September 2014 Newsletter

2nd Edition - The Countdown Begins!

"I cannot define for you what God is, I can only say that my work has proved empirically that the pattern of God exists in every [hu]man, and that this pattern has at its disposal the greatest of all his energies for transformation and transfiguration of his natural being. Not only the meaning of his life but his renewal and his institutions depend on his conscious relationship with this pattern in his collective unconscious.

...

this pattern in the individual has at its disposal the greatest transforming energies of which life is capable. Find this pattern in your own individual self and life is transformed." C.G. Jung

Entering Fall -- The Countdown to Journey 2014 Begins

With the Autumnal Solstice, the cooler air here wakes us up to the movement of time and the changing of Seasons. While there probably is not a song with the title, "Waking up is Hard to Do," there should be -- (and you probably know the tune). In this time of cultural upheaval, we each of us need to be awake -- psychologically and spiritually awake!

An Icon by Rubilev -- left for each individual to bring into focus -- What do YOU see?

What is it that a Journey Conference seeks to provide participants?

An opportunity to explore our outer and inner world with others in community and, hopefully thereby to find a richer and deeper connection to the Divine Mystery that courses through and underlies the heart of all that can be known.

We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

Will be to arrive where we started

And know the place for the first time.

T.S Eliot,

Every religion, every theological or spiritual perspective has an implicit understanding of the nature, purpose and trajectory of this being human in which we are all de facto involved; and, likewise, every psychology presupposes one as well. Each of us lives day to day automatically or more or less consciously out of such a presumption. For this reason, it is especially useful for us to find way to listen "with more than just our ears" with a community of fellow-explorers, perhaps from our own or other traditions, or those who are seekers from no tradition at all. It's important and useful, because it helps us clarify and fine-tune our own unique relation to the Pattern of energies that shape our own lives and the life of our world.

One of the many deeply meaningful opportunities of the conference to listen "with more than just our ears" is The Pre-breakfast Ritual of the Sharing of Bread and Wine. Sherry Cothran (left), one of the four leaders who are serving to host these events (others being, Ed Koffenberger,

Mary Ann Koffenberger and Art Hunkins) describes it:

An early morning time of centering prayer, silence, reflection and the ritual of the love feast. An invitation to enter Wisdom's House, where the host, Lady Wisdom, invites us to cultivate a listening heart and reverence for the numinous. An opportunity to empty oneself and move into a posture of receiving and learning from one another with humility, wonder and awe.

Because Jung meticulously, rigorously and scientifically studied the phenomena of spiritual experience across cultures and time, psychology rooted in his work can help us find guidance and words to deepen our understanding of and response to the "pattern" within that "has at its disposal the greatest transforming energies of which life is capable."

+++++

What are Journey Conferences about? -- the short answer is "exploration and transformation."

So, if you are an explorer in search of whatever it is you and the world, in which we live, might need especially from YOU to move more toward wholeness, now's the time to act!

By Mid-October, it will likely be too late to register.

CONFERENCE-RELATED TRANSPORTATION: See the Ride-share and Room-share Forums etc... You can find links to these Forums on the welcome page at www.journeyconferences.com

"Good news! We will have a multi-passenger vehicle and a volunteer driver to help get conference participants to and from The Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, and to and from the Baymont Inn, Eden (for those staying in the off-site lodging there). Transportation scheduling is still in the early stages and will be refined once we better understand modes and times of participant arrivals. We will send a survey in a few short weeks to poll travel plans, so please have yours made the first week of October.

For your planning purposes, we anticipate the last shuttle will leave The Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) around 3 PM on Thursday, October 30, for those traveling to the conference by air. There will also be a shuttle back to the airport at the end of the conference on Sunday. Anticipated cost to help defray our expenses for our conference airport shuttle is $10 per person each way.

During the conference, we anticipate at least one daily shuttle from the Baymont Inn, departing about 7 AM each morning to ensure that those desiring to participate can attend The Ritual Sharing of Bread and Wine and/or The Saint Francis Springs Prayer Center breakfast. (The $16.50 fee for the optional, but recommended, three-breakfast commuter package fee must be paid by mid-October!) The early shuttle schedule from the motel not only supports the optional pre-breakfast event, but also fosters additional opportunities for those off-site to socialize with resident attendees at a more leisurely and substantial breakfast than the motel's.

There will also be a shuttle returning to the Baymont Inn following the final social hour event each conference day. There is no extra charge for daily residential shuttles. We will post more details about the shuttle schedule as we develop a clearer picture of conference participants' transportation needs."

Come share in -- Moving Toward Wholeness 2014

October 30 - November 2, 2014. www.journeyconferences.com

There is a community of the spirit.

Join it, and feel the delight

of walking in the noisy street

and being the noise.

Drink all your passion,

and be a disgrace.

Close both eyes

to see with the other eye.

Jalal A Din Muḥammad Rumi as translated by Coleman Barks (adapted)

We look forward to reconnecting with old friends and invite others to experience the difference these Journey Conferences can make. In order to ensure your space, register as soon as possible and please invite a friend to come with you. Like us on our website welcome page or below; and before you close this email, don't forget to also use the Forward email link at the bottom left of this page to share this amazing conference with at least one person.

The Final Countdown has begun!

We have TWO FACEBOOK pages, so please "LIKE" us on BOTH.