Lectio Divina (literally divine or sacred reading) is a prayerful practice that allows us to become personally immersed in the Scriptures so that the Word of God may penetrate our hearts.

This centering prayer practice is a blend of silence and slow, prayerful reading of Scripture. Father Thomas Keating describes the four stages of Lectio Divina as compass points around a circle, with the Holy Spirit moving seamlessly between them.

The four stages of this prayerful practice:

• Read the Scripture
  Listen with the ear of your heart
• Reflect on the meaning of the Scriptural passage 
  Become aware of what touches you and is meaningful to you in the selected Scripture
• Pray to God
  Respond spontaneously to the Word of God and offer any prayer that rises up
• Contemplate the Word of God
  Rest in the Word of God and allow God to speak in the silence

To learn more about Lectio Divina or to practice this ancient way of praying, join us each Wednesday, Noon – 12:30 pm pm, in the Meditation Chapel located at the back of Dominican Chapel at Marywood. All are welcome.

In Trauma-Informed Yoga, discover the power of grounding, restoration, identity, and transformation (GRIT), which is an empowering and foundational six-week system for healing from trauma. This model invites you to re-connect with your body through somatic movement, meditation, and creative writing as you explore your relationship with yourself and transform the narrative of your life.

Trauma-Informed Yoga is taught by Kayla Morgan of Resilient Roots Yoga. 

Cost: $10.00 per session

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

Chair Yoga uses a chair for greater support and stability within the practice. With an emphasis on the breath, alignment, and taking things at your own pace, Chair Yoga brings simplicity to the practice for easeful connection with the healing and restorative benefits yoga offers.

Yoga begins right where I am –
not where I was yesterday or where I long to be.
– Linda Sparrowe

In each yoga session, experience conscious awareness of breath, observe sensations in the body, notice thoughts, and expand the heart center.

Dominican Center’s yoga sessions create a healing space for all ages, fitness levels, and physical conditions so poses and breath work are accessible to all. For those new to yoga or working with special concerns and injuries, poses are modified and supported with props and detailed instruction for comfort and safety. Props are provided by Dominican Center at no additional cost.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

This gentle class offers a peaceful session to gradually build strength and range of motion. With this quiet practice, experience how mindful movement and breath work can deliver much-needed nurturing, rest, and clarity.

The body is my temple, asanas are my prayers.
– BKS Iyengar

Using gentle and mindful movement as well as nourishing breath work, Gentle Yoga encourages softly stretching and strengthening. In each session, experience conscious awareness of breath, observe sensations in the body, notice thoughts, and expand the heart center.

Dominican Center’s yoga sessions create a healing space for all ages, fitness levels, and physical conditions so poses and breath work are accessible to all. For those new to yoga or working with special concerns and injuries, poses are modified and supported with props and detailed instruction for comfort and safety. Props are provided by Dominican Center at no additional cost.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

Calm the mind and nourish the body with Restorative Yoga. Restorative poses are held on a mat and deeply supported with yoga props. The practice seeks to balance the physical, mental, and spiritual while also experiencing profound rest and relaxation.

Don’t practice yoga to get better at yoga; practice yoga to get better at living.
- unknown

Using gentle and mindful movement as well as nourishing breath work, Restorative Yoga encourages softly stretching and strengthening. In each session, experience conscious awareness of breath, observe sensations in the body, notice thoughts, and expand the heart center.

Dominican Center’s yoga sessions create a healing space for all ages, fitness levels, and physical conditions so poses and breath work are accessible to all. For those new to yoga or working with special concerns and injuries, poses are modified and supported with props and detailed instruction for comfort and safety. Props are provided by Dominican Center at no additional cost.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

Centering Prayer is a modernized prayer method based on the intuitive prayer rooted in Lectio Divina. It is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience the Divine’s immanent presence with us. Centering prayer is grounded in relationship with God, through Christ, and is a practice to nurture that relationship.

Centering Prayer complements and supports other modes of prayer— verbal, mental, or affective prayer - and facilitates resting in the Divine Presence. Centering Prayer offers a way to grow in intimacy with God, moving beyond conversation to communion.

As Thomas Keating emphasizes, the source of Centering Prayer, as in all methods leading to contemplative prayer, is the Indwelling Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The focus of Centering Prayer is the deepening of our relationship with the living Christ. The effects of Centering Prayer are ecclesial, as the prayer tends to build communities of faith and bond the members together in mutual friendship and love. (source: https://gravitycenter.com/practice/centering-prayer/)

Meets every other Tuesday

• August 27
• September 10
• September 24
• October 8
• October 22
• November 5
• November 19
• December 3
• December 17
• December 31

A Spiritual Director holds sacred the many stories heard in a one-on-one relationship or in a trusted group.

The Spiritual Director Practicum…

... is filled with contemplative spiritual practices, prayer study, and shared reflection
... strengthens our ability to stay present
... attunes our listening in order to sense how the Holy Spirit is present in our lives and in the lives of others
... looks to Spiritual Giants to mentor participants during the formation process

Using an Ignatian spiritual framework, as a participant you are encouraged to find meaning in every moment. You are given space to deepen your relationship with God - the God who loves us into life. Through the process, you will also move closer to uncovering your authentic self that guides the discernment of your calling.

Dates
Fridays, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

• September 6 and 20, 2019
• October 4 and 18, 2019
• November 1 and 15, 2019
• December 6 and 20, 2020
• January 10 and 24. 2020
• February 7 and 21, 2020
• March 6 and 20, 2020
• April 3 and 17, 2020
• May 1 and 15, 2020

For more information, please visit our Called to be a Spiritual Director page.

