TELECONFERENCE SEMINARS: With apologies... we fell behind in our NEWS announcements. Marsha Sinetar has started running teleconference "seminars" as planned for The Center's leadership outreach. Sessions fill up quickly and tend to be Member-driven. (Word of current session spread instantly and filled up immediately.) The Center will post more information on this topic on its various Members'/Center pages of site by Christmas... hopefully.)

GENERAL INFO: Seminars are thematic, generally follow some favorite MS book (i.e., of participants) meeting by phone on the earliest AM hour possible on Sat. and have a 10 person maximum; 5 minimum. An entire series is usually 7 sessions, on the book of the participants' choice. Plus costs of teleconference split between all participants.

TIME INVOLVEMENT: Figure one hour per session, with the first session a bit longer for introductory purposes -- about 7+ hours of conversation.

WHO'S INVITED? Center Members (see helping professionals list, for example) and qualified facilitators who may wish to conduct adult education courses around these conversations are invited. Figure a leadership development teleconference for helping professionals familiar with MS books and themes.

OTHER: Teleconferences generally include follow-up journal and/or reading activities, as well as selected books (e.g., Elegant Choices; Spiritual Intelligence; Mentor's Spirit; To Build the Life...). MS provides some questions in advance. Trust this helps.

ENROLLMENTS? We'll to post more online, but thus far, participants have been active self-governing on the matter, prodded MS along, emailing for information, and gathering professional colleagues for a session. Sabbatical! In December, she's running one on contemplative prayer -- word-of-mouth filled this one up nearly instantly.

The Center Library has added a Scholar's Corner. Please take a look at some of the books we love, which are non-academic "advanced books."

A leadership developent intensive for helping professionals. Friday through Sunday Noon. Title: The Spirtually Maturing Leader: Attributes, Values, Way of Life.

For seminar costs, pre-reading assignment and logistical information please e-mail your inquiry through our Contact Us page. Note: space is very limited; first come, first served. Classes fill up quickly, as each intensive is designed for small group sessions. Figure a small classroom (between 10 and 20 participants only).

In answer to what "advanced" books counselors, educators, pastors and other helping professionals might read vis-a-vis the art and prayer of contemplation, please note the rather long annotated list of books at the back of Sometimes, Enough is Enough. And also... Please visit our Scholar's Corner and Library. You may especially enjoy books such as the following...

Thomas Merton. Contemplation in a World of Action.

An excellent overview of contemplative life, from the vantage point of a truly universal monk. Merton, a Trappist monk and author and poet, loved Asian thought and integrates many Buddhist ideas into his singularly Catholic treatment of contemplative life. This is a classic.

Oswald Chambers. My Utmost for His Highest. Urichville, Ohio: Barbour and Co., 1935.

This book is not "about" contemplation. Rather, this general Christian devotional is designed for daily reading as meditation and for application. Incrementally, this study can build strength of worship and authentic faith. If you're mealy-mouthed about expressing your values or walking your spiritual talk, Chambers can straighten you out. He's a no-nonsense, "get real" practitioner. For many of us, meditating with Chambers for a year and more, every morning, is much like attending boot camp. At the end of a reading, one feels like saying, "Thanks. I needed that."

Peter Browning (ed). John Muir: In His Own Words. Lafayette, CA: Great West Books, 1988.

MS has cited Browning's book of Muir quotes in almost every book she's written, and tells us in Sometimes, Enough is Enough: "When I'm down, Muir cheers me up. When frazzled, Muir calms. I've packed John Muir in my suitcase for long business trips, and read it when I'm feeling homesick. Be careful! If you're a born contemplative, after reading Muir, you may end up donating your farm to a conservancy group, moving to a hut in the Rockies, or joining the Trappists or the Saint Clares. A saintly book. Buy it today. Give it as Christmas gifts to the members of your local city planning board if they evenconsider paving over one more inch of wilderness.

Anne Bancroft. Zen (Direct Pointing to Reality). New York: Thames and Hudson, 1979.

