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Programs - 2008

Saturday, January 19 Big Heart / Big Mind 9:00 am - 12:30 pm    $40 Lacy ABC Tom Holmes “When we understand, we are at the center of the circle, and there we sit while Yes and No chase each other around the circumference” ~Chuang-tzu The Self is the heart-centered core of our being – that place characterized by mindful awareness, compassionate connectedness, and calm confident clarity. When we are in the Self, we are in a state of awareness quite different from the ordinary, but available to anyone with practice. From here we can see ourselves and others through kind eyes of non-judgment and non-reaction. It is almost as though we are loving, bemused observers who are very present to our own inner states and to the others we encounter. In this place we let go of anxiety, drop dissatisfaction, and become aware of our wholeness. Here we can be either passive witnesses or active doers, whichever is called for and in this state we seem to know clearly what it is we are to do.      This workshop will introduce the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model with its concept of Self, and we will engage in practices that let us experience Self. In this way we will both see the concept and know the work by direct experience. While based on the Zen Big Heart / Big Mind process, this underlying goal of increasing in compassion is a key part of many faith traditions, including each of the Abrahamic religions.      For a better understanding of what this workshop will cover, click here to visit Tom Holmes’ website and to read some of his published works. Tom's new book on IFS, Parts Work, will be ready in time for the workshop. View a PDF of the brochure for this program.

Beginning Tuesday, January 22 38th Annual Trinity Institute Theological Conference Religion and Violence: Untangling the Roots of Conflict $18 per day or $30 for both days. You may come and go as your schedule permits. Lacy ABC Each year the Trinity Institute offers a theological conference in which respected theologians come together to address key questions arising from the intersection of theology and the lived experience of faith. When asked about the purpose of this year’s conference, Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, rector of Trinity Church/St. Paul’s Chapel said, “Every day, religious violence affects people around the world, threatening our very survival. This conference will not only consider the roots of religious conflict, but also asks how we can manifest religion’s true vocation as a force for peace both locally and globally.”      The keynote speakers will include: James Carroll, theologian and Boston Globe newspaper columnist; James H. Cone, Charles A. Briggs Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Seminary in New York City; Susannah Heschel, Eli Black Chair on Jewish Studies at Dartmouth; and Tariq Ramadan, senior research fellow at St. Antony’s College (Oxford), Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan), and the Lokahi Foundation (London).      A continental breakfast will be served at 8:00 a.m. on each day; lunch is on your own. Facilitators will be present at Transformations to allow for local discussion of the issues among those on site. We will also be able to email questions and comments to the conference in New York. Come and bring a colleague for a time of growth, reflection and fellowship. Click here more information on this program. View a PDF of a flyer for this program.

Thursday, January 24 Orientation for Group Spiritual Direction 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm    No Charge Day Room Gertrude Maurer, CSJ and Laura Smith, CSJ If you are facing an important decision or transition in your life, or searching for deeper spiritual insight, consider spiritual direction. A free orientation session provides an introduction to the group spiritual direction process and is a prerequisite for those new to spiritual direction before taking the series beginning in January.

Beginning Wednesday, January 30 Group Spiritual Direction - Series 3 - 2008 $75 for the five-session series Day Room Gertrude Maurer, CSJ and Laura Smith, CSJ In group spiritual direction a small group gathers on a regular basis with a trained spiritual director to assist one another in an awareness of the many ways God reaches out to us in daily life. Group spiritual direction provides the benefit of shared insights and broadened perspectives. In addition, the cost for the director’s time is shared by the group. Prerequisite for those new to this process: Orientation on Thursday, January 24, 2008 When registering online, please indicate the weekday, time and director of the session you wish to join in the Additional Comments field at the bottom of the registration form. Tuesdays, 2/5, 2/19, 3/4, 3/18, 4/1– 1:30–3:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Wednesdays, 1/30, 2/13, 2/27, 3/12, 3/26– 6:30–8:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Wednesdays, 2/6, 2/20, 3/5, 3/19, 4/2– 6:30–8:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Thursdays, 1/31, 2/14, 2/28, 3/13, 3/27– 1:30–3:30 p.m., Laura Smith, SSJ Read a more extensive description of Group Spiritual Direction

Beginning Wednesday, February 6 Lenten Vespers 6:30 pm - 7:15 pm     Six Wednesdays in Lent: February 6, 13, 20 & 27, March 5, 12 Holy Family Chapel, Nazareth Betsy Meagher, CSJ Enter through the main entrance at Nazareth. Call ahead if barrier free access is needed. This quiet, reflective service involves simple song, prayer and time in the quiet beauty of Holy Family Chapel to prepare our hearts for Easter. You needn't pre-register, just come as you are and find a place of peace that Christians of many denominations find enriching.

