WINTER/SPRING 2021
Tending A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105 www.wisdomwayscenter.org
WELCOME
TENDING
The Wisdom Ways theme for Winter/Spring 2021 is TENDING. Tending is a prophetic act, a reckoning, a turning-toward and a facing of reality, informed by abiding presence and love.
We have crossed the threshold into a new year, and yet, are acutely aware of persistent wounds brought vividly to the forefront in 2020. Wounds heal only when they are tended— diagnosed for what they are, acknowledged for the pain and discomfort they bring or cause, given persistent and proper care, and mindfully protected from further harm. We cannot cover up what has transpired nor rush healing through quick, temporary solutions. We can only move forward by tending to all that is asking to be seen and heard—from our Earth, throughout our communities, and within ourselves. It is through this lifegiving practice of tending that we will find what is necessary to bring about genuine and authentic healing.
OUR MISSION
In these coming months, you are invited to explore what is asking to be tended within your heart and your community. To maintain the safety of our community, our programming will remain virtual. Wisdom Ways will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and discern when it is most safe for us to gather in-person. Wisdom Ways Staff
EXPLORE. REIMAGINE. EMBODY.
Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality offers programs to explore the spiritual dimensions of contemporary life for women and men and to reimagine and embody all that we can be as agents of transformation in church and society. Established in 1994, Wisdom Ways is a sponsored ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province, who build their ministries around love of God and the dear neighbor without distinction. Your comments are welcome. Please contact us at 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org to share ideas or to notify us of address changes.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER: CAROLYN HOLBROOK Carolyn Holbrook is a writer, educator, and longtime advocate for the healing power of the arts. She is the author of an essay collection, Tell Me Your Names and I Will Testify, a chapbook, Earth Angels, and co-author of Minnesota civil rights icon Dr. Josie R. Johnson’s memoir, Hope in the Struggle. Her personal essays have been published in A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota and Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota. She is founder and artistic/ executive director of More Than a Single Story, for which she won a Minnesota Women’s Press Changemaker award. She teaches creative writing at the Loft Literary Center and other community venues, and at Hamline University, where she won the Exemplary Teacher award in 2014. COVER IMAGE: This Winter/Spring’s cover image is by artist Lori Greene. It is a portion of a fuller mosaic that appears at Brittany’s Place: The Safe and Sound Shelter for Girls, an organization that protects girls who have been trafficked. Lori will be part of Tending to Our Souls: Art Practices. You can read more about her and this program on page 23.
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
WINTER/SPRING 2021
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES * Writing the Sacred Journey: Introductory Workshop
Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
* More Than a Single Story: Healing the Pain of 2020............... 4 * Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping.......................................................... 5 * Artist Reflection Series: chats at the gates............................ 6 * Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness......................................... 6 * Steeping in the Wisdom of Mary Oliver’s Poetry..................... 7 * Compassion in Challenging Times: Etty Hillesum and Us...... 7 * Deepening Spiritual Direction Practice: 3 Frameworks to Enliven You and Your Clients....................... 8 * Living Water............................................................................. 9 * Sacred Sites Tour..................................................................... 9
Reimagine
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
* Poetry’s Prophetic Tending.................................................... 10 * Storytending: Cultivating Compassion for Self and Others.... 10 * Ethical Wills: Creating Your Legacy of Values, Hopes, and Life Lessons........................................................ 11 * Seven Portal Sky: A Birth Story of Afrofuturist Medicine in Minneapolis........................................................ 11 * Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together.............................................................. 12 * Introduction to the Enneagram: 9 Ways to Move from Trance to Dance.................................. 12 * Pathways to Presence: 9 Journeys to Deepened Relationships with Self, Others, and the Divine.................... 13 MEN’S SPIRITUALITY * Centering Prayer Circle......................................................... 14 * Yoga for Men.......................................................................... 14 * The Idea of the Common Good: Then and Now .................... 15 * A Journey without a Guidebook: The Joys, Dreams, and Disappointments of Fatherhood..................................... 15
Embody
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
MEDITATION * Tuesday Evening Christian Meditation.................................. 20 * Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent................ 20
on Spiritual Memoir............................................................... 21 * Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Writing Sessions........ 21 * Writer’s Circle: Tending Writer and Writing.......................... 22 * Tending to our Souls: Art Practices...................................... 23 * Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey............................ 24 * Morning Altars: Nourishment through Nature, Art, and Ritual........................................................................ 24
ART EXHIBITS AND CLASSES * the Nine Gates: thresholds of a spiritual journey................. 25 * Icons: Windows to the Holy.................................................... 26 * Off Course & On Path............................................................. 27 ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ~ SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH SPIRITUALITY MINISTRIES Celeste’s Dream: Young Adult Spirituality............................... 28 Membership and Association................................................... 28 Rituals to Honor the Seasons................................................... 29 Second Sunday.......................................................................... 29 Spiritual Direction..................................................................... 29
EVENTS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY * Myser Initiative....................................................................... 31 * Goodman Lecture.................................................................. 31 * The Everyday Sacred............................................................. 31 CALENDAR OF PROGRAMS ....................................32-33 WISDOM WAYS LABYRINTH RESOURCES TO RENT .................................................... 34 INDEX & REGISTRATION INFORMATION ..........34-35 To continue to care for our community, most of Wisdom Ways’ programs will take place online. Some spring programs will be held outside, although Wisdom Ways will keep monitoring the ability to safely gather in person. Please check our website for updates. Wisdom Ways remains dedicated to ensuring your program experience is one of welcome and hospitality no matter the learning format. We welcome your feedback as we are learning via these new modalities. After registering for an online program, and 24-48 hours prior to the start of the class, participants will receive an email with online course details and resources. If you have questions about the technical requirements of our courses or about potential modifications, please check the course description on the Wisdom Ways website, www.wisdomwayscenter.org, or contact the Wisdom Ways Office at 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org.
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Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
MORE THAN A SINGLE STORY: HEALING THE PAIN OF 2020
Houa Lor was born in Thailand and raised in the US. Her awakening started in 2017 when she began her shaman journey into a world where the spirits and the living meet. In 2019, she raised her altar and fully committed herself to healing others. She is the author of three books, founder of the film company Houa Productions, and has directed two feature-length Hmong films.
In this More Than a Single Story event, Black, Indigenous and People of Color healers discuss the traumas of 2020 and the role that healing plays in communities of color, from the changing needs of clients due to COVID-19 to the murder of George Floyd. Featuring: Ihotu Jennifer Ali, Janice Bad Moccasin, Didi Koka, MD, Houa Lor, Resmaa Menakem, and Sun Yung Shin.
Resmaa Menakem is the founder of the Cultural Somatics Institute and author of the New York Times bestseller My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies. He is a leading voice in today’s conversation on racialized trauma and Somatic Abolitionism. Learn more at resmaa.com and culturalsomaticsuniversity.thinkific.com.
This event is funded by Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality and Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Moderator and Panelists (for full bios, please visit the Wisdom Ways website): Carolyn Holbrook: To learn more about Carolyn, see page 2 & 16. Ihotu Jennifer Ali is an integrative medicine doctoral student, abdominal therapist, doula, and writer on spiritual healing. A founding member of the Minnesota Healing Justice Network, Ihotu has global experience in human rights, health policy, and solidarity economics. She is the author of selfpublished Seven Portal Sky, a workbook for healing and justice after George Floyd. Ihotu writes on culture, medicine, solidarity and liberation. Janice Bad Moccasin is an enrolled tribal member of the Crow Creek Hunkpati Dakota nation. She is Dakota/Lakota tribal lineage. Janice is a lifelong ceremonial Sundancer for over 20 years. A healing practitioner with horses and human relationships, she facilitates healing with metaphors and her personal ceremonial concepts. She owns a part time equine cultural therapeutic practice called Horse Nation Transformations. Didi Koka, MD, is a poet, physician and practitioner. She has been a family physician in community medicine in the Twin Cities for 20 years, serving as Medical Director of Hennepin Healthcare East Lake Clinic for 10 of those years. She holds a MFA in poetry from Hamline University and has participated in many local readings including Heal the Earth Poetry Collective, Cracked Walnut festivals and Literary Peace Series. 4
All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
Sun Yung Shin’s three books of poetry include the Minnesota Book Award-winner Unbearable Splendor. She is editor of two anthologies including A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, and author/coauthor of two children’s books. With fellow Korean immigrant poet Su Hwang, she codirects Poetry Asylum. She is a biodynamic craniosacral therapist and Reiki Level III practitioner. More at www.sunyungshin.com. WHEN: Wednesday, January 27,
6:30 to 8:00 pm CT via Zoom RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org
COST: Donation.
Hennepin County Libraries will host the below workshops as part of More Than a Single Story, featuring two of these panelists. Writing from a Place of Deep Listening: A Path to Healing WHEN: Tuesday, February 16, 6:30 to 8:30 pm CT; facilitated by Didi Koka and limited to 20 participants. LEARN MORE/REGISTER: Hennepin County Libraries: hclib.org. Poetry Holds Our Multitudes WHEN: Thursday, February 25, 6:00 to 8:00 pm CT; facilitated by Sun Yung Shin and limited to 20 participants. LEARN MORE/REGISTER: Hennepin County Libraries: hclib.org.