The title says it all. One of the few books on Zen practice with a decidedly aesthetic, illustrated approach. An unassuming, easy-to-read and beautifully presented book. For those who'd like to learn more about Zen "sitting."

Harold Bloomfield, M.D. Happiness: The TM Program: Psychiatry and Enlightenment. New York: Dawn Press, 1976.

This book may be out of print. Local libraries should have it. Track it down if you're interested in TM. We feel it's one of the best, most convincing books on the beneficial links between meditation (i.e., TM) and stress management. Bloomfield, a psychiatrist and prolific author,writes in a lively, engaging fashion.

Herbert Benson, M.D. The Relaxation Response. New York: Morrow, 1975.

Benson offers a Westernized version of classical Eastern meditation, right in the book. By the time a reader is done, he or she might well have a makeshift, do-it-yourself meditation program. This book has been updated recently, but we haven't read the newer edition and can't say if it explains the original technique.

Note: Browning seems inspiring for non-religious, but spiritual types; Chambers will probably appeal to garden variety Christians; Merton is Catholic, but has universal appeal. And, respectively, Bancroft and Bloomfield discuss popular meditation programs readily available in nearly every country. Benson 's book fills in the gap. Naturally, your local library, church, temple and spiritual director(s) can offer many more titles, most of them probably newer. Enjoy.

In answer to visitor inquiries about an easy meditative practice titled, "Starting the Day," see p. 123, Sometimes, Enough is Enough. The author is Bicknell Young, a Christian Scientist who insisted that we are the authors of our own day, and that time can be our own.

Several of you have asked about M.S. 2004 lecture schedule; only private groups this year. 2005 not yet set. As M.S. is on writing sabbatical, spending more time in contemplative ways not as many lectures are given. 2004-05 talks include university programs for discrete groups of ministerial students, their professors and not-for-profit students. Focus on mentoring, ministerial leadership and vocational themes.

A few of you have received sample tapes from M.S. talk-radio interview. Thank you for requesting to hear her on your favorite local talk radio station (e.g., local NPR radio).

1. Facilitator's Guide(s)

As a result of some feedback from our 2003, California survey (see example comments, below, next section), M.S. will create a Facilitators' Guide (either an audio or booklet). Some of you asked for a facilitator's "tour" through the key principles of M.S. body of work, highlighting critical principles -- this, either in printed form (to mail out, sell through 800# -- see above) and/or as audio packet. This may be used with longer intensive workshops, down the line.

In line with this project, we'd welcome some of your ideas. So...

2. If you are a helping professional and employ one or more of M.S. books to extend your leadership reach (e.g., in teaching college courses, in a health care, spiritual direction, ministry or counseling practice, etc.) and if you are willing either (a) to be interviewed and/or (b) write up something for us, please let us know by sending us an email.

3. Since M.S. is currently on lengthy writing sabbatical, no on-line chats or seminars are planned-- for now. Instead of sending out e-newsletters,if you're interested in "news" please check back with this section periodically.

We'll update as needed. It appears that this section of The Center's site may prove to be a most viable way to update you on new titles, seminars, etc.

In Spring 2003, The Center asked an assortment of potential members for feedback related to future leadership meetings, and asked for ideas as to how The Center might support their professional efforts in a non-conventional or "distance learning" fashion. We thank everyone who responded. Some of the best, most creative ideas included the following more frequent responses (which we 've edited a bit)...

"How about an occasional phone network -- with other leaders/helping professionals, even if not in the same field."

"Emails work for me in terms of ongoing reinforcement. How about some sort of quarterly newsletter, and perhaps our group can follow up by hosting (i.e., organizing and sponsoring) a professional leadership session at our location."

"Love the audios you sent. I'm interested in helping develop your work for others and the tapes and emails work best for me."

"Themes for leaders and ideation/dialogue sessions, per the sample you sent, is best for me."

"Weekend retreats would interest me most. Also small group meetings -- all depend on dates and distance."

"The sample write-up on Leaders meeting sounded ideal: not too much time, a chance to meet, some fellowship."

