Fall 2007 Retreats
Wisdom Circles
Wisdom Circles provide an opportunity to explore topics in-depth, mindful of how each topic forms and informs our spiritual practice and our daily life, and looking within each topic for what the Wisdom traditions have to teach us.
There will always be at least one Wisdom Circle* focusing on in-depth work with the enneagram, a psych-spiritual tool for personal transformation. This fall, two enneagram Wisdom Circles will be offered, both focusing on relationships, one at Healing Ground (see copy below) and one co-sponsored by the Servant Leadership School of Greensboro (check their website www.servantleadergreensboro.com). We plan to offer a Wisdom Circle on the energy of money this winter.
The Enneagram and Relationships
Human beings are social animals, we thrive on relationship but it is not always easy. This enneagram study group will explore relationships in depth—the dynamics between the types, effective methods of communication with each type, the ways in which the three Instinctual Variants affect our main motivations in relationship, and how our relationships are a bellwether of our own emotional and spiritual health.
The bimonthly study group is designed for people who have already had an introduction to the Enneagram and are serious about working on their own journey back to essence and to life giving service.
Led by: Dee Irwin, Enneagram teacher, and retreat leader
Every other Wednesday from 9-11:30am, September 5 to December 12
Suggested donation: $100, limited to 12 participants.
A Quiet Day in the Quiet Garden
Healing Ground is part of the Quiet Garden movement, a ministry of hospitality that offers space for prayer, silence, reflection and the appreciation of beauty, for learning more about spiritual tools for daily life, and for experiencing creativity and healing in the context of God’s love. Come for the day or come for an hour. Materials will be provided for creative expression, and meditation spaces abound both indoors and throughout the grounds. If you come for the day, join the opening circle at 9am and the closing circle at 3pm.
Led by Pat Bailey and Dee Irwin and members of the Quiet Garden Mission Group.
First Fridays from 9am-4pm. Come any First Friday, it is a monthly offering, not a series.
Love offering. Bring a bag lunch, beverages and snacks provided.
Saint Francis: Reflections in Clay
Saint Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, is one of the most widely recognized figures in the Christian tradition. Loved for his legendary affinity with nature, he is the patron saint of animal welfare societies and of ecology. At this retreat, each participant will use polymer clay to create a sculpture of Saint Francis. Time will be provided for quiet reflection and meditation using the prayers of Saint Francis as a resource.
Polymer clay is a user-friendly medium for artists and non-artists alike. Participants will work together in a guided, step-by-step process to create their own image of Saint Francis to take home.
Led by: Judy Gibson King, an artist who has been working in clay for 15 years
Saturday, September 29, 2007 10am-4pm
Visit her web site joyfulspiritdesigns.com to learn more about Judy and her work.
Suggested donation: $65 includes lunch and materials.
Touching the Earth, Becoming Peace on Earth: A Day of Mindfulness and Reconciliation
Only when we are able to touch and maintain peace in ourselves and in our relationships can we restore and embody Peace on Earth. The Day of Mindfulness and healing will water the seeds of peace in ourselves, in our relationship to our families, our communities, and the earth.
By generating the energy of mindfulness, insight, and gratitude, we heal our anger and division and prepare the ground for reconciliation, peaceful communication, and belongingness.
Wear loose comfortable clothing. Bring a meditation cushion or bench if you have one and a mat and blanket for lying comfortably on the floor. You are also requested to bring a vegetarian potluck dish to share during our community meal.
Guided by: Diana Hawes and Bill Patterson, ordained lay practitioners teaching in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and supported by Pat Bailey and Dee Irwin, co-directors of Healing Ground.
Saturday, October 6, 2007 9:30am – 3pm
Suggested donation: $35-60. All proceeds will be used to support the work of Healing Ground and of Blue Cliff Monastery, a teaching facility in the Thich Nhat Hanh lineage located in New York State.
Blessings On You!
As we approach Thanksgiving, we thought it appropriate to remind ourselves of the many blessings that are bestowed upon us daily. Celtic Christians pave the way for us. Come for a day of reflection and creativity as we become more intentional about how we can bless ourselves and others.
Led by: Rev. Virginia Herring, Assistant to the Rector, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and popular retreat leader
Saturday, November 10th 10am-3pm
Suggested Donation: $30 and let us share from our abundance a dish to share for lunch.
An Advent Retreat at Mepkin Abbey
It has become an advent tradition for Healing Ground to offer this retreat as a perfect way of stepping into the rhythm of a quiet and meditative preparation for this holy season. We have reserved eight rooms at Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. It is a Cictercian monastery that follows a Benedictine life of prayer, work, and study. An added feature to this Benedictine retreat is the opportunity to view the Crêche Festival that includes Nativity sets from around the world.
Check their website at: www.mepkinabbey.org
Friday, November 30th 10am – Monday, December 3rd 4pm.
Suggested donation: $80 includes transportation to Mepkin Abbey. Participants leave a donation to Mepkin Abbey for their accommodations and meals at the monastery. Space is limited to 8 participants and usually fills quickly.
Walking the Labyrinth
This form of meditation or prayer walking has been helpful to people throughout the ages and continues to be an effective way to center oneself restoring peace and calm.
Bring the experience of walking the labyrinth to individuals or groups by taking advantage of Healing Ground’s portable 11-circuit canvas Chartres labyrinth (rental fee is $100). The canvas is 30 feet x 30 feet and is loaded on a portable cart for easy transportation. Healing Ground also has a beautiful outdoor labyrinth in the Quiet Garden which is always available for use.
The Suggested Love Offerings are just that—suggestions. We welcome you at any retreat for any amount you may wish to give. Scholarships are always available and we welcome barters or work exchanges if you would like to trade your time and talent for a retreat offering or a personal retreat. If you are financially blessed, you may want to sponsor someone who is blessed in other ways.