Beginning Tuesday, February 12 Spiritual Literacy: Books You Have Been Meaning to Read Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm    $20 for all three sessions Merton Room Gertrude Maurer, CSJ Plan to join Sr. Gertrude as she facilitates this book discussion. In her introduction, Barbara Bowe contends that “for Christian believers, and those open to the search for God, the Bible is our sacred text, a source of inspiration, a pathway to God, a manual for life’s journey—waiting to be discovered” in our efforts to develop a more mature spirituality. Sr. Gertrude will guide us through Bowe’s telling of the Bible’s treasure chest of stories, images, questions, and portraits of faith, from Genesis to Revelation, that help us touch our fingers to the flame “of the invisible God, the Holy Other”. In so doing, we may be forever transformed by this divine encounter.     Bowe is a professor of New Testament at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, where she teaches courses in biblical studies and early Christianity and is director of the Biblical Spirituality Program. She is coming to Transformation on May 10 for a day-long exploration of these concepts. Her book is available from Transformations. Reading the first four chapters before the first session and reflecting on the questions at the end of each chapter will provide for a more lively discussion. Three Tuesdays: February 12, February 26 and March 11, 2008 *** The February 12 class has been rescheduled for March 25 *** Click here for a preview of Barbara Bowe’s Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame. View a PDF of the poster for this program. View a PDF of the tri-fold flyer for this program.

Monday, February 18 through Friday, February 22 Beyond Words: An Icon Painting Retreat Begins Monday at 9:00 am and continues through 5:00 pm Friday Each day begins at 9:00 a.m. and concludes between 5:00 and 6:00p.m. Those staying overnight may choose to paint later if they wish. Class size is limited so each participant receives individual attention. Lacy ABC Diane Hamel Five-day retreat with four nights private lodging, all meals, instruction and materials is $550. Register by 12/31/07 for early registration price of $530. Commuters – includes lunches, coffee service, instruction and materials is $430 – or $410 if registered by 12/31/07. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due by January 18 to reserve a space, but earlier registration is encouraged to reap the early registration discount and because the class is likely to fill. Final payment is due on or before arrival. An icon painting retreat with Diane Hamel is a richly rewarding experience. As a past retreatant observed, “Fantastic lady – fantastic class!!!” And you needn’t be an experienced iconographer to attend. In the words of another retreatant, “Her ability to teach such a foreign art form to so many beginners was remarkable.” This Icon painting retreat is appropriate for those new to this form of expression as well as those who have previously written icons. Artists and non-artists can engage in this process and leave with a completed piece, ready to display. This year we will focus on the Russian icon entitled Christ the Saviour, one of the most revered icons of the Orthodox Church, and an image known for the deep emotional response it elicits with the look of infinite love emanating from the image of Christ. Prayer and reflection place us in a receptive frame of mind, and we will be guided to explore a place beyond words via the beauty disclosed in the Christian symbolism of an icon. The beautiful simplicity of the subject selected for this retreat will allow for a more reflective approach to the work, and experienced painters may choose to explore additional subjects if time permits. Diane is a lifelong artist, who studied fine art and majored in Theology. She has studied with Peter Pearson, George Drobot, and Xenia Prokovsky. She has written many icons for private collections, churches, and other institutions and her work has been exhibited around the United States. A non-refundable deposit of $100 is due by January 18 to reserve a space, but earlier registration is encouraged to reap the early registration discount and because the class size is limited and is likely to fill. Final payment is due on or before arrival. Rooms for Sunday night are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Call for a reservation and to arrange arrival details. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Saturday, February 23 Energy Work as Healing Prayer 9:00 am - 3:00 pm    $45 O'Brien AB Beth Code Energy modalities such as acupuncture and acupressure, Reiki and Healing Touch, are becoming very popular. This workshop will address how energy work is compatible with the Christian traditions of healing prayer and laying on of hands. What can we learn about healing from the New Testament stories that will help us integrate prayerful touch with energy techniques to bring the body, mind and spirit into balance? Participants will experience giving and receiving prayerful energy by learning simple techniques to use with family and friends, or in a healing ministry.      Coffee and muffins will be served at 8:30 a.m. and a delicious soup, bread and fruit lunch is included. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Saturday, March 1 Embracing Others with Knitted Prayer 9:00 am - 12:00 pm    $35 includes materials O'Brien AB Elizabeth Tompkins Psalm 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands. (NASB) For centuries, people have been knitting and giving shawls to others as symbols of love, solace and healing. As in other acts of generosity, they often find that they receive more than they give but there is another dimension of knitting that people have rediscovered. The cadence of knitting is one that lends itself to prayer, and can transport the knitter to a deep, interior place. This morning will be spent introducing both the art and the prayer of knitting. No previous knitting experience is required.     The workshop will be led by Elizabeth Tompkins, a Spiritual Director, Retreat and Labyrinth Facilitator, and one who has created over 50 beautiful prayer shawls. Bring your own needles (US size 11,13 or 15). A skein of yarn will be provided . Coffee service will begin at 8:30 a.m. View a PDF of the poster for this program. View a PDF of the tri-fold flyer for this program.

