Journey Center Blog

I haven’t written a post in a while. I figured it’s time again. Like the rest of you, I’ve had a busy summer- running around, taking vacations, visiting with friends and family, having barbecues, soaking up every possible moment of sunshine before the clouds and cold set back in. (I live in Seattle.) This has been a wonderful time of refreshment for my soul.

I have been experiencing God’s presence like the sun lately- a warm, relaxing, encouraging, peaceful presence deep in my soul. I’ve had a lot of changes in my life and heartaches over the last year (a lot of “rain”). But I find that no matter how cloudy it is on the inside, I can always return to God’s presence and find the peace and comfort and hope I need. When I feel like the storm will last forever, He is there reminding me of the internal sunshine and warmth He brings. His love and presence is like a bright, shining light radiating out of my heart and reminding me of all the joys and blessings in my life.

As the fall approaches, I am thinking about how my routine will settle down a bit. I’m returning to school and starting to think through the activities I will participate in each week and how I’ll schedule my time. For those of you in Sonoma County, as you are planning your fall schedules, check out the Journey Center website. It has been recently updated with all the events for this Fall. Make plans now to take advantage of all those gatherings and events that allow you to slow down and return your focus to the presence of the Holy within you. Wish I could join you!

The first Friday of August, Dan and I offered an evening on poetry of the Christian mystics as our monthly Meeting the Mystics gathering. We focused on 4 aspects of the Christ-centered mystical path– nature mysticism, bridal/love mysticism, the journey of kenosis/emptying, and entering the Silence. Dan and I read most of the poems back and forth, so folks could hear them two different times, and in two different voices and styles– how often does that happen? So often we hear something once and then are dashing off to the next thing. We also decided to limit the number of poems so we could SAVOR them– also a great and rare pleasure. At one point I looked up and saw folks with their eyes closed, listening so deeply– no wonder a couple of people have asked us to do this again. Part of the pleasure for me, too, was having people come who don’t usually think of themselves as poetry lovers–and yet they could hear how each one of the writers had experienced God and then had– in words that are always limited and imperfect-attempted to share that experience with us–so that we,too, could enter into that moment when the Holy was a felt and experienced Presence-
I wanted to share a couple of the poems we read and invite all those of you who read our staff blogs to take a few moments, and read these slowly– maybe a couple of times — and enter into the God-blessed time these poet-mystics are describing- is there something that Spirit might be saying to you in this poems–perhaps something you are being asked to remember, or celebrate, or reflect upon, or pray over—-

The first is by R.S. Thomas, a Welsh Anglican priest who lived from 1913-2000. He was an amazing nature mystic-

The Moor
It was like a church to me.
I entered it on soft foot,
Breath held like a cap in the hand.
It was quiet.
What God was there made himself felt,
Not listened to, in clean colours,
That brought a moistening of the eye,
In movement of the wind over grass.

There were no prayers said. But stillness
Of the heart’s passions-that was praise
Enough; and the mind’s cessation
Of its kingdom. I walked on,
Simple and poor, while the air crumbled
And broke on me generously as bread.

This next one is by Carrol Houselander, who died in the 1950’s. It’s my personal favorite “emptying poem’.

Reeds of God

We are emptiness like the hollow in the reed,
the narrow riftless emptiness
which can have only one destiny:
to receive the piper’s breath and
to utter the song that is in the piper’s heart.

We are emptiness like the hollow in the cup,
shaped to receive water.
We are emptiness like that of a bird’s est.

The reed grows by the stream.
It is the simplest of things, but
it must be cut by a sharp knife,
hollowed out, stops put in it.
It must be shaped and pierced before
it can utter the shepherd’s song.
it is the narrowest emptiness in the world,
but the little reed utters God’s infinite music.

We are lifted up and carved out,
formed and shaped and filled with
all the music of the earth.

