Tai Chi on New Hope Bluff
Presenters Gordon Peerman, Ryan Black, Kenneth Robinson
A Sense of the Sacred: Meditating with the Divine Feminine
Bede Griffiths was an English Benedictine monk who lived in India and pioneered inter-spiritual conversation between Christians and Hindus in the last century. Bede was fond of saying about different spiritual traditions, “Acknowledge the differences, but emphasize the unity.” He would point to his fingers, each representing a different religion, then smiling, he’d point to the palm of his hand, from which each of his different fingers protruded. “Emphasize the unity,” he’d say.
At their best, spiritual traditions emphasize the unity while respecting the differences. At their worst, they stoke division, mutual suspicion, and contempt. I am wondering, in a time of such fractious division, is there a refuge, is there an underlying unity, capacious and benevolent and truthful enough to embrace all of us, including all our differences?
By way of answer, Kenneth Robinson, Ryan Black, and I want to offer an exploration in Deep Ecumenism, an exploration of the Divine Feminine. Through movement, chant, and meditation, we will explore the Divine Feminine as she manifests in Jewish Wisdom, in the person of Mary in Christian devotion, in Tara as the Mother of the Buddhas, and in Shakti, the feminine power in Hinduism. Because our interest is primarily meditative and not simply descriptive, our hope is that we might find refuge in the devotional heart of the Mother of All Beings.
Instructor Biography
Gordon Peerman is an Episcopal priest, psychotherapist, and mindfulness meditation teacher. He is the author of Blessed Relief: What Christians Can Learn from Buddhists about Suffering, and his most recent book, The Body Knows the Way: Coming Home through the Dark Night. He leads retreats and workshops on the intersection of contemplative practice, psychological growth, and inter-spiritual conversation. With his late wife Kathy Woods, he taught mindfulness practices at Vanderbilt’s Osher Center for Integrative Health. At Vanderbilt Divinity School, he taught courses in Buddhist-Christian Dialogue and Pastoral Theology.
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After 72 hours of registration, a $100 cancellation fee applies. There are no refunds within 7 days of the program arrival date.
Scholarships are available. Contact Reservations@stmaryssewnee.org for application.
*A minimum registration is required for retreats to take place. If the program does not meet the minimum registration within 2 weeks of the event, there is the possibility of cancellation. If SMS cancels a retreat for any reason, any registered guest will receive a full refund of all payments
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Lodging in Anna House (motel style room, private bathroom), meals, program fees and materials included
Lodging in St. Mary's Hall (dorm style rooms, shared bathrooms), meals, program fees & materials
Meals, program fees and materials