Friday, April 4 through Sunday, April 6 Grace and Gratitude: Gifts on the 12-Step Journey - A Retreat for Women Begins Friday at 7:00 pm and continues through 1:30 pm Sunday $170 / $185 Romero Room Karen Anne Jackson, CSC     The twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are a way of life that recovering alcoholics embrace in order to enjoy the Promises. This retreat will encompass the steps that assist us in improving our spiritual health. In reality there is no elevator to sobriety, therefore we need to continue to study the steps.     A direct result of these step studies is a change in our attitude toward people, places, things and circumstances. Our reliance on the Higher Power as well as on the Fellowship may well be both transformed as well improved. As we journey through the weekend there will be time provided for quiet, for reflection, for rest and relaxation and most certainly for fellowship. Interwoven in the talks will be reflection and challenges to both acknowledge as well as to embrace the presence of Grace and Gratitude in our lives of recovering woman.     This retreat will consider the gifts of Grace and Gratitude in our on-going 12-step journeys. The power of grace weaves through each of our recoveries going all the way back to Step 1 and our belief that only an Act of Divine Providence brings us to full acceptance of 12-step recovery. How often we say that we embrace an “Attitude of Gratitude”. This will be a time to bask in the difference this approach to life makes in our everyday experience. We will have opportunities to write, reflect and share our living with such a positive attitude in our respective recoveries, in a community of trust and support.     This retreat is open to women working the 12-Steps of AA. Send a $55 non-refundable deposit by March 3 to reserve your space at the discounted rate. The balance is due on arrival, payable in cash or by check. After March 3, the non-refundable deposit is increased to $70. In either case, a balance of $115 is due on arrival, payable by check or cash. This includes private guest room and bathroom, meals, snacks, materials and retreat. View all the 12-step offerings

Beginning Monday, April 7 Group Spiritual Direction - Series 4 - 2008 $75 for the five-session series Day Room Gertrude Maurer, CSJ and Laura Smith, CSJ In group spiritual direction a small group gathers on a regular basis with a trained spiritual director to assist one another in an awareness of the many ways God reaches out to us in daily life. Group spiritual direction provides the benefit of shared insights and broadened perspectives. In addition, the cost for the director’s time is shared by the group. Prerequisite for those new to this process: Orientation on Thursday, January 24, 2008 When registering online, please indicate the weekday, time and director of the session you wish to join in the Additional Comments field at the bottom of the registration form. Mondays, 4/7, 4/21, 5/5, 5/19, 6/2– 1:30–3:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Tuesdays, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27, 6/10– 1:30–3:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Wednesdays, 4/9, 4/23, 5/7, 5/21, 6/4– 6:30–8:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Wednesdays, 4/16, 4/30, 5/14, 5/28, 6/11– 6:30–8:30 p.m., Gertrude Maurer, SSJ Thursdays, 4/10, 4/24, 5/8, 5/22, 6/5– 1:30–3:30 p.m., Laura Smith, SSJ Read a more extensive description of Group Spiritual Direction