Join us for the September Reflective Film Series, If Beale Street Could Talk. This 2018 American romantic drama film was directed and written by Barry Jenkins, and based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name. The film follows a young woman who, with her family's support, seeks to clear the name of her wrongly charged lover and prove his innocence before the birth of their child. African-American teen sweethearts Fonny and Tish are ripped apart when Fonny is wrongly arrested for the rape of a Puerto Rican woman because of the machinations of a racist cop. While seeking justice for Fonny, a pregnant Tish relies on her Harlem community, including her sister, mother Sharon, and future mother-in-law.

Rated R

Popcorn and soda provided.

Co-sponsored by Dominican Associates. Special thanks to Zulema Moret, Dominican Associate, for her generosity.

The 9-month Spiritual Director Supervision Practicum is for experienced Spiritual Directors who feel called to journey more deeply into their ministry supporting other Directors. Recognizing our own shadows and strengths makes us more available to the Spirit through self-awareness and interior freedom. We will explore God’s movements during direction sessions; contemplative prayer using the Examen; models of peer group supervision; and the role of the supervisor.

Spiritual Director Supervision Practicum Dates:

• September 9, 2019
• October 14, 2019
• November 11, 2019
• December 9, 2019
• January 13, 2020
• February 10, 2020
• March 9, 2020
• April 13, 2020
• May 11, 2020

Cost:
$320 (does not include book fee)

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

Join this contemplative interspiritual group that practices interspiritual and interfaith companioning. We will explore and participate in contemplative practices from global faith traditions to move us in deeper union with the Divine. All faith traditions welcome.

In collaboration with Kaufman Interfaith Institute.

Dates:

• September 9, 2019
• October 7, 2019
• November 4, 2019
• December 9, 2019

Cost: Free-will offering

FD: Spirituality

Learn the benefits of the Zentangle Drawing Method, as well as techniques and basic steps of creating a Zentangle work of art. Discover the gifts of relaxation, expanded awareness, enhanced focus, new practices for problem-solving, and uncover new ways to see beauty and to embrace the unexpected. Beginners welcome; no previous experience required. Supplies included.

A wonderful way for a person to grow in a quiet meditative atmosphere, expressing their creativity and sharing in the process with others.
- Zentangle Participant

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas, learn more about Zentangle at zentangle.com.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Explore what it means to live in the presence of a loving God and to care and be in service to others with compassionate wisdom gained from Spiritual Companioning.

Do you feel a longing to deepen your faith? Continual spiritual formation is a wonderful path to living more spiritually in your life and in the world. Spiritual Companioning deepens our sacred presence by examining how we listen to ourselves and others with our ears always attuned to the Spirit, compassionate and loving. Through this 9-month study, experience, learn processes and practices in contemplative listening, writing, and group sharing,

Are you ready to deepen your capacity to be present to yourself and to others with a discerning mind and heart? Are you ready to discover true peace as you learn to listen without judgment? This spiritual formation experience cultivates an understanding of how to listen and recognize the holy within the context of our lives and in the context of personal transformation, cultural traditions, societal changes, and global concerns. 

Dates
The Spiritual Companioning program meets Tuesdays, 6:00 - 9:00 pm

• September 10, 2019
• October 8, 2019
• November 12, 2019
• December 17, 2019
• January 14, 2020
• February 11, 2020
• March 10, 2020
• April 14, 2020
• May 12, 2020

Cost: $475/year, plus book fees

Prerequisite: Foundations in Spirituality or Foundations in Wisdom

For more information, please visit our Spiritual Companioning page.

For 100 years the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids have had a significant local and global presence and have been in service to many communities, especially those living in the margins of our society. This Order of Preachers is guided by a common spirituality.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
- St. Thomas Aquinas

Dominican Spirituality is rooted in prayer and study for the sake of service and community. As you come to understand Dominican Spirituality, through this course of study, you will grow in appreciation of the lived experiences and teachings of many holy men and women who have inspired it. Join us as we reflect on the teachings of St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Dominic, Meister Eckhart, and others. Discover how these teachings remain relevant to us today. We invite you to gain a deeper insight and appreciation for the grounding roots of the Dominican Sisters in hopes of deepening your own spiritual growth.

Series Dates:

• September 10, 2019
• October 8, 2019
• November 12, 2019
• December 10, 2019
• January 14, 2020
• February 11, 2020
• March 20, 2020
• April 14, 2020
• May 12, 2020

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

Join us in community at the We Remember: Interfaith Memorial Event to remember all those we love. In an inspirational and touching evening of music, reflection, prayer, and activities we will celebrate the lives of loved ones who have died.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away.
- Maya Angelou

Families are welcome and encouraged to attend with their children. If you feel moved to, please bring photos or a memorial item to be displayed at our remembrance table for the evening.

In collaboration with local hospice organizations.

No registration fee.  All are welcome.

JustEngagement: The Advocate Within You is a program dedicated to understanding how advocacy and organizing impact systemic change – and uncovering insight into your own advocate self. Advocacy takes makes forms, and your role as an advocate may look very different than that of another. Rooted in Catholic social teaching, discover justice in Gospel living. Called by our Christian faith to walk in right relationship with those living in the margins and in vulnerable situations, we walk this path of learning together.

We will spend eight sessions finding our voice in the face of injustices and learn about tools and strategies we can use to help advocate and organize. Every contemplative action raises our hope that we CAN transform the world one action at a time. This program was developed by JustFaith Ministries.

God has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Micah 6:8

Cost: $120 / $90 faith leaders (use the code ENGAGE at checkout if you are a faith leader)
Includes two books, program guide with extensive readings and prayers, an immersion experience, and refreshments.

