sarah Kiani

Saturday, Aug 27 • 9am-3pm CST • Limited 20 participants • $120

Come to Innisfree Farm for an immersive day of writing, sharing, forest bathing, and connecting with horses. Reflection prompts will focus on our natural setting nestled in the Mississippi River Valley near Hastings, MN, letting nature lead you where you want to go. Visit Innisfree Farm for pictures and more details: www.hopetreecounselingservices.com/innisfree-farm/ Carpooling from Carondelet Center available. Please email office@wisdomwayscenter. org if interested. The cost of the program includes a lunch that will be shared on the farm.

Sarah Kiani is a performer, writer and therapist. She is founder and director of Hope Tree Counseling Services and Innisfree Farm. As a licensed counselor, she is also certified in Equine Assisted Mental Health. She specializes in working with nature, horses and humans to promote growth and healing. www.hopetreecounselingseevices.com | Instagram @innisfreefarmmn

Lynette Reini-Grandell is a memoirist and poet (Wild Things: A Trans Glam Punk Rock Love Story, Minnesota Historical Society Press in 2023, Wild Verge, and Approaching the Gate, which won a NE MN Book Award for poetry). A multidisciplinary writer and performer, discover more here: www.reini-grandell.com

Creating Fun and Functional Finger Labyrinths w/ Lisa Moriarty

Thursday, Sep 1 • 6:30-8:30pm CST • In-Person only • $30 Participants will create a colorful 12” labyrinth using cording and tissue paper on a stretched canvas base. You will have a functional labyrinth that is also a beautiful piece of art to display. All materials provided. No experience needed. Price includes cost of materials.

Lisa Gidlow Moriarty, artist, spiritual director and professional labyrinth maker. She is an internationally recognized presenter with a passion for labyrinths in the spiritual journey. Lisa designs and installs labyrinths for schools, hospitals, churches and individuals, and has made hundreds of labyrinths, across the USA and beyond. She’s a past president of the International Labyrinth Society www.labyrinthsociety.org and owner of Paths of Peace www.pathsofpeace.com in Stillwater, MN.

Playing with Words: An Introduction to Poetry w/ Wendy Brown-Báez

Friday, Sep 2 • 1:30-3:30pm CST • In-Person $50 / Online $40

Poetry enables us to respond to moments that may feel inexpressible. Poetry offers us a means to celebrate, uplift, and rejoice as well as grieve, reflect, and grow. In this interactive introduction to poetry, we’ll consider the qualities that make a poem sing and ask the question, Why does it move us? We will read poems with care from contemporary poets Jericho Brown and Ellen Bass in order to learn how they create a shift in awareness. We’ll use Joy Harjo’s poem For Calling the Spirit Back as a jump-start to our own poems. You do not have to be a poet, just have a willingness to play and experiment.

Wendy Brown-Báez is a writer, performance poet, and writing instructor. She is the author of the guidebook Heart on the Page: A Portable Writing Workshop, the novel Catch a Dream and poetry books Ceremonies of the Spirit and Transparencies of Light. Wendy was awarded McKnight and MN State Arts Board grants to teach writing workshops in non-profits. She teaches creative writing in community spaces such as schools, libraries, churches, prisons, and healing centers. www.wendybrownbaez.com

Retreats & Experiential Workshops

Deepening and Widening Your Spiritual Connections: Charting a Journey of Human/Spiritual Emergence w/ Scott McRae (6 Sessions) Online • Tuesdays, Sep 6 & 20, Oct 4 & 18, Nov 1 & 15, 7-8:15pm CST • $180

This class explores the journey from a small, bound-up sense of self to a perceptive and expansive spiritual being. We’ll identify six levels of our human/spiritual condition. As we explore each level, you’ll experience a lightening of ego and increased awareness. When we reach the 4th level, The Way of the Alchemist, we begin refining what is known as subtle perception and capacities to communicate more directly with the Spiritual aspects of our world.

Scott McRae has been involved in spiritual work in various forms for over 30 years and feels like he’s just getting started. His professional journey has included parish and campus ministry, as well as spiritual care leadership in health care. A pastoral educator for M Health Fairview, a spiritual director, and an Enneagram teacher and coach, he also runs Sojourners Institute with his wife Melanie.

Writing the Sacred Journey: Introductory Workshop w/ Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew

Saturday, Sep 10 • 9am-Noon CST • In-person $75 / Online $65

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.

Writing instructor and spiritual director Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew is the author of Writing the Sacred Journey: The Art and Practice of Spiritual Memoir; Living Revision: A Writer’s Craft as Spiritual Practice; and many other books, essays, and short memoirs. Her work explores intersections between spiritual growth and the creative process.