Saturday, April 19 The Teaching Paths of Meister Eckhart 9:00 am - 4:00 pm    $45 O'Brien AB Laura Smith, CSJ “To be full of things is to be empty of God. To be empty of things is to be full of God.” ~Meister Eckhart. Meister Eckhart, a 14th century mystic, lived in a time that might be said to be similar to our own. He was a theologian, an artist, and a teacher who gave us metaphors of how we might look at our problems today and reach for the God who is the living heart and core of our lives. He reverences God in creation and shares a fourfold path of spiritual journeying: Creative Blessing; Sinking into God; The Creative Path as Co-Creators in God; and Compassion as a Path to the Self. This day will consist of presentations, personal reflection and opportunities for sharing what you’ve heard and thought. Come explore the teachings of this influential mystic with a teacher and spiritual director who has read and loved his work for years. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Monday, April 21 We are One: An Earth Day Prayer Service 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm    Free Will Offering Unity Chapel Ginny Jones, CSJ We are at a crucial point in the history of our planet, our species, and all of creation. Join us as we pray for wisdom, understanding, and healing, recognizing that we are part of one Earth Community.

Saturday, May 10 The Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame 9:00 am - 4:00 pm    $55 / $65 Register by April 18 for early registration savings, includes lunch. Lacy ABC Barbara Bowe, RSCJ In an increasingly diverse society, we find ourselves reexamining long held assumptions. We revisit basic questions like, “What is the meaning of life and how do I live true to that meaning?” For Christians, our basic rootedness comes from the Bible, our sacred text. There is hardly a human emotion or struggle that we face today that does not have a counterpart somewhere within the lives of the covenant community of ancient Israel and in the faith of the first generation of Christian believers as explored in the Bible. Barbara Bowe, a CTU professor of Biblical Studies, is known for her gift of linking scriptural insights with lives lived today. In a style both learned and engaging, she will show how a contemporary spirituality can be grounded in the scriptures while maintaining unity in the midst of diversity. Click here for a preview of Barbara Bowe’s Biblical Foundations of Spirituality: Touching a Finger to the Flame. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Friday, May 30 Characteristics of Balanced Caring: Burnout and the Cost of Not Caring 9:00 am - 3:30 pm     Early registration by 04/04/08 is $75; $90 thereafter if seats are available. Includes lunch. Lacy ABC Dominic Vachon, M.Div, Ph.D. In this workshop, Dr. Vachon will present a model of the psychological and spiritual characteristics of balanced caring. He will debunk over-sentimentalized notions of caring that we and others place on ourselves, and explore how these misconceptions can lead to ineffective caring. In their place he will provide a more accurate understanding of caring and offer more realistic and effective ways of understanding and living our roles as professional caregivers.     The psychology of balanced caring will be explored by looking at behaviors and attitudes that bring more fulfillment to the work of caring. We will hear case studies that illustrate some of the many dysfunctional helping dynamics that we witness. Dr. Vachon does this in an insightful and humorous way. Participants go away from the day feeling more aware of what they need to do to be balanced in their caring, but they also feel more energized and inspired with this new perspective.     Developing a spirituality or philosophy of caring is the foundation for maintaining balance in caring. It helps us grow in compassion, and protects us from the burnout that seems to lurk so close to lives of caring. This day will include both presentations and time for small and large group discussions to explore the psycho-spiritual foundations for being a balanced caring helper, and to identify our own growing edges in responding to the stress involved in helping others.     The workshop is designed especially for helping professionals of all types including medical professions, mental health, ministry, business management, leadership roles, law, public safety, and so on. If what you do contributes to helping others, and if a sense of caring is important to you in this, then you will benefit from this workshop regardless of what your work is. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Saturday, June 7 Reconnecting: Adults and Nature Deficit Disorder 9:00 am - 12:30 pm    $20 Eco-Spirituality Center Ginny Jones, CSJ Learn simple techniques to deepen your connection with nature. Experience the beauty of spring and celebrate the rebirth of new life in nature and in our spirits. Come prepared for an outdoor nature walk and bring writing materials.

