The Mercy Center Centering Prayer Program presents: Wisdom School: Wisdom Rhythms & Conscious Relationships

Aug 11th - Aug 16th, 2023 Starts Aug 11th at 6pm, ends Aug 16th at noon

On site at Mercy Center in Burlingame, CA.

In any moment, regardless of how significant or insignificant it may seem, we can offer ourselves as instruments, vessels, means by which worlds beyond can enter into this world, which has often been termed by several traditions ‘mixtus orbis.’ Wisdom teacher Cynthia Bourgeault often reminds us that this world’s dense conditions are not a mistake but a place where the rough material of our lives can be mixed with spiritual substances and nutrients from beyond and in so doing, something essential is created.

There is much to glean from the wisdom lineages in every tradition, including Christianity, about waking up to a different reality and orienting our lives to something more than our every day circumstances. In the case of the Christian wisdom lineage, we can place our gaze towards the world beyond—kingdom of heaven, the imaginal realm—which is always in our midst when we have eyes to see and ears to hear. When we can attune ourselves to this dimension, we can begin to draw from an endless wellspring and be of service to God in our day to day lives and relationships. Drawing on the work of Cynthia Bourgeault, G.I. Gurdjieff, and others, this Wisdom School will focus on listening for the wisdom rhythms that deepen presence in our three centers - intellectual, emotional, body - in order that we can perceive and act in accordance with the higher laws of the kingdom of heaven in cosmic servanthood and in particular in conscious relationships.

Join us in person at the Mercy Center in Burlingame. There will be an invitation to a ‘wisdom way of knowing’ through a daily rhythm with periods of silence, centering prayer, teaching, conscious conversation, Gurdjieff Exercises and Movements, chanting, mindful work, lectio divina, and contemplative free time.

Required Reading (if you have not been to a wisdom school before): ‘Wisdom Way of Knowing’ by Cynthia Bourgeault

Retreat Leaders:
Heather Ruce, M.A. will be offering different teachings, Gurdjieff Movements and Seated Attention Exercises. She is a wisdom spiritual director with training in a neurophysiology based approach to understanding the nervous system. She loves working with individuals as well as facilitating groups and retreats focused on learning and practicing the Christian Wisdom Tradition.

Joy Andrews Hayter, Ph.D. will be supporting our wisdom school experience. She is a spiritual director, and Centering Prayer coordinator at Mercy Center. Joy is dedicated to fostering contemplative practices such as Centering Prayer and others within the Christian Wisdom tradition that help us become aware of God's ever-present love. As a scientist she sees in the physical world an expression of that love.

Catherine Regan, Ph.D. will be supporting our wisdom school experience. She is a spiritual director, retired psychologist, and adjunct staff member at Mercy Center, primarily serving on the Centering Prayer team. She has a special interest in participating in the reclamation of the Christian Wisdom tradition and fostering the contemplative practices so urgently needed at this time in our world.

CONTACT
For further assistance, contact us at (650) 340-7474.
For more information visit: www.mercy-center.org

These are unprecedented times. If finances are an issue, please email us at registration@mercywmw.org for a learning grant discount code. We want to make sure our offerings are available to everyone.