Finding Center through Ritual, Nature and the Creative Process w/ Ann Viveros

Saturday, Sep 24 • 10am-12:30pm CST • In-Person only • $50

In this workshop we will integrate the wisdom of meditation, the joy of art and the love of nature into this mandala making, meditative healing 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. This event is held outside, weather permitting.

Ann Viveros is an inquiry-based mandala artist, educator & meditation teacher. Ann studied meditation and inquiry intensely for fifteen years with the esoteric Humans in Training Institute, focusing on awakening the shared root teachings of many great spiritual traditions. She is a trained mindfulness teacher and collaborated with the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the U of M as a mindfulness coach. She is a certified Sacred Passage End of Life Death Doula through the Conscious Dying Institute and is a Certified Morning Altars Teacher. www.annviveros.com

Wisdom Literature: Proverbs w/ Marian K. Diaz

Tuesdays (12 Sessions) Sep 20-Dec 6 from 9-10am CST • Online Only $120 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. (Proverbs 3:18)

Wisdom texts in any tradition or culture represent the every day experiences and understandings of the community. This program will be the first in a series reflecting on the books of Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible. Each one hour session will include a presentation on the reading for the session, some shared silence and a time for group conversation to integrate our learning. Participants will receive a reflection guide prior to each session based on the reading. Participants will also be invited to watch a few videos prior to the beginning of the series to introduce them to some of the themes of Wisdom Literature in the Hebrew Bible.

Autumn 2022 Offerings

The Artist’s Way w/ Carly Swenson

Wednesdays, 6-7:30pm CST • WEDNESDAYS

Sep 7, 14, 21, 28 • Oct 5, 12, 19, 26

Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30

(13 Weekly Sessions) In-person $165 or Online $150

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron is one of the Top 100 Best Self-Help books of all time, selling millions of copies worldwide. Her process is broken up into 12 Chapters focusing on different aspects of your sense of self each week: Safety, Identity, Power, Integrity, Possibility, Abundance, Connection, Strength, Compassion, Self-protection, Autonomy, & Faith.

Participants will read one chapter each week. During our weekly sessions, we’ll discuss inspirations or challenges we’ve discovered. Supplementary materials, and techniques relating to each theme will provide different approaches, examples, and resources. This course isn’t only for “artists”. It’s for everyone with an innate capability to enjoy creativity--which is anyone. This course is for anyone with an innate capability to enjoy some form of creativity. Class sessions also include small group discussions to build support and a safe space for inspiration, and growth

Why now?

Regardless of who you are, your race, politics, religious association, gender identity, etc. we’ve all been surrounded by uncertainty. Most of us haven’t taken an opportunity to reflect, process, grow, and perhaps most importantly--nurture a sense of hope within ourselves and others. Since all of our routines (both good and bad) have been severely disrupted, this provides an ideal opportunity to compassionately check in on ourselves, reassess where we place our energy and why, and also reconnect with what we truly value and love. The events of the last three years have emphasized the importance of mental wellness and emotional support. This course offers the normalcy of routine, genuine connection, thoughtful conversation, compassionate support, rekindled hope, and opportunities for shared joy.

“As a result of taking Artist’s Way with you this winter, I took up painting (again). Your class is what inspired me to try painting again, after many years of not holding a paint brush and thinking. I ‘am not a real artist’. Thanks to you, I am!”

-Donna Divine Spring 2022 Artist’s Way

SoulCollage w/ Lisa Mer • In-Person $50 | Online $45 Thursday • Dec 1 • 6-8:30 pm CST

No previous experience needed. Includes materials. Learn the method of making SoulCollage® cards, or continue making a deck you have started. SoulCollage® is a transformative, empowering process in which you create your own personal deck of collaged cards using recycled images, your intuition, and your imagination. As you get to know your cards, you cultivate a practice of consulting them about your life questions. Surprise, synchronicity and the sacred will emerge from these self-created allies, mentors, and challengers. SoulCollage® is innately satisfying for the soul, which is eager to create and express its many facets.

Lisa Mer 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/

Seasonal Rituals • In-Person only

September 21 | October 26 | December 21

Wednesdays • 6-7pm CST • FREE

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!

