Developing Direction at the London Centre for Spirituality

The ongoing Developing Direction programme resumes in February 2017 with a very rich series of days led by experienced and inspired practitioners. As spiritual directors it’s easy to feel isolated and somewhat depleted. This is a good chance to both find community and be nourished in the vital ministry you offer.  All the sessions described below can be booked individually but booking as a whole course entitles you to a discount of £45.00.  Read more and book your place on the entire Developing Direction series. Friday, Feb 10th, 11 - 4pm THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOUL Metaphor and Spiritual Direction Dr Andrew Mayes How can we describe to others what is happening to us on our spiritual journey? How can we depict the spiritual road that we are taking-experiences of prayer, transitions that we travel through, impediments that we face-and externalize into words the interior experiences? Based on his latest book, Learning the Language of the Soul, Andrew will help us to explore creative and inspirational metaphors for use in spiritual direction. Dr. Andrew Mayes is currently Spirituality Adviser to the Anglican Diocese of Chichester, where he has also served as director of clergy training. He is the author of six previous books, including the widely-acclaimed Beyond the Edge: Spiritual Transitions for Adventurous Souls. Read more and book Friday 10th March, 11 - 4pm AT THE STILL POINT Accompanying The Contemplative Liz Watson In a busy and active society and church, contemplative prayer and living is a radical call and challenge. Are there particular needs in spiritual direction for those who are on this path? Based on years of accompanying others on this journey, Liz will help us to explore this area of our work and be better equipped to support those responding to this calling. As a member of The World Community for Christian Meditation (WCCM) for 20 years, Liz has served in various capacities including WCCM UK School Coordinator and UK National Coordinator. She now focuses on teaching meditation, leading retreats, and offering spiritual direction. She recently contributed two chapters to the book on the Christian mystics, Journey to the Heart. Read more and book Friday 7 April, 11 - 4pm THE GIFT OF THE CROSS Suffering and The Truer Self David Cherry God does not send us suffering; or even desire it. But often it is in suffering that we, and our directees, find a deeper confidence and trust in God. Is this a kind of death and resurrection? By reflecting on our own experience, what we need in times of suffering and difficulty, we can find both inspiration and courage to be with others in theirs. David is a tutor on the Ignatian Spirituality Course, a Spiritual Director and Anglican Priest.  Read more and book Friday 5 May, 11 - 4pm ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT Desire in Spiritual Direction  Susanne Carlsson After a long period in Christian history when desire was frowned upon as suspect, we return at last to the joy of finding God in our deepest desire. Although familiar to many, this is still a ground-breaking insight for so many of the people we accompany. Susanne will help us to explore desire in spiritual direction and increase our confidence in drawing upon this in our work with others. Susanne is the Advisor for Spirituality in the Rochester Diocese. She is responsible for spirituality events and formations, organising and allocating spiritual directors for the diocese. She is also trained in Ignatian Spirituality and very experienced in giving the Exercises. Read more and book Friday 2 June, 11 - 4pm  HELD IN LOVE Identity and Rule of Life Rachel Overton We’re still far too inclined to equate rules with oppressive structures. Instead, it can be the boundaries within which we find our deepest identity and fullest life. Sr Rachel will help us to explore this reality for ourselves and for those we accompany. Sr Rachel was a member of a religious community for 23 years before being called to live as a solitary religious. She has been actively involved in the ministry of spiritual direction and retreat leading since 1989. She now lives in the Centre of Peterborough, working within the areas of spirituality and spiritual direction. Read more and book Friday 14 July, 11 - 4pm KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU Introduction to the Enneagram  Jill Foulger Personality typologies have assisted many people over the years to understand themselves better and to appreciate the differences in others. The Enneagram is a special typology providing not just descriptors of different types of people but wisdom for the journey to wholeness. As spiritual directors, it can be a helpful lens through which to better see and support the people we accompany. Jill is a BACP Accredited Counsellor and an Enneagram teacher. A graduate of the Enneagram Professional Training Profile with Helen Palmer, she runs workshops at all stages of the Enneagram, monthly study groups and work with teams in business and faith groups. Read more and book One Day Workshops and Network Day The Spirituality of Jesus : the Centrality of the Heart in Jewish Prayer Saturday 15th October, 11 - 4pm, led by Paul Stevens  Cost: £45 The spirituality of Jesus drew its inspiration entirely from Jewish sources. This day workshop aims to introduce the fundamentals of Jewish spirituality and show how Jesus’ spiritual practice and teaching is informed by his Jewish roots and its profound understanding of the heart. . The day sets out to examine the distinctive Jewish features that characterise the spiritual expression of Jesus and will focus particularly on the ‘Shema Israel’ (Hear, O Israel’) which is still regarded as the foundational prayer of Judaism. Read more and book Meeting the Darkness: Reflective Day, Led by Nicola Mason and Jane Booth 10:30 - 4pm Saturday 5th November, Cost: £45 At this season of dwindling daylight, we will take time to reflect on the experience of darkness in our lives: does it hold gifts as well as challenges, and is there is a way in which we can meet and embrace it, rather than simply endure it? We will consider what light some of the saints, writers and poets who journeyed through their own darkness can offer to guide us on our way. There will be some input and opportunities for sharing within the group, balanced by time for individual reflection and exploration, and an invitation to participate in two simple group meditations.  Read more and book Preparing for Advent with Flowers with Ken Browne, Friday 25th November, 10 - 1pm Cost: £25  (£20 for those also booking on the Network Day on Saturday 26th Nov) Flowers have been, and are, an inspiration for many and the Holy Spirit makes itself known in the secret redolence of flowers. Flowers give joy and happiness and are an outer expression of inner emotions, including loss and love. At this time of advent Kenneth will use the experience of ‘being’ with flowers to enhance the theme of waiting. The morning will include the ‘waiting’ as flower arrangements unfold .We will also examine the symbolism of the Advent wreath together with poetry and storytelling about flowers. There will be time for silence and a flower meditation to help cultivate the Divine within ourselves and deepen our sense of waiting.  Read more and book