"How about booklets and audios; possible once yearly get-together for a weekend intensive for those who've been in touch and understand your work and want to teach/explore your ideas with their own constituents?"

"I'm a newly retired prof., focused on how to use of new gains in "free time," and interested in all of the above options you've offered, with the idea that I'll probably teach a course on [your book, coupled with my own ideas]. Please let my firm know how, in appropriate ways, we might support The Center efforts. At the very least, we'd like to be authentic and useful in this new framework of life."

(MS note: We'll probably mix and match -- strive to offer a blend of all of this. )

Originally created as a leadership development program for the life-care and retirement industry, the one-day intensive is designed for helping professionals, generally.

We build our day on a first leadership precept, discussing elementary principles through a filter of ideas spelled out in Don't Call Me Old, I'm Just Awakening! Through a mix of short talks (by MS), dialogue and interactive processes, our group will explore answers to some key questions identified in that new release, namely:

Why positive assumptions are critical to a vibrant later life;

How previously taboo topics (e.g., death, dying, afterlife) are ripe for small group reinvestigation under the facilitation of empathic, helping professionals;

Why positive ties to both treasured friends and new friends are essential to what is now called "successful aging"; and

Why productive assertion skills require fine-tuning throughout life, especially essential to us as we advance in years.

Text: Don't Call Me Old, I'm Just Awakening! (Paulist Press, 2002). Your bookstore may need to order this ahead of time. Powell Books, Barnes & Noble and Amazon have it. Smaller bookstores may need a prod. You may also want to call DeVorss (800-843-5743).

Pre-reading Assignment: Please read the entire Introduction and bring the book with you to our intensive. We'll use that and especially the Appendix in our dialogue(s).

SAMPLE (edited) OF PRE-READING: Please sample this excerpt, before signing up to be with our group. Seating is extremely limited (half a normal classroom) and without the heart and feel for values expressed in the sample, who would enjoy the day?

"I ask you to envision the following imaginary composite: Two confidants, both bright, curious and well read. Theirs is an educative, mutually supportive correspondence -- the sort of open dialogue that I've heard called an 'exchange of selves.' These two reveal their hopes and fears to each other. Diligently, they study whatever interests them. Each has at hand a library of books, selected periodicals, and of course, on-line resources... Be assured that, in letters and e-mails, I and certain pals do quote verbatim from books and news clips... The coming dialogue is essentially a parable -- a tale about everyday life from which deeper truths may be drawn. .. The moral is clear: Earthly life is our season of opportunity to know and accept God -- Self-existent Life -- and to accept this so that we may live on, as promised in John 3:15.

"(Just so you know, one friend is patterned after a practical business executive and the other is the more offbeat of the two; a lover of film, food and metaphysics.)

"These two perspectives, the material and the spiritual, represent the Yin and Yang of nearly everyone's interior dialogue. And certainly represents mine."

In these chapters the friends examine:

Why the elders I call 'engaged' develop their productive attitudes early in life -- for instance, as they handle obstacles or conceive of aging in the first place;

Why we need authentic involvements to have ageless vitality and hope; and

Why fulfilling, transpersonal activities promote the will to endure and grow beyond the common losses, pains or seeming frailties of advancing age.

That last point makes this book relevant to readers of every age, given the continuity factor in what is now called successful aging: well-being, independence or healthy autonomy; finding the right fit between ourselves and our environment; retaining control over life and our various affairs. And more.

If in later life we hope to be productive, joyful and connected to others, if we dream about being optimally self-expressive, then we'll need to age "successfully" along spiritual lines...

...At our ground of being, we are ageless, not "old." However, we are, in varying degrees only just awakening to this eternal truth. And yesterday's prophets knew better, knew enough of the Everlasting to drink deeply from its well. So it was that Solomon, with all his wisdom could sing...

My beloved spake and said unto me,
'Rise up, my love, my fair one,
and come away.'

For, lo, the winter is past,
and the rain is over and gone...

(Song of Solomon, 2:10-11)

 

 

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