Carly Swenson is an acrylic intuitive painter and empathy advocate. Swenson received her Visual Arts BFA/Art History Minor from Bemidji State University. Her work results from embracing uncertainty and trusting the intrinsic creative process, giving her art vibrancy with dreamlike qualities. Her work has been shown in solo & group exhibitions throughout the US and abroad. Her freelance writing & mixed media journals have been published in nationally distributed art magazines.

www.nakedcarlyart.wordpress.com

Retreats & Experiential Workshops

Using Mindfulness to Find Strength in Challenging Times: Moving from Helpless, Through Hopeful, To Heartful w/ Richard Bonk & Lea Howard • In-person $55 Per Session / $200 Full Series or Online $45 Per Session /$160 Full Series Saturdays, Oct 8, 22 & Nov 5, 19 • 11am-1pm CST

This short course honors the difficult space and emotions that we find ourselves in today’s world and in our personal lives and encourages the positive through embodied self care. Compassion recognizes suffering and moves us into action to reduce suffering. In this course, we will learn to honor all of the emotions we experience and recognize how there is an intelligence to them that helps us develop clear comprehension and an appropriate response. This way, we can allow feelings to inspire and inform wise action. This course will incorporate mindful techniques to support a calm mind and body and open the heart through guided meditation, inquiry, imagery, movement, and teachings about the practice. We will also invite a synchronistic opening to our unique, innate healing capacities in support of our health, wellbeing and happiness. We look forward to building community together and honor that we are all in this together.

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.

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. She supports people connecting with their innate wisdom & compassion to reclaim a sense of balance, joy, and purpose in life. The practice of mindfulness has been an extraordinary gift & a trusted compass through career pivots, cultivating healthy relationships, and managing the uncertainty we all face these days.

Cultivating Inner Compassion: An Experiential Workshop w/ Jean Haley & Jane Rauenhorst

Saturday, Nov 19 • 9am-Noon CST

In-Person $60 / Online $50

Being human has never seemed more challenging! Faced with so much uncertainty, it can be difficult to know how to respond with compassion. Please join us in practicing how to be kind to ourselves and others. We will be learning how to offer ourselves compassion in response to our inner critic, everyday frustrations, and even the most trying of circumstances. The workshop will include practices from the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion plus those developed by the instructors in their years of work with self compassion.

Jean Haley is a retired Clinical Social Worker who has studied and practiced mindfulness and meditation for over two decades. She is a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders training through Spirit Rock Meditation Center (2012) and the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Training (2016). She currently teaches at Common Ground Meditation Center, Minneapolis Insight, and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing.

Jane Rauenhorst is a Licensed Psychologist who has found her mindfulness practice to be a great support in her life. She is a graduate of the Mindfulness Teachers Certification Program and the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher Training. She has taught Buddhist, mindfulness and self compassion related offerings for Minneapolis Insight, Macalester College and Common Ground Meditation Center.

9 Paths to Healing & Everyday Miracles:

The Enneagram as Life Compass w/ Scott McRae

Wednesdays (3 Sessions) Nov 30, Dec 7 & 14, 7-8:30pm CST

In-person $120 / Online $90

This 3-part class explores the vertical dimensions of the 9 Enneagram Types, and how there is wisdom in each type that helps us heal and move toward wholeness. We will use the image of a vertical axis to portray the unique human-spiritual spectrum that is alive within each type. In the lower region of the vertical axis we find forces of gravity that carry essential Soul knowledge.

Scott McRae has been involved in spiritual work in various forms for over 30 years and feels like he’s just getting started. His professional journey has included parish and campus ministry, as well as spiritual care leadership in health care. A pastoral educator for M Health Fairview, a spiritual director, and an Enneagram teacher and coach, he also runs Sojourners Institute with his wife Melanie.

“The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another’s world.” -Plato

Autumn 2022 Offerings

Retreats & Experiential Workshops

Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreat Series: Fall - Leaf Falling, Bud Forming – Coming Home to the Paradoxes of Autumn w/ Winton Boyd, Sara Thomsen, & Paula Pedersen • In-Person only

Fri, Oct 28, 4pm - Sun, Oct 30, 12pm

$250 Fall 3-Day Session

$675 Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreat Series (3 Sessions)

Register for the whole series or select the Fall retreat session. Visit www.wisdomwayscenter.org/events-calendar to learn more about each themed retreat.) Registration for the Winter January retreat will open on November 1.

The Circle of Trust Seasonal Retreats (3- Part series: Fall, 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. In his book, A Hidden Wholeness, Palmer writes, “there was a time when farmers on the Great Plains, at the first sign of a blizzard, would run a rope from the back door out to the barn. They knew stories of people who had wandered off and been frozen to death…Today we live in a blizzard of another sort. It swirls around us as economic injustice, ecological ruin, physical and spiritual violence and war…It swirls within us as frenzy, greed, and deceit, and indifference to the suffering of others…We all know stories of people who have wandered off into this madness and been separated from their own souls.” 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.