Dates:

• September 12, 2019
• September 19, 2019
• October 3, 2019
• October 10, 2019
• October 17, 2019
• October 24, 2019
• November 7, 2019

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Evangelization

A Spiritual Director holds sacred the many stories heard in a one-on-one relationship or in a trusted group.

The Spiritual Director Practicum…

... is filled with contemplative spiritual practices, prayer study, and shared reflection
... strengthens our ability to stay present
... attunes our listening in order to sense how the Holy Spirit is present in our lives and in the lives of others
... looks to Spiritual Giants to mentor participants during the formation process

Using an Ignatian spiritual framework, as a participant you are encouraged to find meaning in every moment. You are given space to deepen your relationship with God - the God who loves us into life. Through the process, you will also move closer to uncovering your authentic self that guides the discernment of your calling.

Details

• Cost: $2000/year, plus book fees
• Application process required
• Prerequisite: Foundations in Spirituality

Dates
Fridays, 6:30 - 9:30 pm, and Saturdays, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

• September 13-14, 2019
• October 4-5, 2019
• November 8-9, 2019
• December 6-7, 2019
• January 17-18, 2020
• February 14-15, 2020
• March 13-14, 2020
• April 3-4, 2020
• May 8-9, 2020

For more information, please visit our Called to be a Spiritual Director page.

The Spiritual Exercises form a structure for encountering and loving God more deeply. They are a compilation of meditations, prayers, and contemplative practices developed by St. Ignatius Loyola to help people deepen their relationship with God.

Go forth and set the world on fire.
- St. Ignatius of Loyola

This adaptation from the 30-Day Ignatian Retreat feeds the hunger of our hearts with the Word of God.  The Ignatian retreat is a retreat in daily life. Through nine months of prayer, contemplation, and community, participants will explore Ignatius prayer methods and insight into the spiritual through personally meditating with Scripture and engaging in small group conversations and reflection.

Series Dates:

• September 17, 2019
• October 15, 2019
• November 19, 2019
• December 17, 2019
• January 21, 2020
• February 18, 2020
• March 17, 2020
• April 21, 2020
• May 19, 2020

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy.

The Saint Series is a presentation and conversation with Dominican Associates that shines light on the many holy women and men in service of God.

Dominican Associates are non-vowed women and men who desire to practice their Christian faith in the spirit of the Dominican Order of Preachers. Interested in Dominican Associate Life? Visit grdominicans.org/associates.

About Blessed Michal Kozal

• Born to a peasant family
• Ordained in 1918
• Appointed auxiliary bishop of Wloclawek, Poland, and titular bishop of Lappa by Pope Pius XII in 1939
• Arrested by the Gestapo in 1939 as part of the Nazi persecution of the Catholic Church
• Imprisoned and tortured at Wloclawek, Lad, Szczeglin, Berlin, and Dachau
• Spent 21 months in Dachau ministering to other prisoners and being abused by the guards

Come listen to the story of Blessed Michal Kozal, Bishop and Martyr, and be inspired by his strong faith life that helped him endure injustice.

All are welcome.

FD: Spirituality

The Enneagram is a tool for personal and spiritual growth. The identity of your personality using the Enneagram gives you a clarity to better understand yourself and the habits that guide your thoughts and behavior. Knowing yourself is foundational for any psychological and spiritual growth toward becoming fully human and fully alive.

The Enneagram is a tool that awakens our compassion for people just as they are, not the people we wish they would become so our lives would become easier.
― Ian Morgan Cron

The workshop is designed for those new to the Enneagram and who have a desire to understand and gain wisdom of oneself in relationship to interacting with others. Includes continental breakfast and lunch.

Cost:  $75.00

• Registration: 8:30am
• Program begins: 9:00am

FD: Spirituality

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

Foundations in Spirituality is a serious reflective study that opens our minds and hearts to the teachings and life examples of the great Christian spiritual teachers that continue to deepen our present spiritual journey.

Christ will make His home in your heart as you trust in Him.
Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong.
- Ephesians 3:17

Explore the rich preaching of St. Dominic; the unbreakable faith of St. Teresa of Avila; the deep spirituality of St. John of the Cross; the life-giving wisdom of the Beguines; the fortitude of John Calvin; the daily prayerful life of St. Ignatius; and the lives of many more who continue to enrich our own faith and spirituality.

The course introduces the practice of contemplative prayer and presence as basic to living a spiritual life. It is an experience that strengthens our own response to the longing in our hearts that seeks a deeper relationship with God.

The objectives of this course are to:

• Grow in understanding and appreciation of the diverse ways God has been present to and involved in the lives of the great spiritual teachers and guides throughout history
• Encourage awareness, commitment to, and integration of the spiritual journey in daily life through writing and living a personal rule of life
• Develop an understanding of contemplative attitudes and presence as basic to living a spiritual life
• Provide opportunity for an introductory study of writings from the spiritual classics for the purpose of reflection, discussion, and personal appropriation
• Foster respect for the diversity in past and present theology and spirituality.
• To present basic principles and tools for discernment that are useful for personal, prayerful decision making

Details

• Cost: $600, plus book fees
• A required book of readings will be available for purchase at the Dominican Center Bookstore
• Each session includes lunch

Dates
Saturdays, 9:30am - 4:30 pm

• September 21, 2019
• October 19, 2019
• November 16, 2019
• December 14, 2019
• January 25, 2020
• February 22, 2020
• March 21, 2020
• April 25, 2020
• May 16, 2020

Building on our connected, common humanity, this intensive formation experience will invite us toward a deeper lived experience of justice and mercy by connecting with contemplative prayer, study, and listening; expanding our understanding of sacred wisdom as it is found within us, within those of cross cultures and within the narrative of human suffering. As we move closer to sacred wisdom,  we begin to foster a more active presence; advancing social justice both locally and globally.