Friday, June 13 through Sunday, June 15 The Heart of Contemplation Begins Friday at 7:00 pm and continues through 1:30 pm Sunday $225 / $250 Register by May 16 for a $25 discount on registration. Registration closes on the earlier of June 2 or when the class fills. Includes private room, Friday snack, and meals Saturday through Sunday’s large midday meal. To reserve, send a non-refundable $75 deposit; limited spaces available. Lacy ABC David Frenette     Centering Prayer opens us to the gift of seeing God in our daily lives and relationships. This retreat explores the interior attitudes, practices and skills that foster contemplative living from the heart, in our ordinary lives. Rooted in Father Thomas Keating’s teachings on contemplative transformation in Christ, this retreat also goes into new territory designed for those whose practice has created a yearning for something more, something deeper. The weekend includes Centering Prayer, presentations, experiential exercises, times of silence and discussion.     David Frenette is a long time student of Father Thomas Keating the Trappist monk and animator of Centering Prayer. David has worked with Contemplative Outreach for 24 years. He co-founded and taught at a Centering Prayer retreat community for 10 years, and is now an adjunct faculty member at Naropa University, and is a spiritual director and counseling psychologist. David’s work teaches Centering Prayer as a path for integrating the divine life of God with our human life, and is described on the website: www.incarnationalcontemplation.com. Click here to view an interview with David Frenette on the Path and Incarnational Centering Prayer www.incarnationalcontemplation.com/main/Path_Videos.html. View a PDF of the flyer for this program.

Saturday, July 19 Watercolor: The Free Flow of Letting Go Continues 9:00 am - 3:30 pm    $75 To allow each student time with the instructor, class size is limited to 14 people. Registration closes when program is full or on July 11, whichever is sooner. Workshop includes lunch and all art materials, register early, class size is limited. O'Brien AB Frankie Dutil, CSJ Spiritual traditions tell us that the deeper beauty of life begins to emerge when we stop grasping and struggling for control. Painting with watercolors can be a metaphor for the spiritual journey, for this medium defies precise control yet yields wonderful results. You need not have experience with watercolor to enjoy this workshop, in fact this is intended for beginners. We will learn basic techniques, so those who have wanted to try watercolor but have held back - come, and let go!

Friday, August 15 through Sunday, August 17 Living From Within: A Four-Weekend Journey Toward an Undivided Life Begins Friday at 7:00 pm and continues through 1:30 pm Sunday Pricing per Weekend: $290 Register thru 11/29/07: $290 / $260 deposit ($65 credit per weekend) O'Brien AB Marianne Novak Houston Registration is closed - see 2008/2009 dates posted on the Parker Palmer page. The more passionate we are about our work, the more vital it is that we take time to renew our own spirits – to reconnect with the wellsprings of our service to others. In these retreats we will focus on the rejoining of soul and role, of reconnecting who we are with what we do. The focus is neither on techniques nor skills required in our work, but on renewing the inner lives of the participants. Using solitary, small and large group formats, poetry, archetypal and personal stories, we will address basic life questions which, though they are personal and private, are often deeply instructive when shared in a “circle of trust.” This series is open to those interested in participating in four seasonal retreats in which a “courage community” will form. In this environment of trust the deep work of soul is given voice. This is the approach which has proven transformational for numerous circles Marianne has led throughout the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Asia. You will have a private guest room and bath, meals, snacks, spacious grounds to walk, and precious time to “be”. Bring a journal and clothing appropriate for being outdoors. Check in between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. on the first day of each retreat. Autumn: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007 Winter: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008 Spring: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Apr. 11, 2008 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 13, 2008 Summer: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, 2008 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008 Marianne Novak Houston was among a small group who worked closely with Parker Palmer for 12 years to develop the nationally recognized Courage to Teach and Courage to Lead formational programs. Marianne is currently a facilitator and consultant with the Center for Courage and Renewal in Seattle, Washington. View a PDF of the brochure for this program. View a PDF of the brochure for next year's program.