Guiding principles of this process includes:

• Honest and Open questions

• An appreciation of paradox in our lives

• Everyone has an inner teacher

• A ‘hidden wholeness’ underlies our lives • 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. This process has been used by people in many different professions, in locales from Australia, Canada and across the United States. For this upcoming Fall Retreat- Autumn is a time of incredible activity in the natural world and these realities help frame important cycles and questions in our own lives. While most are aware that leaves fall away leaving trees bare through the winter season, not as many know that the buds of new growth are often already formed. Autumn realities will shape our explorations of personal themes of transition, new growth, living in or preparing for dark times, and the powerful growth that occurs in ‘seasons’ of our lives that seem more dead than alive. We’ll explore using poetry, journaling, reflective time in nature, communal song, shared conversation and silence.

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.

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

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

Bridging to Contemplative Living

w/ Terry Shaughnessy • In-Person only • $60

Wednesdays (3 Sessions) Sep 21, 28 & Oct 5, Noon-1:30pm CST

Bridging to Contemplative Living is a popular series of discussions designed for those interested in studying and developing a more contemplative approach to life. Terry Shaughnessy will facilitate a three-part series of in-person gatherings consisting of spiritual readings, shared reflection and discussions along with prompts encouraging participants to integrate the materials each week. The writings of Thomas Merton provide the groundwork for inter-religious dialogue with writings from spiritual luminaries such as Simone Weil, Eknath Easwaran, Ira Progoff and others. Our readings will be based on the Bridges to Contemplative Living Series booklets thematically developed around the many facets of joy, the powerful aspects of love, and wholehearted living. Enthusiastic feedback from past participants highlighted the benefits that were gained with insights and inspiration from spiritual writers, group sharing and developing practices orientated towards living more contemplatively.

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. His primary passion is offering spiritual direction, “the ministry of compassionate presence,” and supporting men in their inner lives.

Welcome Back Men’s Gathering w/ John Rosengren

Tuesday, Sep 27 • 7:30-9 am CST • In-Person $25 / Online $15

On August 22, 1965, San Francisco Giants pitcher Juan Marichal clubbed Los Angeles Dodgers catcher John Roseboro over the head with a bat. The brutal incident inextricably connected the two men for the rest of their lives. We are all similarly bound to others by the harms we’ve done

or those done to us. They often yield resentments, from which “stem all forms of spiritual disease,” according to the text of Alcoholics Anonymous.

If we are to be free of anger and spiritually fit, we need to rid ourselves of these resentments. Marichal and Roseboro eventually forgave one another and reconciled, a tale John Rosengren recounts in his book THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES: How Juan Marichal and John Roseboro Turned Baseball’s Ugliest Brawl into a Story of Forgiveness and Redemption. Drawing upon their story and the wisdom of Alcoholics Anonymous, Rosengren will present a workshop on finding our own path to liberation from resentments. All in person participants will be provided with a breakfast pastry and coffee or tea. Minneapolis writer John Rosengren is a Pulitzer nominee whose articles have appeared in the Atavist, the Atlantic, GQ, the New Yorker, Sports Illustrated, and the Washington Post Magazine, among others. He is also the author of ten books, including the novel A CLEAN HEART and BLADES OF GLORY: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. He has been clean and sober forty years.

Exploring the Qualities of Your Own Authentic Manhood w/ Jeffry Jeanetta-Wark & Terry Shaughnessy

Thursdays (2 Sessions) October 6 & 13 • 7:30-9am CST • Join us In-Person $50 or Online $45

Through story, music, group dialogue, and personal reflection attendees will have the opportunity to explore and crystallize what authentic manhood means to them. During two gatherings together, we will focus on the developmental, psychological, and mental realms that reflect authenticity in a man’s life. This work is drawn from the Authentic Manhood Programs (AMP), a series of experiential programs that supportively guide men to expand their capacity to live from their heart-aligned & values-based core. Collectively, it appears that a conscious, wise, clear, and mature voice from and about men appears to be absent in the mainstream media, politics, films, and most public discourse. This seems especially true in the wake of Me Too, and the recent 2022 Academy Awards where Will Smith smacked Chris Rock. Our society would benefit from hearing men’s true non-violent expressions of upset, grief, desire, wisdom and beauty that reflects authentic manhood. Such a vision and expression of men can only come when they are willing to show up, mature up, (VS “man up”) regarding what truly aligns their head, heart, & gut.

Jeffry Jeanetta-Wark, MA. LICSW is the founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Integrated Well-Being, Inc. (CIWB), a holistic psychotherapy practice in Roseville, MN. He’s a senior level clinical social worker, a holistic psychotherapist, consultant and educator with over 30 years of experience. Jeffry has been involved in men’s work since 1988. He is a local and national keynote speaker on issues of authentic manhood and the author of the AMP curriculum.

