“Letting Go” with Cynthia Bourgeault & Paulette Meier

A weekend devoted to contemplative self-emptying or kenosis, through the refreshing practices of centering prayer and sacred chant, into the distilling Silence for which Quaker tradition is renowned.

Centuries of monastic life have shown sacred chant to be a powerful complement and catalyst to sounding the depths of contemplative prayer. Both the Day of Teaching and Retreat will be devoted to the convergence of these two streams: opening our hearts and minds through the classical practice Cynthia calls the "core, sacred gesture" of prayerful self-emptying, while giving voice to Paulette's beautiful and evocative Quaker chants, leading to our divine Center.

(This weekend is very much in the spirit of a contemporary spiritual classic of constant prayer, A Testament of Devotion, by the Quaker writer Thomas Kelly. He emphasizes our relationship to our deepest Center through our Presence to a "continuously renewed immediacy." If you are not familiar with this little gem, we commend it highly!)

Cynthia Bourgeault is an Episcopal priest and an internationally esteemed retreat leader. The author of several books, the two most pertinent to our practice this weekend is Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening and The Wisdom Jesus.

Paulette Meier is a singer, musician and teacher. She is the composer and vocalist of Timeless Quaker Wisdom in Plainsong, a CD of chant-like songs based on aphorisms from classical Quaker writers such as George Fox, Margaret Fell and John Woolman.

Place: Pacific Hall, West Tremont, Maine

Register for Day of Teaching: Friday, June 5, 10am -- 4pm

Tuition for Day of Teaching: Before May 15 $75; after May 15 $85

Optional meal package: Lunch on Friday $10

Register for Retreat: Friday, June 5, 7pm -- Sunday, June 7, 12pm

Tuition for Retreat: Before May 15 $150; after May 15 $170

Optional meal package: Lunch and Supper on Saturday $25