• About The Sophia Center

The Sophia Center for Spirituality

~ Spanning the denominations in NY's Southern Tier

The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Tag Archives: retreat

Not Just a Day…

20 Monday Apr 2020

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Easter season, heart space, meditation, retreat, self-forgiveness, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

I was on a zoom call at 7:00 this morning, signed in with about 30 people interested in following the liturgical season of Easter – rather than just thinking of Easter as a day. It really is 50 days, taking us all the way to Pentecost – but who is still thinking of Easter on Memorial Day? (Hopefully some of us will still be there!)

With my friend Bill Redfield at the helm of the Zoom Ship, I trust we will all persevere with what Bill promises will be a practicum as well as a retreat. This morning – and three more times this week (for slow learners or those who feel that repetition is good for the soul) – Bill led us through a meditation practice that got us into our “heart space” in order that we might consider, or rather perhaps experience, self-forgiveness. Surprisingly, I found out in the small group portion of the call that I am not the only person who has a greater capacity for forgiving others than for forgiving myself. “Why is that so?” we asked ourselves and each other.

I’m hoping that by the end of the week I will have some answers, or even just acceptance of that reality and a new willingness to let it go. If you have an interest in joining us, visit William Redfield Virtual Easter Retreat and Practicum for more information. You’ll be very welcome!

Zooming Along

31 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bill Redfield, connect, consciousness, experiment, gratitude, lovingkindness, retreat, solidarity, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, unity, Zoom

I participated in three hour-long zoom calls yesterday. I can see the value in each but, in a contest, would have voted the first my favorite. Although it began at 7:00 AM (not my best time to be fully functioning), there were several reasons to recommend it. As a pre-planned part of Bill Redfield’s Lenten on-line retreat, there was content to discuss. Interesting that although the discussion took a turn because of the COVID-19 virus that is ever-present now, the 16 early risers folded that topic in to the discussion in a way that was seamless and totally appropriate. We found the call to consciousness and lovingkindness heightened in ways we could never have predicted because of the virus.

The second offering was an experiment and, like most “first tries,” it was rather chaotic, especially at the start. As an invitation to a virtual “open house” to meet the new Congregational Leadership Team of our religious community, this call was a replacement (one of five) for the pre-planned “in-person” visit of these five women. In essence, it was a remarkable feat, offering more Sisters more opportunity to interact with the leadership than ever before because we are over 800 women spread across the United States and in Peru. The downside of the meeting was the lack of familiarity with Zoom and the large number of Sisters who responded to the invitation. Although it was honestly chaotic, the hour provided opportunities to see and hear one another (more or less!) and to know ourselves as part of a powerful force for good, larger than ourselves, and willing to move to a new way of connecting that will, in time, be of great benefit to us in the future.

Back for the evening offering of Bill Redfield’s Lenten retreat at 7PM, there was conversation of the same nature as in the morning but with a twist. In a way that is still a mystery to non-technophiles, Bill sent us for awhile to small group “rooms.” Because there were 30 participants, we were randomly divided into groups of three for the major part of the hour. While I’m always happy to experience all the participants – some of whom I have known in other retreat experiences – the wonder of being thrust into what is always a deep and meaningful conversation with two or three people I have never met before is always a blessing. My half hour with Dave and Tony was just such a gift.

So what is the point of all this? The willingness of people to find new ways to connect and the recognition of our need to know not only that life goes on in times of challenge and distress but also that we can be lifted up in solidarity with others who are experiencing the same is a blessing in the midst of this worldwide crisis. More than anything we have experienced, this moment calls us to unity and to a gratitude for the generosity of people who serve in ways that motivate us all to deeper understanding. May it be so for all of us. God bless us all!

Thomas Merton, from the Desert

25 Monday Feb 2019

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

abbas, ammas, desert, prayers, retreat, spiritual liberty, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, The Wisdom of the Desert, Thomas Merton, true self

It is 6:52 a.m. in Tucson, Arizona, and I am here to learn about those intrepid men and women known as the desert fathers and mothers (or Abbas and Ammas) of early Christianity (4th century), who left the cities to find their “true selves” in the  silence and solitude of the deserts of the Near East.

Later this morning I will set out and find a space in this desert place where I will be alone for just an hour without anything to distract me but my own thoughts. The rules are: no cellphone, no journal, no watch to tell when we should come back. “Watch the sky,” our teacher answered when that question came up. Just walk out, find a place and sit down. Simple? Not so much, since we are 21st century Americans.