(I’m not going to comment on these poems–so you, if you want, can just be with your own experience without my interpretations interfering with your own response–but I will just say–WOW! WOW!:>)

Finally, a poem by contemporary poet, Episcopalian , Mary Oliver. She is usually in the nature section of mystical poetry, but Dan and I used this in the silence portion to lead people into a silent prayer time– you’ll hear why-

Praying

It doesn’t have to be
the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together, and don’t try
to make them elaborate, this isn’t
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

This month I am carrying a poetry journal with me– I am writing poems in response to whatever catches my attention– so far my dog, Molly, sneezing;my husband fast asleep in his chair when I got home late one night;a lady who loves Christ but can’t relate to Jesus; the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird; pomegranate salad dressing; and that poor fig tree Jesus blasted– all of which brought me just a bit more deeply, and more humbly and with more of my body, and heart, and crazy over-active mind, into what in Christianity we call ‘the sacrament of the present moment’.
That to me is the gift of poetry– if I can enter so fully into another’s experience–and most especially if that experience is of God–than my own capacity of being more fully present is encouraged,expanded. I think the Holy Spirit inspires these poems–and speaks to us through them– as if the poets were the hollowed out reeds and the poems the Shepherd’s breath– that gives life.

I hope you enjoy these -

Ruah

My husband, John, and I recently spent some time on Lopez Island, off the coast of Washington State. We were there celebrating our 25^th anniversary and enjoying the beauty of the San Juan Islands and, especially, the peacefulness of this particular island.

There were many things about this experience that refreshed and inspired both of us. About the third day we were there, I began to realize that part of the delight for me was that there were so many parallels to what we’ve been called to be and to do at the Journey Center. It was as if I was experiencing the gifts that we offer to so many others here on 4^th street in Santa Rosa, CA!

The first thing that struck us was how everyone we encountered was so friendly and welcoming. Lopez is known as the Friendly Island because everywhere you go, people wave at you! Whether you are driving in your car, or hiking on a trail, or walking down the road…you can count on seeing that hand go up as you pass by. (It didn’t take long for us to also be among the “wavers”!) And what did that wave mean? The message was “I see you and I welcome you. You belong here!” It didn’t matter if you were a full-timer, weekender, or visitor. All are welcome on Lopez, and all have a place in the community. How like the Journey Center vision this is! Whoever you are, and wherever you are on your journey, you are welcome here…we love to hear your story and are privileged to know you!

Another part of the adventure for us was being able to eat food that was grown or raised right there on the Island. Local, sustainable, organic. Almost everything we needed was provided by local farmers, and we took great joy in shopping at the farmer’s market, visiting farmstands, and preparing our meals with what we found there. This reminds me of the important truth that all you need for your spiritual journey is within you and around you. God is present and all is provided here and now. You don’t have to travel afar or depend on someone or something far away. At the Journey Center, it is our joy to offer resources for your journey and safe spaces for you to drink of the Living Water and feast on the Bread of Life!

During our time on Lopez Island, we were captured by the beauty that was everywhere. We had the time to notice what was around us….ocean, clouds, eagles, otters, whales, other islands in the distance, the rolling farmlands, and the sheep and cows in the pastures. At the Journey Center, we are called to offer a place where you can step out of the busyness and take the time to notice the beauty that is all around you- attending to the beautiful presence of the Divine, noticing the movement of the Spirit within, seeing that Love shine through the eyes of those you gather with.

Finally, we discovered what people mean when they talk about being “on island time.” Rather than being driven by the demands of our schedules and commitments, there is something about stepping out of the rat race for periods of time to take deep breaths, relax, and just BE. We got up when we were done sleeping. We ate when we were hungry. We stayed up until we were sleepy. And as we listened to the silence, our spirits grew quieter and a sense of peace deepened in us. We invite you to think of the Journey Center as an “oasis”, perhaps an island where it is OK to stop and breathe. Many of the resources and gatherings we offer are designed to give you the opportunity to just BE.

This trip was special because it was important for us to celebrate this milestone in our marriage. But trips like this are not usually possible…either the time or the funds are often not available. However, I believe that the invitation to all of us is to find practices and places in our daily lives that make it possible for us to experience hospitality, a connection to our inner life and the spiritual resources that are available to us, an awareness of the beauty that is near, and opportunities to stop and breathe and relax and BE.

It is our prayer that the Journey Center might be ones of those places for you…

Two years ago, on May 1^st, I walked up to the front door at 1601 Fourth Street in Santa Rosa and turned the key in the lock for the first time. I remember how it felt to open that door and walk into the beautiful, empty space that was to be the Journey Center’s home. Aware of all the miracles that happened to allow us the privilege of being there, I experienced a deep sense of peace and an eager anticipation as I stood on the threshold that day.