Martin Luther King knew that God and God alone gives us the interior resources to bear the burdens and tribulations of life, especially those that come as we fulfill our call to serve others and stand for what is right in this world. Had he not known how to move from action back into prayer - how to tap into a deeper Source than mere human activism - we would have lost him to fear and discouragement; the forces of evil would have prevailed, at least for a little while longer.
- Ruth Haley Barton, Author
MLK Jr. and the Soul of Leadership

All faith traditions and all holders of sacred wisdom are rooted in their commitment to social justice and to those living on the margins of society. The givens of our faith include being good stewards of the earth, empowering the vulnerable to live with dignity, and standing in integrity with all peoples. Foundations in Wisdom seeks to transform our inner wisdom so that acts of compassion and service are constantly strengthened.

This spiritual formation experience guides participants toward a deeper understanding that will awaken and strengthen a commitment to justice.

• Companion with wisdom teachers who came before us - Dorothy Day, Howard Thurman, Monseñor Oscar Romero, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Teresa de Avila, St. Francis of Assisi.
• Companion with wisdom teachers still with us - Richard Rohr, Joan Chittister, Malala Yousafzai, Pádraig Ó Tuama, Margaret Benefiel, Thich Nhat Hanh, Pope Francis, Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Pema Chödrön, Don Goergen, OP.
• Companion with prophetic wisdom yet to come.
• Journey near and far to witness and participate in the work of those making a difference in the lives of others.
• Develop resources for cultivating the practices of meditation and contemplation in today’s world.
• Share one’s story and have one’s story be heard through the art of holy listening and conversation.

Details

• Cost: $600, plus book fees
• For payment plan or scholarship information, pease email Margarita Solis-Deal, Dominican Center Director
• Each session includes lunch

Dates
Saturdays, 9:30am - 4:30pm

• September 21, 2019
• October 19, 2019
• November 16, 2019
• December 14, 2019
• January 25, 2020
• February 22, 2020
• March 21, 2020
• April 25, 2020
• May 16, 2020

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

The United Nations International Day of Peace is an opportunity for all humanity to come together, in spirit and in action, to forward the ideals of and conditions for peace. This day is observed by hundreds of millions of global citizens in cities, towns, and villages. Join us for an interfaith peace walk and service.

1:00 pm:  Walk for Peace through the St. Francis Sculpture Garden for Prayer and Meditation
2:00 pm:  Peace Service in Marywood Chapel

All are welcome. No registration fee.

Join us in an intergenerational dinner table conversation at Tuesday TableTalk where we will hear the powerful, authentic, and insightful wisdom of our youth.

Young thought leaders from diverse faith traditions and worldviews share their personal stories of faith, lived experiences, and hopes for the future. Tuesday TableTalks is a safe space for interaction and dialogue among speakers and guests.

Tuesday Tabletalk is a partnership between Kaufman Interfaith Institute and Dominican Center. It is a program that meets at the intersection of a shared meal and conversation.

Cost: $20.00 / $10.00 for students, use code StudentTabletalk (includes a vegetarian meal)

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Evangelization

The best gift that you can give the world is a you that is fully present. Come, retreat to a place focused on quieting the environment around and all that is within you. Learn to respond to your need and longing for time and space to renew body, mind, and spirit. Come on your own, invite a friend, or gather with a special group to Be Still in Sacred Spaces.

Continental breakfast included.

 Participants may choose three sessions. Some sessions have limited space and are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. You may contact Dominican Center at any time with your session selections or wait until you receive a survey via email to select your preferred sessions. The survey will be sent in late August.

___

Gentle Yoga: Come Home to Yourself with Kathy Julien - Return home to yourself as you build awareness of your breath, observe the body's sensations, and expand the heart. Gentle yoga is suitable for all ages, fitness levels, and physical conditions. Limited space.

I Light: Release and Trust the Journey, with Leara Glinzak, MSAT - Using an art experiential, explore how creativity and faith, when woven together, create centering. Ground in your faith and experience a creative process and an art therapy directive that will guide you on an introspective journey.

Labyrinth Walk: Connect With Your Truth, with Susan Duesbery - Known as a path of prayer the labyrinth has an uncanny ability to help access our deepest truths. In challenging times, labyrinth walking graciously offers profound guidance on how to navigate our journeys with an open, loving heart. Limited space.

Sacred Scripture, with Nahed Fernando - Experience a contemplative reading of Sacred Scripture, guided meditation, and time of contemplation. Through stillness, journaling, and sharing we will seek more presence and openness as our spirits move into a deeper awareness of God.

Write Your Heart Out: Finding Stillness, with Sandra Mitchell - Using guided contemplation, a writing prompt, sharing, and non-judgmental feedback, this transformational writing experience is open to writers of all levels. As you put pen to paper, discover your deepest truths and allow your heart’s energy to create healing stillness. Limited space.

Zentangle®: Be Present, with Amy Kam, CZT - The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. This artistic meditation creates a safe space to discover new ways to open up to your self-expression and allows you to see the beauty in all things.

Mexico and the United States share the greatest border between the first and third world. Thousands of migrants expose themselves to every danger as they travel north on a train called The Beast. That's where they meet the Patronas, a group of Mexican women who, every day since 1995, make food and toss it to the helpless as the train rushes by. In the midst of a country at war in a world where all hope seems lost, the Patronas breathe life into a human value that seems to fade with each day: love for one another.

Not rated. Spanish with English subtitles.

Popcorn and soda provided.