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WINTER/SPRING 2021
HEDGEROW INITIATIVE The Hedgerow Initiative offers sustained, systematic programming in feminist theological education, spiritual integration, and leadership for a just and holy world. In a particular way, the Initiative highlights the scholarship of women who since the 1950s have worked to reclaim women’s presence and significance in scripture, church, history, theology and culture. The Initiative takes its name from the hedgerow schools in Ireland that kept alive the language, faith, culture and community of the people during the time of the British penal codes. A hedgerow is a biosphere and a haven.
WELLSPRINGS OF EARTHKEEPING, LITURGY OF HOMEKEEPING In this online course, we will explore the wellsprings of survival and resilience that Black mothers, grandmothers, other-mothers, seasoned in suffering deep as the earth many worked. As we work for inclusive justice, womanist writers insist that the era of Jim Crow and people enslaved to work in other’s fields last in family memory. New immigrants carry memories of their lands, beauty, violence and loss. At the intersections of our lives on our street corners we meet others from elsewhere, other cultures, other languages, mixed races. In our polarized times people love to hold differences against others. This is a course in learning from differences and drawing on the learnings to heal our planet home.
the land, streets, geography of their home place and identify activities and advocacy to preserve our planet home. Using our writing, we’ll create our own Liturgy of Home for the last session. Our virtual class will include pre-recorded lecture, smalland large-group discussion, and access to a private course webpage. Harris’ and Williams’ books will be our primary texts. Purchase them online from your local bookstore. Instructors: Taiyon Coleman, PhD, St. Catherine University; Nancy Corcoran, CSJ, MTS; Colleen Carpenter, PhD; Nancy Victorin-Vangerud, PhD; Andrea Pearson Tande, MA; Joan Mitchell, CSJ, PhD; Per Da Vang, PhD, MSW. WHEN: Mondays,
February 8 - April 26, 6:30 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $240.00 for the 12-week series; $25.00 for a single session
Come explore the seven approaches Melanie Harris offers in Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth-Honoring Faiths and the ways Terry Tempest Williams combines a spirituality of beauty with advocacy for preservation of her beloved red-rock lands in southern Utah and the expanses of the Great Salt Lake. We’ll probe the erosion of home, safety, democracy, and belief in her book Erosion: Essays on Undoing and her essay “Liturgy of Home.” Using prompts, participants will write about www.wisdomwayscenter.org
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Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions
ARTIST REFLECTION SERIES MARK’S GOSPEL: chats at the gates THE WHOLE STORY, ITS THRESHOLDS OF FAITH, ITS WITNESS “ Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in.” * LEONARD COHEN, ANTHEM
Join brush painter Bob Schmitt for three meditative evening chats, each focused on three of his Nine Gates scrolls: darkness, longing, abandonment, rage, emptiness, compassion, unbridled joy, oneness, and delusion. (See page 25.) Bob will share his process of creating these images, which are grounded in the particulars of his own journey. Come enter into the energy held by each scroll and share the words, sounds, images and movements stirred from within as we explore the thresholds of spiritual journeys. Facilitator: Bob Schmitt is a student and teacher of Chinese calligraphy and painting. He is also a practicing Quaker. He lives, paints and teaches from his little yellow cottage just blocks from Minnehaha Falls. He began brush painting as a 12-year-old watching public TV and has studied weekly with a Chinese painting master for the last 20+ years. Learn more at www.laughingwatersstudio.com. WHEN: Tuesdays,
February 16, 23 and March 2, 7:00 to 8:00 pm CT via Zoom COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
The first gospel to be written, Mark’s gospel uniquely preserves the way early communities told and shaped Jesus’ story in their oral traditions. The gospel we receive not only hands on Jesus’ teachings but proclaims the first Christians’ faith that Jesus’ resurrection affirms he is the messiah and God’s son. The faith of these eyewitness disciples colors the whole story and fills the narrative with rich oral artistry and theological insights. The written gospel calls new generations to faith as it travels through time. Join in a fresh look at the first gospel as a whole, its cycles of oral tradition, its use and deconstruction—and the women disciples who are present but barely visible. Learn skills for deepening your own reading and interpretation of the gospels as we read Mark at Sunday Eucharist in the 2021 liturgical year. Course sessions will use Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story by Joan Mitchell, available at goodgroundpress.com, and the New Testament. Sessions will include presentation and small and large group conversation. Facilitator: Joan Mitchell, CSJ, PhD WHEN: Thursdays
January 21, 28; February 4, 11; March 25; April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; May 6, 13, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $15.00/individual session; $150.00 for twelve-part series
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STEEPING IN THE WISDOM OF MARY OLIVER’S POETRY “ Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.” * FROM MARY OLIVER’S “THE USES OF SORROW”
Throughout the span of her poetry, Mary Oliver placed into dialogue observations of the natural world and realizations about the human, spiritual experience. Come read and reflect on this dialogue through individual reflection and in small and large groups. Plan to join us from your home with your journal, a cup of your favorite tea, and your favorite wisdom from Mary Oliver. Facilitators: Karina Sieber is an advocate for the power of healing and the arts to restore a healthier and more loving reality for more authentic expression, connection and growth. She is a St. Joseph Worker with Celeste’s Dream and the CSJ Justice Office.
An enthusiast for Mary Oliver and the ways her poems nudge the spiritual growth of humanity, Jill Underdahl, CSJ, is Co-Director of Celeste’s Dream: Young Adult Spirituality and a certified spiritual director. WHEN: Wednesdays,
February 10 and 24, 7:00 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $20.00 for two sessions
COMPASSION IN CHALLENGING TIMES: ETTY HILLESUM AND US “ It is sometimes hard to take in and comprehend, oh God, what those created in Your likeness do to each other in these disjointed days. But I no longer shut myself away in my room, … I try to look things straight in the face, even the worst crimes, and to discover the small, naked human being amid the monstrous wreckage caused by [people]’s senseless deeds. ….” * E TTY HILLESUM
In a day and age when compassion and community can seem in short supply, we turn to Etty Hillesum (1914-1943). In early 1941, Etty Hillesum was coming of age intellectually, spiritually and socially in Amsterdam when she began keeping a diary. Nazis had occupied Holland for less than a year, and
as Etty’s external world became smaller with each successive restriction of Jewish freedoms, she carefully tended her space within, stocking it with all that she cherished and needed for the challenges ahead.
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Conversations about Sacred Wisdom, Divine Mysteries and Human Questions Etty once wryly noted there was so much barbed wire at Westerbork that it could be hard to tell whether one was being fenced in or out. Fittingly, her journals offer us wise guidance for crossing the barbed divisions of our own time. She demonstrated another way, a way of love that she consciously cultivated and equally consciously passed on to others in her written pages. Realizing that the struggle for inner peace is one with the struggle for justice and the end of war, Etty refused to accept escape from the Nazi transit camp and continued her search for meaning through her own reflections and in service to others. How do we shoulder the common challenges of our times— not only with all of humanity but with the Earth itself and all life upon it? Come explore her philosophical and theological reflections to discover how Etty’s story can be a source of healing for all of us. April 27: Etty Hillesum as Witness to Healing and Wholeness Mary Kaye Medinger, MA, writer, editor, spiritual director and retreat leader. Following a brief introduction to the life and times of Etty Hillesum, Mary Kaye will speak of her own relationship with Etty in writing across time and space. May 4: She Did Not Speak Leslie Morris, PhD, a scholar of German Jewish and Holocaust literature, is the Beverly and Richard Fink Professor in Liberal Arts, Professor of German and Chair of the Department of German, Nordic, Slavic and Dutch at the University of Minnesota, and former Director of UM’s the Center for Jewish Studies. She will read from She Did Not Speak, her hybrid, experimental memoir that moves between her family’s complex buried Holocaust history and a mysterious illness that came shortly after making a trip to Budapest to meet her newly discovered family.
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
Rabbi Morris Allen is the Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Jacob Congregation in Mendota Heights. He began his service as the first rabbi of the Congregation in 1986 and formally retired in June 2019. In that time, Beth Jacob became nationally recognized for creating an engaged and intentional community. May 11: Can Religion Help Heal a World Broken by Trauma? Etty Hillesum as our Ancestor in the “Qahal goyim” (sacred assembly) William (Bill) McDonough STL, STD, professor of moral theology, coordinator of the Master of Arts in Theology program at St. Catherine University, and two-time presenter at the Etty Hillesum International Conference, will use Etty’s writings to feed our moral imagination. WHEN: Tuesdays,
April 27, May 4, and May 11, 6:30 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $65.00 for the series/$25.00 per individual session
DEEPENING SPIRITUAL DIRECTION PRACTICE: 3 FRAMEWORKS TO ENLIVEN YOU AND YOUR CLIENTS Spiritual guidance is fulfilling and challenging work: fulfilling because the people we meet and the stories they tell are fascinating and varied, complex because we can often get stuck. We can feel we lack a broad enough range of tools to meet the complexities we face. This course is for new and seasoned spiritual directors who want to tend to their craft. It’s for those who will value some additional tools and frameworks for this sacred work. We will look at three methods which deepen our assessments of what’s really going on for clients—discerning their dominant mindsets, clarifying feelings that underlie thought patterns, and identifying three phases within a client session in order to focus on what is most helpful to address within each
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phase. Using these methods, we will explore how to engage clients when their core issues have surfaced. Sessions will include presentations and large group discussions. Facilitator: Scott McRae believes spiritual direction is essential work for these troubling times. And, as people become more troubled, the work gets more challenging. A spiritual director for 20 years, 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, he also runs Sojourners Institute with his wife Melanie. Learn more at www.sojournersinstitute.com. WHEN: Tuesday, COST: $35.00
May 20: Blessing the Water Come learn from our relatives in the Eastern and Ethiopian Orthodox Churches, who have rich traditions for blessing the water. Our contemplative practice is inspired by the Eastern Orthodox Great Blessing of the Waters. Knowing our roots will add richness and grounding to our practice. Facilitator: Dancer, healer and teacher Emily Jarrett Hughes helps people seeking transformation for themselves and for the world. She teaches and performs traditional dances as a tool for transformation and leads workshops and retreats exploring embodied theology, cosmic evolution, water and social transformation. Emily blogs at wisdomdances.com.
