St. Hildegard of Bingen wrote, “We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.”
“Embracing the Artistic Call: A Cohort Program for Exploring the Mystery of the Creative Experience” at Spirit Center at the Monastery of St. Gertrude brings together individuals at any level of artistic proficiency who have a desire to live a creative life with intention, connecting in deeper and more life-bringing ways to the divine, the source of life, and all our gifts and inspirations. The retreat will be an adventure of discovering new gifts and new inspirations.
“It is a journey requiring the courage we get from community,” explains retreat co-facilitator Theresa Henson. The facilitation team also includes Heather Hopkins Berndt and Karla Neuman Smiley. While each of person follows a unique creative path, the mutual support and encouragement of others offers strength and courage. Those who share a desire to develop an authentic artistic practice can be especially inspiring as participants are encouraged to make small changes in their own lives to allow this to happen.
The journey begins with a week-long retreat, February 5-9, 2018, to explore what it means to live a creative life with intention. The initial retreat will include sharing insights and experimenting with new ways of finding inspiration and commitment.
Over the next twelve weeks, participants will be invited to respond to weekly invitations or prompts sent to their homes. They will be invited to try new art forms and engage in experiences that inspire new ways of seeing and creating. There will also be many opportunities to stay connected with other participants for encouragement and support.
Finally, the cohort meets again for a weekend retreat May 4-6, 2018, to reflect upon the experiences, share artistic discoveries, and make commitments to continue to live intentional creative lives.
Past participants affirm the success of EAC: “This experience gave me the nudge I needed to say, ‘I’m an artist person!’ I experimented and created and had a blast! I see myself in a whole new way, now;” “Loving setting, supportive staff, well researched programing and variety of activities, idea exposure and resources. I will be reaping the rewards and exploring suggestions for some time to come.”
“Embracing the Artistic Call” is limited to 20 participants. A donation of $780 will cover the retreats, food, lodging, and program costs.