A Gathering of Spirits for the Common Good

Parker Palmer has two exciting “gigs” coming up, with his good friend, singer-songwriter Carrie Newcomer.  Click on the headings below for more information:

January 21 & 22, 2012, at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa

Concert: Healing the Heart of Democracy: A Gathering of Spirits for the Common Good

Can we set free what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature?” In an era of “the politics of rage,” can we seek the common good across all that might divide us, coming together as friends, neighbors, citizens, and members of a larger community upon which we all depend? Join Carrie and Parker in an evening of song and spoken word as they take us on a three-stage journey of hope: (1) Celebrating “We the People.” (2) Exploring the power of “The Broken-Open Heart.” (3) Inviting us to reflect on “How Then Shall We Live?”

Retreat: Democracy from the Inside Out: A Circle of Trust Retreat

In this day-long experience with Parker and Carrie, 40 people will examine their own citizen “habits of the heart,” guided by themes from Parker’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and by ground rules that create a safe space for exploring challenging topics. Participants will spend time in large-group exploration of meaningful questions, in silent and solitary reflection and journaling, and in small-group dialogues rooted in personal story-telling. Toward the end of the retreat, participants will be invited to imagine how they might take the insights of the day back to the familiar settings of their own lives: families, neighborhoods, schools, religious communities, the workplace, and the larger reaches of public life.

February 10 & 11, 2012, at Washington University in St. Louis, MO

Book reading: 4:30 p.m. Parker will be reading from Healing the Heart of Democracy at Graham Chapel.

Concert: 8:00-9:30 p.m. Healing the Heart of Democracy: A Gathering of Spirits for the Common Good

Can we set free what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature?” In an era of “the politics of rage,” can we seek the common good across all that might divide us, coming together as friends, neighbors, citizens, and members of a larger community upon which we all depend? Join Carrie and Parker in an evening of song and spoken word as they take us on a three-stage journey of hope: (1) Celebrating “We the People.” (2) Exploring the power of “The Broken-Open Heart.” (3) Inviting us to reflect on “How Then Shall We Live?”

Retreat: Democracy from the Inside Out: A Circle of Trust Retreat

In this day-long experience with Parker and Carrie, 40 people will examine their own citizen “habits of the heart,” guided by themes from Parker’s book, Healing the Heart of Democracy, and by ground rules that create a safe space for exploring challenging topics. Participants will spend time in large-group exploration of meaningful questions, in silent and solitary reflection and journaling, and in small-group dialogues rooted in personal story-telling. Toward the end of the retreat, participants will be invited to imagine how they might take the insights of the day back to the familiar settings of their own lives: families, neighborhoods, schools, religious communities, the workplace, and the larger reaches of public life.