As we celebrate this two-year anniversary, we have been reflecting on all that has unfolded between that first day and today. We who serve at the Center and you who have come through the door to visit are all on unique spiritual journeys…AND we have had something in common. We have been the grateful recipients of what I will call “glimpses of the Holy”.

From the beginning, when the vision for the Journey Center was first given in 2003, we have known and been told that this is a pioneering work. For that reason, we didn’t really know what to expect when we opened the doors. All we knew was that God wanted to do something new and that we had been led by the Spirit to create this safe and welcoming place where all who are spiritually thirsty can find resources and support for their journey.

We wondered what would happen when people of differing spiritual traditions, political persuasions and opinions on a variety of issues would sit together in this special place, set aside for saying “yes” to the Divine invitation to drink together from the Living Water. As we look back, these first two years have been quite an adventure!

We have indeed had a glimpse of the Holy as we have discovered that our boxes cannot contain or limit God’s boundless love for each of us. There has been a profound experience of walls coming down, walls that we’ve built to keep God at a distance and walls that separate us from others. Instead of these walls, bridges are being built as we are nourished by Love and experience the gift of friendship and community with those we have thought so different from ourselves.

And we have come to realize even more clearly what the Journey Center is called to be in our community:

 The Journey Center is a place of love. We have encountered the living God, who is Love. We have experienced for ourselves that God is always present, working lovingly and patiently in unexpected ways to bring healing, connection, freedom and grace.

The Journey Center is a place for sharing and listening to stories. Each person who has come through the door has, in some way, been our teacher. As we listen to each other’s stories, we learn that the Spirit meets each person where they are on their journey, working creatively and uniquely to help them deepen their awareness of and openness to the Holy. We may have our differences, yes, but on a much deeper level we all share a common spiritual yearning to find our way home to our own true heart and the heart of the One who knows us and calls us by name.

The Journey Center is a place of transformation. There is something so simple and yet so powerful about being together in God’s loving presence and opening ourselves to the Spirit, the One who transforms us. The simple spiritual practices that we teach here, rooted in the Christian tradition and helpful to those from any tradition, help us with this being and opening.

In the first two years of this adventure we call the Journey Center, we have most definitely been grateful recipients of “glimpses of the Holy”. If you haven’t had a chance to visit us, in person or online, please consider doing so as we would love to be a blessing to you on your journey!

One of the beautiful wisdom tales I am so often reminded of at The Journey Center is the Sufi teaching that each person is a colorful reflection of the Holy–for example the passionate person shines with the red light of God, and the scholar with yellow; the healer with green, the peacemaker with blue–and together we reflect the white light of God. When I look around the groups I go to at the Center, I am always delighted to meet the scientists who speak of God in the language of quarks and black holes and other quantum mysteries. I love the passionate social activists, and the sometimes quiet/sometimes flamboyant  mystics, the ones who bring a Bible to every meeting,  the healers whose language is the body and movement, the storytellers and comics and the ones who have the gift of tears. Some of the moments I most cherish are when I actually get to experience how a person different from me comes to know the Divine. It was amazing for me to finally realize that a man who has been coming to a Jesus conversation group at my house for close to 3 years is not ’stuck in his head’ but in fact truly experiences the Holy through his mind and craft…I had always assumed there had to be some sort of emotional–maybe even cathartic- event– but he knows God while fixing a car for his grandaughter and seeing with pleasure how the engine works, and knowing he is giving this young woman a meaningful gift. Who knew??

We have a LOT of ‘colors’ at the center:>). Part of what I am enjoying learning– and it is not always easy or comfortable though ultimately it IS always joyful– is that when we gather together with the intention to deeply listen to one another, and to grow in love, even clashing colors can become Beauty. I give thanks to the Creator of All Color for that.

This past Sunday we had another one of our art openings (featuring John Teague and his wonderful photographic documentary exhibit called “One Day with the Datooga”). For the first time, the Bohemian newspaper chose to feature our gallery along with an image and the editor of the paper also talked about the show on a local radio program. We had a wonderful turnout and a great time! The shows runs through February, so there is still time to come see it.

Happy New Year! As we look back on last year, we are grateful for all the relationships that we have been able to begin and nurture as the number of people who are hearing about the Journey Center continues to grow and almost daily now we are getting phone calls, emails and visits here at the Center!

Well, here it is… my first blog ever. There have been so many firsts in my life- hundreds!- and now this one. Time once again to enter the “modern” age.   :-)

I am thinking today about how small our world has become, and how this is a good thing.

