Dreaming: the Metaphysics of Sleep and Dream
Friday October 21 - Saturday, October 22
The Eight Principles of Peace
Friday, January 27 - Saturday, January 28
Silence, Creativity and Living the Authentic Life
Friday, March 23- Saturday, March 24
Prayers of the Earth
Friday, May 11 - Saturday, May 12

Dreaming: the Metaphysics of Sleep and Dream
Friday October 21 to Saturday, October 22
Presenter: Evan Hodkins
"Those who have the wind of the Holy Spirit, go forward even in sleep."
- Brother Lawrence
Dreams are intricately interlaced and provide filaments for a vast matrix of universal creativity. In our dreams we convene like a planetary conference where the wisdom of dreams are cobbled together with the wisdom of others. Dreams are love letters from God night after night, glimpses of guidance that are exquisitely personal, ravishingly unique and intimate beyond belief. Now all we have to do is learn the language of God's nocturnal heart.
This workshop will blend music, meditation, prayer, and chant to help us move into this world of connections.
Suggested Reading: The Kin of Atta Are Waiting For You by Dorothy Bryant and The Shack by Wm. Paul Young.
Evan Hodkins is an anam cara, the Celtic word for soul friend, and a poet. For over 30 years, he has taught and led retreats for spiritual seekers. He greets each seeker with prayers and holy conversations. He is a jubilant human being who prefers playshops to workshops.

The Eight Principles of Peace
Friday, January 27 to Saturday, January 28
Presenter: Rosalie Hooper Thomas
We all have the capacity to create a state of peace by opening ourselves to the oneness of the Universe. As Black Elk, Oglala Sioux spiritual leader tells us, we first realize this peace within us. This awareness grows and influences those around us and connects with other like-minded people throughout communities and nations. We will explore the teachings derived from ancient Mayan and pre-Mayan peoples that have evolved into eight universal principles that are the foundation of the First Peace.
Rosalie Hooper Thomas is a spiritual director, presenter and facilitator. For the past 15 years, she has studied with spiritual teachers of the ancient teachings of peace. Rosalie weaves these principles throughout her work as a spiritual guide and facilitator.

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Silence, Creativity and Living the Authentic Life
Friday, March 23 to Saturday, March 24
Presenter: Anne LeClaire
Theologians, poets, artists, writers and philosophers have long known that in order to create anything, including a deeply fulfilling life, the first requirement is that we become quiet. It is in this space of stillness that truths surface, understandings expand; and we discover in the silence of our hearts answers to living authentically. Silence is essential, too, in accessing the deep rivers of creativity and creative potential that run in each of us.
Anne LeClaire is a memoirist and the critically acclaimed, best-selling author of eight novels published in 24 countries. She leads popular seminars and workshops exploring silence, creativity and deep listening. Anne began a formal practice of silence, meaning that for the past eighteen years she has not spoken on the first and third Mondays of every month. Out of this practice came her memoir, Listening Below the Noise: The Transformative Power of Silence (HarperCollins, 2009), which was named one of the 50 best spiritual books of that year. She leads silent retreats on Cape Cod.

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Prayers of the Earth
Friday, May 11 to Saturday, May 12
Presenter: Joe Orso
Whether a backyard tree, a garden, a sky full of stars, or a visit to the Boundary Waters, most people can name a place outside that has impacted them. Indeed, for so many of us, our most spiritual experiences—the times we feel most connected to the Sacred—happen when we are out in nature. On this retreat, we will move more deeply into these stories of place, paying attention to how they might become guideposts in our prayer and spiritual lives. We will also explore how our individual stories fit into the larger story of people who are finding their way back home to our most primal mother, the Earth. Please bring an object or picture that can help tell your story of relationship with a place.
Joe Orso does jail and environmental outreach for the Franciscan Spirituality Center. He also writes a weekly column for the La Crosse Tribune. He lives on a ridgetop farm with his wife where they are learning to grow and preserve food, forage in the woods for edible plants, and notice the wonders of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

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