Circle of Trust Retreats
It seems to me that each of us belongs to the world in a very particular way, and that we learn slowly to live out that way of belonging as a faith that can be stronger than any religious dogma. I do not think this is a selfish road; I believe that this is the only authentic way we can give of our self and our gifts to others. This is how we learn to be generous. And it is also how we learn the magnificence and difficulty of living a courageous life.
—David Whyte
Everything that happens to you is your teacher…the secret is to learn to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it.
—Polly Berends
The Center offers three retreats designed for those interested in experiencing the Circle of Trust® approach— as described in Parker Palmer’s book, A Hidden Wholeness— and bringing deeper connections to their lives and work. These retreats are intended for persons in diverse professions - including education, healthcare, law, philanthropy, religious life, non-profit and community leadership — and for anyone who wants to live and work more wholeheartedly.
Introduction to a Circle of Trust: The Journey Toward an Undivided Life
This introductory retreat focuses on the rejoining of soul and role, of reconnecting who we are with what we do.
In this retreat, skilled facilitators help create a quiet, focused, and disciplined space—a circle of trust—in which the noise within us and around us can subside and we can begin to hear our own inner voice. In large group, small group, and solitary settings, we will explore the intersection of our personal and professional lives, making use of stories from our own journeys, and insights from poets, storytellers, and various wisdom traditions. Clearness Committees, a communal process of discernment around a difficult life or vocational issue, will be offered as part of this retreat.
For information and registration materials:
March 11-13, 2010 in Burlingame, CA (just outside of San Francisco) RETREAT IS FULL
July 15-17, 2010 in Minneapolis, MN
In addition to these retreats offered by the Center, retreats are also offered by Courage & Renewal Facilitators in across the United States and in Canada. To see what is available in your area, please see the Retreat Calendar.
Intermediate Retreat: Living the Questions
This second Circle of Trust retreat is for people with previous experience in an introductory circle of trust. In this retreat participants explore, in more depth, the conditions noted in A Hidden Wholeness that help create a circle of trust, with particular attention given to the practice of asking open, honest questions.
Note: Alumni of Courage to Teach® and Courage to Lead® introductory retreats or retreat series may also attend.
For information and registration materials:
April 28-May 1, 2010 in Burlingame, CA (just outside of San Francisco)
Intermediate Retreat: Welcoming the Soul and Weaving Community
This retreat creates a space where participants not only go deeper in their own inner work but can also explore what Parker Palmer describes as "the third way." ("The third way is the way of nonviolence, by which I mean a commitment to act in every situation in ways that honor the soul." -- Parker Palmer, A Hidden Wholeness). During this retreat, there will also be an opportunity to explore integrating the conditions and practices of circles of trust into participants' own work or community settings.Note: Alumni of Courage to Teach® and Courage to Lead® introductory retreats or retreat series may also attend.
There are no Welcoming the Soul and Weaving Community retreats currently scheduled.