Sponsored Weekend Retreats

Before we trade in this life for the life we “should” have, let us taste This Life--meaning the invitation to honor the dignity that is reflected by God’s goodness and grace. We are wired to pause: to embrace the sacrament of the present; to see, hear, taste and touch grace, and the sacred in our world. So, before we trade in our life for the life we “should” have, let us taste This Life. What makes your heart come alive today? Here's our invitation: Today, let us embrace epiphanies. Let us appreciate a willingness to be surprised. Let us relish the sacred in the ordinary.

This retreat is based on the latest work of Cistercian Abbot Thomas Keating, founder of Contemplative Outreach. We will view selected videos from his series God is Love: The Heart of All Creation. Themes to be explored include: Cosmology; Human Evolution; Christ, Evolution and All Creation; Into Unity Consciousness; and Surrendering to Love.

“The word road sums up one of the deepest experiences of human beings as they confront the task of life. Life is never a given, it is always a task, something that must must be done and carried out. We do not live simply by not dying. We walk toward life. To live is to walk. Walking assumes that there is a road.” ~ Leonardo Boff. This retreat will focus on the “the gift of life,” “the suffering of the human condition,” and God's “compassionate love” in Jesus. It will be a time of prayer, healing and reconciliation.

***This retreat has been cancelled*** The purpose of this retreat is to provide those who practice contemplation the time and space to deepen their practice (call it centering prayer, Christian meditation, the great Mindfulness - these labels do not go as deeply as we go).

Recovery is a journey of new awarenesses, acceptance, and action. This Weekend Retreat is for people whose lives have been affected by the family disease of Alcoholism/Addiction- singles, couples, all Fellowships welcome! Utilizing the foundations of the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, we'll consider the Principles of Recovery as stepping stones to a new freedom, healthier relationships, and a life of joyful service. Bring your Big Book, 12&12- and your partner, spouse or friends!

Join other women in recovery for a weekend of community and spiritual exploration as we consider how we develop emotional- and spiritual- sobriety utilizing the language of the heart. We'll look at how the 12 Steps help us to find balance and foster healthy relationships. Bring your Big Book- and a friend! John McAndrew is a counselor, musician, theologian, teacher, and poet in long-term recovery from the disease of addiction. Formerly Director of Spiritual Care at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, he currently resides in Arroyo Grande, CA, offering spiritual counseling and coaching for individual clients, as well as providing  Spiritual Care for Hospice patients. www.sensiblespirituality.org