lighthouse in a storm:
spiritual resilience for turbulent times
“Continuing to do pioneering work in a world as crazy and painful as ours without constantly grounding yourselfin sacred practice, would be like running into a forest fire dressed only in a paper tutu.”
(Marion Woodman)
A flexible modular course that can help communities which share an interest in spirituality and social change
to unlock new sources of resilience. Designed with young adults in mind, but suitable for any generation.
Where can we find the inner resources to help us weather the coming storm? Can we be a light for others in a time of growing darkness?
Spirituality and faith are a vital resource for both personal resilience and global transformation, but the rampant materialism and cultural disintegration in the world around us can have a negative impact on spiritual depth, sometimes without us realising. This programme has been designed to resource those engaged in activism, service, leadership or innovation, to keep inner lives powerful and fierce for the long haul.
The programme teaches a simple method for forging an inner space inside ourselves, and an outer structure in our lives, that protects our practice from the distractions and distortions in the wider landscape. Armed with these tools, you'll be able to stay rooted in what is real and true and sacred, no matter how tough things get.
Would you like your community to ....
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deepen their spiritual practice so it is strong and unshakeable, in an atmosphere free of dogma?
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integrate spirituality with service or activism in the world?
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prepare for the turbulent times ahead?
If so, this will help you turn the capacities you already have into a deeper source of shared resilience.
Structure
The course is built around a cycle of 4 elements designed to help us ground a committed spiritual life, fit for whatever is on the horizon. Each element is repeated in more depth in the second half of the course.
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Disciplined practice: Spiritual practice, resilience and the role of discipline
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Inner work: Reclaiming our psychological shadow
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Navigating conflict: Living wisely in a polarised and post-truth world
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Loving Earth: Connecting to the wider web of life
Midway through the programme there can also be a weekend day of service, where we offer our time to a regenerative ecological or social project.
"The work of connecting our light to the world does not need to be done through a mass movement, or by millions of people. The real work is always done by a small number of individuals. What matters is the level of participation:
whether we dare to make a real commitment to the work of the soul."
(Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee)
Learning style: Lighthouse in a Storm adopts a facilitation style that aims for a textured mix of embodied and experiential exercises; facilitator input, interviews with young leaders doing cool stuff; plus lively dialogue and discussion.
The first iteration of this retreat was offered through St Ethelburga's Centre in early 2022.
Related articles:
Seeking Holy Wells: Spiritual Regeneration for Our Times
After the Fire: Sourcing hope beyond self-conern
If you'd like to work with me making this programme available to your community, click the button below!