“Some journeys are direct, and some are circuitous;
some are heroic, and some are fearful and muddled.
But every journey, honestly undertaken,
stands a chance of taking us toward the place
where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.”
~ Parker J. Palmer
There are moments in life when something that once defined us no longer fits, relationships, roles, identities, or ways of being that once felt true but now beckon to be released. The Sacred Turning: From Relinquishing to Realigning is a five-week retreat that offers a compassionate space to honor this tender and courageous passage.
Together, we will explore the quiet knowing that something has shifted or is shifting; the pain and clarity that can accompany letting go; the uncertainty of the tragic gap between who we were and who we are becoming; and the surprising signs of new life that often begin in the very act of relinquishing.
Using the Courage & Renewal® approach, experienced in this Circle of Trust® retreat, we will gently balance solitude and being held in community. Each session will be grounded in reflection, storytelling, poetry, and deep listening. Each week will also include guided meditation, movement, embodiment practices, and sensory experiences; inviting you into a deeper felt sense of presence, expanding your capacity for choice, and supporting nervous system regulation. In this way, each gathering becomes not just a conversation, but an opportunity for renewal.
This sacred turning invites us to release what no longer serves and realign with the deeper truth of who we are becoming. In the spirit of Parker Palmer’s “paradox of mud season,” we honor the messy, humbling soil where renewal begins. Together, we create space for authenticity and belonging as you listen for the wisdom within… stepping forward with greater clarity, courage, and trust in the gifts you are called to bring into the world.
The retreat will also include Clearness Committees, a sacred, intentional, and powerful discernment process rooted in the Quaker tradition where one “focus person” is held in deep listening by a small circle, receiving open and honest questions that help illuminate their inner knowing.
Photo by Doci via Pexels
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.
