Newsletter Archive

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This issue alerts you that we’ve had to change one of the topics scheduled for the Sixth Annual One-Day Fall Workshop, which is coming up in less than two weeks: Saturday, November 4 in Lisle.  Unfortunately, one of the presenters had to withdraw due to illness; see below for a description of the excellent replacement session we’ve arranged.

This issue also includes an interesting reminiscence by Rabbi Rami Shapiro about the beginning of his working relationship with Fr. Thomas Keating, and a report from Alan Krema about his experiences at the 2017 Contemplative Outreach International Conference.  As usual, we also draw your attention to various upcoming activities, events, retreats, and conferences.

October Insights come from Alan Watts, Karen Armstrong, Thomas Keating, and Thomas Merton.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – October 2017

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Happy Peace Day Chicago!

The Sixth Annual One-Day Fall Workshop is only six weeks away on November 4.  To help you get ready, this issue features personal reflections from two more of the people who will be leading workshop sessions, providing insight on the topics they plan to cover.  (For similar background on the other two workshop sessions, see last month’s Spirit Journal.)

We also let you know about other upcoming activities, events, retreats, and conferences, and draw your attention to God is Love, a major new  work from Thomas Keating.  September Insights come from Mahatma Ghandi, Thomas Keating, Therese of Lisieux and Anne Lamott.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – September 2017

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To help you get ready for the Sixth Annual One-Day Fall Workshop coming up on November 4, this issue features personal reflections from three of the people who will be leading workshop sessions, providing insight on the topics they plan to cover.  Next month, we will provide similar background on the other two workshop sessions.

As usual, we also call your attention to a range of other upcoming activities, events, retreats, and conferences you may wish to attend.  August Insights come from Joseph Campbell, Richard Rohr, Jiddu Krishnamurti, and John Muir.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – August 2017

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This issue fills in the details on the topics planned for our Sixth Annual One-Day Fall Workshop.  Discounted early bird registration for the Fall Workshop is available through July 31 only, so there is just a little more time to plan ahead and save.

Also featured in this month’s issue: Alan Krema offers a reflection on “Conscious Work” as a key part of the Wisdom journey, and asks for your feedback on an idea for taking the next step in our evolving Living Wisdom program.

As usual, we call your attention to a number of upcoming activities, events, retreats, and conferences you may wish to attend.  It’s wonderful to see how this list is expanding over time as interest in contemplative topics grows across our region and beyond.  July’s Insights come from Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Rabindranath Tagore.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – July 2017

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This issue begins with an invitation to the eight-day Intensive and Post-Intensive Retreats coming up soon in August at the Portiuncula Center; then we offer an advance opportunity to  regisiter – with an “early bird” discount – for our sixth annual One-Day Fall Workshop on November 4.

There’s an article by Chicago Coordinator Al Krema about the activities of our volunteer “circle of service,” with an invitation for you to get involved, and news about a new AA program in Chicago that is using Centering prayer as the “11^th step.”

We call your attention to a range of upcoming summer events, retreats, and conferences you may wish to attend, and suggest that you plan now if you are interested in taking part in a weeklong Wisdom School with Cynthia Bourgeault in North Carolina next March.  June Insights come from Samuel Johnson, Vladimir Nabokov, Henry David Thoreau, and Rumi.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – June 2017

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Our late-May, pre-summer issue begins with an invitation to the Intensive and Post-Intensive Retreats coming up in August; then we share several participants’ personal reflections on the recent Cloud of Unknowing Retreat with Father William Meninger.

We invite you to consider participating in a range of upcoming summer events, retreats, and conferences,  and  offer a link to Contemplative Outreach’s June national newsletter, which includes a valuable summary of our organization’s revised and updated vision.  This month’s Insights come from Rami Shapiro, Ram Dass, Rachel Carson and Patti Smith.

[Read more…] about Spirit Journal – May 2017