Early in our journey, members of the CSD Community gathered to imagine ways in which a community might be a part of our individual spiritual journeys.  After a morning of reflection, discernment, and conversation in small groups, we were asked these questions:  

 

What do you imagine in terms of your own spiritual deepening going forward?

How might a community help you in that deepening?

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Here is some of what we heard from you. We heard that…

…when we gather, we learn from one another

…we see when we are together some of what community brings to light; other revelations continue to come after we’ve left

…community brings a sense of accountability in a way that is empowering

…community is a place to explore what kind of action in the world can grow out of our inner work

…community supports us in operating at another level of consciousness, embracing not just a way of thinking but a way of living

…in community, we do our spiritual work side by side with others, rather than having “something given to us”

…retreat time is important—time away in spiritual community

…spiritual community needs consistent nurturing

…we sometimes appreciate having a smaller group of people with whom to explore an idea or a question

…the trust that forms in community can allow us to move from discussion to a level of deeper dialogue

…there is richness in sharing prayer time with some of the same folks with whom we go out to serve the world

 

And we heard that gathering in circles large and small, as we did that day, is one important way in which community supports you on your journey. We heard gratitude for a space where you’re invited to consider an evocative question, sharing your own thoughts and creating a safe environment where others can share what is true for them. 

 

This conversation did not end at the close of the gathering described here. It continues as we connect one-one-one and at CSD and church gatherings. It can continue if we go on to share what has come up for us in our own lives since we left one another that day. If you were with us, what did you hear yourself say that day? What do you hear here, in the words of others? Where do these questions take you today? 

 

All who touch the Center for Spiritual Deepening and its offerings, in ways large and small, are a part of our story of becoming and are an integral part of what it means for us to be a community, sharing our lives in the Spirit.