Preview

With Labor Day behind us, autumn begins, and our thoughts turn to Contemplative Outreach Chicago’s Eighth Annual One-Day Fall Workshop, coming up on November 2. This issue of Spirit Journal includes articles by three session-leaders about their plans for the Workshop, as well as a link to similar articles about the other sessions, which were published in last month’s newsletter.

Chicago chapter coordinator Alan Krema shares his thoughts on the topic of Engaging Our Place in Society from the Transformative Place of Contemplative Practice. This topic is relevant to our 2020 Winter Retreat Enter the Chaos, to a one-day workshop on the wisdom of Howard Thurman that is being planned for next May, and to several upcoming events on the history of race relations and the hope for racial reconciliation in Chicago.

We announce with mixed feelings that the capacity limit has been reached and therefore registration has ended for Living Flame program, which begins in October and continues through April 2020. The enthusiastic response to this offering has been great, but we wish there was room for everyone who might like to participate.

As always, we call your attention to several worthwhile contemplative events sponsored by others that are coming up soon in our region, and share several brief Insights, this month from Rami Shapiro, Walt Whitman, Aldous Huxley and Howard Thurman.

Please give us your input about any aspect of Spirit Journal by emailing the editor, using the address provided at the end of the newsletter. We love hearing from readers!

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – September 2019

by Registrar on August 8, 2019 in Newsletter

Preview

This month, Spirit Journal has a lot of news to share. We begin with informative articles created by several of the presenters who will lead sessions at this year’s Annual Fall One-Day Workshop on November 2^nd.  Next, Alan Krema provides a first look at Enter the Chaos, our 2020 Winter Retreat, which promises to engage the reality of human relationships from multiple viewpoints, offering a means to connect on a deeper level than the reactionary.

We recommend a wonderful new memoir by Deb Marqui and we remind you that registration is open for the seven-workshop Living Flame program, which begins in August and continues through April 2020. More than 25 people have already signed up for this outstanding program, and capacity is limited, so please don’t delay. We also call your attention to several other worthwhile contemplative events and activities coming up soon in our region.

This month’s Insights come from Wayne Teasdale, Trunga Rinpoche, Thomas Keating, and Toni Morrison.

Please give us your input about any aspect of Spirit Journal by emailing the editor, using the address provided at the end of the newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you!

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – August 2019

by Registrar on June 26, 2019 in Newsletter

Preview

With summer at last in full swing, this issue announces the start of registration for our 2019 One-Day Fall Workshop, coming up on November 2, and provides a look at the various topics and themes we’ll be exploring together that day. We also provide information about the Living Flame, a series of seven full-day offerings of in-depth spiritual study that starts in October, and highlight a number of other upcoming events and retreats in the Chicago area and around the region.

We offer a snippet of a fascinating and meaningful Buddhist tale and a link to read the rest of the story in the noteworthy magazine Parabola. This issue of Spirit Journal also includes Insights from Tara Brach, Sharon Saltzburg, Jose Ortega y Gasset, and Dr. John.

Please take a moment to let us know what you think about Spirit Journal – and start your side of the conversation – by emailing the editor at the address provided at the end of the newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you!

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – July 2019

Preview

This month’s Spirit Journal begins with Alan Krema’s appreciation of the abundance of spring and the similar abundance of activities Contemplative Outreach Chicago has planned for the coming year.  We also link you to information and registration for two of those programs: the Eight-Day Intensive/Post Intensive Retreats in July and the Living Flame program starting in October.

In addition, we provide information about one new and many existing prayer groups to support your individual centering prayer practice, let you know about several other contemplative activities that are coming up soon and may be of interest, and offer Insights from Cynthia Bourgeault, Ram Dass, Bob Marley, and Maya Angelou.

Please give us your input about any aspect of Spirit Journal by emailing the editor, using the address provided at the end of the newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you!

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – May 2019

Preview

Happy Spring! We hope you had a wonderful Easter.  April’s Spirit Journal announces that “early bird” registration is now underway for the Living Flame program that starts in October, as well as for this summer’s Eight-Day Intensive/Post Intensive Retreats. Alan Krema writes about the “Enter the Chaos” retreat he recently attended in Michigan. This retreat will be offered in our area next February

We are also delighted to publish a prayerful poem by Deb Marqui of Healing Gardens, as well as the third and final installment of a Pluck the Day . . . for It Is Ripe, by Jeff Ediger.

Finally, we provide information about several additional contemplative activities that are coming up soon and may be of interest, along with Insights from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Howard Thurman, David Steindl-Rast, and Mary van Balen.

As always, we hope you will let us know what you think about Spirit Journal – and start your side of the conversation – by emailing the editor at the address provided at the end of the newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you!

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – April 2019

Preview

March’s Spirit Journal announces a slight change of plans affecting this summer’s Eight-Day Intensive/Post Intensive Retreats, reminds us to save the dates for the 2019-2020 Living Flame program that launches in the fall, and shares information about the final 2019 Living Wisdom workshop coming up on April 13 with Jeff Ediger.

We are delighted to publish a lovely personal reflection on Centering Prayer by Sandy Janowski, one of the leaders of our summer retreats, along with the second installment of a very interesting new long-form piece of writing we think you’ll enjoy: Pluck the Day . . . for It Is Ripe, by Jeff Ediger.

Finally, we provide information about several additional contemplative activities that are coming up soon and may be of interest, along with Insights from Thich Nhat Hanh, Albert Einstein, Sharon Satzburg, and Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – March 2019