Welcome to our listing of upcoming regional events sponsored by Contemplative Outreach Chicago and others.
Our 2026 Annual Fall Workshop – Encountering the Universe Story Anew
In person at Alexine Chapel on the campus of Nazareth Academy
Saturday, October 17th, 9:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. CST
Please join Contemplative Outreach Chicago and The Well Spirituality Center in “Encountering the Universe Story Anew.” The Universe Story is the realization that the Divine has been active in the universe from the Big Bang forward – that we are descendants of stars, that we and all of creation are divinely interconnected, and that everything we know about the world and ourselves is the result of the evolutionary process of life, death, and rebirth.
Come spend a day with us and facilitators Bob Kent and Ed Shurna experiencing the Universe Story in a new way – chock full of rituals, wanders on the land, and small group sharing. Whether you are a Universe Story veteran or a new learner, this day-long retreat will deepen your felt relationship with Mother Earth and Father Sky, with the Divine, and with yourself.
Bob Kent is an ordained interfaith minister and serves The Well as Facilitator of Spiritual Community. Along the way, he attended the Living School at the Center for Action and Contemplation and was trained as a therapist in the Internal Family Systems psychospiritual method. He uses themes from the Universe Story, creation spirituality, and Celtic Christianity to create opportunities for an embodied experience of the Divine.
Ed Shurna is a retired community organizer, former Jesuit seminarian, and retired executive director from Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. He has spent more than 50 years building community organizations, motivated by a desire to change unjust systems. His prayer creates contemplative opportunities for fellow seekers to be in community and to combine contemplation with action. His other passion is to be connected to nature and he is deeply moved by the story of the evolving universe.
For more information and to register
Contemplative Movement: Bringing Your Body into Your Practice
Presented by Kellyn Jackson, BC-DMT, LCPC
Centering Prayer provides many spiritual and emotional benefits. It leads us to an inner peace and connection to the Divine. In this experiential event we will practice how to bring that peace into your body, and into your interactions with others.
We will engage in Barbara Dilley’s* Contemplative Dance Practice. This practice incorporates seated meditation with improvised movement, witnessing, and collaboration.
Participants will be guided through a warm-up and an explanation of the practice. After we practice, we will spend some time discussing our experiences. No prior experience with dance, movement, or meditation necessary. This practice is suitable for all levels and abilities. We will have a period of Centering Prayer in this event.
*Barbara Dilley is a former president of Naropa University, a Dance artist and Buddhist.
Our facilitator: Kellyn Jackson
Kellyn is a dance/movement therapist and long time meditator. She works with individuals and groups to help individuals bridge the gaps between their cognitive understandings and their embodied action. She also teaches contact improvisation, a dance form centered around nonverbal communication and embodied consent. Kellyn’s trauma-informed approach prioritizes accessibility, inclusivity, and attunement in order to create spaces where people feel safe enough to take risks that bring them closer to holistic integration.