Monday, September 22 7th Annual Community of Caregivers Gathering Living the Stillpoint: Cultivating Peace in a Frenzied World 8:00 am - 4:30 pm    $75/$90; discount if registered by 8/22/08. CEU's available for Nursing and Clergy, $10 additional fee. Lacy ABC Dr. Marva J. Dawn Thomas Merton, in a letter to an activist, pointed out a pervasive form of contemporary violence: “To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone, is to succumb to violence.” We will explore alternatives to this frenzied pace that destroys our own inner capacity for peace. Learning Objectives This conference invites you to experience the wholeness and joy that come from observing God’s order for life—a rhythm of working and setting apart time for rest, worship, festivity, and relationships. Dr. Dawn develops a four-part pattern for keeping Sabbath: Ceasing not only from work but also from productivity, anxiety, worry, possessiveness, and so on; Resting of the body as well as the mind, emotions, and spirit - a wholistic rest; Feasting to celebrate God and God’s goodness with beauty, music, food, affection, and social interaction; Embracing deliberately taking hold of spiritual values, of our calling in life, of the wholeness God offers us. Please register by August 22.

Saturday, October 4 Embracing Others with Knitted Prayer Part 2 9:00 am - 1:00 pm    $38.00 (price includes yarn and a mid morning snack) Register Early, this program fills fast! Lacy ABC Elizabeth Tompkins Psalm 90:17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands. (NASB) For centuries, people have been knitting and giving shawls to others as symbols of love, solace and healing. As in other acts of generosity, they often find that they receive more than they give but there is another dimension of knitting that people have rediscovered. The cadence of knitting is one that lends itself to prayer, and can transport the knitter to a deep, interior place. This morning will be spent introducing both the art and the prayer of knitting. No previous knitting experience is required. The workshop will be led by Elizabeth Tompkins, a Spiritual Director, Retreat and Labyrinth Facilitator, and one who has created over 50 beautiful prayer shawls. Bring your own needles (9" long, US size 11,13 or 15 - please do not bring circular needles). Yarn will be provided.

Friday, October 24 through Sunday, October 26 2008/2009 Living From Within: A Four-Weekend Journey Toward an Undivided Life Begins Friday at 12:00 pm and continues through 12:00 pm Sunday Pricing per Weekend: $295 or $325 Register thru 9/26/08: $295 / $240 deposit ($60 credit per weekend) Register 9/27/08 thru 10/23/08: $325 / $360 deposit ($90 credit per weekend). The non-refundable depositt is due upon registration. A balance of $235 is due on arrival each weekend. O'Brien AB Marianne Novak Houston The more passionate we are about our work, the more vital it is that we take time to renew our own spirits – to reconnect with the wellsprings of our service to others. In these retreats we will focus on the rejoining of soul and role, of reconnecting who we are with what we do. The focus is neither on techniques nor skills required in our work, but on renewing the inner lives of the participants. Using solitary, small and large group formats, poetry, archetypal and personal stories, we will address basic life questions which, though they are personal and private, are often deeply instructive when shared in a “circle of trust.” This series is open to those interested in participating in four seasonal retreats in which a “courage community” will form. In this environment of trust the deep work of soul is given voice. This is the approach which has proven transformational for numerous circles Marianne has led throughout the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Asia. You will have a private guest room and bath, meals, snacks, spacious grounds to walk, and precious time to “be”. Bring a journal and clothing appropriate for being outdoors. Check in between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. on the first day of each retreat. Autumn: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, 2008 to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008 Winter: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, 2009 to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009 Spring: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Apr. 24, 2009 to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Apr. 26, 2009 Summer: 7:00 p.m. Friday, Jun. 21, 2009 to 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, Jun. 23, 2009 Marianne Novak Houston was among a small group who worked closely with Parker Palmer for 12 years to develop the nationally recognized Courage to Teach and Courage to Lead formational programs. Marianne is currently a facilitator and consultant with the Center for Courage and Renewal in Seattle, Washington. View a PDF of the brochure for this program. Please register by October 23.