Our world needs leaders with the courage to be fully human, to take risks, to care deeply, and to take action—even in the midst of change and uncertainty. To live and lead from such a place requires strong roots as much as it requires the blossoming of creative vision.
As the days grow longer and the Northern hemisphere comes into full bloom, the burgeoning pull of spring reflects the potential to get caught up in a state of over-abundance—doing too much, moving too quickly, losing touch with our own pace and inner wisdom. Spring, as Parker Palmer writes, is a “riot of color and growth.”
As heart-centered leaders living in a time of great challenge and opportunity, how might we remain grounded, rooted in our integrity, while allowing the “color and growth” of our lives and work to unfold, without sacrificing ourselves or those we serve in an urgent pursuit of abundant harvest?
How do we honor what we need to be whole and in balance amid the demands and desires of a waxing season, in a way that nurtures our authenticity and joy?
How do we tend to the “garden” of our lives and our work so that we can receive what we need to flourish?
How do we slow down enough, especially when all around us is so much, in order to discern what is needed to respond to the circumstances of our lives, rather than become reactive or overwhelmed?
When we gather for this Courage to Lead® retreat for women, we will be in a liminal space between the beginning of spring and the fullness of summer. Liminal spaces or transitional times can offer a unique opportunity to pause, reflect, and find clarity of intention as we approach a new phase or cycle.
Together we will engage with metaphors of the spring season and:
- Access imagination, artistic expression, and other contemplative practices to envision and embody the wholeness of a future we long to call home.
- Build a trustworthy space for accessing and telling our truths and listening to the truths of others.
- Explore our inner sources of leadership.
- Learn practices for holding the complexities we encounter in our personal and professional communities.
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is open to those who identify as women, and is designed to help participants renew their passion, enthusiasm and commitment to their leadership and the communities they serve. Leadership can also be reflected in other ways that we show up in the world through our professional, family, or community life. Past participants have included school principals, superintendents, higher education administrators, clergy, attorneys, physicians, managers, coaches and other leaders from the nonprofit and corporate sectors.
PDUs or CEUs available see below for details.
The Center for Courage & Renewal and its facilitators do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status.