THE COURAGE TO CONNECT News, Nourishment and Networking The London Spirituality Centre Network Day Saturday, 26th November 2016 10.30 for an 11.00 start – 4.30  Cost: £30 Full Price; £25 for Members of the Community of Spiritual Directors A time to: o Connect with other spiritual directors o Hear the latest news from the Centre; o Find out about the growing Community of Spiritual Directors; o Pray together and bless one another in our ministry; o Be inspired for the work. Read more and book your place Share Tweet Forward Share

And a reminder that giving to the Centre is effortless - and free - if you route your online shopping through easyfundraising.  Register to support us with easyfundraising here The Church of St Edmund, the home to the Spirituality Centre is open from Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 3.00pm offering a peaceful and contemplative resource. There are quiet areas for reading and prayer. Fresh coffee is available for a small donation. Copyright © 2016 The London Spirituality Centre, All rights reserved. This e-news comes from the London Spirituality Centre. Please share it with others. Add us to your address book to prevent emails being regarded as spam. If you wish to unsubscribe from ALL emails from us, please follow the 'unsubscribe' link. Our mailing address is: The London Spirituality Centre Lombard Street London, EC3V 9EA United Kingdom Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

Burrswood Advent Retreat

BURRSWOOD ADVENT RETREAT

Monday 28^th November to Thursday 1^st December 2016

‘EXPECTANCY’

INTRODUCTION TO SILENCE

CONDUCTED BY DAVID FLAGG

The Advent retreat (Mon November 28^th to Thursday Dec 1^st) on the theme of “Expectancy” will be conducted by the Rev David Flagg. It will include six reflections on key Advent themes, and it will also serve as an ideal introduction to making a silent retreat. Experiencing group silence as a beginner is best done in a relatively short time frame, so the silent period will extend from Tuesday at 10am till Wednesday at 9pm.  How to make use of a time of extended silence will be addressed on Monday evening. There will be a short daily eucharist (holy communion), a time of silent adoration in the evenings, and a healing service to finish on Thursday morning. David will be available for retreatants should they wish to have a short discussion with him during the retreat.

