If you’ve ever asked any of these or similar questions, you will definitely be interested in Franciscan Living offerings.
Join with others who are dedicated to simple living, mindfulness, balance, simplicity, and relationship with Mother Earth and all her creatures. You are guaranteed insight, challenge, and conversation in living the Franciscan lifestyle.
Programs
Program Descriptions
Individual Spiritual Direction
Spiritual direction is a process that focuses on developing the relationship between you and the divine, individually or in a small group setting. A spiritual director helps you notice and respond to the presence, movement and invitation of the sacred in your life and prayer. Spiritual direction can help you learn to pray, listen for or notice God's activity, discern for decision-making, become aware of images of the divine that influence your relationships, and heal wounds or negative
life-patterns. Spiritual direction is not counseling or engaging in a therapeutic relationship but many find it a helpful companion process.
Mini Retreats
While we often think of a retreat as lasting a week to a month or more, mini-retreats can make a big difference. Like an “Artists Date,” we offer time for contemplating for individuals and small groups from 90 minutes to one day.
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Topics include:
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Awakening to Beauty
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Dreams & Visions for a New Year
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Falling Into the Heart of God
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Praying With Sister Mother Earth
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Taming Your Inner Tyrant
Soul Collage®
Soul Collage® is a process which begins as simple creative fun. Through it, you become present to your unique and multi-faceted Soul in a new way, a way of imagery and imagination and intuition. In SoulCollage® one creates personal cards using collage (no need to be an “artist”).
Over time, you will learn how to consult the hidden wisdom of your chosen images to access their energy. In time, working with your cards, you will witness parts of the body-mind becoming more peaceful and more effective in your life because they are now connected to the Soul. Many find their cards helpful in relationships with friends, family, and community, as well as insightful aids to spiritual direction or therapy.
Reimagine Your Life
Writing is an especially powerful process when applied to yourself! This unique program offers participants support towards writing their autobiographies. The result is new perspectives toward your life events, your gifts, relationships, and your future. Sharing this process in a small group expands your sense of self and support.
SoulSpace
Prayer from the heart, communication with Spirit, encounter with the Sacred can take many diverse forms. In addition to the traditional practices of meditation, adoration, contrition, thanksgiving, intercession, and ecstatic dancing, there are a multitude of doorways that may lead one to connection with the Sacred.
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SoulSpace provides a sacred environment and materials for exploring drawing, painting, collaging, mandala making, folding origami, and other forms of embodied, tactile spiritual practice. During the first 30 minutes of each monthly gathering, a different technique is highlighted and demonstrated by a facilitator familiar with the practice.
Wisdom Circles
The increasingly fast pace of our digital world and the fracturing of social institutions, government, politics, education, and religion leave many seeking a safe space where respect, mutual dialogue, authenticity, and articulation of one’s values and life story can be shared.
Wisdom Circles are limited to 8 participants per group in order that members may form a sense of community and connection among each other. Some groups meet for a few weeks and others meet for years. Areas of discussion vary from group to group, with some groups choosing a book or other media as a starting point and others following an agreed-upon structure.
Care for Creation
Reverence, respect, and relationship are integral to a Franciscan lifestyle. Our Center provides opportunities to participate in study, reflection, action, and the celebration of our common home. As expressed in the Canticle of Creation, Franciscan tradition affirms that the earth and all the elements are our sisters and brothers who give praise to the Creator of All. At various times of the year, we offer events, discussions, activities, and suggested strategies for living lightly on and with our Sister, Mother Earth and all her creatures.
Online Offerings
We are in the process of expanding online options for those who live at a distance or prefer to meet via zoom. The first of these will be a conversation on the themes in the latest book, Do I Stay Christian? by progressive theologian, Brian McClaren. Plans are still being finalized on the dates and time. Please sign up for our newsletter to receive updated information.
Integrate the Franciscan Living Approach in Your Work
Looking for a more satisfying approach to your professional practice? Discover a holistic way to integrate connection, community, compassion, creativity and consciousness by participating in our seminars designed for facilitators, trainers, counselors, teachers, life coaches, social workers, program directors, and all those interested in incorporating mindfulness into daily life and work.