Wisdom Ways Men’s Centering Prayer circles have been creating a hope-filled space for men for years. It’s more important than ever for us to continue supporting our community mediation practice, even online. We need times of silence to support healthy inner lives. Centering Prayer is the “prayer beyond words,” a practice of self-surrender that supports extending interior silence into daily life.

Autumn 2022 Offerings

Educational Opportunities

Cultivating compassion through understanding and connection.

Religions of Southeast Asia (Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism)

w/ Ram Gada, Carrie Garcia, & Prasad Bastodkar

Thursdays (3 Sessions) Sep 8, Oct 6 & Nov 3

FREE • Online & In-person • 6:30-7:30pm CST

Over three months, participants will learn more about Jainism (9/8), Buddhism (10/6), and Hinduism (11/3) from local experts and practitioners, Ram Gada, Carrie Garcia, and Prasad Bastodkar. Join us as we explore new religious traditions and learn more about the religious diversity the world has to offer!

The Seen and Unseen: Understanding the Complexities of Disability

w/ Danielle Clausnitzer

Tuesdays (4 Sessions) Aug 30, Sep 13, 27 & Oct 11 • Online Only • 6-7:30pm CST

In America today 26% of people have a disability. However, disability and being disabled are complex because both visible and invisible elements of disability impact the lives of 61 million persons in the United States. To create a more just and empathetic world we must strive to better understand how these complexities that impact the lives of others, as well as our own. Throughout this class, we will address both the seen and unseen with respect to disability. This class will be broken up into four 90-minute classes and will address the topics of apparent and non-apparent disability, neurodivergence, caring for the caregivers, as well as aging and the future of disability. No previous knowledge of disability is necessary, and participants can expect to emerge with a more in depth understanding of the lives of a variety of persons with disabilities. This class is available to persons of all abilities and access needs can be met by contacting Danielle Clausnitzer at dclausnitzer@ wisdomwayscenter.org.

This class will be offered on a “pay what you can” basis with suggested donations of $60 full series or $20 per session.

Danielle Clausnitzer, MA is the Assistant Director of Wisdom Ways and a current PhD student at Georgetown University in the Theological and Religious Studies Department. Her focus of study is Africana Religions and Disability Studies. Her most recent publication, “Disability and the church in Africa” discusses institutional and individual approaches to disability and Christianity on the continent.

OLord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. (Psalm 30:12b)

Sacred Sites Tour with Jim Bear Jacobs

Wednesday, August 31 at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. • In-person Only • $50 As part of Healing Minnesota Stories’ effort to create dialogue, understanding and healing between Native and non-Native peoples, Minnesota Council of Church’s offers Sacred Site Tours of the Twin Cities area. These tours aim to create greater awareness and understanding of the Dakota people, the original people of this area, who too often are invisible in their homeland. The tour includes information on Dakota history, culture and sacred sites, as well as the oppression and genocide they faced, and ultimately their exile. As the topics are quite serious the tours are considered age appropriate for high-school age or older. Tours are led by Jim Bear Jacobs (Mohican). The tours offer an opportunity to learn about Minnesota history from a Native perspective through story-telling and experiencing the sites in silence/meditation/reflection.

Participants will be required to drive themselves to the different sites. Parking may be limited at some stops along the tour, so please carpool if possible. This tour is totally wheelchair accessible and involves minimal walking or rolling. If you think you will need it, please bring a chair to use during the tour.

Rev. Jim Bear Jacobs Born in St. Paul, he is a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Nation, an American Indian tribe located in central Wisconsin. He has degrees in Pastoral Studies and Christian Theology and has served various churches as youth minister, adult Christian educator, and director of Men’s Ministries. Presently he is parish associate at Church of All Nations Presbyterian Church. He is a cultural facilitator in the Twin Cities and works to raise the public’s awareness of American Indian causes and injustices. He is founder/convener of “Healing Minnesota Stories,” an initiative dedicated to creating events of dialogue, education, and healing, particularly within faith communities. He is currently the Director of Racial Justice for the Minnesota Council of Churches.

Never Again: Understanding Antisemitism and the Holocaust in History and Today w/ Laura Zelle, Ethan Roberts & Jonathan Edelman

Thursdays • Sep 22, Oct 27 & Nov 17 • FREE • In-person & Online • 6:30-7:30pm CST

The Holocaust is perhaps the most important and devastating moment in recent history. Over six million Jewish people and six million Soviet citizens, Roma, LGBTQ+, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and many others were the target of a genocidal regime between 1932 and 1945. And yet, more than 75 years after this global tragedy, the number of antisemitism incidents in the United States is rising. To better understand the history of antisemitism and Holocaust, Wisdom Ways has partnered with the Jewish Community Relations Council to present three inspiring lectures on antisemitism, the Holocaust, and the process of documenting this history today. Join us for answers your questions about antisemitic influences today and in history: Sep 22: Antisemitism | Oct 27: The Holocaust | Nov 17: Artifacts & Memorialization

