Dear Friends,
The celebration of the lunar new year begins on January 22. According to History.com, "Each culture celebrates the Lunar New Year differently with various foods and traditions that symbolize prosperity, abundance and togetherness. In preparation for the Lunar New Year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to rid them of inauspicious spirits, which might have collected during the old year. Cleaning is also meant to open space for good will and good luck." We wish you all a year filled with good will and good luck.
Here are the highlights for what you will find in this month’s Inspirations and Updates:
-
Your input is requested as we embark on our Physical Space Survey, please consider taking a few moments to share your inputs.
-
A new program "Meeting Thich Nhat Hanh Again for the First Time". You can attend the three part series or an individual session.
- In collaboration with the Hartford International University we are offering a new series on the Divine Feminine. You don't want to miss this one!
-
January is a great time for transitions. Please see the announcement below regarding Marianne Policastro's transition.
- If you are not meeting with a Spiritual Companion or if you paused your practice when we shifted to mostly on-line sessions, consider if this is a good time to engage. There are options for in-person, virtual and/or group sessions.
-
Watch for additional program offerings planned for first quarter of 2023. We are excited to share the details with you.
- Two upcoming programs on BioSpiritual Focusing are included in the Happenings with Our Friends section.
"If you love someone but rarely make yourself available to him or her, that is not true love."
-Thich Nhat Hanh
|
|
For more on programming, please click on the underlined titles for details and registration information.
|
|
Last October the Board created an Ad Hoc Space Committee to discern with the Spiritual Life Center community what kind of physical space will best allow us to live our mission, vision, and DEI statement to its fullest and meet the needs of all our seekers. We are grateful to Board members Dorothy Goulart, Daniel Lee, and Mandy Rahardjo, as well as Lisa Hudkins, Mark Cerrato, and Nancy Benben for serving on this committee.
As you may recall, in-person use of our current space at Holy Family sharply declined during the pandemic and continues to be very sporadic. This caused us to reassess our current space needs. After a great deal of discussion with our Board, Staff, and leadership at Holy Family, we “right-sized” our space. Now it’s time we consider what’s next.
As we begin this community discernment process, we need your insight and input. What sort of physical space do we need as we move forward to what’s next? What physical space will best serve us now in a hybrid world? What are the “must haves?” How often do you meet in person vs. on Zoom? What geographic location might be optimal?
So, we invite you to take a few minutes and fill out our survey. This will take about 5 minutes, and of course, your answers are confidential, and responses will only be seen in aggregate. Please be sure to complete the survey by February 14.
If you would prefer to fill out a paper survey, please contact the Spiritual Life Center at 860-243-2374 and we’ll be happy to send one to you.
Please join us. Your opinion, insights, and ideas are critically important for this decision.
Feel free to reach out to anyone on the committee, with any questions or concerns. We welcome your perspective, wisdom, and ideas.
Your Opinion Counts!
|
|
“A Gathering of Spirits!”
|
|
On Saturday, January 7, the Spiritual Companionship Internship class of 2024 gathered “live and in person” for the first time. It was a Spirit-filled afternoon of fellowship and sharing in a delicious potluck. Laughter filled the lovely meeting space at 76 Sherman St. and conversation flowed easily. It was delightful to experience our soul friendships in a different way.
We also had some time to reflect on the past semester, as we transition to the new one. The first months of the Spiritual Companionship Internship are filled with depth and new learnings: contemplative practices, deep listening skills, following the thread of the Holy, nature bathing, the Cosmos, exploring authenticity and testing the waters of one-on-one, and group spiritual companionship, as well as supervision.
Our gathering gave us the opportunity to reflect on what was and make room for what is to come, with a simple ritual. Perhaps you’d like to try it, too.
|
|
Thank You, Marianne!
Since 2018, Marianne Policastro-Wik has served on the Board of the Spiritual Life Center and in 2020 as a member of our staff as Communications lead. Marianne will be stepping away from the Spiritual Life Center in January, to focus on her consulting work as an Insurance Agent. In her tenure, Marianne helped lead the Board through its strategic planning process, creating a framework that continues to guide us well. Marianne’s steady and focused perspective helped the Spiritual Life Center navigate its way during some of our most challenging times of the pandemic. We are so grateful for your service, Marianne, and wish you well in your future endeavors!
|
|
|
|
Mark your calendars for “Meeting Thich Nhat Hanh Again for the First Time,” a three-part series about Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, a global spiritual leader, poet, and peace activist. The Rev. Eileen Mahoney will lead an exploration of the person, his teachings and his practice.
