Wisdom Circle: Prayerful Listening for Spiritual Guidance

REGISTRATION CLOSED

WISDOM CIRCLE: Prayerful Listening for Spiritual Guidance
Wednesdays, September 16, 23, 30 and October 7, 2020
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

“… the Spirit of Truth is at work in the depths of our hearts –
helping, searching, knowing, and interceding.
[Prayerful listening] is an invitation to bend a prayerful, listening ear
toward that Spirit who is with us always.”
– L.A. Lindbloom, “Prayerful Listening: Cultivating Discernment in Community”

A Wisdom Circle is a group of 8-12 people who gather to learn, tell stories, listen and pray about a particular subject. Within the circle, we practice a way of being that connects us in spirit while drawing us within for a deeper experience.

“… the Spirit of Truth is at work in the depths of our hearts – helping, searching, knowing, and interceding. [Prayerful listening] is an invitation to bend a prayerful, listening ear toward that Spirit who is with us always.” – L.A. Lindbloom, “Prayerful Listening: Cultivating Discernment in Community”

The practice of spiritual guidance has many names: spiritual direction, prayerful listening, sacred listening, or spiritual companionship. In this Wisdom Circle we will learn how to seek and accept spiritual guidance by combining silence, prayerful listening and open-hearted response.

In social conversation, the usual pattern is a give-and-take of ideas and perspectives. In a prayerful listening group, there is an ebb and flow of words and silence. It is within the silence that the Holy Spirit whispers, inspiring us to respond for the sake of the one who has spoken.

During our sessions, we will practice the three essential parts of prayerful listening that take place when a group gathers for spiritual guidance:

• Pray silently, and listen for how God speaks to us.
• Listen attentively as others seek discernment for a specific situation.
• Pray on behalf of another and respond prayerfully to that person.

In the last session we will bring together all three practices for the full experience of a prayerful listening group. We ask that you attend all four sessions. Come on your own, bring a partner, or join with a few friends. People of all faith traditions and spiritual experiences are welcome.

At the end of this program participants will have an opportunity to join a spiritual guidance group or to arrange for individual spiritual guidance from one of the Retreat House spiritual directors.*

REGISTER ONLINE at https://bit.ly/rhlistenreg , or by email to info@retreathousehillsboro.org. Once you register for the series of four sessions, you will receive the Zoom link. Payments can be made with online registration or by check mailed to the address below. As always, everyone is welcome to attend, regardless of finances.

About the Wisdom Circle leader: Linda Mastro will lead the main session of The Wisdom Circle, with smaller breakout groups facilitated by the spiritual directors* of The Retreat House. Linda is a spiritual pilgrim, life coach and spiritual director trained through the Bon Secours Retreat and Conference Center in Marriottsville, Maryland. Learn more about Linda and her practice at livingpilgrimage.com.

*A list of Retreat House spiritual directors can be found at retreathousehillsboro.org/meditation-and-reflection/