Monday 29 September 2014

October Update from the London Spirituality Centre

The London Spiritual Direction Network (LSDN)

The London Spirituality Centre seeks a Co-Ordinator for the LSDN to develop its role of encouraging and supporting spiritual directors in their ministry.

The Network Co-Ordinator will complete the establishment of an ethical framework; maintain and provide information to members; and work with the Centre Director and other stakeholders in developing the Network.

To register your interest or arrange an informal discussion, please contact Mark Godson by email.

The postholder will need to be available for the Network Day to be held at the Centre from 10.30 am - 3.30pm on November 15th.

Supervision Groups CORRECTION:
A revision to the times noted in the last newsletter
Supervision Groups
 -  For those working in spiritual direction, supervision offers professional support, enrichment and development. There are still a few places remaining:
Monday evenings (led by Julie Foster),
Tuesday mornings (led by  Jim Bateman)
Tuesday mornings (led by Mark Godson)
Please contact Catherine Chapman if you're interested to know more. Groups meet 9 times per year for 2 hours. Sessions cost £25.
 

The first in this year's Developing Direction series is this Friday, 3 October

Re-imagining God - led by Julian Maddock
Friday 3 October
11am - 4pm
£40
There are still a few places remaining in this session
For future Developing Direction sessions, please see the listings on our website by following this link.
 

Mindfulness: an introductory course placing it firmly in the wisdom tradition found in Christianity.

Mindfulness in the City - a practical introduction
Led by Mark Godson

Four Thursday evenings in October
beginning 9 October
6 - 7.30pm
£60
 

One-day Workshops
Saturdays in October, 11am - 4pm, each session: £40

From God's Good Earth: A Day with Pope Benedict XVI on Creation - led by Antonia Lynn
Saturday 11 October
Priest, Poet, Philosopher: A Day with John O'Donohue - led by Kenneth Boyd Browne
Saturday 18 October
For details of future sessions in the series "A Day With..." please follow this link to our What's On listings.
Spirituality through Painting
Led by Julia Keeling and Kenneth Boyd Browne
Saturday 25 October

(and for details of the sessions on Poetry and Film coming later in the programme, please visit this link)

Art and Soul - led by Sheila Jones
Creative Workshops in a Contemplative Setting

Tuesday 21 October, 2 - 4pm
£20

Saturday 22 November, 11am - 3pm
£30

Free events in October and November

Lunchtime Concerts, Wednesdays 12.30 - 2pm
Wednesday 15 October - Programme tba
Wednesday 19 November - String trio
Bring your lunch and enjoy the music.
Free
 
Meet the Author: Dave Tomlinson 
Author of How to be a Bad Christian
Vicar of St Luke's Church Holloway, "writer, speaker, passionate seeker after truth and wisdom, and avid explorer of theology, spirituality and life in general."
Monday 3 November 6.30 - 8.30pm
Free
Spiritual Practices in World Faiths presents:
Cole Moreton - Wild Spirit
Author of Is God Still An Englishman? How we lost our faith (but found new soul)
Wednesday 12 November 6.30 - 8.30pm
Free
And continuing monthly meetings:
Open Soul Space
A way to explore and deepen prayer practice. Although offered in a Christian context, it is open to anyone of any faith wishing to explore and discover.
Mondays: 13 October, 10 November, 8 December
6 - 7.30pm per session: £15 (£10 concessions)
Booking not essential: just turn up

Monday 15 September 2014

London Spiritual Direction Network Day


Spiritual Direction Network Day 2014

Saturday 15th November 10.30 am - 3.30 pm
Way of the Monk, Path of the Artist: The Contemplative and Creative Paths of Spiritual Direction with Christine Valters Painter
For members of the London Network and all those interested in the work of spiritual direction. The number of places is limited so apply early. £15 per person ("early bird" price until Oct 15th)

Saturday November 15th 10.30am-3.30pm
at The London Spirituality Centre, Lombard Street EC3V 9EA
Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, is a Benedictine oblate and the author of 7 books on monastic spirituality and creative arts.
Richard Rohr writes of Christine's work:

"This is what we need! Christine is offering us a 'moving monastery' yet with solid grounding in Scripture, Nature, Art, the Tradition, and the Saints! Abbey of the Arts is spirituality for our time and every time."

(Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F. M., Center for Action and Contemplation)
"Join us as we explore the archetypes of your inner monk and inner artist and the gifts they offer to us in tending the souls of others, bringing depth and new possibility to our ministry.

The monk within draws us to full presence with the divine in all that we do, calls us to seek silence and space so we might hear another voice speak, and welcomes in all that has been rejected. The artist within seeks to give expression to dreams being birthed, lives on the wild edges, and connects to the elemental joy which is our birthright. Together we will explore contemplative and creative practices through teaching, conversation, and experiential explorations."

You can read more about Christine here.

London Spiritual Direction Network Day
"Early bird" price £15. All Welcome.

Reserve your place now

Christine writes: "I believe that the spiritual life is right here and now, in the midst of the quotidian.  We are not waiting for some better opportunity or clear space which will never arrive as we imagine.  As a Benedictine oblate, I commit to live as a monk in the world, bringing presence to paying my bills, washing dishes, being a partner in marriage, and navigating the ordinariness of life.

I come most alive in that fertile space where the inner monk and artist meet and dance together.  I created the Abbey out of a desire to host a space where other monks and artists could find a welcoming place for deep inner work and an encounter with the great Source of both silence and creativity.

I am committed to contemplative living, one rooted in Sabbath rhythms, and consider myself an urban monk and part-time hermit.  Most days you can find me praying lectio divina, writing, receiving photos, preparing to teach, collaborating with fellow monks and artists, going for a long walk along the shores of Galway Bay, swimming in the pool or the sea, practicing yin yoga, dancing, having tea with friends, cooking a meal, or on a date with my husband.

I believe in the revolutionary power of stillness and spaciousness, and of practicing presence to life's unfolding.  I believe in radical hospitality to both the inner and outer stranger so that all parts may know themselves as welcome and part of a wholeness.  The monk's path matters in this world of division, speed, and productivity."
Timetable for the Network Day

from 10.00 arrivals and coffee
10:30-12:30 – session #1
12:30-1:30 lunch and networking
1:30-2:30 – session #2
2:45-3:15 liturgy
3:15-3:30 tea and departures

Participants will need to bring their own lunch or obtain it from one of the local outlets. Tea/coffee will be provided.
"Christine's vision and ministry embody Benedictine Spirituality so well. Incarnational, in calling forth heart with intellect. Creative, in drawing upon all the senses and inviting us out from comfort zones into new possibilities. Balanced. And staying-the-course until the gift emerges. I encourage seekers to consider these resources."
-Laura Swan, OSB, author of The Forgotten Desert Mothers and Engaging Benedict: What the Rule Can Teach Us Today

London Spiritual Direction Network Day
"Early bird" price £15. All Welcome.

Reserve your place now
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