April 20, 7:00 to 9:00 pm CT via Zoom WHEN: Thursdays
LIVING WATER
COST:
Have you felt the impulse to recharge by the water? Come explore how richly meaningful praying by the water can be, grounded in tradition and connecting us with our community. A 45-minute presentation will prepare you for 30 minutes of practice. Meditative songs and readings will help you enter into silent contemplation. Through stories, Christian mysticism, the watershed, and justice movements, we will explore the depth and significance of contemplation by the water. May 6: Living Water The Scripture expression “Living Water” invites us to ponder how the water is alive. Standing on the banks of the flowing Mississippi we cannot help but observe the life of the water and the life around it. Come explore the idea that water holds consciousness and a memory of our geological, indigenous, and modern history. Contemplating by the water helps our hearts–not just our minds–connect with the aliveness of water, and kindles a mystical inner wellspring of living water. May 13: Immersing Ourselves in the Water This session is about immersing ourselves in the water and being transformed by that encounter. Water connects us all and our watershed links us together in what Brock Dolman calls a “basin of relationships.” We will explore how baptism can be an initiation into deeper relatedness. You will also learn the three ways the concept of Watershed Discipleship (from the title of Ched Myers’ anthology) invites us to immerse ourselves in loving this holy and sacred created world.
May 6, 13, and 20, 1:30 to 3:30 pm at a local Twin Cities park TBD. (Rain date May 27) $60.00
SACRED SITES TOUR As part of Healing Minnesota Stories’ effort to create dialogue, understanding and healing between Native and non-Native peoples, we gather to immerse ourselves in Minnesota history from a Native perspective as we experience Dakota history, culture and sacred sites through storytelling and are present to one another through silence/meditation/reflection and sharing. Our time together aims to create greater awareness and understanding of the Dakota people, the original people of this area, who too often are invisible in their homeland. Facilitator: A member of the StockbridgeMunsee Mohican Nation of central Wisconsin, Jim Bear Jacobs is a cultural facilitator who works to raise the public’s awareness of American Indian causes and injustices, and founder/ director of Healing Minnesota Stories, a group dedicated to creating events of dialogue and education between Native communities and interfaith organizations. WHEN: Monday,
COST:
June 14, 5:00 to 9:00 pm Limited to 15 participants. Must register before event. Dress for an extended walk on uneven terrain. Because of COVID safety, participants drive themselves from site to site. An itinerary will be provided. $45.00
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New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
POETRY’S PROPHETIC TENDING
Like her Dakota ancestors, fiber artist and poet Gwen Nell Westerman lives in southern Minnesota. Her roots are deep in the landscape of the tallgrass prairie, and reveal themselves in her art and writing through the languages and traditions of her family. Gwen was at Wisdom Ways in April 2018.
Poetry is a prophetic vessel through which the truth of any moment may be tended and brought to the surface where it can inform those changes that are calling us to action. Come and savor four evenings with poets returning to Wisdom Ways. Each will engage in conversation about the place and importance of poetry in our time, share poems of their own and others that have inspired and spoken to them this past year, and answer participant questions. Their words will tend to our deepest longings and be a prophetic witness within our uncertain times.
Mark Nepo devotes his writing and teaching to the journey of inner transformation and the life of relationship. Author of 22 books and 15 audio projects, his newest is The Book of Soul. He is a columnist for Spirituality and Health magazine. Mark visited Wisdom Ways in April 2019.
February 11: Naomi Shihab Nye | T uning In - That Poem is Trying to Find You March 11: Sagirah Shahid | C ontemplative Poetry and Resistance April 8: Gwen Nell Westerman | Listening to the Land May 13: Mark Nepo | The Wisdom of a Broken-Open Heart POETS: (for full bios, please visit the Wisdom Ways website) Naomi Shihab Nye is the author and/or editor of more than 30 volumes, including poetry, essays, short stories, and novels for young readers. Her new book is Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems. Naomi visited Wisdom Ways in March 2016 and 2017. Sagirah Shahid is a Minneapolis-based Black American Muslim writer, educator, and one of the curators of the Sunflower Room. Her debut poetry collection Surveillance of Joy is forthcoming from Half Mystic Press. Sagirah visited Wisdom Ways in Fall 2019.
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
WHEN: Thursdays,
February 11, March 11, April 8, and May 13, 7:00 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $35.00 for the series; $10.00 for each individual session
STORYTENDING: CULTIVATING COMPASSION FOR SELF AND OTHERS While none of us can rewrite our life’s history, we can re-author the stories we tell about our lives. Doing so has vast implications. Those who tell more redemptive stories tend to lead more generative lives. The more beauty, truth, and goodness we come to see in ourselves, the more beauty, truth, and goodness we tend to see in the world and its peoples. This daylong retreat is designed for all those who yearn to discern where lifegiving meaning can be found in our stories—both others’ and our own. Our day together will be devoted to periods of prayerful introspection, personal writing, and deep storytending in small groups.
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Facilitator: Diane M. Millis teaches Narrative Leadership at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. An author, educator, retreat facilitator, inspirational speaker, and spiritual director, her most recent book is Re-Creating a Life: Learning How to Tell Our Most Life-Giving Story. WHEN: Friday,
February 26, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm CT via Zoom (this class will have a break) COST: $85.00; You are encouraged to read Diane’s book prior to this retreat.
ETHICAL WILLS: CREATING YOUR LEGACY OF VALUES, HOPES, AND LIFE LESSONS How can we sum up our life purpose, lessons, values, wisdom and dreams for ourselves and future generations? This two-part session introduces the concept of The Legacy Journey™ and its three pathways: • Legacy of Values – An Ethical Will/Legacy Letter • Legacy of Wisdom – Life Reflection Stories • Legacy of Generosity – A Making a Difference Plan Both sessions will help you create your Ethical Will/Legacy Letter—a heartfelt and compassionate letter to summarize and share your values, faith, beliefs, hopes for the future, life lessons, gratitude, love, and forgiveness with family, friends and community. You will begin the process in session one, have time to continue drafting your letter between sessions, and complete the process in session two. The registration fee is tiered based on which materials you select to work through your Ethical Will. See details below.
WHEN: Wednesdays,
March 10 and 24, 4:30 to 6:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $85.00 for class and softcover workbook only (mailed to you); $85.00 for the class and online workbook portal access only; $100.00 for class, softcover workbook and online workbook portal. This program is made possible by the Wisdom Ways Men’s Spirituality Program.
SEVEN PORTAL SKY: A BIRTH STORY OF AFROFUTURIST MEDICINE IN MINNEAPOLIS This 8-week course is a space to support and expand the self-care practices of health care workers, caregivers, teachers, activists and anyone with heavy spirits right now. Seven Portal Sky is part workbook, part autobiography, and part dream. It details a vision for healing justice and daily practices for moving with and through the emotions—from overwhelm and fear, to anger and grief—arising for many of us in these winds of change. These traditional medicine practices offer us ways to stay present, to stay in our bodies, and remain in the ongoing struggle for healing as individuals and as a nation. Ihotu Jennifer Ali, MPH, LMT, will guide you through poems, stories, and visual art from Seven Portal Sky, designed to shift and balance your energy field, as you explore seven chakras (from the Yoga tradition) and seven Orisha spirit archetypes (from the Nigerian Yoruba tradition). You’ll experiment with a weekly set of simple practices based on indigenous concepts of earth, water, fire, ecosystem, wind, light, and sky that can gently support your physical health (digestion, nervous and immune systems, and menstrual health), mental and emotional health, and offer ways to deepen your practice of justice and solidarity as allies. Facilitator: Learn more about Ihotu Jennifer Ali on page 4.
Facilitator: Barry K. Baines, MD, pioneered the use of ethical wills in hospice and palliative care and other settings. His books and resources on the topic have been featured nationally. He is a hospice medical director and vice president of Celebrations of Life, which provides resources and training on ethical wills.