Co-sponsored by Dominican Associates. Special thanks to Zulema Moret, Dominican Associate, for her generosity.

In this contemplative program, Children Between Borders, we will shine a light on the innocent children are who are caught in the chaos of toxic politics and the debate on immigration. As we grapple with horrifying images of “kids in cages," learn more about the children who are being torn from their parents, detained for extended periods, and even facing death, confusion abounds over what can be done.  

This program takes an in-depth look at the issue with a focus on how U.S. immigration and asylum policy impacts the youngest and most vulnerable. 

Lindsey Rosa shares her first-hand accounts of the situation at the US border with Mexico and gives historical and political context to the issue. With years of experience working directly with unaccompanied minors and children separated from their families, Lindsey will explain the impact of recent policy changes and guide us in exploring solutions. Along with Lindsey, Laura Oteto will share her experiences and trials as a case manager working to reunify immigrant children with their families.

Come to learn and engage in an honest and informed discussion. Where will your heart lead you?  

Registration: 8:30 am
Program: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Cost: $25 / $15 for those who work with and on behalf of the immigrant community (use discount code BORDERS when registering)

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

The loving-kindness meditation is based on metta, the Pali term for unconditional friendliness, or loving-kindness, and is a form of blessing/meditation practice. It is sourced in the Buddhist tradition, yet versions of it are found in many spiritual traditions, including Judaism and Celtic Christianity. It is an interspiritual practice that supports many theologies.

Practice loving-kindness wherever you may go.
― Heather Wolf

Metta is a sitting meditation/prayer form and takes us through six levels of blessing: one's self, benefactors, loved ones, neutral others, difficult others, and ultimately wishing all earthly beings and creatures safety and happiness. This practice opens our hearts to ourselves and others in profound ways.

Registration: 8:45 am
Program: 9:00 am - Noon

FD: Spirituality

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

In Spirituality Through a Camera Lens discover the sacred in each other and in everyday moments. Being still to frame a moment in time requires us to slow down and to notice. In capturing a photo, the photographer is intentional. When photographing people, we learn to engage, develop trust, connect, and lean into each other.

It's less what the eye sees and more what the soul feels.
- unknown

This program gently guides you in seeing the holy that surrounds us all. Over six sessions, participants of all levels are: guided through artistic and technical skills of camera use; will sharpen their contemplative focus on life and living; and share sacred stories of photographs with one another. Please bring your camera or camera cell phone to each session.

Series Dates:

• October 15, 2019
• October 22, 2019
• November 5, 2019
• November 19, 2019
• December 3, 2019
• December 17, 2019

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

FD: Spirituality

In this Creative Transformation program, spend time with nature and art with a walk through the Saint Francis Trail and Sculpture Garden. During this contemplative wandering, take time to notice what calls out to you as well as consider all that nature has to teach us - resiliency, connection, and perseverance, among other things.

During the second part of this session, be guided through a creative process to open your mind and heart to receive the messages and lessons the world is trying to share with you. This creative process will integrate nature and creativity to promote grounding, introspection, and personal growth.

Please come dressed for the weather.

Creative Transformation programs are facilitated by Art Therapist Leara Glinzak, owner of I Light. She is recognized for her gentle and interactive sessions as she guides participants through a creative process that contributes to healing and growth in times of transition and change. Participants do not need any artistic experience….just life experience.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

The Saint Series is a presentation and conversation with Dominican Associates that shines light on the many holy women and men in service of God.

Dominican Associates are non-vowed women and men who desire to practice their Christian faith in the spirit of the Dominican Order of Preachers. Interested in Dominican Associate Life? Visit grdominicans.org/associates.

About Hadewijch of Brabant

Little is known about the life of Middle Dutch visionary and poet Hadewijch, except what can be gleaned from her 13th-century writings. Many scholars believe she lived in Antwerp, and her fluency in Dutch, Latin, and French can be taken as evidence that she received an education typically limited to the wealthy. She joined a group of beguines, evangelical women who, outside the monastic system, took vows of poverty, chastity, and service while remaining in the world. Her texts, which include religious poetry, accounts of visions, and religious letters, were written in the vernacular. Hadewijch used elements of the poetic tradition of troubadour poetry, which celebrated romantic love, to construct her ecstatic renderings of yearning for the beloved. Hadewijch has been the subject of much recent study in the fields of feminist theology and historiography. (Source: www.poetryfoundation.org)

All are welcome.

FD: Spirituality

~ Join the community of spiritual directors in contemplative conversations and learning ~

___

Spiritual direction, while being a practice of interior movement, is not a practice done in isolation. As a Spiritual Director do you notice particular challenges when you share, or do not share, with your spouse or partner about your ministry?

This conversation will encourage sharing of our experiences that have nurtured the way we live into our faith journey and spiritual direction practice as a “partnered couple.”  We will explore how our partnerships enrich and enliven how we live into our sacred call. We will learn how contemplative community building can be foundational to Holy presence.  Join us to expand the conversation of how we might foster the container of director/directee relationship, while maintaining reverence for personal partnerships.

Cost: $15 (Fee waived for spiritual directors actively practicing at Dominican Center. Use the code HOLY at checkout if you are a spiritual director.)

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

In Zentangle: Relaxagons, join in on a relaxing session of tangling on hexagon-shaped tiles called Relaxagons. Made of the same wonderful Fabriano paper of the Zentangle tiles, Relaxagons will open up new angles for your tangles. Learn how this beautiful shape lends itself to bring balance, harmony, and strength.

Anything is possible, one stroke at a time.

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Learn more at zentangle.com.

TOOLS NEEDED: Please bring your Micron pen, pencil, and tortillon.

