INTEGRAL CHRISTIANITY EXPERIENCE

Hi Friends,
I never even knew this pod existed! There are some wonderful discussion here and several wonderful people i (virtually) know too… :-)

I would so much love to see some of you at this seminar in Boulder, Colorado. I'll keep my fingers crossed :-)

Happy and most Blessed 2008 to all!

Nomali  

Dates: April 16 – 20, 2008 (registration begins January 7, 2008)
Seminar Fees:  $495 - $695 (partial scholarships available)
Limited to 50 participants only

BCIL is deeply honored to present its first 5-day seminar with Brother David Steindl-Rast as leading teacher.  Come and join us for this wonderful celebration of Spirit!

We live at a time when the evolution of human consciousness is crossing a decisive threshold.  This has an impact on all areas of human concern, with religion and spirituality ranking high among them.  In such an exciting and challenging time of unprecedented change, it is not surprising that many practicing Christians have become increasingly aware of both the riches of their tradition and its limitations.  They have realized that their understanding of Christianity has to change if they are to authentically embody the grace and glory of the new horizons that are opening before them and beckoning them forward. 

Neither rigid fundamentalism or flatland pluralism will any longer do.  Instead, they have realized that we need a new vision of Christianity; an integral vision; one that will more adequately serve as a comprehensive map to the mysterious territory of love’s unfolding that we always and already are.  Thus, the term “Integral Christianity” points towards an understanding of Christian faith and practice that is born of this awareness and firmly rooted in this level of consciousness.

It is important to note, however, that none of the treasures of tradition are lost or rejected when our understanding of them changes in accord with the flowering of Integral Christianity.  On the contrary, as these treasures are transcended and included in our wider embrace of reality as a whole, they take on a greater freedom and fullness – a new and abundant life, pressed down and overflowing.  Yet, in the midst of this process of growth, we can easily get disoriented.  It is like hiking in the mountains:  the landscape remains the same, but our view of it changes dramatically as we climb higher.  The same peaks and valleys move into a new relationship to each other, and we must stop periodically to get our bearings.  This is what we shall attempt to do in this workshop.

As for how we will go about re-orienting ourselves during our time together, we shall of course adopt an integral approach, one that engages the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.  Intellectual clarification will be one aspect of our sharing, and another will be shared experience – sacred music and dance, silence, prayer and meditation, singing, chanting and liturgy, holy listening, and (if weather permits) a visit to the mountain Chapel of Saint Catherine of Siena, also known as The Chapel on the Rock.

Our foremost goal will be to fill these days with joy – the pure joy of incarnation that everywhere upholds the goodness, truth, and beauty of the world; that is the revelation of a miracle called “We,” which springs from celebrating life together as a community of trust – and to show how we can take this joy home with us to share with others. 

For more details, please see here. (http://bcil.zaadz.com/discussions/view/224863) 

If the above button does not work, please copy the following link to your browser's address bar http://www.regonline.com/Checkin.asp?EventId=175260 to register. 

 
Biographies

David Steindl-Rast, OSB
Born in Vienna, Austria, David Steindl-Rast studied art, anthropology, and psychology, at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts (MA) and the University of Vienna (PhD).  In 1953 he joined a newly founded Benedictine monastery in New York, Mount Saviour, of which he is now a senior member. After 12 years of monastic training and studies in philosophy and theology, Brother David was sent by his abbot to participate in Buddhist-Christian dialogue.  Together with Thomas Merton, Brother David contributed to the renewal of religious life, especially through the House of Prayer movement.  He co-founded the Center for Spiritual Studies in 1968 and received the 1975 Martin Buber Award for his achievements in building bridges between religious traditions.  For decades, Brother David has divided his time between periods of a hermit's life and extensive lecture tours. His books include Gratefulness, the Heart of Prayer; A Listening Heart; and Belonging to the Universe (with Fritjof Capra).  Currently, Brother David serves as founding advisor of www.gratefulness.org.

Father Cyprian Consiglio
A monk of the Camaldolese Congregation, Father Cyprian Consiglio is also a teacher, musician, composer, and writer.   His monastic formation was at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, where he served as liturgist, choir director and teacher.  A student of the writings of Bede Griffiths and Abhishiktananda, Cyprian has a great love for comparative religion, inter-faith ritual, and world music.  He regularly leads conferences on meditation, and has traveled in India and other Asian countries, both studying and teaching.  Father Cyprian currently lives near Santa Cruz, California at home and on the road performing and teaching.  Much of his music and teaching revolve around the Universal Call to Contemplation through spirituality and the arts.  He has recorded and published several collections of original music including a capella sacred music for the church year, and is currently working on a book on prayer and meditation.  He has written numerous articles and is currently working on a book on prayer and meditation.  He earned his MA in Theology from St John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA.

Barbara Alexander
A spiritual director and therapist in Marin County, CA, Barabara Alexander works in the fields of psychotherapy, teaching contemplative practices and leading retreats.  Barbara practiced twenty-five years as a psychotherapist and returned to school to study theology and spirituality, earning a Diploma in the Art of Spiritual Direction and a Master of Divinity degree from San Francisco Theological Seminary.  Her studies focused on the integration of spirituality, theology and psychology with special emphasis on the work of Ken Wilber.  Barbara’s life and work is informed by Wilber's Integral Model and the Christian and Buddhist contemplative traditions.  She lives in Fairfax with her husband who is a Presbyterian pastor, their 14 year old son and 7 year old miniature Schnauzer.  

Rollie Stanich 
Growing up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Rollie Stanich graduated with distinction from the Faculty of Management of the University of Calgary in 1990.  He taught at the University's Faculty of Continuing Education for several years, then worked for ten years in software development in Montreal.  Rollie joined Integral Institute as a Managing Editor in 2004, and a year later, became Chief Facilitator of Integral Spiritual Center.  Presently, Rollie works for Integral Life, Colorado.  Rollie's spiritual path is that of contemplative Christianity.  He is a longtime student of Fr. Thomas Keating, and has written for numerous Catholic newspapers across Canada.  He has taught at numerous seminars and spiritual gatherings in the Denver/Boulder area.