This special event will be held via Zoom on:
- February 21 (An Overview),
- February 28 (Ethical Principles)
- March 7, (Jesus and Buddha)
All three sessions are from 7:00 to 8:30 pm.
|
|
Over the course of these 3 evening sessions, Rev. Mahoney will explore an overview of Thich Nhat Hanh’s teachings with an emphasis on learning and integrating this new understanding and related practices into your own spiritual life. You are welcome to sign up for one, two, or all three sessions. The group of three session has a suggested contribution of $85 with an alternative of $50. The suggested fee for each individual session is $35 and the alternative is $20. |
|
Working in collaboration, the Center for Transformative Spirituality (at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace) and the Spiritual Life Center (West Hartford) will host a three-session program on “The Divine Feminine”. The sessions are:
-
On Saturday, February 18, 2023, from 10 am to noon, Dr. Rose Aslan will lead a session on Exploring Approaches to the Divine Feminine in Islam.
-
On Saturday, March 11, 2023, from 10 am to noon, Dr. Preeta Banerjee will lead a session on The Dark Mother Viewed from Hindu, Nature-based, and Eco-Womanist Perspectives.
-
On Sunday, March 26, 2023, from 2 pm to 4 pm, Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiner will lead a session on A Jewish View of the Divine Feminine.
Participants from all backgrounds are welcome. or more information on the events and the presenters and to register…
|
|
JOIN WITH OTHER COMPANIONS ON THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY |
|
Would you like to:
>Identify and trust your experiences of God
>Integrate spirituality into your daily life
>Find meaning in hopes, struggles, or losses
>Discern and make difficult choices
>Increase sensitivity to justice & nature
>Live more authentically in spiritual community?
Then you may want to be part of a Spiritual Companions Group. These small groups meet once a month to share participant's spiritual journeys with one another. It is a very respectful process, without advice giving or attempts to "fix" the presenter.
Note: we are considering starting a new group that will meet in person on a weekday evening. Let us know if you might be interested.
|
|
|
|
Roberta shares a story with her work with homeless veterans and how her spiritual direction experiences and training shape and impact her work. Find out what helped feed the "starved".
|
|
|
|
If you would like to participate in a segment for VOICES: Hearing from You, please reach out to Courtney Canfijn direct at ccanfijn@spiritlifectr.org.
|
|
In individual spiritual companioning, seekers enter the process of deepening their spirituality while working with a trained Spiritual Companion. There are many ways to participate including FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, and phone.
Read more about companioning at this link, complete an initial interview form, and we’ll give you a call. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for more information about this transformative experience.
|
|
Welcome to The Source - Online. This new feature will now showcase your works in the electronic newsletter and on our website. For submissions, please send your poem, art, pictures or other reflections to Jane Virgilio @ jvirgilio@spiritlifectr.org and we will review for inclusion in an upcoming publication. Preferred format is word and/or .jpg for pictures.
|
|
“We have no destination and nothing to accomplish” is how I introduce my Saturday mindfulness walks in Norwich’s Mohegan Park. After some welcoming words, a brief warm-up, and expressions of gratitude for the day, we walk — slowly, silently, and softly.
Read more of a Slow Walk by David Horst HERE.
|
|
Collaboration Updates
See program offering below from Hartford International University.
They recently announced the joining of Dr. Lisa Dahill as the Miriam Therese Winter Chair for Transformative Leadership and Spirituality . Read more here.
|
|
Happenings With Our Friends |
|
February 18, 2023: Body Presence and Contemplative Awareness: BioSpiritual Focusing Day of Presence:
Discover a deeper awareness of healing and wisdom as well as an embodied experience of God’s grace accessible to each of us through our bodies.
|
|
Spiritual Directors Corner
Justin Ferko was a guest presenter at a recent Internship class. He shared this beautiful and moving video. We thought you'd enjoy it as well.
|
|
Get Social With Us!
As a community we have long been connected through the "center". The central place we gather, share our stories, learn and grow. Watch for new messages and inspirations as we further explore the use of meaningful content on the various social media platforms.
We are always looking for your input and feedback. Like us, follow-us, add a comment or share a post with your friends and contacts!
|
|
Be part of the Community! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
