Remembering the Wisdom of Our Bodies: A Day of Focusing for Spiritual Directors
This is your body, your greatest gift, pregnant with wisdom you do not hear, grief you thought was forgotten, and joy you have never known.
Marion Woodman
There is so much wisdom in our bodies, but we often forget to listen to what they have to say to us. Focusing (or BioSpiritual Focusing) is a beautifully simple practice that invites us to tune into the knowledge our bodies have to offer us as we seek to grow, to heal, to discern, and to transform. As a practice, Focusing is beneficial to have in the Spiritual Director’s toolbox as one more way to listen and hold space for those we companion.
In this online workshop/retreat day, Heather and John will invite you into contemplative space to consider your own relationship with your body and how that might enter into spiritual practice and direction. You will learn about Focusing, its roots and some of the ways it is practiced, including how it can flow into Active Imagination. You will get to witness a live Focusing session and then will get to practice directing and being directed using Focusing as your method. There will be spacious time to ask questions, contemplatively debrief your own experiences, and connect with others in the workshop.
Facilitators
-
Heather MonkmeyerHeather Monkmeyer has been a spiritual director since 2002. She is a retreat leader, circle holder, artist, writer, teacher, and friend of the Journey Center. She holds a B.S. and an M.A. in Education, a DASD from SFTS, and is an ordained minister. Heather co-leads weekly writing circles for women, offers spiritual direction, supervision, and teaches in the Wellstreams Spiritual Direction program. She lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband, Jim. They have two amazing daughters with wonderful lives, and a devoted German Shepherd, named Rilke.
-
John KoonAfter receiving a Bachelor of Music in cello performance in 2005 and a Master of Education in organizational leadership in 2006 from Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN), John Koon spent eight years in non-profit work in Romania and Moldova where he encountered and was transformed by the presence of love among children living on the margins of society. In 2018 he was honored to be included in the New Contemplatives Initiative of Spiritual Directors International. John then received a Certificate in Spiritual Formation and the Art of Spiritual Direction from the Wellstreams Program of The Spirituality Network (Columbus, OH) in May 2019.
Outside of work, John enjoys playing cello, practicing Ashtanga yoga, cooking plant-based meals, and spending time with his spouse, Rachel, and children, Oscar and Genevieve.
Register Here
If this event is sold out, email contact@journeycenter.org to be placed on a wait list. Please read our Cancellation Policy, Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions before registering.
Related Events