Illuminating Events

Dorothy Day’s “Revolution of the Heart”

Reading, Discussing & Updating The Long Loneliness w/ Anne Klejment

Thursdays (4 Sessions) Sep 8, Oct 13, Nov 10, Dec 8 • 11am-12:15pm CST

In-Person $35 Per Session / $120 Full Series

Online $25 Per Session / $100 Per Series

Dorothy Day’s autobiography, “The Long Loneliness,” is a classic conversion story, written by a woman considered “the most significant, interest-

ing, and influential person in the history of American Catholicism.” Rich in lived experience and observation, Day shares what led her to God. This book discussion will focus on the development of the spirituality of the co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement. Readers will gain deeper knowledge of and appreciation for how she created and lived out a vibrant, active Catholic spirituality.

A specialist in modern US Catholic history, Anne Klejment has been researching and writing about Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker for 40+ years. She will provide essential historical context to illuminate significant events and developments in Day’s life and spirituality. Additionally, brief supplemental readings and discussion will address Day’s life and spirituality after the 1952 publication of the book and discuss her path to canonized sainthood. This course will include both lecture and discussion about the life and works of Dorothy Day.

A specialist in modern US history, with a focus on American Catholicism, Anne Klejment has been researching and writing about Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker for 40+ years. She is the author/editor of two books, several articles in peer reviewed journals, and many book chapters on Dorothy Day. Univ of St Thomas, emerita professor of history; American Catholic Historical Association, member; Dorothy Day Canonization Prayer Network, Core Committee; etc.

Hot Topics in Spirituality: Relationships w/ Marian K. Diaz

Tuesdays (9 Sessions), Sep 13, Oct11, Nov 8, Dec 13, Jan 10, Feb 14, Mar 14, Apr 11, May 9

7-8pm CST • Online Only • $15 Per Session / $100 Series

“When we wish to see our own face, we do so by looking in the mirror, in the same way when we wish to know ourselves we can obtain that knowledge by looking at our friend. For the friend is, as we assert, a second self.” (Aristotle)

This on-going series explores current topics relative to spirituality and well-being that can support growth and development throughout all areas of life. Content pieces including articles, videos and podcasts will be sent out one week before the session to introduce the topic to participants. Topics for this year will center on relationships including, relationships and spirituality, how relationships form us, types of friendships, emotional intelligence and emotional labor, relationships gone wrong, evolving relationships, flow and relationships and community building.

This event is co-sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center for Interreligious Studies at St. Thomas University.

Christian Meditation: A Way of Contemplative Prayer

FREE • 7-7:40pm CST • Tuesdays, Sep 6-Dec 20, 2022

This will be held IN-PERSON (masks required) at Carondelet Center and ONLINE (registration required for online attendees only). Please note that the sessions will begin promptly at 7 pm. Meditating with others is a way of deepening and supporting our personal practice. The weekly sessions include a short reading and one 25-minute meditation. Come as often as you are able.

In the Christian tradition, meditation is understood as a form of contemplative prayer. In meditation we move beyond our thoughts, words, and images and enter into silence, there to find God.

This ancient practice of contemplative prayer dates at least to the desert fathers and mothers of the 3rd and 4th centuries. John Cassian (360 – 435) taught, “We pray in our room when we withdraw our hearts completely from the clatter of every thought and concern and disclose our prayers to God in secret and, as it were, intimately. We pray with the door shut when, with closed lips and in total silence, we pray to the searcher not of voices but of hearts.”

Why meditate? Christian faith tells us that at the core of our being we are one with the Divine. We desire to awaken to that reality. Hildegard von Bingen (1098 - 1179) reflected, “Prayer is nothing but inhaling and exhaling the one Breath or Spirit of the universe.” And more recently, Bede Griffiths (1906 – 1993) wrote, “We have to go beyond the outer appearances of the senses and beyond the concepts of the mind, and open ourselves to the reality of Christ within, the Christ of the resurrection.”

Our meditation practice is about transformation – our own and our world’s. We come to know that we are the manifestation of God and that our neighbor is the manifestation of God. From this place of prayer, we engage in our work in the world. Evelyn Underhill (1875 – 1941) asserted, “Therefore contemplation, even at its highest, dearest, and most intimate, is not to be for you an end in itself. It shall only be truly yours when it impels you to action: when the double movement of the Transcendent Love, drawing inwards to unity and fruition, and rushing out again to creative acts, is realized in you.” Joan Chittister (b 1936) boldly states, “Contemplation is a very dangerous activity. It not only brings us face to face with God. It brings us, as well, face to face with the world, face to face with the self. And then, of course, something must be done.”