*Prerequisite: Must have completed an Exploring or Introduction to Zentangle class.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

Silence the world around you. Silence the world within you. Silence the thoughts that shout out to you. In the stillness hear God’s voice. In the quiet, sense the Divine’s presence and the spiritual love that is waiting to embrace you. Gently enter into silence during this retreat experience. A Spiritual Director will be here to companion with you.

Silence is the language of God.
- Rumi

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

~ Presented by Dominican Center Contemplative Retreat Team with Webinar Presentations by Richard Rohr, OFM, and Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, PhD ~

In the We Come Forth from Love Retreat, let’s listen to the wisdom of Rohr and Lewis awakening us to God’s love and to the original goodness within each of us. Their wisdom, in these webinars, encourage us to be present to transitional spaces in our lives and to know with confidence that God is present in all things. The retreat will include time for contemplation and shared dialog in community.

These original webinars were produced at The Universal Christ Conference in March 2019 and were made available to Dominican Center at Marywood as a result of a new collaboration with the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Just as the body cannot live without food, the soul cannot live without meaning. What Saints, Mystics, and Jesus share is that the meaning is love. We came forth from love, we will return to love, and everything in between is a school for love.
- Father Richard Rohr, OFM

Liminal spaces are those spaces between the now and the not yet, between what we know and what we don't know, between how we've always believed and the things that might be emerging in us. I want to invite people into Liminal Spaces, not as sites of terror, but as spaces to be approached with holy curiosity, and faith that God is there. - Rev. Jacqueline J. Lewis, Ph.D.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people.  For these pre-Hispanic cultures, death was a natural phase in life’s long continuum. Today’s Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, celebration is an integration of indigenous wisdom and Christian feasts. This rich cultural tradition and celebration takes place on November 1 and 2, which is recognized as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on the Catholic calendar. Come learn how the Day of the Dead and All Saints' Day honor those holy men and women whose lives have transformed ours. We will participate in making symbols that help us celebrate this day.

The program will be facilitated in Spanish and English. You are invited to bring a photo or symbol of a loved one you would love to remember and honor.

Registration: 8:30 am   Program begins at 9:00 am

Fee is $15.00.  Families who attend will play one $15.00 registration fee plus $5.00 per additional family members.  Please call Dominican Center at 616-514-3325 to register as a family.

El Día de los Muertos se originó hace varios miles de años con los Aztecas, Toltecas y otras personas Nahuas. Para estas culturas prehispánicas, la muerte fue una fase natural en el largo continuo de la vida. La celebración del Día de los Muertos de hoy es una integración de la sabiduría indígena y las fiestas cristianas. Esta rica tradición cultural y celebración toma lugar el 1 y 2 de noviembre, que se reconoce como el Día de Todos los Santos y el Día de Todas las Almas en el calendario católico. Ven y aprende cómo el Día de los Muertos y el Día de Todos los Santos, honra a esos santos hombres y mujeres, cuyas vidas han transformado las nuestras. Participaremos en hacer símbolos que nos ayuden a celebrar este día.

El programa será facilitado en inglés y español. Usted está invitado a traer una foto o un símbolo de un ser querido que le gustaría recordar y honrar.

8:30 am:  Registración y cafe y mufin

9:00 am:  El program comienza

La cuota de inscripcion es $15.00.

La cuota de inscripcion para familias:  $15 por el primer miembro de la familia y $5.00 por miembros adicionales de la familia.  Llame a Dominican Center al 616-514-3325 para registrarse como familia.

If you have a beloved friend, family member, or partner who struggles with addiction, you may find yourself swept away on a tide of emotions - heartbreak, anger, grief, and confusion, among them.

Loving an addict in any capacity can be one of the loneliest places in the world.
– Karen Young

Loving someone with an addiction is often exhausting and isolating, and perhaps you’re so caught up in your loved one’s well-being, you put your own in jeopardy. Take time for yourself in a supportive and nonjudgmental space to express the thoughts and emotions that are burdening your heart.

In this Write Your Heart Out session on addiction, join with others with similar experiences for a transformational writing experience that focuses on your journey, rather than your loved one’s.

Write Your Heart Out is a writing circle facilitated by Sandra Mitchell, certified coach and writer. Using stillness, writing prompts, sharing, and non-judgmental feedback, these reflective writing experiences are open to writers of all levels. As you put pen to paper, observe the emotions that pour from you to help you discover your deepest truths, seek hope and possibility, and allow your heart’s energy to create both art and change.

Read more about transformational writing experiences >

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

This is Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids & Dominican Associate retreat opportunity with Sister Megan McElroy, OP as the key note presenter.  The topic of this retreat is being Mary in a Martha world.  More information to come.

In this Write Your Heart Out session on gratitude, connect with the spirit of Thanksgiving by spending time with fellow writers and seekers exploring and expressing gratitude. Spiritual leaders and scientists have found that those who regularly practice gratitude have increased their ability to be compassionate and kind.  In this writing session, dive deep to discover what gratitude means to you and discover a practice that enriches.

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
- Meister Eckhart

Write Your Heart Out is a writing circle facilitated by Sandra Mitchell, certified coach and writer. Using stillness, writing prompts, sharing, and non-judgmental feedback, these reflective writing experiences are open to writers of all levels. As you put pen to paper, observe the emotions that pour from you to help you discover your deepest truths, seek hope and possibility, and allow your heart’s energy to create both art and change.

Read more about transformational writing experiences >

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

Join us for the November Reflective Film Series, Coco. Despite his family's baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.

Rated PG

Soda and popcorn provided.

Co-sponsored by the Dominican Associates. Special thanks to Zulema Moret, Dominican Associate, for her generosity.