Here’s what Thomas Merton said on the subject in his book, The Wisdom of the Desert:

“We cannot do exactly what they did. But we must be as thorough and as ruthless in our determination to break all spiritual chains, and cast off the domination of alien compulsions, to find out true selves, to discover and develop our inalienable spiritual liberty and use it to build, on earth, the Kingdom of God. This is not the place in which to speculate what our great and mysterious vocation might involve. That is still unknown. Let it suffice for me to say that we need to learn from these men [and women] of the fourth century how to ignore prejudice, defy compulsion and strike out fearlessly into the unknown.” (p.24)

This will obviously not be achieved any time soon but making a start seems important today. Prayers, please!

Wherever We Turn…

17 Monday Sep 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

discern, face of God, gratitude, habits, prayer, reflection, retreat, silence, Sufism, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth

arayoflightIt is said that “old habits die hard.” I was aware of that in a small way during the days of retreat from which I returned yesterday. Each morning when I awoke to the sounds of silence one of my first thoughts was of my daily writing task. Since I had announced  the 5-day hiatus, I was able with just a grateful breath to simply turn toward the silence and enter the day where the only speaking was in sessions of prayer & reflection on the mystical practices of Sufism. What became the most obvious truth for me swirled around and into every hour of the day in the words of the chant: Wherever I turn, there is the face of God.

In the events of each day lie the seeds of gratitude for all the possible learnings available to us if we look deeply and surrender at every turn. Sometimes the face of God is easy to see but sometimes, if we look in a mirror, it is up to us to discern the truth of the face that looks back at us and how we are to act in response.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great Expectations

12 Wednesday Sep 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

inter-spiritual, prayer, retreat, silence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, wisdom

asilenceJust a few words this morning as I prepare to travel to New Hampshire for five days of retreat with a brilliant spiritual teacher half my age. If you haven’t met Rev. Matthew Wright, I urge you to look him up on the internet at awaking heart (his blog) or northeast wisdom or the contemplative society. Matthew has a winning smile that invites everyone in to his vast knowledge and practice of Wisdom Christianity and Sufism, the mystical arm of Islam. Matthew is a great gift to anyone seeking to delve the inter-spiritual depths of the three great Abrahamic traditions (add Judaism to the other two) to see similarities more than differences and to reverence each for the richness they bring to the world.

I cannot promise blog posts until next Monday but will remain open to whatever each day brings. We may be asked to abandon our electronic devices, so if you find no new posts for five days, please simply join me in prayer and the great privilege of the silence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ignatius of Loyola

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Ad majorem Dei gloriam, daily prayer, God's will, grace, jesuits, love one another, reflection, retreat, St. Ignatius of Loyola, The Society of Jesus, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, The Spiritual Exercises

astignatiusWhen I was in elementary school at Our Lady Help of Christians parish, it was the custom on our tests (and probably other written work) to place a small cross at the top of the page and underneath to print JMJ (Jesus, Mary, Joseph). I don’t remember being instructed each time to do what was most likely supposed to become a habit of dedicating our work to the Holy Family but I suspect for many of us it was either a desperate prayer for help or a desire to be seen as pious. Later on, as we grew into the upper grades and got more sophisticated, the letters changed to AMDG (Ad majorem Dei gloriam = for the greater glory of God). Knowing the meaning in English was easier than remembering the Latin words, at least until we got to high school. It wasn’t until much later that I learned how famous that phrase was.

Today is the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of The Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits. The life story of Ignatius and his “society” is a great read which I will not repeat here (see “saint of the day” from www.franciscanmedia.com for the concise version) but it is clear that the influence of this man who lived from 1491 to 1556 – and died on this day – is greater today than in his lifespan because of his work that has come to be known as The Spiritual Exercises. Originally written for the Jesuits themselves, in our time the Exercises have been incorporated into the lives of people – religious and lay – throughout the world who are seeking spiritual growth. Based on the gospels and written as a four-week retreat, it is a rigorous daily commitment to prayer and reflection that can set one on a course for life. For those who cannot spend an entire month in retreat, there is “the nineteenth annotation” process, wherein each “day” becomes a week spread over 30 weeks. (much information on line).

The goal of everything for Ignatius was doing the will of God, thus the motto: Ad majorem Dei gloriam. This desire is captured in a simple, sincere prayer attributed to him that I believe may be the most profound gift we can offer to God each day.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will – all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To you, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Morning After

02 Monday Jul 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

diversity, divine, future, God, grace, innerness, Rainer Maria Rilke, retreat, reveal, Rilke's Book of Hours, spiritual growth, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

acockcrowingThe weekend just ended brought both old friends and new faces to our tiny “island of grace” (the way I see our small retreat center these days). The privilege of preparing meals for them allowed me observation time of their interactions with one another and the alternation of their movements to and from the conference room – so often peppered with “thank you” or smiles of appreciation for every little thing. I cannot help feeling judgments about people melt from me as I observe the gifts that diversity brings to a retreat where everyone is desirous of spiritual growth. The ways that people dress or speak or choose their food are all overshadowed by the blinding light of their intention toward unity with the Divine (however they perceive the One I call God).