In the past few weeks, I’ve met people (through email) from all over the United States, Canada and Europe. It still amazes me that I can write a message, hit “send” and know that that person who lives thousands of miles away will receive it in just a few seconds. Wow! I don’t know if I’ll ever get over how cool that is.

And I know I’ll never get over how wondrous, miraculous and amazing it is that there is One who loves me (and you!) who is always present, always pouring out grace and kindness and help…even when all seems dark and confusing.

May we all take time today to pause for a few moments, quiet our minds and hearts and become aware that we are never alone…for there is no distance between us and God, who is near.

“I will never leave you or forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

Blessings,

Joanna Quintrell, Journey Center Executive Director

Because we work a couple of months ahead on our next newsletter, I am writing this article for the spring in the midst of a huge winter storm! The trees are bare and the temperature is cold. The thirsty California earth is soaking in the rain that drenches it. The sun hasn’t been seen for days and people run from house to car to business with umbrellas and raincoats for protection. (Some of you know that this is my favorite weather, but for the sake of all you sun-lovers, I won’t dwell on that! J )

Being in the midst of winter as I write makes spring, our next season, seem far away and hard to imagine… but one thing I know. It won’t always be winter. The sun will return and the earth will bud forth with new growth and new life. Blossoms will cover the trees and those beautiful spring flowers will appear. Just yesterday, as the rain poured down, I glimpsed tiny green spears beginning to break through the soil. Spring is coming!

It won’t always be winter. This is a lesson for life, don’t you think? If you find yourself in a difficult, stormy or just plain dreary season…take heart. When you wonder if you will always struggle or be stuck where you are, remember…spring is coming! New growth and new life are the promise we look forward to and long for.

Did you know that the word “new” appears almost 200 times in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible? It was a word that Christ himself used often as he spoke powerfully of new wine, new treasures and new life. And through the prophet Isaiah, a hopeful and encouraging message was given, one that is worth reading slowly and meditating on for a while:

 See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare;
before they spring into being I announce them to you.

 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.

There is an invitation here. God is present and active… often unseen and underground (like those spring bulbs sprouting forth). And we are invited to pay attention, to be on the lookout for the new thing that is about to burst forth and the One who is creating it.

Notice that we are not asked to make the new thing happen. Whew, that’s a relief! I am so grateful that it doesn’t depend on us and that there is a power at work that is beyond us! Our part is to believe the promise even when it’s hard to imagine, to notice the signs that transformation is coming, and to learn to listen for what we are being invited to as the seasons change and new things are springing forth in our lives and our world.

Here at the Journey Center we offer an abundance of resources that support and enrich us on this journey… resources that invite us to become more attuned to the presence of the Holy, to deepen our ability to listen and to allow the Spirit of transformation to be at work in us and around us. May you come to trust that a new thing is about to spring forth as you, too, respond to the invitation to perceive the loving and powerful presence of God with you. It won’t always be winter!

(11/09)

As my thoughts turn to the upcoming holiday season and the rapidly approaching New Year, I have been reflecting on how our greetings and hopes this time of year often include the desire for peace. “May you experience the peace and joy of the season”. “May your new year be filled with peace.”

In 1955, Jill Jackson Miller wrote the song “Let There Be Peace on Earth” after having a profound experience of the love of God. Orphaned as a young girl, Jill’s life was filled with pain and despair which led her to try to take her life. Here are her own words…

“And when I attempted suicide and I didn’t succeed, I knew for the first time unconditional love- which God is. God is unconditional love. You are totally loved, totally accepted, just the way you are. In that moment I was not allowed to die and something happened to me which is very difficult to explain. I had an eternal moment of truth, in which I knew I was loved and knew I was here for a purpose.”

We all long for peace in our world and for our own peace of mind and heart. In the opening lines of her now-famous song, Jill Jackson Miller wrote with profound wisdom…. “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” Let it begin with me. Let PEACE begin with ME.

Such a beautiful thought, but there is only one problem…I don’t know about you, but much of the time, I am not at peace within myself. I so easily get busy and rushed and distracted and worried. I get caught up in the hustle and bustle around me, especially at the holidays. Yes, deep inside I am longing for peace, and there are moments where it comes, but it doesn’t last very long. (Maybe I’m the only one…but I have a feeling that I am not alone!)