WHEN:
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COST:
April 5 to May 24; Using the online portal, you will read and reflect at your own pace each week. Includes opportunities to build online community and two Zoom calls. Limited to 20 participants. $195.00
651-696-2788
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REIMAGINE
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF WORKING TOGETHER We live in a moment of tremendous hope and opportunity—a moment that’s ripe for us to address social, environmental and economic issues far too long ignored, and to do so with courage, compassion and commitment. Come encounter and embrace a framework and a process to help us meet this moment successfully and with the recognition that we cannot do this alone. Focusing on the question Who do we need to be to have the transformative conversations we need to have?, this interactive workshop offers a powerful set of research-based principles and strategies that will equip you to creatively engage in meaningful and productive dialogue with anyone—an essential skill if we’re to heal, resolve, and move forward together as one. Through presentations, small- and large-group discussion, and exercises, you will more deeply understand: • The psychological and neurological dynamics that turn conversations into conflicts. • How a focus on relationship can unlock new possibilities for radical transformation. • How your personal story can be both a barrier and a bridge to understanding and resolution. • How to look “beyond” your personal story to access more easily and deeply your innate capacity for connection, creativity and collaboration. • How to apply these tools and strategies to a difficult conversation in your own life.
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
Facilitator: Kern Beare is a former Silicon Valley communications professional with deep roots in interpersonal communication and conflict resolution. In 2016 Kern launched the Difficult Conversations Project to help address our national divide. He leads non-profit seminars and workshops on how to heal relationships and unleash our capacity for creative collaboration. WHEN: Thursdays,
May 20, 27, and June 3, 6:00 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $75.00 for the series This program is made possible by the Wisdom Ways Men’s Spirituality Program.
INTRODUCTION TO THE ENNEAGRAM: 9 WAYS TO MOVE FROM TRANCE TO DANCE We often get lulled into thinking that things will get easier if only our outer circumstances change. The Enneagram is a map for shifting our inner lives so that we flourish more in our outer lives. It is a system for self-development that uses a nine-pointed figure to portray nine basic personality styles. Each type views life through a different lens. Each type falls into a trance that is unique to it, relying on patterns that become a kind of sleepwalking. And, each type has a unique pathway to freedom. Weaving together ancient wisdom, contemporary psychology, and contemplative spirituality, the Enneagram is a tool that transforms lives. During this self-paced, three-week online independent study, you will take a deep dive into what is quickly becoming one of the most referenced human development tools throughout the world. View Scott’s video lectures, interact with reflection questions, engage with other participants in a private Facebook group (optional), and access additional supplemental materials to guide you in your learning journey. Two Zoom calls offer an opportunity to ask questions and interact with Scott and other participants. Facilitator: Learn more about Scott McRae on page 9. WHEN: May 3 to COST: $95.00
May 25
REIMAGINE
WINTER/SPRING 2021
PATHWAYS TO PRESENCE: 9 JOURNEYS TO DEEPENED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SELF, OTHERS, AND THE DIVINE We each possess a treasure within us that can remain hidden. The journey of human and spiritual growth requires peeling back layers of mistaken identity. As we see through these layers, we move closer to our essential self. At the same time, each uncovering enables us to relate more openly and honestly with others. And each movement toward our essence expands our capacity for Divine connection and guidance. This three-part online course will explore how each type tends to and deepens its “I-We-Thou” journey. We will explore the entrapments and conditioning that lock us into our dominant Enneagram type. We’ll explore the 9 pathways that free us into a state of Presence. And we’ll describe the 9 ways this Presence opens us to a deeper relationship with self (the I), others (the We) and the Holy (the Thou). Some background on the Enneagram will be helpful but not essential. Sessions will include presentations, personal reflection, breakout groups, and large group discussions. Facilitator: Learn more about Scott McRae on page 9. WHEN: Tuesdays,
March 16, 23, and 30, 7:00 to 8:45 pm CT via Zoom COST: $135.00 for the series
“ Learn to be quiet enough to hear the genuine within yourself so that you can hear it in others.” * MARIAN WRIGHT EDELMAN
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651-696-2788
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REIMAGINE
New and Emerging Ideas and Understandings
MEN’S SPIRITUALITY Exploring Men’s Personal Journeys of Spiritual Growth To preserve a sacred space for men to explore their spirituality together, we ask that only men register for the sessions. Coordinator: Terry Shaughnessy is a spiritual director trained in Ignatian Spirituality through the Masters in Christian Spirituality Program at Creighton University. For Contemplative Outreach of Colorado and other venues, he conducts retreats and workshops and teaches Centering Prayer. His primary passion is offering the ministry of compassionate presence to support men from a variety of backgrounds to tend to their inner lives. To learn more about spiritual direction, contact Terry at 651-328-7675.
CENTERING PRAYER CIRCLE YOGA FOR MEN Wisdom Ways Men’s Centering Prayer circles have been creating a hope-filled space for men to gather in person over the past six years. 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. Facilitators: Louie Doering is currently retired and is a group leader for Centering Prayer groups at St. Stanislaus Parish in St. Paul.
Experience the benefits of yoga and tending to your body without needing to touch your toes. This class is designed for the less flexible among us. Explore a variety of accessible yoga postures and tune in to the sensations of your body and your breath. This practice will help you to release tension and become more present within your body. It is suggested that one has a chair, a strap, a blanket and a yoga block. We will start with an Introductory session, followed by four practice sessions. Facilitator: Yoga teacher, massage therapist and health and wellness coach Chris Gordon owns and directs Big River Yoga. Chris applies the ancient wisdom teachings of yoga and meditation to modern life. His teaching is clear, down to earth and accessible. WHEN: Introductory
Terry Shaughnessy is the Wisdom Ways Men’s Spirituality Coordinator. W ednesdays, February 3, 17; March 3, 17, 31; April 14, 28; May 12, 26; and June 9, 23, 7:30 to 8:15 am CT via Zoom COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
session, Monday, February 1, 9:00 to 9:45 am CT via Zoom; four practice sessions February 8, 15, 22, and March 1, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm CT via Zoom COST: Introductory session is free; $15.00/individual practice session or $50.00 for all four
REIMAGINE
WINTER/SPRING 2021
THE IDEA OF THE COMMON GOOD: THEN AND NOW Catholic teaching describes the common good as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.” This presentation and discussion will focus on the meaning of the common good and the moral ideas supporting the idea of the common good. It will then consider whether the common good is a viable public moral principle today. Facilitator: Bernard Brady is a professor of Theology and Associate Director of the Office for Mission at the University of St. Thomas. His books include Essential Catholic Social Thought, Be Good and Do Good, and The Moral Bond of Community.
Participants should reflect on the following questions and be prepared to speak for a few minutes on what their experience with fatherhood has taught them: • What is the best choice you made as a father? • What do you regret having done? • What did you learn from your father, positively or negatively, that influenced the way you raised or hope to raise your children? • Based on your experience as a father or a son, what single piece of advice would you give to a man about to become a father? • What single value did you/do you most want to impart to your children? Facilitator: Kent Nerburn is the highly acclaimed author and editor of 14 books on spiritual values and Native American themes, including Letters to My Son; Neither Wolf nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder; The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder’s Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows; and The Girl who Sang to the Buffalo.
WHEN: Tuesday,
April 13, 4:30 to 6:00 pm CT via Zoom COST: $15.00
A JOURNEY WITHOUT A GUIDEBOOK: THE JOYS, DREAMS, AND DISAPPOINTMENTS OF FATHERHOOD
WHEN: Wednesday,
May 19, 4:30 to 6:00 pm CT via Zoom Please read Letters to My Son beforehand. COST: $30.00
All of us who have been or hope to be fathers have a vision of how we want it to be. But the reality is often far different than we had hoped or expected. All we can know for certain is “as the twig is bent, so grows the tree.” And we often don’t know how we are bending that twig until the tree is grown. In this Zoom workshop, we will share some of our experiences with fatherhood, either as fathers ourselves or as the sons of fathers who influenced us, for good or for ill, with the choices they made.
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In gratitude, we welcome Carolyn Holbrook as the featured writer. In this essay, Carolyn invites the reader to fully face our reality and its systemic implications. Such a turning-towards is necessary if we truly want to enter the work of tending, an integral process on the way to genuine healing. We encourage you to find a comfortable space and contemplatively take in the truth of her words, necessary for a time as this. Reflection questions can be found at the end of Carolyn’s essay; use them throughout these months as part of your tending.
A Time for Reckoning, A Time for Healing
“We prepare for life as it unfolds, not our ideal image of it. That is literally the only path forward.” * ANGEL KYODO WILLIAMS I wrote an article for the Minnesota Women’s Press several months ago. In it, I shared a belief that we are in a time of healing, though at the time, that may not have seemed to be the case. At least not on the surface. As we all know, the state of our planet, our bodies, our political landscape, in fact, the soul of our nation were all amplified in 2020. The novel coronavirus called COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March and has become the largest and deadliest pandemic since the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. Large numbers of hospitalizations and deaths were reported around the world and, surprisingly, the United States has led with the largest numbers of hospitalizations and deaths. And then, shortly after Governor Walz issued a stay-at-home order in an effort to slow the spread of the deadly virus, another pandemic moved front and center on May 25th, Memorial Day. The tragic killing of George Floyd—at that time, the latest example of the uniquely American form of racism in which large numbers of unarmed Black men and women are murdered by law enforcement officers with no consequence to the killers. The murder of George Floyd was videotaped by seventeen-year-old Darnella Frazier who caught all 8 minutes and 46 seconds of the police officer’s knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck while he pleaded over and over, saying that he could not breathe until the end when he called out for his mother. The video went viral and was seen around the world.
