John Berges

1994 Sancta Sophia Seminary graduate, John Berges, M.Th., made his transition August 30th, 2011. John was a student, writer and teacher of the Ageless Wisdom. He authored two books on the hidden message and symbolism encoded in The Great Invocation, Sacred Vessel of the Mysteries and Hidden Foundations of the Great Invocation. He created the Seven Ray Energy Cards, an intuitive counseling system based on the seven rays and co-produced with his wife, Darlene, The Daily Seven Ray Energy Journal. John conducted study classes and courses in esoteric psychology and philosophy for over twenty years and continued to expand and refine his spiritual study.

A Facebook memorial page has been created by his family where you are invited to honor John by adding any words of how he may have touched your heart, impacted your life or inspired you with his words.

Spiritual Healing: New states of consciousness are rapidly being accessed in society today. As evolving humanity opens to a new healing consciousness, it will become healthier and more harmonious. Spiritual energies uplift physical matter, purifying and sanctifying our vehicles of expression. We will experience many soul-centered healing practices by addressing all levels of our being. As we heal ourselves, we heal the world.

Triage: Spiritual emergencies relate to the physical, emotional, and mental aspects of our nature that are being stimulated by the evolutionary forces within. The fiery energies of spirit transform us in ways not yet recognized by mainstream medicine. Recognition and assimilation of these powerful energies is the goal of the evolving human. We are learning to cooperate with these emergent forces as we grow in spiritual awareness.

$250 enrolled seminarians / $275 others
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Frequently in providing end of life care, it is necessary to view patients' distress from the perspective of spiritual care and important to assess the spiritual care needs of the dying person.

Intended for clinical care providers, spiritual care providers, and loved ones of those approaching end of life, this course includes an esoteric explanation of dying. Comparing the wisdom teachings of death and dying to the medical model allows those involved to gain new insights about the dying process. Thus, all concerned are able to form a more effective team as they strive to prepare terminally ill patients for a more peaceful death.

Through both lecture and experiential activities, course sessions also explore methods of being present to suffering, providing a compassionate spiritual presence to the dying, utilizing complementary healing therapies, establishing caregiver-patient boundaries, recognizing the need for self care, facing one's own mortality, and supporting the bereaved.

30 hours CEU: LCSW, LPC, LMFT, LADC, and CADC

$250/275
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ARTICLE: Esoteric Insights to End of Life: The Role of the Subtle Body During the Dying Process

By Rev. Katherine James, Ph.D.

Since 1989 the practice of Reiki, acupressure, and spiritual healing, seminary education, and observations as a hospice chaplain, have provided knowledge of the role of the subtle body during the dying process. While caring for the dying, sensitivity to the life force has increased within this practitioner. While holding a dying person's hand or anointing a dying patient, intuition frequently guides the touch and the diminishing life force can be assessed.

What medical science knows about the body's function can be put into the framework of a larger dynamic energy system. Richard Gerber in his work, A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine, refers to an evolving viewpoint that takes into account many forms and frequencies of vibrating energy, such as emotions, consciousness, and the life force of the soul, that contribute to a multidimensional human energy system. The new vibrational model sees human consciousness as not merely a by-product of electrical and chemical processing in the human brain, but a kind of energy itself. Emotions are not just the result of neurochemical reactions in the limbic system or the emotional centers of the brain, but are also influenced by a greater, spiritual energy field that encompasses and influences the entire physical body. Reactions to life are recorded not only in the biochemical patterns of memory storage in the brain but also in the . . .
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The Liturgy of the Hours (also known as the Divine Office) is one of the richest single prayer resources of the Christian Church. It provides prayers, psalms, and meditation for every hour of every day. It has existed from the earliest times, to fulfill the Lord's command to "pray without ceasing." In this workshop we shall explore the ancient liturgical canonical hours with both a traditional and an esoteric focus. Participants will have the opportunity to experience the prayerful application of the "hours" and discover ways to incorporate this devotion (and esoteric adaptations) with their existing spiritual practice. Workshop concludes with an esoteric benediction ceremony.

$75
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October 14 - 16

Friday - Sunday

The Kingdom of Heaven Is Within--a Silent Retreat

ben Worth

Jesus regularly went apart from His disciples to be alone in the silence with God. He taught us by His example, that we can find the Kingdom of Heaven within - in the silence. This retreat will offer meditation techniques to quiet the mind, so that one can go within and rest in that silence. Attendees will meditate together for extended periods, from fifteen to forty-five minutes at a time. Through both lecture and experiential methods, you will be guided away from intellectualism and back to innocence, where you can enter the Kingdom as a child.

$125

October 18 - 22

Tuesday - Saturday, AM & PM

Figueira Retreat at Sancta Sophia

David Cutrell and Resource group

The purpose of this retreat is to explore the principles of Jos� Trigueirinho Netto's work and how we may apply them to our daily lives. The group will delve into the material and formulate questions for the resource people: Alan (Micha-El) Berkowitz, David Cutrell, Linda Summer, Brenda Cutrell, and Beatrice (Gran) Berkowitz. Time will be spent learning the mantras and listening to selected recent lectures about the current times. Participants will be asked to help with the food preparation. There will also be time for personal reflection and connecting with the natural beauty of SHV.

Expenses for the retreat will be covered by spontaneous donations. 

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This article, written in 2008, was first published in the July 2008 SSS News. For those who may not know of Figueira, we thought it would be a great introduction to this special place and their work.

Figueira is the name of a Spiritual Center in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where a group of people is living according to certain inner sacred rules. These have a remarkable resemblance to the Agni themes and virtues as depicted by Helena Roerich in the Agni Yoga Teachings, also called the Path of Ethical Living, which were written between 1924 and 1937. The themes and virtues can be found if one carefully studies the inspired books, such as Leaves of Morya's Garden, Infinity, Agni Yoga, Hierarchy, Aum, Fiery World, etc. Agni Yoga is one of the three pearls in Sancta Sophia Seminary's lotus symbol.

I found out about Figueira through the books of Jos� Trigueirinho Netto, one of the founders of this Center. Trigueirinho has written 76 books between 1987 and 2008. His talks have produced 1,400 CDs, some of which have been translated into English. Before founding Figueira he held Seminars in various cities of Brazil, and in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The spiritual center of Figueira was founded in approximately 1987 through the donation of the use of a property to Trigueirinho, and the first meeting there was held on December 2, 1987. From this kernel all that is described in the following pages was developed. . . . I will describe my experience of first visiting Figueira, occurring in 2000, in resonance with the Agni themes and virtues.
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Our Fall Conference keynote speaker is Rev. Dr. Eric Elnes, author of The Phoenix Affirmations: A New Vision for the Future of Christianity, and a book on experiential  worship called Igniting Worship: The Seven Deadly Sins (Abingdon, 2004). Dr. Elnes is the pastor of Countryside Community Church (United Church of Christ), and the cofounder of CrossWalk America -- a nonprofit organization which conducted a coast-to-coast walk in 2006 to unite progressive Christians and encourage meaningful discussion.

Dr. Elnes has also authored a soon-to-be-released book entitled, Lightning in a Dark Wood: Unexpected Guidance from Beyond You, and Within You, to Be More Fully You.

Save the date, tell your friends,

and plan to be there!

 

2011 Annual Conference

Monday to Sunday, November 7 - 13, 2011 

We hope to see you on campus for one or more of our inspiring classes or events. We think you will not only enjoy the valuable enrichment that they provide, but also the wonderful fellowship that is created by like-minded individuals.

Please feel free to forward this email, via the link below, to anyone who you think may be interested in receiving a transformational spiritual education.

And as always, thank you for your generous support of our programs.