Many who visit the Journey Center describe us as “an oasis of peace” and we are very glad that our beautiful facility, the quiet music and the loving welcome that is extended to all are experienced this way. It helps to have peaceful surroundings when one is seeking peace.

And we believe that peace in our relationships, in our community and in the world does begin with experiencing peace within. It is for that reason that we offer such a variety of resources, gatherings and experiences that are designed to help us all learn how to let peace begin with us. We are all discovering together how to experience transformation and live from a place of peacefulness inside.

You will find within this website (see our Advent & Christmas Gatherings) that you are invited to join us during the month of December as we gather often in the presence of our loving God, where true peace is found…given as a gift to us in exchange for our worries and burdens:
• Begin the season on December 1 at our Blue Christmas Contemplative Gathering…designed for those who are dealing with loss and grief of any kind.
• Consider giving yourself a gift and join us for the Winter Solitude Retreat in the beautiful Point Reyes area (December 11-13). Note that payment plans can also be worked out….
• Take an hour on Sunday evenings to enjoy a peaceful candlelight gathering.
• Join us for a gathering on the “longest night of the year” (winter solstice; December 21) for an opportunity to encounter the Holy as we prepare together for deep winter.

And you are always welcome to join us in our regular rhythm of stepping out of the busyness of life and spending sacred moments in the presence of the One who has been called the Prince of Peace! Whether you join us for a prayer/meditation gathering, an experience in the outdoors, a workshop or a gathering for community, you will find kindred spirits who are longing for peace and desiring to “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

Facing Challenges in the Strength of Community

by Joanna Quintrell, Journey Center Executive Director (8/09)

I realized in January that this is the year I turn 55 and as I paid attention to my heart, I discovered that it was important to me to do something challenging rather than just settle for now qualifying for the “senior” discount at some local restaurants! So, inspired by my wonderful husband John’s love of the great outdoors, I decided that I would take my first 5-day backpacking trek and culminate the experience with hiking up through the forest, climbing the 600+ stone steps and then the steel cables and, finally, standing on top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.

I spent these last several months getting stronger physically, working out under the guidance of my excellent trainer, Jake Peri. I also spent the last month getting ready mentally- noticing my fears and doing what I could to have a positive attitude. I invited others to join me and on August 6, nine of us met up in Tuolumne Meadows to begin our adventure. There were two themes for this experience together…the beauty of creation and facing challenges. And we saw such incredible beauty! Everywhere we went, we were filled with awe and marveled at the Creator’s handiwork.

All my solitary preparation for this strenuous challenge was so important but once on the trail, I discovered that the real strength for the journey came in the experience of community. In fact, on the final evening when we camped below Half Dome, I asked everyone to share what they had learned about facing challenges from our trek through the High Sierras, knowing that these lessons and truths would guide us as we faced the ultimate challenge of the next day.

I smiled as I recorded what was shared, because each one of these lessons holds a great truth that also applies to facing the challenges of life:

• I am stronger than I think I am; I can do more than I believe I can.
• Ask for help.
• I learned that I can help others along the way.
• Sometimes hugs are the best wilderness medicine around.
• A word of affirmation and encouragement goes a long way.
• Cherish both the alone and together times, and honor these for others.
• When tired, stuck in my “plodding” and watching my feet…if I lifted my eyes and looked above me, there was a refreshment that came from seeing beyond my dust cloud!
• Take the challenge in small bites and even when it seems impossible, you can do it.
• When I was ready to give up, I just watched someone’s feet in front of me and stepped where she stepped…and I made it!
• If your pack feels too heavy, share the load…if anyone tries to carry it all, it’s too much.

We left camp at 7:00 a.m. for this hike that is classified by the National Park Service as extremely strenuous. We made it to the base of Half Dome and looked up at the 425-foot climb above us (at about a 45-degree angle) and wondered what we had been thinking! But as a group we encouraged each other up the cables and by 10:20 a.m. we had all made it to the top where we took in the amazing mile-high view of Yosemite Valley and all the peaks and valleys around. We did it!! What an exhilarating experience…and how clear we all were that it was the strength of community that made it possible.

Whatever challenges you are facing today, remember not to go it alone. Here at the Journey Center we offer resources for your journey…some are for you as an individual, of course, but many are offered in the context of community. You are warmly and lovingly invited to join us and discover that facing challenges in the strength of community makes the load lighter and the impossible possible.