C A R O LY N H O L B R O O K
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
The murder of George Floyd was so blatant and shocking that it woke the world up to this phenomenon that African Americans have lived with for over 400 years, since the first slave ship, the Man of War, landed on the shores of Jamestown, VA in 1619. And it is well documented that with the landing of that Dutch slave ship came the first law enforcement officers in America—groups of armed white men called “paddy rollers” who were organized for the sole purpose of monitoring and enforcing discipline upon Black slaves. George Floyd’s murder caused people around the world to stand up and demand the end of the decimation of Black bodies despite the risk of being exposed to COVID-19. But the murders continue. In fact, some that occurred shortly before the death of George Floyd were uncovered. Most notably, that of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery who was stalked and gunned down by a white man and his son while he was out jogging near his home in Brunswick, GA, and the horrific murder of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor, an EMT who was killed in her own home by police officers who had mistaken her home for the residence of a drug dealer. Later, just three months after George Floyd was killed, 29-year-old Jacob Blake was paralyzed from the waist down after having been shot seven times by police in front of his children while trying to get into his car after having broken up a fight. And there is no doubt that many more whose names we may never hear, are being shot and killed regularly. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. At the time of this writing, 263,468 individuals have died and the numbers are predicted to increase exponentially over the holiday season. It is no secret that the outgoing president has fueled the negative environment we are living in today. Even before he was elected in 2016, he continually encouraged his followers to undermine the peace and hopefulness that Barack Obama’s presidency brought to the world—he started the “birther” movement in which he claimed that President Obama was not born in America and encouraged his supporters to believe that Obama was a Muslim which, in the eyes of trump and those who think like him is code for terrorist. Mr. trump has also inflamed unrest by denying climate change, systemic racism, and the coronavirus, even going to far as to make the pandemic a political issue, undermining welldocumented science and discouraging his supporters from taking care of themselves and their loved ones by doing the three very simple things that will help to get it under control, even mocking individuals for wearing masks and
C A R O LY N H O L B R O O K
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maintaining a safe distance from others, and blaming local governments instead of climate change for wildfires that have raged in the western part of our nation. Still, I maintain my belief that we are in a time of healing. It became clear in the early days of stay-at-home orders from many governors when the air became cleaner, less polluted. Today I believe that, more than any other time in history, we have an opportunity to finally heal our hearts and the inbred systems of racism and economics that cause food insecurity, health disparities, educational achievement gaps, housing inequities and more—we have an opportunity to heal ourselves and the earth. Even though we seem to be living in a time of crisis after crisis, I can’t help noticing that nearly every day I get at least one email from someone who is offering healing in some form or another. There are healing meditation circles everywhere and a growing number of dialogue circles where participants are more willing to be real in their conversations about the difficult matters around social justice. Poets, writers and artists, many who felt blocked during the early stages of the pandemic and after the George Floyd murder are now creating beautiful works with words, music and visual art. And finally, the results of the 2020 Presidential election have shown the world that the majority of the American public is yearning for a return to decency, democracy, racial justice, environmental justice and truth that PresidentElect, Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect, Kamala Harris are calling for. Healing may not come easily, though. There are still plenty of people who prefer discord and will continue to attempt to obstruct rather than promote justice and peace. I believe strongly in the healing power of the arts, which is often quiet. People often ask what led me to become a writer. The answer is easy. I was the quiet one in my family. My journal always listened, even when the louder voices overpowered me. Now, as a writer and a teacher of creative writing, I use the quiet power of words to tend to this healing work. Also, as an arts activist, I enjoy bringing people from disparate racial, ethnic and artistic backgrounds together, using the power of the arts to create environments of civic literacy in which BIPOC writers along with other artists and individuals from non-artistic disciplines can discuss issues of importance to them in their own words and their own voices.
C A R O LY N H O L B R O O K
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
Kindness, compassion and respect prevail in these powerful conversations that are often quiet, and audience members from many communities engage with us. The public discussions are often followed by writing workshops that invite participants to explore these topics with other interested people. I love the word “tending.” It implies kindness, compassion, and remaining steadfast in the face of injustice. It shows that we change the world through our everyday actions whether those actions are teaching, writing, or the daily passage of our life experience down to the next generation. That tending is often quiet. While others are blustering and yelling, the healing is taking place quietly and steadfastly. I recently saw an anonymous quote that has been sticking with me. “Sometimes it’s not about the act of praying, or what you think or say when you pray. Sometimes it’s about what you learn while waiting for the answer.” I believe that when we sit in the quiet we find the healing.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
In what ways have the arts been a portal to your healing? What stands out to you in Carolyn’s essay? What is the importance of tending and accepting within the journey to healing?
C A R O LY N H O L B R O O K
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651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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Embody
EMBODY
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
MEDITATION 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. This Winter/Spring, Wisdom Ways invites you to experience Christian contemplative prayer.
TUESDAY EVENING MEDITATION Tuesday evening meditation will continue to gather via Zoom this Winter/Spring. Meditation together is a way of supporting our personal practice. Each session will include an opening prayer, a reading, and a 25-minute silent sitting meditation. Those who have an existing meditation practice are welcome as well as those new to Christian Meditation (instructions available at each session). Facilitators: Deborah Chernick studies the history of Christian contemplative prayer and serves on the board of the Trust for the Meditation Process. Susan Oeffling, CSJ, has master’s degrees in theology and counseling, and spiritual direction training from the Center for Spiritual Guidance. Tuesdays, January 5 - May 25, 7:00 to 7:40 pm CT via Zoom COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
LECTIO DIVINA: MORNINGS OF REFLECTION DURING LENT 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.” This four-step process for being with Scripture in a prayerful manner includes: Reading (Lectio); Meditating (Meditatio); Praying (Oratio); and Contemplating (Contemplatio). Using texts from the Gospel of Thomas, 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. Facilitator: Pat Jones is a spiritual director, Psychologist Emeritus, and former Benedictine. Mondays, February 22, March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, 10:00 to11:00 am CT via Zoom COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
EMBODY
WINTER/SPRING 2021
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WRITING THE SACRED JOURNEY: THE ART AND PRACTICE OF SPIRITUAL MEMOIR
Monthly Writing Sessions: Second Fridays
Introductory Workshop Spiritual memoir is the practice of listening deeply to our life experiences through the creation of artful, true stories. We come more alive when we accept how our experiences have formed us and when we form something of what we’ve experienced. By writing memories with intention, we can find holiness in the details, patterns that unify our sense of self, and deep personal healing. By crafting our stories to engage the inner life of readers, we can participate in transforming our world. 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. We will also discuss how to sustain the practice with writing partners or small groups. During this self-paced, two-and-a-half-week independent study, writers can view Elizabeth’s video lectures, respond to writing prompts, and immerse themselves in the genre and practice of spiritual memoir through readings and a community forum. Elizabeth will meet with participants via Zoom as well as comment in the course forum. WHEN: COST:
Offered February 22 to March 12 OR May 17 to June 4. $65.00
Monthly online drop-in sessions focus on different aspects of writing spiritual memoir: themes that commonly arise, craft techniques, challenges and joys of the writing process, and practices for opening our work to the spirit’s movement. Sessions include writing exercises, examples from leading and emerging writers, lecture, and small group conversation. To support individual writers and writing groups in the ever-deepening practice of writing spiritual memoir, time is included for participant questions. Via Zoom, Elizabeth will reflect on the day’s theme and provide readings, writing prompts and handouts with craft advice. The sessions will allow time for small group breakout discussion as well as large group discussion and questions. February: Dreams, Our Most Intimate Scripture The feelings, images, and stories that come to us at night seep into our days and play an active role in our spiritual journeys. How can we write about them effectively? How can writing support our dreams to do their healing work? March: Writing Through and About Grief Writers cavalierly say there’s no such thing as a bad experience; there’s only good material. When we revisit memories of loss and hardship on the page, we may not alleviate our suffering but we do make something from it. How can we tend both self and reader as we write hard memories? When in the midst of grief, as we all are now, what is the best way to nurture our creativity? April: Writing About Others Our stories are crowded with people. How can we write about them with compassion? How can we represent them on the page in a way that’s respectful, multidimensional, and engaging—moving us, as Diane Glancy says, “from an objectifying relationship into a relationship with a Sacred Other”?