What can life look and feel like when you commit to Reclaiming your Original Goodness?

You were created in the image of the Divine, a temple of Sacred Wisdom, graced to live with an opening mind.
This is FAITH.

You were created in the image of the Son, a sanctuary of Sacred Love, graced to live with an opening heart.
This is LOVE.

You were created in the image of the Spirit, an instrument of Sacred Instinct, graced to live with an opening will.
This is HOPE.

Join others in awakening your curiosity, accessing your compassion, and igniting your commitment for the benefit of all.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Join us for Deepening Spiritual Practices into the Local Church, a learning conversation on the work of translating contemplative spirituality to the local church.

Contemplative spirituality practices are emerging slowly and steadily in encouraging ways. How do we listen to the spiritually hungry seekers of our local churches who are leaving the pews in search of a deeper relationship with God?  How does the local church discern this growing desire of its members?

Be with us as Josh Banner, spiritual director and creator and producer of The Invitation Podcast, facilitates this insightful dialog between Dr. Chuck DeGroat and Sister Diane Zerfas, OP. Dr. DeGroat, author and associate professor of pastoral care at Western Theological Seminary, and Sr. Zerfas, OP, coordinator of the Center for Spirituality at Dominican Center, will offer us perspectives, challenge, and introspection.

Listen to Dominican Center's first podcast with The Invitation and Ruth Haley Barton >

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

In Zentangle: ZenGems, refocus the mind and heart in this special session that will combine learning how to make beautiful hand-drawn gemstones and creating a tangled setting to hold the gem. Your completed artwork can be a gift to yourself or someone special that serves as a gentle reminder of the peace that resides within.

The Zentangle Method is an elegant metaphor and model for inspiring a deliberate artistry in life.
- www.zentangle.com

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Learn more at www.zentangle.com.

TOOLS NEEDED: Please bring your standard Zentangle supplies (Micron pen, pencil, tortillon).

*Prerequisite: Must have completed an Exploring or Introduction to Zentangle class.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Join us for Advent Icon Retreat: Saint Dominic. Enter the Advent season with Saint Dominic, the founder of the Order of Preachers. While reflecting and praying with Saint Dominic, the icon creative process transforms a blank canvas into an inspirational figure that is lined with precision and filled with color. Considered a sacred art, iconography uses images whose hearts were on fire with joy and truth, which Saint Dominic exemplified.

Reflection, prayer, contemplative creativity, and gentle instruction will guide participants in painting this image on a 9” X 12” board. Beginner and experienced artists welcome. No previous painting experience required. Paint, brushes, and supplies included.

Price:
$350.00, includes retreat, breakfasts, and lunches

Extra costs:
$450 package, includes accommodations and retreat. Overnight accommodations are limited.  Please call Dominican Center at 616.514.3325 for availability.

Overnight accommodations are full. Please contact Dominican Center for alternative accommodations.

Evening meals are available at additional $10 per meal and not included in the retreat fee.  Meal reservations will be made the first day of the retreat.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

~ Spiritual Director Conversation ~
Join the spiritual director community in contemplative conversation and learning.

___

During Advent, we are encouraged to contemplate the Divine indwelling constantly unfolding within and around us. In the ministry of spiritual direction the transformative stories we hear are an invitation to give our attentiveness to the Christ-life being born in us and through us.

In this Spiritual Director Conversation, we will ponder the story of The Annunciation, focusing on Mary’s experiences and her YES. In what ways did she discern her response to her call?   What information does this give us as we say YES to living with a listening heart? What imagery of the Holy unfolds within us? How does this deepening affect our ministry?

Cost: $15 (Fee waived for spiritual directors actively practicing at Dominican Center. Use the code ADVENT at checkout if you are a spiritual director.)

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

FD: Spirituality

In this Zentangle: Gift of Gold program, give yourself the gift of time away from the hustle and bustle and immerse yourself in creative mindfulness as you learn to tangle with gold ink on black tiles. Tiles and a gold Gelly Roll pen to keep are included in the price of the class.

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Learn more at zentangle.com

Zentangle teaches us not to rush and to take good care of ourselves in the present moment — after all, the present moment is all there is.
- Cathy Malchiodi, Art Therapist

*Prerequisite: Must have completed an Exploring or Introduction to Zentangle Class

TOOLS NEEDED: Please bring your standard Zentangle supplies (Micron pen, pencil, tortillon).

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

The Enneagram is a tool that gives insight and understanding to how we view and interpret who we are in relationships with others. In Enneagram and Relationships, heighten your understanding of how you navigate through relationships. We invite you to come and discover ways that you can strengthen and create healthy relationships by understanding the role you play in them and by deepening your awareness of how others approach a relationship with you. Coming to understand the enneatypes, particularly one’s individual type through our dynamics of relationships, gives insights into discovering and owning one’s goodness.

Knowing your enneatype, or having a leaning toward an enneatype, is required for this program.

Cost: $85, includes continental breakfast and lunch

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Join the Dominican Center community for O ’Antiphons: The Tradition and Significance. Advent calls us to prepare, listen, and pray with intention.

The O Antiphons are short, filled with meaning Scripture-based Advent prayers from the Middle Ages that are part of the prayer of the Church in the Liturgy of the Hours. They address Jesus using titles from various prophecies before His birth.

Our experience of prayer can be enriched as we better understand the origin and history of the tradition, the meaning of the titles we use for Jesus, and the meaning for our lives and the world now. We unite ourselves with the spirit of the Prayer of the Church as we use these antiphons in our personal prayer and meditation, in praying the Liturgy of the Hours, or in joining us in praying them in the Dominican Chapel at Marywood.