Cost: residential full board: £297; discount of 10 %  if booked 2 months before, i.e.by 28 Sept

                                                          

Residential retreatants may leave early (e.g. Wed lunch) but cannot arrive late

 Cost: non-residential : £99 ; includes 3 lunches

Non-resident retreatants are ideally required to attend on Monday at 8pm for introduction to using silence, and then as a minimum from 10am to 5pm Tuesday and Wednesday

To ask more detail: contact David : david.flagg@burrswood.org.uk 07910 141862

To book a place: contact Burrswood Admissions : admissions@burrswood.org.uk 01892 865988

PROGRAMME

Monday

From 2pm arrivals

4pm tea in Drawing Room

4.30pm Eucharist (Lady Chapel) ‘Birthday of Dorothy Kerin’

6.30pm Supper (Jacobean)

8 pm Introductions (Study)

           Preparing for a silent retreat

Tuesday

Breakfast (Jacobean) 8.30- 9.15 am

10am FIRST REFLECTION (Lady Chapel): “ADVENT”

Silence begins

1pm Lunch

2.15pm SECOND REFLECTION : “DUST AND ASHES”

4.30pm EUCHARIST and THIRD REFLECTION : “SISTER DEATH”

6.3O pm Supper

8pm Silent Adoration (Lady Chapel)

Wednesday

Breakfast

10am FOURTH REFLECTION : “JUDGEMENT”

1pm Lunch

2.15pm FIFTH REFLECTION : “LIVE EACH DAY AS IF THY LAST”

4.30pm EUCHARIST and SIXTH REFLECTION : “EXAMEN”

6.30pm Supper

8pm Silent Adoration (Lady Chapel)

 silence ends

Thursday

Breakfast

9am Eucharist (with Community Communion): ‘St.Andrew’

10am Endings (Study)

11.30am Healing Service (Church)

