Beauty, Brokeness & Courage – Standing in the gap with Heart and Hope

There is always a gap between the way things are and the way we would like them to be both in our personal and wider lives as well as in the world. Parker J. Palmer calls this the “tragic gap” which can never be bridged or crossed. “It is tragic in the Greek meaning of the word, not because it is sad but because it is inevitable, inalterable, inherent in the nature of things”.

At the same time in the midst of brokenness there is beauty. Holding both allows the heart to expand and power life creating hope, courage, resilience, and joy.

We invite you to join us in an exploration of the many facets of the Tragic Gap. At the core of this exploration is the capacity of the human heart to stay with what is and hold it with compassion, making that “duet between wonder and grief”, as Mark Nepo says.

During this Circle of Trust® Retreat, the Courage & Renewal® approach, pioneered by Dr. Parker J. Palmer and developed through the Center for Courage & Renewal, will be used. The Circle of Trust® offers a safe, confidential, and sacred space where we can be alone and together as we inquire, reflect, and hear the wisdom of our own hearts and souls

This Circle of Trust Retreat invites us into time and space where we can:
● engage at a deep level with our true selves and the questions that might be alive in our lives
● renew our hearts, minds, and spirits by exploring how we can hold beauty and brokenness in our lives
● embrace our gifts and limitations, our light and shadow, our brokenness and wholeness
● experience the principles and practices of the Courage & Renewal approach
● connect with the support of the group, listen to others, and be listened to and witnessed
● arrive where we need to be and not in any set place.

We will be together as individuals and as a community in a way that honours both our solitude and connections. Everything is invitational in large and small group conversations, with time for journaling, reflection, listening, sharing and silence. We will draw on poems, stories, music, and wisdom traditions to inspire our exploration of the “tragic gap” and the power of the heart.

You will have the opportunity to experience a Clearness Committee – a group discernment process that supports the individual to access their own inner teacher and wisdom.

Throughout the retreat, all our inquiry and reflection will be supported and nourished by the beautiful natural landscape of Ards. There will be opportunities outdoors, to commune with the environment.

Who is this for?
This retreat welcomes anyone who would like time to reflect on their inner life and consider what deeply matters to them.. If you are curious about or seeking to engage with the heart’s capacity to hold the brokenness that life brings and practise standing and acting in the tragic gap, then this retreat may be for you.

Booking:

The maximum number of participants is 20. There are two parts to booking. First, please click on the link in the black box to the left (https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/beauty-brokenness-courage-standing-in-the-gap-with-heart-hope-tickets-626331693957 and register there, with your payment.
Second, when we receive your registration through Eventbrite, we will contact you by email, with further information, and a request to complete a brief Personal Statement about your expectations and any needs you may have, including your dietary requirements.

The Center for Courage & Renewal exists to nurture deep integrity and relational trust, building the foundation for a more loving, equitable, and healthy world.

What participants at previous retreats have said:
“Overall, the weekend was many things: warm and relaxed, deep, respectful, serious, and challenging. Fun too…the whole caboodle”
“This is good work worth doing, we and the world needs it…keep going”.
“Authentic, transformative, fun, deep and loving”
“It felt like a very safe & sacred space – thanks to all of your sensitive and non-judgemental facilitation.”