I was prompted to this realization this morning by Rainer Maria Rilke’s thought, translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy in a book entitled Rilke’s Book of Hours. I wasn’t looking for anything special as I pulled the book from my side table but here is what I saw upon opening to page 177.

You are the future, the red sky before sunrise over the fields of time. You are the cock’s crow when night is done, you are the dew and the bells of matins, maiden, stranger, mother, death. You create yourself in ever-changing shapes that rise from the stuff of our days – unsung, unmourned, undescribed, like a forest we never knew. You are the deep innerness of all things, the last word that can never be spoken. To each of us you reveal yourself differently: to the ship as coastline, to the shore as a ship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scriptural Assurance

11 Friday May 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Acts of the Apostles, centering prayer, getaway, John, meditation, Pentecost, retreat, spirit, St. Paul, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

aretreatWhen I think of the courage necessary to the first Christians as they shared their beliefs in Jesus and found resistance that led to beatings and vilification, I’m honored to have an opportunity to do the same with radically different outcomes. I am certainly not comparing myself to St. Paul and his gift of preaching! The only similarity is that I will leave in a few hours for a destination in Pennsylvania, close to 225 miles away. Unlike in Paul’s day, the trip will take me about four hours and the travel conditions will simply necessitate paying attention while I drive.

I’m going to lead a retreat for members of a parish in Maryland  – a “getaway” weekend for them in what I’m told are beautiful surroundings. Of the almost 50 participants, I only know the person organizing the retreat. That’s always daunting as there’s no guarantee that my presentations about “putting on the mind of Christ” with a focus on centering prayer meditation will please them. It was the first line of the first reading that began to put me at ease this morning, however. I read, “One night while Paul was in Corinth, the Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.'” (ACTS 18:9 – I love those instances when it seems God is speaking directly to me!)

One of the pieces of information I received from the organizer of the event as she was describing the venue for the retreat was the fact that there is very little cell service unless you climb a hill to get it. Knowing just that fact, I’m thinking that it will be better to decide right now that I will not be blogging again until Monday when I will be back home after the conclusion of this experience. Given that we are in the moment and mode of expectation for the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost, I ask your prayer for the retreat participants and for me, that we all give and receive what is needed for the word of God to grow in us this weekend. And we can be sure of God’s response as the last line of the gospel this morning has Jesus promising: “Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.” (JN 16:23)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just Love

07 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

charity, give, love, Love Poems from God, retreat, St. Francis of Assisi, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

ahearthandoffAfter all my preparation and the very meaningful retreat day yesterday for a wonderful group of welcoming parishioners, I have little to say today. I yield to St. Francis of Assisi for a poem that seems a perfect postscript for me and a meaningful thought for all of us.

God came to my house and asked for charity. And I fell on my knees and cried, “Beloved, what may I give?” “Just love,” He said. “Just love.” (Love Poems from God, p. 33) 

 

 

 

 

 

First Light

06 Tuesday Mar 2018

Posted by thesophiacenterforspirituality in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

dawn, day, healing, joyful, Macrina Wiederkehr, Mark, morning prayer, night, retreat, seven sacred pauses, shining, silence, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

asunriseWaking up very early (5:20am) has its benefits as I am experiencing today. I need to be in my car by 7:30, in order to be able to breathe when I arrive at the retreat venue where I will share the day with probably about 50 people. During the event we will share reflections on three questions from the gospel of Mark:

  1. Jesus, what do you want from us?
  2. Who do you say that I am?
  3. What is it you want me to do for you?

There is always a bit of trepidation on days like this, hoping that I have written – and/or will say – something relevant to the lives of those who participate in the retreat. The overarching feeling this morning, however, is gratitude and wonderment that I have been given this privilege. As I read a psalm prayer from Macrina Wiederkehr’s book, Seven Sacred Pauses, I am reminded that God is in charge of this day:

With joyful silence I receive the soft light of a new day, light born from earth’s turning. O Medicine of Dawn, healing are your morning rays. I lift my face toward the ointment of your splendor as I become a morning prayer. As Morning Blossoms, I go forth to meet the great shining, the dear unfolding of the day. With the fading night I begin a sacred dance in the arms of your shining.

 

 

 

 

 

← Older posts

Donate to The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Donate

Our other websites

  • Main website
  • Facebook page

Visitors

  • 95,952 hits

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,044 other followers

Recent Posts

  • The “O Antiphon” Meditations
  • Memorial to be held this Sunday
  • Mark your calendars
  • A note to readers
  • “Hope Springs Eternal…”

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Archives

  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • The Sophia Center for Spirituality
    • Join 1,044 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The Sophia Center for Spirituality
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...