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May - June 2010
Upcoming Retreats and Programs
at Franciscan Living Urban Center for Spirituality |
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 "Every object, every being,
is a jar full of delight.
Be a connoisseur."
--Rumi
Greetings!
When is the last time you were surprised by wonder?
The other evening, at the end of a long day, I stepped through the back entrance of our Urban Center for Spirituality into what is a rather inglorious mid-town alley. As I did so, I was immediately overtaken with a sense of awe by an incredible beauty. For in our gritty, gray, graffiti scrawled alley, populated by dumpsters, dirt, and detritus, a serene, green, ivy-covered portal appeared. That evening, and every other evening since, the twilight, the absence of cars in the parking lot, and a shift in my perception softens the rather ordinary rear entrance to the building across the way into an incredible delight. This beauty has
always been there but, in my hurry and inattention, I have overlooked it
for well over a year.
The ancient
Persian poet, Rumi, advises the seeker to approach everything as a
connoisseur. And what, you may ask, is a connoisseur? The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines a connoisseur as an expert,
especially one who understands the details, technique, or
principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge; one who
enjoys with discrimination and an appreciation
of subtleties.
Our work at the Center is about becoming connoisseurs of Life and Spirit. Grace, Beauty, Love, Enlightenment, Serenity, Peace, Compassion, Balance, and so many more gifts exist all about us.
It takes time, passion, and attention to become a connoisseur. One must dedicate herself / himself to the ways in which one can practice the details, techniques, principles, and art of the Source of Life in order to appreciate our wondrous world where all is Grace.
May offerings for connoisseurs continue with Monday evening SpiritDances, which provide a space and form to meditate through simple movement accompanied by music. Lana Engler has helped us to savor Franciscan Prayer as she has shared
deeply from her lived experience of unwrapping the gift of this ancient
and rich tradition.The final session is this Saturday from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. Feel free to drop by for her final session if you have a chance. On May 25th, Working With Your Cards, a new session for SoulCollagers, will focus on using one's cards as a meditation tool.
Our June offerings include opportunities to experience the SoulCollage®
process which makes use of magazine and other "found" images to foster an experience of connecting deeply with one's inner life. The SoulCollage® Studio will be open once again on Tuesday evenings in June from 5:30 - 8:00 PM. Those new to SoulCollage®
as well as those with some experience in card making will find
everything needed to create these beautiful "windows into the soul." Creating Your Own Mediation Cards with the SoulCollage® Process will provide an introduction and overview for those who wish to make a personal deck for daily meditation.
We will mark the Summer Solstice on Monday, June 21 with a Ceremony of Light which will include song, silence and snacks. The June Sabbath Prayer will provide time, space, and a context for exploring the spiritual practice of Sacred Play.
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Mondays, May 3,
10, 17, 24, 31 - 6:00 - 7:00 PM
Drop in - Donations for the support of the Center
gratefully accepted
Franciscan Prayer with Lana Engler
Saturdays, May 15 & 22, 11:00 AM - 12;30 PM
Registration Requested
Donations
for the support of the Center
gratefully accepted
Tuesday, May 25th, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Previous SoulCollage®
Experience Required
Pre-Registration - $15.00
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SoulCollage® Studio
Tuesdays June 15, 22, 29 from 5:30 - 8:00 PM $10.00 per session - Drop in
Living in the Light:
A Summer Solstice Celebration
Monday, June 21 from 6:00 - 7:00 PM
RSVP -
Donations for the support of the Center
gratefully accepted
Saturday, June 26, 2010 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Pre-Registration - $25.00
Sabbath Prayer: Sacred Play
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Individual Spiritual
Direction
available by appointment.
Call 916.718.4797 or e-mail our office for more information
Sliding scale is available
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Who are You, God, and Who am I?
Franciscan LivingUrban Center for Spirituality is rooted in this fundamental question that transcends the boundaries of space, time, race, gender, and religious practice. Like St. Francis & St. Clare of Assisi and their early followers, we recognize our origins in the Holy One and our kinship with all creation. Together we strive for authenticity of spiritual practice that manifests in the ordinary course of our daily lives and relationships. Through the spirituality of Presence we touch the Sacred and come to know the blessing of who we are as an integral part of the web of life.
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 Save the Date
Time really does fly! Thursday, July 22ndis the 2nd anniversary of Franciscan Living. We hope
you will save the date and join us from 6 - 8 PM for a Ceremony of Gratitude, Assisi inspired Italian sodas and light Hors de oeuvres. More information about the celebration will come via a special e-mail invitation in June.
May you continue to discover and savor moments of wonder and grace.
Blessings,
Margie Will, osf |
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