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Facilitated by Natalie Thomas, John Lawson, and Greg Kennedy
The premise of this retreat is simple: people who love Earth need time together both to grieve and to celebrate. While ecological activism is more urgent now than ever, that’s not what this time will be explicitly about. Rather, it will focus intentionally on what we actually, currently feel instead of what we should ideally do. But touching into our grief and love is not an idle or escapist pastime. Whatever energies necessary for social, economic, political and creedal transformations will be found in the passion (which implies both suffering and motivation) alive in our earthling hearts.
As with its premise, the activities of this retreat will remain simple: quiet walking on the welcoming land (640 acres) of Ignatius Jesuit Centre, while reflecting on seasonal decline into the extreme modesty of winter; gentle artistic practices that summon latent emotion and creativity; meditations on who we are as hurting inhabitants of the Anthropocene; facilitated group conversations about our dreams and desires for a human presence more harmonious with all our planetary neighbours. Underlying all this is the hypothesis that shared grief and love deepen those who gather to mourn and celebrate. Deepened people have a fuller well from which to draw the water that sustains their commitment and action.
The weekend –
- Not a silent retreat
- There will be group activities and sharing
- Individual spiritual direction not available
Facilitated by:
Natalie Thomas is a Registered Psychotherapist in private practice and a Professor of Philosophy. She combines her research and therapy approaches towards the creation of models for working with eco and climate distress, trauma and grief that are integrative and holistic. She is passionate about compassion towards all forms of life, and has published in the area of animal Selfhood and ethics, and has taught extensively in the field of ethics and applied ethics, including environmental ethics and philosophy. She has presented and written about Internal Family Systems and climate distress, and also works as a Regional Coordinator with the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America, and is a Fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics. Natalie believes that when we experience inner healing in our own system, we bring healing to the natural systems we are part of.
John Lawson is a retired United Church of Canada minister who has served a number of churches and ministries in Southern Ontario for the past 40 years. For as long as he can remember he has had a passion for and a spiritual connection to nature and the outdoors. He firmly believes that without a spiritual connection to creation we will not have the mystical heart to be part of long-term healing. This commitment to the environment has led him to work with a number of groups on ecological justice. It even led to a brief foray into politics running as the Green Party candidate in Guelph during the federal election of 2011. John is committed to listening deeply to the concerns of people and the cries of the earth to bring healing in these divisive times.
As Earth-citizen and Executive Director of Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Greg Kennedy hopes to live IJC’s mission of cultivating spiritual growth and ecological engagement in all that he does, feels and thinks.
Prices:
- $374 – Ensuite Room – private single bedroom with 3-piece washroom, desk and chair
- $329 – Standard Room – private single bedroom with sink, desk and chair
- $215 – Commuter – a private room is not included with these fees
Room availability will show in the form’s options below. If all room options are at capacity (FULL), only then the Waiting List option will show…please do fill out the application form to get on the Waiting List! Any questions, contact the Registrar’s office at 519-824-1250 ext. 266 or email registration@ignatiusguelph.ca.