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EMBODY
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES May: Writing as Mindfulness To write well, we bring our full attention to our experience, awakening our senses and receiving the present moment without judgment. In other words, we are mindful. Poet Michael Kiesow Moore and fiction writer Roseanne Pereira will join us to discuss how mindfulness practices strengthen and bring heart to our writing and how a writing practice deepens our mindfulness. Roseanne Pereira holds a B.A. in Literature with distinction from Yale University and is a grad student in fiction in The MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. She has served as a Kroc Fellow at National Public Radio and an Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellow at The Center for Victims of Torture. Michael Kiesow Moore is the author of the poetry collections What to Pray For and The Song Castle. His work has appeared in many journals and anthologies as well as “The Writer’s Almanac.” He is the founder of the Birchbark Books Reading Series, and he teaches writing and mindfulness classes. June: Re-seeing Revision The roots of the words “revision” and “respect” both mean “see again.” A rough draft is one dimension of a story; when we revise, we honor ourselves and our stories by seeing multiple dimensions. We’ll explore revision as a way to gain respect—and reverence—for our experiences. Facilitator: 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. Learn more at elizabethjarrettandrew.com.
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
WHEN:
ridays, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, F and June 11, 1:30 to 3:30 pm CT via Zoom COST: $120.00 for the series; $30.00 per session Introductory workshop is not a prerequisite for the monthly writing sessions.
WRITER’S CIRCLE: TENDING WRITER AND WRITING The most significant creation born of writing is the person the writer becomes for having written. With intention, a community can tend both the literary creation and what’s coming alive inside the creators. In this facilitated small group modeled after spiritual direction groups and Quaker clearness committees, the circle will magnify our listening and hold us accountable to the creative source. Unlike traditional writing groups which focus exclusively on the text, we will attend the aliveness moving within both writer and text. We create our best work when our inner transformation receives the support of others. Limited to 8 participants, the Writer’s Circle is for those who write regularly, are committed to their projects, and are ready to share their work with others. Elizabeth will select participants based on individual readiness and the overall make-up of the group. Please submit a letter of application describing your writing experience, your current project, any experience you’ve had giving and receiving feedback on creative work and/or participating in group contemplative discernment, and why you’re interested in this group to info@wisdomwayscenter.org by April 1. Include a one-page sample of your writing. Facilitator: Read more about Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew on this page. WHEN:
COST:
ednesdays, April 21, May 19, June 16, July 21, W September 15, October 20, November 17, and December 15, 4:00 to 6:00 pm. Sessions will start in person at the Carondelet Center either outside or socially distanced inside. The group will assess ongoing meeting locations month-to-month. $295.00 for the series
EMBODY
WINTER/SPRING 2021
TENDING TO OUR SOULS: ART PRACTICES As we move from winter towards spring this three-part workshop invites you to attend to your soul in community. You’ll engage in different art practices designed to draw you more deeply into reflection, transformation, and connection with other participants. The focus will be on process over product. The artistic process will be fueled by our curiosity, surprises and intuition.
Facilitators: Cindi Beth Johnson is a professor in the practice of theology and the arts at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, teaching arts and social transformation, arts and leadership, and spirituality and the arts. A minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, she believes that the arts are a vessel for imagination and the creative spirit that opens doors for understanding and connection.
Working remotely, we will invite colors, shapes and different practices to reveal insights as we reflect on the things we have been tending during the winter and the things we want to focus on as we move into a season of new life and rebirth. Each week, as we build our practice and explore different media, we will return to the same questions: what are we tending and what is being birthed? February 18: C ollage as a Spiritual Practice, Cindi Beth Johnson Working with a Lectionary Text, we will create a meditative artistic response to a scripture designed to invite new understandings and insights. The process, while simple, invites us to go deeply into familiar texts in new and revealing ways. The process is a dialogue between what you are looking for, what presents itself and what is created as the pieces come together. February 25: Transformation, Rev. Lynda Lee Using a wall photo calendar or glossy magazines, you will select colors of chakra energy and focus on an intention of becoming. Individually and as a group, we will invite the colors to guide our awareness of what we are most curious about, what (if we could do anything) we would do first and what we know to be true. March 4: Circling our Intentions, Lori Greene Supplies will be provided for the final session in which participants use glass to continue to explore questions about what we are tending. Glass tiles will become the conduit for spiritual and artistic observations. The completed glass circle will provide you with a reminder of the process and the ways in which you can continue to hold space for the revelations that come from these practices.
staff at Lino Lakes.
Rev. Lynda Lee is an ordained minister with Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and currently serves as Chaplain for the State of Minnesota, Department of Corrections, Lino Lakes facility. She has specialized in trauma-informed care, using art as a reflective spiritual practice. She holds weekly creative art meditations for Corrections and therapy
Lori Greene is a mosaic and textile artist whose work draws from her African and Native American (Mississippi band of Choctaw) heritage. Her work with tile and glass is both artistic and spiritual, as her mosaic textiles tell stories embodying strength, power, and memory of the cultures and history woven into them. She is the owner of the art studio Mosaic on a Stick and the recipient of many grants, awards and fellowships. WHEN:
hursdays, February 18, 25, and March 4, T 6:30 to 8:30 pm CT via Zoom After registering, participants will receive a supply list for the first two sessions; supplies will be mailed for the third session. COST: $75.00, includes supplies for the last session (no experience necessary)
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Embody
EMBODY
Spiritual Practices for Everyday Living
SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WALKING IN HARMONY: A LABYRINTH JOURNEY In the midst of daily challenges and conflicts within our greater communities, cultivating a spirit of harmony and peace is a gift for yourself and the world. Although we cannot gather together in person to labyrinth walk this season, we can support one another in our labyrinth practice as well as walk intentionally as a community for harmony. On second Friday mornings through July, you’re invited to engage in your own labyrinth practice individually or with a small group at your location of choice, knowing that others will be simultaneously participating alongside you from afar. You might walk an outdoor labyrinth, trace a finger labyrinth, or visit an indoor labyrinth to which you have access. You can also access a webpage that includes a reflection, opportunity for engaged action, and further learning resources you can use throughout the month as part of your contemplative practice. Fridays, February 12, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 11, and July 9, 9:30 am CT COST: Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org WHEN:
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
MORNING ALTARS: NOURISHMENT THROUGH NATURE, ART, AND RITUAL Come nourish your spirit, lay down your burdens, and tend to what arises as the dust settles through the mindful practice of foraging, assembling, and offering a Morning Altar (as demonstrated by earth artist Day Schildkret). This practice is meant to revitalize your sense of wonder for the natural world, awaken your creative spirit, and guide your release of all that you carry back to the world. Please join prepared for a morning of guided and reflective outdoor engagement. Facilitator: Learn more about Karina Sieber on page 7. WHEN:
Sunday, June 20, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on the Carondelet Center grounds.
Please wear comfortable clothing; bring sun protection, a small basket, a timer, journal, pen, and water. COST:
Donation. RSVP to 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org
ART EXHIBITS
WINTER/SPRING 2021
THE NINE GATES: THRESHOLDS OF A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
Student and teacher of Chinese brush painting Bob Schmitt depicts nine gates of a spiritual journey: darkness, longing, abandonment, rage, emptiness, compassion, unbridled joy, oneness, and delusion. Let this beautiful blend of calligraphy and digital technology invite you into interior landscapes. This exhibit is part of Wisdom Ways permanent collection gifted to Wisdom Ways by Sue Cochrane.
ARTIST:
Read more about Bob Schmitt on page 6.
January to March. Art exhibits are located on the first floor of the Carondelet Center. Prior to your visit, contact the Wisdom Ways office at 651-696-2788 or info@ wisdomwayscenter.org, as Carondelet Center building hours have been impacted by COVID-19 social distancing protocols. EXHIBIT:
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ART EXHIBITS
ICONS: WINDOWS TO THE HOLY
I think of my quilted icons as windows to the Holy, as invitations to contemplate the Spirit. These contemporary Biblical images come to me in my solitude and speak to me as I translate them into fabric designs. Sometimes they surprise me with their intensely personal or gently universal message. Mostly they are examples of how the Holy longs for connection with us, to soothe and to restore. Icons first inspired me when I entered an Orthodox Church in Russia more than 25 years ago. There were no chairs and the traditional painted icons were hung floor to ceiling, surrounded by contemplative Russian chants sung by a concealed choir. My hope is that the images and music will bring the viewer a connection with the Holy in a personal way. Janet O. Hagberg is an author, spiritual director, healer—and now an iconographer who specializes in contemporary quilted icons. Icons are not in her religious tradition but God has a great sense of humor and dropped them into her lap to help her embrace art and prayer in a different way. Learn more at www.janethagberg.com. ARTIST:
This contemplative experience will be available online beginning March 1. See the Wisdom Ways website for further details. WHEN:
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
ART EXHIBITS
OFF COURSE & ON PATH
Off Course & On Path is a multi-media art exhibition that explores the concept of Labyrinths as a means of exploring and tending our spiritual connections with nature. Labyrinths contain intergenerational stories that provide a glimpse into the past, present and future and are springboards to investigating the interconnectedness of our universe as holistic beings. Curators Bayou and Saba will showcase multiple forms of Labyrinths and mixed media poems as part of their exhibit. They will also provide templates that community members can use to create their own Labyrinths. Wisdom Ways will create a space for these creations and compile this generative community labyrinth project to be shared as images of inspiration. Learn more at www.wisdomwayscenter.org. Bayou (aka Donald Thomas) is a Twin Cities-based artist and designer born in St. Paul on the land of the Dakota & Anishinaabe peoples. Bayou creates mixedmedia art called Affirmation Mirrors composed mostly of fabric wrapped wood, yarn, mirrors, and beads. Through murals, installations, digital illustrations, and print materials, he embodies themes of nature from the micro to the cosmic, Black and collective liberation, healing trauma, time, portals, geometry, symbols, and identity exploration. ARTISTS:
St. Paul native Saba (aka Sean Stewart) has deep roots in the historic Rondo Neighborhood. A dedicated Father, educator, visual artist, writer and educator, Saba has served in the CDF Freedom Schools movement for over a decade, and now serves students and families in St. Paul schools. He is author of the children’s book Breaking the Ice as well as poems that focus on cultural identity, healing, transformation, nature and spirituality. April to June. Art exhibits are located on the first floor of the Carondelet Center. Prior to your visit, contact the Wisdom Ways office at 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org, as Carondelet Center building hours have been impacted by COVID-19 social distancing protocols. This exhibit will also host experiences on the Carondelet Center grounds and in nature. Please check the Wisdom Ways website for updates. WHEN:
ARTIST PROGRAM Come explore a labyrinth built with found materials and templates you can use to create labyrinths in your own environments. Held as summer solstice begins to encourage reflection and honor new beginnings and new growth in a communal setting. The vibrant energy of summer brings moments of reflection and allows the opportunity to welcome new beginnings or new growth into our lives. WHEN:
Sunday, June 20; time and location TBD. Please check the Wisdom Ways website. www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH SPIRITUALITY MINISTRIES
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. Rooted in the Catholic, Christian faith, we welcome people from all spiritual traditions.