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.

Telling My Story Event with Rev. Dr. Janet Johnson

Thursday, Sep 15 at 7pm CST • In-Person $20 or Online $15

During this one-hour class, the Reverend Dr. Janet Johnson will guide participants through her life’s journey. She will discuss her family’s experiences including their migration from Arkansas to Minnesota. She will also discuss her Christian foundation and how it enables her to better understand the influence of Christianity on her family’s growth, movement, and everyday life as a Black woman in America.

Hedgerow: Where Hedgerow Has Traveled, Where Hedgerow Aims to Go

w/ Joan Mitchell & Andrea Tande

Mondays (12 Sessions) Sep 19 - Dec 5, 2022 • 6:30pm CST • $25 Per session • $250 Series

Over 15 years, Hedgerow has unfolded in spring and fall 12-week courses that immerse serious spiritual seekers in current theology to ask new creative and constructive questions from feminist, womanist, ecological, process, and cosmological points of view. Classes bring creative questioners and seekers together in the good company of other seekers of any faith tradition. The readings and presentations are richly academic, anchored in experience, and creative in generating insights. Courses will revisit big ideas and influential experiences of the past 15 years. We welcome all who have joined us over the years as well as new participants! This 12-week course will include three different sections: Feminist and Womanist Theology and Methodology, Ecofeminism and Science, and Scripture and History.

Rather than use a single common text, participants will receive readings weekly via email. Instructors include Nancy Victorin-Vangerud, who gave the prestigious Susan Draper White lecture this year at United Theological Seminary; Kathleen Duffy, SSJ, Director of the Institute for Religion and Science at Chestnut Hill College and author of Theilhard’s Mysticism: Seeing the Inner face of Evolution; and the wonderful Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ, author of ten different theological books between 1990 and 2018, who will join us for two separate class sessions. Other instructors to be announced.

Illuminating Events

Book Discussion: Loveability, by Robert Holden w/ Marian K. Diaz

Thursdays (5 Sessions) Oct 6, 13, 20, 27 & Nov 3 • Noon-1pm CST • Online Only • $50

We will be discussing the book, Loveability: Knowing How to Love and Be Loved, by Robert Holden, PhD. In the forward to this book, Marianne Williamson says, “Loveability is a guide to unlearning the ways of fear and learning the ways of love.” Come join us as we explore this dynamic movement toward love together.

What We Hunger For with Sun Yung Shin

Thursday, Oct 6 • 7-8 pm CST • In-Person $15 or Online $10

How does food bring us together, and how can a wide diversity of underrepresented stories enrich all our lives and strengthen our communities? What do we need to do to really hear each other and understand how we are all related? How can learning more about each other’s foods and traditions and adaptations deepen our sense of solidarity in the face of so many national and global crises threatening to tear us apart? In this conversation, author Sun Yung Shin will discuss her recent Minnesota-based anthology What We Hunger For: Refugee & Immigrant Stories about Food & Family. She will share why we need these voices now and answer questions that participants have about the anthology and the contributors.

Sun Yung Shin was born in Seoul, Korea and was raised in the Chicago area. She is a poet, writer, and cultural worker. She is the editor of What We Hunger For: Refugee and Immigrant Stories on Food and Family (2021) and A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, author of poetry collections The Wet Hex; Unbearable Splendor (finalist for the 2017 PEN USA Literary Award, winner of the 2016 MN Book Award for poetry), co-editor of Outsiders Within: Writing on Transracial Adoption, and author of bilingual illustrated book for children Cooper’s Lesson. She lives in Minneapolis where she co-directs the community organization Poetry Asylum with poet Su Hwang.

Exploring

Astrology as a Spiritual Practice w/ Peggy Foster

Thursdays (3 Sessions) October 13, 20, 27 • 6-8pm CST

In-Person $40 Per Session / $100 Full Series or Online $30 Per Session / $75 Full Course Astrology is an ancient tool that combines astronomy, cycles of the earth, wisdom traditions, sacred geometry, mythology, psychology and most importantly our daily connection to the Divine. Astrology is a wonderful way to learn about yourself and your patterns. Astrology facilitator, Peggy Foster, brings her love for this art and 20+ years as an adult educator to help you understand this complex and beautiful art and science. You’ll discover the basic knowledge to start understanding how the stars and planets are impacting each of us on a daily basis. This class will include meditation, journaling reflection, lots of resources, and small group discussions. All participants will need to provide their birth-date time and location by Mon, 10/10/22, to be able to participate in the class. We will use your birth chart during each class as a tool of self discovery.

