This is not the first time we have offered this retreat, nor will it be the last. We offered the retreat for the first time last February. People who attended wanted more. Though you may take a single retreat, the most transformative benefit will be achieved if you can make the commitment to take all four retreats offered during the coming year.

This retreat uses as its foundation the principles of author and philosopher Parker J. Palmer as expressed in his books The Courage to Teach and The Courage to Lead, This work strives to affirm the vital relationship between one’s inner life and one’s actions. It uses the flint of interacting with others in a trustful atmosphere, called a “circle of trust,” to kindle the ability to access an inner source of truth to live a life of integrity. It is not restricted to professionals in any one field. It is for anyone who wishes to take an inner journey as a way to attain greater clarity and wholeness along life’s path. Those who attended last February were from the fields of education, healthcare, gerontology, social work, pastoral positions, psychology, administration and information technology.

Using solitary, small and large group formats, poetry, archetypal and personal stories, we will address basic life questions which, though they are personal and private, are often deeply instructive when shared in a “circle of trust.”

The workshop will be facilitated by Marianne Novak Houston who has a graduate degree in religious studies and worked for nine years with Parker Palmer to help found an inter-
national effort to develop and promulgate programs for spiritual development and formation outlined in Palmer’s books.

A teacher for more than 40 years, Marianne was the recipient of the Milken Family Foundation’s National Educator Award in 1993. She now devotes full time to retreat facilitation and trains and mentors future formation facilitators in the U.S. and abroad and is a facilitator and consultant with the Center for Courage and Renewal located in Seattle, Washington, a center which dedicates itself to furthering Parker Palmer’s work. Houston lives and works in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

We hope you will forward this email newsletter to friends and colleagues. The programs are offered in an abbreviated form from our brochure to make it easy for you to “cut and paste” into your parish or office newsletter. And yet, handy links to our Web site give you an easy way to quickly read more details.

NOTE: To cut and paste, just highlight the text you want to use and click “edit,” then “copy.” Create a new email or Word document, place a cursor at the top and click “paste.” And there it is! You might want to add: Transformations is located at 3427 Gull Road. To register call 269.381.6290 ext. 310.

Your help in sharing news about Transformations is appreciated.