CSJ MEMBERSHIP AND ASSOCIATION
For more program information visit csjstpaul.org/celeste where you can sign up for our monthly e-news and follow us on Facebook.
An information session about and retreat with Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates Community!
Celeste’s Dream Community Garden Building resilience and community through nutritious food You are welcome to join us for seed starting, transplanting, planting and potluck gatherings. For more information, visit www.csjstpaul.org/celeste or contact Jennifer Tacheny at jtacheny@csjstpaul.org.
Come learn and pray with this community steeped in spirituality and justice. Experience welcome and explore a wide range of opportunities for deeper connection and growth.
WHEN:
Retreat (optional) Begin the year with the CSJ annual retreat, Stirring the Fire: Exploring Dimensions of Home. A CSJ annual retreat to begin the year.
Tuesdays, 5:00 to 7:00 pm. January 19, garden planning and soup dinner; March 2, seed starting; April 13, transplanting seedlings; May 18, plant the garden. Saturday, April 24, 10:00 am to noon, CSJ Earth Day and hoop house reveal. Every Tuesday, late May to October, gather to tend and harvest.
Come and See the CSJ Way: Community, Spirituality, and Justice
Information Session
WHEN:
Friday, January 22, 6:30 to 8:00 pm CT via Zoom
Saturday, January 23, Gather 8:30 am, Retreat 9:00 am - 12:00 pm CT via Zoom WHEN:
Joan Pauly Schneider, 651-690-7063 or jpaulyschneider@csjstpaul.org LEARN MORE:
Food Fix: Getting to the root of the challenges in our food system and cultivating collaborative solutions Inspired by the book Food Fix: How to Save our Health, Our Economy, Our Communities, and Our Planet – One Bite at a Time, by Mark Hyman, MD. A conversation and opportunity around the Twin Cities Food Justice Landscape. WHEN:
Wednesday, March 31, 5:00 to 6:30 pm
LEARN MORE:
Jennifer Tacheny at jtacheny@csjstpaul.org
Jill Underdahl, CSJ, 651-696-2873 or junderdahl@csjstpaul.org Sharing of the Heart: A Practice in the Tradition of the Sisters of St Joseph Since our founding in 17th Century, our CSJ community has held a practice of Sharing the Heart. As we practice physical distancing, we’ve been meeting online and invite you to join us. Experience quiet meditation, reflective readings and small group sharing. WHEN:
Every Tuesday, 4:30 to 5:00 pm, January to June
Join the call at 4:20 to meet, greet, and check your tech connection! We start promptly at 4:30 and close the Zoom soon after. https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/ tZYvcOyprTMoH91B7dWi1e4ZxklEWsUQDgIT REGISTER:
Joan Pauly Schneider, 651-690-7063 or jpaulyschneider@csjstpaul.org LEARN MORE:
Jill Underdahl, CSJ, 651-696-2873 or junderdahl@csjstpaul.org
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH SPIRITUALITY MINISTRIES
HONORING CREATION IN SEASONAL RITUALS
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
With the pandemic, we have been given an opportunity to celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year differently from years past. We will not gather at Carondelet Center to celebrate together but rather to honor and discover the Creator’s Blessings in our own unique way at home. January 31- Candlemas Light new fires in our February 1 hearts as Brigid did March 20
Spring Equinox Try to juggle light and dark
May 1
Beltane Awaken to possibility
Spiritual Direction is a meeting with a director who is trained in the art of spiritual listening. It nurtures a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human in relationship with the divine. A space is created for one to learn and grow in their spirituality. Persons seeking direction share stories of their encounters of the divine, or how they are experiencing spiritual issues. It is not counseling or psychotherapy. The Christian practice of spiritual direction dates back to the third and fourth centuries when people sought the wisdom of the desert mystics. If you seek spiritual direction, the following Spiritual Directors are available to support you on your journey.
June 21 Summer Solstice Be delighted by the longest day of light August 1 Lamis
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Baya Clare, CSJ Mary Lamski, CSJ Jill Underdahl, CSJ
651-600-5990 651-695-5387 651-696-2873
Appreciating the Creator’s many gifts
Please contact Mary Lou Flandrick or check the Wisdom Ways website for information on when we might begin to meet in person again. CONTACT: Mary
Lou Flandrick at 612-724-6008
SECOND SUNDAY Second Sunday is a community circle in which women, men and families gather to reflect together on the Sunday scriptures. Second Sunday began among the Sisters of St. Joseph in three community houses. 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 and concerns for the world. Following, we drink coffee and enjoy treats. All are welcome and invited to come when you can. The group is a new blessing each month. WHEN: Second Sunday of each month, 10:00 am CT via Zoom CONTACT: Joan Mitchell, CSJ, 651-690-7012 or
Therese Sherlock, CSJ, 651-690-7011
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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“ In this universe we are given two gifts: the ability to love, and the ability to ask questions, which are, at the same time, the fires that warm us and the fires that scorch us.� * MARY OLIVER
What questions are you tending to?
Where do you find your ability to love flowing or being challenged?
