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Winter Speaks: 'Less Is More'

Winter speaks and whispers to the soul:

Don't be afraid to turn inward.

Solitude brings rewards.

Slowing down & doing less is good for you.

As I write, Western N.C. is experiencing more wintry weather. We've had a few dustings of snow in the New Year, and sleet left a silvery blanket in the early hours of the morning. If we attend to the feelings it brings, it's hard to miss the message winter is trying to send: This is a season for reflection and wisdom — make room for it in your life.

- Rob Field, Director

(CLICK HERE to read the rest of this reflection)

photo credit: Cristina Gottardi via Unsplash

Ennea-WHAT?

The Enneagram for Beginners
Feb. 23 - March 23

CSW Director Rob Field and Spiritual Director Paula Benton will co-lead a 5-week online introduction to the Enneagram Feb. 23 through March 23. The Enneagram has rightfully been called the greatest tool for spiritual growth ever developed. If you're hoping 2021 will be a time of personal awakening and spiritual development, the Enneagram and this introduction are perfect for you. Ennea-WHAT? will meet on Tuesdays from 2:00-3:30 p.m. using Zoom video conferencing. Registrations, at a cost of $229 per person, are now being accepted. CLICK HERE to register. To learn more about the Enneagram and this series, follow THIS LINK.

'Signs' Is Feb. Movie Pick

The Center has chosen Signs (2002) as its February selection for its "Reel Spirit Movie Project" (RSMP) series. Our discussion will take place online Thursday, Feb. 18 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Signs stars Mel Gibson, Jaoquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin. M. Night Shyamalan both wrote and directed this mystery/sci-fi favorite, with themes of fear, doubt, family, and faith. CSW staff member Cindy Decker will lead the discussion of this intriguing film. There is no charge for this event, but participants are asked to consider a donation to Center for Spiritual Wisdom. To register or receive additional information, please email Cindy Decker at communications@centersw.org. Registrations will be received on a first-come, first-served basis.

'ALONE TOGETHER' PERSONAL RETREAT
March 19-20

SAVE THE DATE for a guided virtual retreat: Friday evening through Saturday afternoon. Experienced retreat leaders Tom Lewis and Jean Woods will guide this time of personal retreat for spiritual renewal. Tom and Jean provide the structure and inspiration, while you choose the quiet, comfortable location with an Internet connection. The retreat begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. and ends Saturday at 4:30 p.m. In between, there will be plenty of time for contemplative silence, prayer, and reflection. Further details will be posted at the CSW web site starting Feb. 10, when registration will open on a first-come, first-served basis.

Contemplative Photography Series –
Coming In April & May

A Six-Week Online Learning Series
Wednesdays, April 7 – May 12
2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

This spring, Center for Spiritual Wisdom will offer a 6-week online learning series in Contemplative Photography. The series will be held on Wednesdays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., April 7 through May 12 using Zoom video conferencing. Registrations, at a cost of $149 per person, are now being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The series invites participants to use the camera as a way of seeing, paying attention, centering themselves, and living in the now. Attendees will learn how to use a camera as a means of meditation, pursued in a community of likeminded individuals.

Jean Woods, CSW Associate, will lead the series. Participants will benefit from concise reading material, audio-visual supplements, live presentations, and group interactions. To ensure a high-quality experience, participation will be limited to the first 8 people to register.

CLICK HERE to register.

photo courtesy of Jack Redgate via Pexels

Welcome New CSW Board Members!

We are pleased and proud to welcome two new members to our board of directors: Daphne Creasman (left) and Emily Walthal. They join Rob Field, Tony Gillman, and Janet Grey — who is returning to the board after serving a 1-year term in 2020. Daphne is a natve of Atlanta, GA and graduate of Emory University's Candler School of Theology. Asked to describe herself, Daphne says she is "an unconventional ambassador for the Holy, who enjoys reading, writing, cultivating radical self-love, and communing with the natural world." Emily is a native of Winston-Salem, N.C. and works as an attorney for the legal firm Frohsin Barger & Walthall. Her passions include native plants and sustainable gardening; Monarch butterfly conservation; and reading. Emily also serves on the board of Friends of DuPont Forest. Thank you, Daphne and Emily, for saying Yes to our invitation.

Welcome!

Join Us for Our 3rd Holy Land Pilgrimage: March 2022

Center for Spiritual Wisdom will return to one of our core spiritual practice offerings next year. We invite you to join us for our 3rd pilgrimage to Israel-Palestine, a land sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. A pilgrimage is much more than a sightseeing trip. It is the journey of a lifetime, seeking holy places and spiritual transformation along the way. CSW is partnering with Bret Thoman of St. Francis Pilgrimages, who did a fantastic job coordinating our October 2019 pilgrimage to Italy, where we followed in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare. Watch this space, our website, and our Facebook page for more details.