Exploring the Energy of the Planets w/ Peggy Foster

Thursdays (2 Sessions) Nov 3, 10 6-8pm CST • Online

$30 Per Session • $50 Full Series

Exploring the Energy and Sacred Geometry of the Planets

The goal of the first session is to dive into the purpose of each planet in our birth chart. Where the planets were located when you were born is a blueprint of what your soul wanted you to learn and experience. This class will also explore meditation and journaling techniques to listen to the wisdom of the planets in your birth chart. All participants will need to provide their birth-date, time, and location by Mon, 10/31/22, to be able to participate in the class.

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.

Lectio Divina w/ Pat Jones • Online Only

Mondays • Nov 28 & Dec 5, 12, 19 • 9-10am CST FREE ***Limited space available, please register only if you WILL attend all 4 sessions***

Lectio Divina 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. This four-step process for being with Scripture in a prayerful manner includes: Reading; Meditating; Praying; and Contemplating. You will experience this ancient prayer form in a group setting, though it is easily adapted to individual practice and can be incorporated into your prayer life.

Register Online

Online Registration: Register for events online at www.wisdomwayscenter.org/events for upcoming events or a find a complete list of events here: www.wisdomwayscenter.org/events-calendar

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Fill in your information by following through the prompts, until you receive a confirmation page.

If you have questions or are having difficulty, please call our office at 651-696-2794, we’re happy to assist you!

If you have a discount code, enter it here, and click “Apply”

Wisdom Ways Spirituality Library is now open!

We welcome you to enjoy our extensive collection in our Wisdom Ways Spirituality Library, Rm 106 open during the Carondelet Center’s hours of operation. We’re continuing to update our literary resources to further support Wisdom Ways’ revised mission statement, events calendar, and the interests of our patrons.

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Celeste’s Dream Young Adult Spirituality 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 While you are there, 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

·

CSJ Way

· Earth Day and other Ecological Justice events

· From Mask to Mirror: Beauty and You

· Open the Door: Prayer & Discernment Retreat

· Spiritual Guidance

· Twin Cities Nuns & Nones

· Visiting Women’s Religious Communities

Community Garden 2022 Join us!

Weekly gardening Tuesdays 5-7pm CST May-Oct 2022

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

You are welcome to join us for harvest, cultivation, food processing and potluck gatherings. To learn more visit www.csjstpaul.org/celeste

• Learn organic growing methods •

• Enjoy healthy heirloom produce •

• Participate in a local food system •

• Build community with Earth and other gardeners •

• Share the harvest •

Second Sunday | Second Sunday of each month, 10am • Carondelet Center, 1890 Randolph Ave. St. Paul, MN Sunday by Sunday is an abiding community circle in its 36th year of gathering on the second Sunday of each month at Carondelet Center in the clement months, on zoom in the dark and icy winter. Our circle welcomes newcomers to reflect together with us on the Sunday scriptures. Second Sunday began among the Sisters of St. Joseph in three community houses. Today many friends and consociates join us. We reflect on the Sunday gospel and nourish one another’s lives with this sharing. We share bread and wine and lift up the prayers of all gathered for our families, communities, and world. We drink coffee and enjoy treats. The groups bring new blessings each month.

Contact: Therese Sherlock CSJ 612-722-3914

CSJ Membership and Association Informational Sessions:

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.

Wednesday, Sep 28, 2022 6:30-8pm or Thursday, Feb 2, 2023 6:30-8pm

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 Website: https://www.csjstpaul.org/

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 and pricing

https://carondeletcenter.org

1890 Randolph Ave • St. Paul, MN 5505

Call: 651-696-2750

Text us at: 612-439-5138

Gratitude

Many of us are feeling out of sorts lately. As unlikely as it sounds, it is possible to start every day in a positive mood, energized, ready to take on the world. Instead of allowing anxiety and fear to spiral in your mind, you can choose to use intentionality and gratitude to take control of your mind and refocus on the good. Day by day as you create the habit of appreciating life more, you’ll find yourself feeling happier. So why not try a gratitude journal? A gratitude journal is a tool to keep track of the good things in life. No matter how difficult, exhausting, and defeating life can sometimes seem, there is always something to feel grateful for.

We invite you to spend some time reflecting on the following prompts:

• What are you grateful for in the stage of your life that you are in right now?

• What growth have you seen in yourself during the current COVID-19 pandemic that you are grateful for?

• Describe your feelings of gratitude for someone special in your life.

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

“You are your best thing”

“The sharing of joy, whether physical, emotional, psychic or intellectual, forms a bridge between the sharers which can be the basis for understanding much of what is not shared between them, and lessen the threat of difference.”

- Audre Lorde

—Meister Eckhart

-Toni Morrison

Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality

A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

1890 Randolph Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55105