You are welcome to bring your Bible if you wish to do so. or you may use one of the Bibles at Dominican Chapel.

O' Antiphons is a seven-day prayer that is an ancient Christian ritual in preparation for the coming of the Light of the World ... Jesus. Each evening begins with a contemplative candlelight procession, then moves into the singing of hymns and psalms; the proclamation of scripture; and a reflection on the theme of each sacred evening. Join us in union with the global community, as we wait in holy anticipation.

Free to the community - all are welcome. Come to one or all evenings.

DEC 17: O Sapientia ~ Wisdom

DEC 18: O Adonai ~ Lord and Ruler

DEC 19: O Radix Jesse ~ Root of Jesse

DEC 20: O Clavis David ~ Key of David

DEC 21: O Oriens ~ Dawn of the East

DEC 22: O Rex Gentium ~ King of the Gentiles

DEC 23: O Emmanuel ~ God With Us

The Guided Directed Retreats Practicum is for experienced spiritual directors who feel a call to journey with directees in a silent retreat setting. We will explore the dynamics of daily prayer on retreat; understand the unique rhythm and movement of silent retreats; use the insights of Ignatius of Loyola, Teresa of Avila, and David Benner to help us be ready and available to retreatants; and look at the uniqueness of offering spiritual direction in a retreat environment.

In Introducing and Exploring Zentangle, learn the benefits of the Zentangle Drawing Method, as well as techniques and basic steps of creating a Zentangle work of art. Discover the gifts of relaxation, expanded awareness, enhanced focus, new practices for problem-solving, and uncover new ways to see beauty and to embrace the unexpected. Beginners welcome! Supplies included.

A wonderful way for a person to grow in a quiet meditative atmosphere, expressing their creativity and sharing in the process with others.
- Zentangle Participant

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle Method is a form of artistic expression and meditation that allows you to create beautiful images using techniques of drawing structured patterns and reflective prompts. No previous art experience required. Learn more at www.zentangle.com.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy

In Zentangle: Dynamic Dingbatz, create and use tangled, artful elements that have been used as enhancements in typography for hundreds of years. We'll explore the application of Dingbatz on Envelops, cards, and bookmarks. As you open yourself up to the possibilities of the new year, set aside this time for a mindful focus of how small creative touches can deliver much joy.

Led by Amy W.M. Kam, Certified Zentangle Teacher, the Zentangle Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Learn more at www.zentangle.com.

TOOLS NEEDED: Please bring your standard Zentangle supplies (Micron pen, pencil, tortillon).

*Prerequisite: Must have completed an Exploring or Introduction to Zentangle class.

View Dominican Center's Refund Policy.

Silence the world around you. Silence the world within you. Silence the thoughts that shout out to you. In the stillness hear God’s voice. In the quiet, sense the Divine’s presence and the spiritual love that is waiting to embrace you. Gently enter into silence during this retreat experience. A spiritual director will be here to companion with you on this silent retreat.

This retreat is held at the Augustine Center. The center is a retreat house welcoming individuals and groups for ongoing formation, education, and spirituality. The Augustine Center is located in Conway, Michigan, on the northern border of Petoskey.

$335: Includes spiritual direction, meals, and room. Space is limited. Financial scholarships are available. Call to request information.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy

Silence the world around you. Silence the world within you. Silence the thoughts that shout out to you. In the stillness hear God’s voice. In the quiet sense the Divine’s presence and the spiritual love that is waiting to embrace you. Gently enter into silence during this retreat experience. A Spiritual Director will be here to companion with you.

$335: Includes spiritual direction, meals, and room. Space is limited. Financial scholarships are available. Call to request information.

View Dominican Center’s Refund Policy.

FD: Spirituality

The Saint Series is a presentation and conversation with Dominican Associates that shines light on the many holy women and men in service of God.

Dominican Associates are non-vowed women and men who desire to practice their Christian faith in the spirit of the Dominican Order of Preachers. Interested in Dominican Associate Life? Visit grdominicans.org/associates.

If I were to meet the slave-traders who kidnapped me and even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands, for if that did not happen, I would not be a Christian and Religious today.
- St. Bakhita

About St. Josephine Bakhita

St. Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of the Sudan and human trafficking survivors. Learn from her courage, her faith, and her strength.

All are welcome.

FD: Spirituality

A once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the world-famous Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. The villagers of Oberammergau first performed the play in 1634 in fulfillment of their promise to God for sparing them from the Black Plague and it has been presented there every 10 years since then.

Cost: $4,479, includes round-trip airfare from Chicago, first class/select hotels, and most meals.

For more information on this pilgrimage or to register, view the brochure or contact Sr. Nancy Brousseau at nbrousseau@aol.com or 616.560.4580.

FD: Evangelization

The Saint Series is a presentation and conversation with Dominican Associates that shines light on the many holy women and men in service of God.

Dominican Associates are non-vowed women and men who desire to practice their Christian faith in the spirit of the Dominican Order of Preachers. Interested in Dominican Associate Life? Visit grdominicans.org/associates.

About Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French idealist philosopher and Jesuit priest who trained as a paleontologist and geologist and took part in the discovery of Peking Man. He conceived the vitalist idea of the Omega Point (a maximum level of complexity and consciousness towards which he believed the universe was evolving), and he developed Vladimir Vernadsky's concept of noosphere. Although a monitum was issued in regard to some of Teilhard's ideas, he has been posthumously praised by Pope Benedict XVI and other eminent Catholic figures, and his theological teachings were cited by Pope Francis in the 2015 encyclical, Laudato si'. (Source: www.wikipedia.com)

All are welcome.

FD: Spirituality