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All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
WINTER/SPRING 2021
EVENTS IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY
MYSER INITIATIVE 2021 “Water is Life”: Fresh waters, ethics, and decolonial values in a pluralistic world Christiana Zenner, PhD, associate professor of theology, science, and ethics at Fordham University. SPEAKER:
Thursday, April 22, 7:00 to 9:00 pm CT (Virtual event through Saint Catherine University) WHEN:
SPRING 2021 GOODMAN LECTURE IN JEWISHCHRISTIAN DIALOGUE “Bad Faith: Why the Jews aren’t a Religion” Daniel Boyarin is Hermann P. and Sophia Taubman Professor of Talmudic Culture, Departments of Near Eastern Studies and Rhetoric, University of California at Berkeley. SPEAKER:
WHEN: T hursday,
April 29, 7:00 pm CT (Virtual event through Saint Catherine University)
THE EVERYDAY SACRED: A GUIDE FOR LEARNING & TEACHING TRADITIONAL MEDICINE WITH CULTURAL APPRECIATION, NOT APPROPRIATION This course by Ihotu Jennifer Ali, MPH, LMT, welcomes both White and people of color to explore cultural wellness practices—from yoga and herbs to altars and orishas—in ways that expand our sense of connection and solidarity with people of different backgrounds, and without culturally appropriating. This guide will introduce you to potential new teachers and business partners, including a chapter on reclaiming European indigenous practices. The course is available to complete at any time as an independent study. LEARN MORE: h ttps://minafamilies.mn.co
plans/106883?bundle_token=b2 0f2bec60ff19890e70be59fd8364a6&utm_source=manual
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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ONGOING PROGRAMS: Tuesday Evening Meditation, 1/5 – 5/25, 7:00 – 7:40 pm
WINTER/SPRING 2021 CALENDAR
JANUARY
Date 1/21 1/27 1/28
Program Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness More Than a Single Story: Healing the Pain of 2020 Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness
FEBRUARY continued Page
Date
Program
Page
6
2/25 2/26
Tending to Our Souls: Art Practices Storytending: Cultivating Compassion for Self and Others
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4 6
FEBRUARY
Date 2/1 2/3 2/4 2/8 2/8 2/10 2/11 2/11 2/12 2/12 2/15 2/15 2/16 2/17 2/18 2/22 – 3/12 2/22 2/22 2/22 2/23 2/24 32
Program Men’s Spirituality: Yoga for Men (Introductory Session) Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Men’s Spirituality: Yoga for Men Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Steeping in the Wisdom of Mary Oliver’s Poetry Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Poetry’s Prophetic Tending: Naomi Shihab Nye Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Sessions Men’s Spirituality: Yoga for Men Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Artist Reflection Series: chats at the gates Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Tending to Our Souls: Art Practices Writing the Sacred Journey: Introductory Workshop on Spiritual Memoir Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Men’s Spirituality: Yoga for Men Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Artist Reflection Series: chats at the gates Steeping in the Wisdom of Mary Oliver’s Poetry
Page
14 14 6 14 5 7 6 10 24 21 14 5 6 14 23 21 20 14 5 6 7
All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
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MARCH Date
Program
3/1 3/1 3/1 3/2 3/3 3/4 3/8 3/8 3/10 3/11 3/12 3/12 3/15 3/15 3/16 3/17 3/22 3/22 3/23 3/24 3/25
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Men’s Spirituality: Yoga for Men Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Artist Reflection Series: chats at the gates Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Tending to Our Souls: Art Practices Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Ethical Wills: Creating Your Legacy of Values, Hopes, and Life Lessons Poetry’s Prophetic Tending: Sagirah Shahid Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Sessions Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Pathways to Presence: 9 Journeys to Deepened Relationships with Self, Others, and the Divine Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Pathways to Presence: 9 Journeys to Deepened Relationships with Self, Others, and the Divine Ethical Wills: Creating Your Legacy of Values, Hopes, and Life Lessons Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness
Page 20 14 5 6 14 23 20 5 11 10 24 21 20 5 13 14 20 5 13 11 6
WINTER/SPRING 2021 CALENDAR
WINTER/SPRING 2021
MAY
MARCH continued Date
Program
3/29 3/29 3/30 3/31
Lectio Divina: Mornings of Reflection during Lent Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Pathways to Presence: 9 Journeys to Deepened Relationships with Self, Others, and the Divine Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle
Page
20 5 13 14
APRIL Date
Program
Page
4/1 4/5 4/5 – 5/24 4/8 4/8 4/9 4/9 4/12 4/13 4/14 4/15 4/19 4/20 4/21 4/22 4/26 4/27 4/28 4/29
Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Seven Portal Sky: A Birth Story of Afrofuturist Medicine in Minneapolis Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Poetry’s Prophetic Tending: Gwen Nell Westerman Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Session Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Men’s Spirituality: The Idea of the Common Good: Then and Now Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Deepening Spiritual Direction Practice: 3 Frameworks to Enliven You and Your Clients Writer’s Circle: Tending Writer and Writing Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness Hedgerow Initiative: Wellsprings of Earthkeeping, Liturgy of Homekeeping Compassion in Challenging Times: Etty Hillesum and Us Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness
6 5 11 6 10 24 21 5 15 14 6 5 8 22 6 5
Date
Program
Page
5/3 – 5/25 5/4 5/6 5/6 5/11 5/12 5/13 5/13 5/13 5/14 5/14 5/17 – 6/4 5/19 5/19 5/20 5/20 5/26 5/27
Introduction to the Enneagram: 9 Ways to Move from Trance to Dance 12 Compassion in Challenging Times: Etty Hillesum and Us 8 Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness 6 Living Water 9 Compassion in Challenging Times: Etty Hillesum and Us 8 Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle 14 Mark’s Gospel: The Whole Story, Its Thresholds of Faith, Its Witness 6 Living Water 9 Poetry’s Prophetic Tending: Mark Nepo 10 Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 24 Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Sessions 22 Writing the Sacred Journey: Introductory Workshop on Spiritual Memoir 21 Writer’s Circle: Tending Writer and Writing 22 A Journey Without a Guidebook: The Joys, Dreams, and Disappointments of Fatherhood 15 Living Water 9 Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together 12 Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle 14 Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together 12
JUNE Date
Program
Page
6/3 6/9 6/11 6/11 6/14 6/16 6/20 6/20 6/23
Difficult Conversations: The Art and Science of Working Together 12 Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle 14 Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 24 Writing the Sacred Journey: Monthly Sessions 22 Sacred Sites Tour 9 Writer’s Circle: Tending Writer and Writing 22 Morning Altars: Nourishment through Nature, Art, and Ritual 24 Off Course & On Path 27 Men’s Spirituality: Centering Prayer Circle 14
JULY
8 14
Date
Program
6
7/9 7/21
Walking in Harmony: A Labyrinth Journey 24 Writer’s Circle: Tending Writer and Writing 22
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651-696-2788
Page
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WISDOM WAYS RESOURCES DIRECTIONS TO CARONDELET CENTER Carondelet Center is located at 1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, between Cleveland and Fairview Avenues. From I-94, take the Snelling or Cretin/Vandalia exit south to Randolph Avenue. Travel west from Snelling or east from Cretin. From I-35E, take the Randolph exit west past Fairview to 1890 Randolph. Turn in at either of the two driveways marked by the black and teal signs marked CSJ, Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Free parking is available.
Labyrinth facilitators are available to bring presentations and portable labyrinths to your site or to guide you in the use of your own labyrinth. Contact us at 651-696-2788 to make arrangements or visit wisdomwayscenter.org. Cleveland
LIBRARY Wisdom Ways’ collection of 3,300 books, audio, videotapes and CD/DVDs on spirituality-related themes is located in the west parlor of Carondelet Center. Browse our labyrinth section of inspiring images and background on labyrinths, grief and loss, spirituality and more. Please contact the Wisdom Ways office at 651-696-2788 or info@ wisdomwayscenter.org to inquire if the library is open. Library hours have been impacted by COVID-19 social distancing protocols.
Randolph Ave. Admin Center
Fairview
LABYRINTH RESOURCES TO RENT One mission of Wisdom Ways is to share resources in ever-expanding circles. Wisdom Ways has multiplesized labyrinths, singing bowls and ritual items for rent. Canvas labyrinths are available to rent for church or community events, retreat days, civic gatherings, weddings, celebrations and personal use. Additional ritual and creative resources are also available for rent. To see selection, visit www.wisdomwayscenter.org or call 651-696-2788 to make arrangements.
Carondelet Center
INDEX PRESENTERS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER - WINTER/SPRING 2021 Ihotu Jennifer Ali. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 11, 31 Rabbi Morris Allen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Elizabeth Jarrett Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 22 Janice Bad Moccasin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Barry Baines, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Bayou (aka Donald Thomas). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Kern Beare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Bernard Brady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Colleen Carpenter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Deborah Chernick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Taiyon Coleman. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Nancy Corcoran. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Louie Doering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Chris Gordon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Lori Greene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 23 Janet Hagberg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Carolyn Holbrook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 4, 16 Emily Jarrett Hughes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Jim Bear Jacobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Cindi Beth Johnson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Pat Jones. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Didi Koka, MD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Rev. Lynda Lee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Houa Lor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 34
All programs will be held virtually, unless otherwise noted.
Bill McDonough. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Scott McRae. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 12, 13 Mary Kaye Medinger. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Resmaa Menakem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Diane Millis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Joan Mitchell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5, 6 Michael Kiesow Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Leslie Morris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Mark Nepo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Kent Nerburn. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Susan Oeffling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Andrea Pearson Tande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Roseanne Pereira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Saba (aka Sean Stewart) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Bob Schmitt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6, 25 Sagirah Shahid. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Terry Shaughnessy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Naomi Shihab Nye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Sun Yung Shin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Karina Sieber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 24 Jill Underdahl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Per Da Vang. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Rev. Nancy Victorin-Vangerud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Gwen Nell Westerman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
REGISTRATION
WINTER/SPRING 2021
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Ways to register: Online registration at www.wisdomwayscenter.org • We accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and personal checks. • Phone registration at 651-696-2788 or email at info@wisdomwayscenter.org. • Mail registration to: Wisdom Ways, 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105 • Gift certificates are available, call 651-696-2788. • Financial assistance is available, call 651-696-2788. • Full refunds with a week advance notice. See website for more information. After registering for an online program and 24-48 hours prior to the start of the class, participants will receive an email with online course details and resources. If you have questions about the technical requirements of our courses or about potential modifications, please check the course description on the Wisdom Ways website, www.wisdomwayscenter.org, or contact the Wisdom Ways Office at 651-696-2788 or info@wisdomwayscenter.org. If a course is listed as gathering in person, please reference the Wisdom Ways website or call 651-696-2788 to confirm the specific location.
Registration Form Name: ____________________________________ Address: ___________________________________ City: ____________________ State: __ Zip: ______ Phone: ____________________________________ Email: _____________________________________
PAYMENT OPTIONS: ____ Check payable to Wisdom Ways ____ American Express ____ Discover ____ Master Card ____ Visa Card #: ________________________________/AVG Expiration Date: _____________________________ Name on card: ______________________________
Would you like to receive program updates by email? (We do not sell or share our email list.) Yes No
DONATION OPTIONS:
Program Names: Dates 1. 2. 3. 4. Amount Due: ________________________
Scholarship for participants: In memory/honor of:
$ ___________ $ ___________
Total enclosed for programs: Tax deductible donation:
$ ___________ $ ___________
GRAND TOTAL:
$ ___________
www.wisdomwayscenter.org
651-696-2788
info@wisdomwayscenter.org
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NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN PERMIT NO. 1990 A Ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet 1884 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
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