1pm Lunch and depart

Sevenoaks Deanery: Poetry Workshop Sunday 18 Sept

Sevenoaks Deanery: Poetry Workshop Sunday 18 Sept

Mosaics of Mercy

'Trusting the Unseen' : day event on art and spirituality

News from the London Centre for Spirituality

The Courage to Connect We know that many of you like to plan ahead and so we have packed this newsletter full of dates for your diary for the upcoming academic year.  We have a diverse programme in 2016/2017 from a new course for couples starting in September 2016  to our regular Pilgrimage to the Holy Land happening in June 2017. We're also pleased to announce the details of The Courage to Connect: London Spirituality Centre Network Day which will be held on Saturday 26th November 2016. And, if you enjoyed attending our Developing Direction series of one day workshops for spiritual directors, we will be offering our next Developing Direction series programme from January 2017 - look out for more information about Developing Direction in the autumn. And finally, from Monday 1st August to Friday 2nd September (inclusive), the Centre will be closed to the public but rooms will still be available for hire.   We will reopen on Monday 5th September.   The Courage to Connect LSC Network Day  THE COURAGE TO CONNECT News, Nourishment and Networking The London Spirituality Centre Network Day Saturday, 26th November 2016 10.30 for an 11.00 start – 4.30 Cost: £30 (Full price); £25 (early bird bookings made before 14th October 2016) A time to: o    Connect with other spiritual directors o    Hear the latest news from the Centre; o    Find out about the growing Community of Spiritual Directors; o    Pray together and bless one another in our ministry; o    Be inspired for the work. In the morning, Rosemary Lain-Priestley, Associate Archdeacon of the London Diocese and the Chair of Trustees for The London Spirituality Centre, will share something of her enthusiasm for ‘seeing God in the everyday’ and encourage our own work of helping others do the same.  Rosemary is an engaging speaker and gifted writer; and has published several books, including The Courage to Connect and Unwrapping the Sacred. In the afternoon, Antonia Lynn, an experienced spiritual director, a Roman Catholic and currently a member of the Centre’s ‘Senior Team’, will speak.  Antonia will be looking back at the Jubilee Year of Mercy and what its fruits might be for spiritual direction – in a talk entitled: Mercy, The Ministry of Spiritual Direction and Mission.  Antonia’s talk will arise from her current doctorate studies in practical theology. Read more and book   Stop Press Pilgrimage/Retreat to the Holy Land - Change of dates! In view of feedback that John-Francis has received about temperatures in the Holy Land, John arranged a change of dates so that the pilgrimage will take place early in the summer. The revised dates are: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land - June 5th-16th, 2017 Journey to Jordan (optional extension)  - June 16th-20th, 2017 The aims of this pilgrimage/retreat are to: encounter Christ through the Land by travelling from Nazareth to Jerusalem and visiting many of the places associated with His life; offer ways of encountering God through prayer, liturgy and meditation; engage in an inner journey of 'come and see' in order to encounter Christ afresh in the depth of our being; and enjoy ourselves. The cost of the Pilgrimage is £1,870 and £740 for the Jordan extension, all inclusive and sharing a twin-bedded room with private facilities  To find out more, please register here to request a full brochure with information about how to book your place. The price and programme remain unchanged, but the heat should be less! A brochure is available by emailing the Centre or John-Francis Friendship  Short Courses - Autumn 2016 One plus One: A Course for Couples 6.30-8.30 on Wednesday evenings: Sept 28, Oct 12 & 26 ,Nov 9 & 23, Dec 7th Cost: £450 per couple Relationship brings both joy and challenge to those who risk loving another person, and we can be helped by learning ways to communicate these with clarity, understanding and kindness. In 6 fortnightly sessions, covering family history, money, conflict and intimacy you will be introduced to a way of listening and communicating which will invite deeper acceptance and understanding of each other. This is not intended for couples in crisis, but is suitable for new or longer-term couples wishing to go deeper in their commitment to each other. We are hoping to run with 6-8 couples. Read more and book Exploring Christian Spirtuality Led by John-Francis Friendship Starts October 24th, 2016 - 24th April 2017: 19 sessions over two terms (There will be breaks for Christmas and Easter) Monday afternoons 2 - 4.45pm  Cost: Early Bird Fee - £320 if booked before 26th September; Full Cost: £370         The Course is open to people of all traditions, those of other faith groups, and any who are interested in exploring the theme of Christian Spirituality.   The Course aims to: help you reflect on your own spiritual journey; learn about different ways of praying, develop your own spirituality, introduce you to the art of Spiritual Direction, help you explore how to integrate prayer and life, learn about some of the great traditions of Christian Spirituality and reflect on Biblical themes and insights into the life of the Spirit. Read more and book (re)Connecting with God Facilitated by Annette Kaye & Julian Maddock Time/Dates:    Monday evenings, 6:00 – 8.30pm from the 29th September to 6th December (no class on the 24th October as this is half term) Cost:     £250 This group is for anyone wishing to explore their spirituality in an open and non-partisan way. It is an opportunity to discover more about who you are, what you want from life, what life wants from you, and who or what God is for you. ‘God’ is a tricky word and we all mean something different by it. We trust that God is good and is at work in us and in our lives, and this group offers the space and some tools for us to pay attention, notice, listen and connect to this God. Our exploration together is experiential and will involve exercises on our own and in groups, sharing experiences and learning from each other.  Read more and book Deepening Direction: From Novice to Apprentice: A year-long development course Cost: £400     Dates:  Fridays, 11 - 4pm 14 Oct, 11 Nov, 9 Dec, 3 Feb, 3 Mar, 31 Mar, 28 Apr, 9 Jun, 7 July This year, as part of the Developing Direction Programme, we are offering a unique chance to develop the craft of listening and discernment through intensive practice and feedback, with experienced spiritual directors  The course is aimed at spiritual directors with a little experience at their craft, but who have not had enough opportunity to take their practice to a more competent, confident and relaxed level.  It is open to people who have completed a training somewhere (ISC, Encounter, SPIDIR, etc.), and have had at least one year’s relationship with at least one directee post training.  Read more and book Share Tweet Forward Share And a reminder that giving to the Centre is effortless - and free - if you route your online shopping through easyfundraising.  Register to support us with easyfundraising here The Church of St Edmund, the home to the Spirituality Centre is open from Monday to Friday from 10.00am to 3.00pm offering a peaceful and contemplative resource. There are quiet areas for reading and prayer. Fresh coffee is available for a small donation. Copyright © 2016 The London Spirituality Centre, All rights reserved. This e-news comes from the London Spirituality Centre. Please share it with others. Add us to your address book to prevent emails being regarded as spam. If you wish to unsubscribe from ALL emails from us, please follow the 'unsubscribe' link. Our mailing address is: The London Spirituality Centre Lombard Street London, EC3V 9EA United Kingdom