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Dear Friends, We still have room in our September Chartres Pilgrimages. Click here for more info or to register. Our annual online auction will be taking place again this year from October 11th to the 31st. We encourage you to start thinking about what you could offer for the auction. What could you knit/sew/paint or otherwise create? Have a vacation home that is available for part of the year? Have skill or service you can donate? We would love to hear from you! | "When you come to the edge of all that you know, you must believe one of two things: there will be earth to stand on, ~ Author unknown |
By Chris Farrow-Noble, Council Member
Stony Point Labyrinth. Photo by Marion Patterson
This month I invite you to get a sense of the Veriditas Council Renewal Day in April 2018 and to whet your appetite for the 2019 Renewal Day being planned for March 29-31, 2019, in Louisiana.
Around table from left to right: John and Betty Towey, Barrie Gibby, Jean Ando, Linda Mikell, Judith Tripp, Marge McCarthy, Ellen Bintz Meuch, Eighteen facilitators from Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Vermont wended their way to the Stony Point Center in Stony Point, New York to join eight Council members for a shared day with the labyrinth. The success of this third renewal day (2016 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; 2017 in Los Angeles, California) certainly encourages future gatherings. “What really stood out to me was the importance of how the workshop began and the group diversity. The workshop ‘opened’ us up through the form of rituals, responses, stories and anecdotes. Council members led us through exercises that built safety and trust within our group, along with introspection, which allowed for the opportunity to make stronger connections with one another. This approach set the tone for collaboration throughout the day.” Council
members offered a spectrum of presentations, including Linda Mikell
(New York) on Rituals; Ellen Bintz Meuch on Global Healing Response;
Chris Farrow-Noble (Massachusetts) on her book, Walking a Labyrinth
Daily, Exploring a Spiritual Practice; Judith Tripp on the Veriditas International Association of Professionally Trained Labyrinth
Facilitators (VIA) and the Women’s Dream Quest; and Kathryn McLean on
the Labyrinth in Community. “During the day I felt joy emanating from attendees as well as Council members for the opportunity to be with each other. It was a real treat to participate in a Labyrinth walk with a group of facilitators who all have the same training and love for the Labyrinth. It is a rare opportunity to join in community with each other for sharing and ritual.” | In
celebration of spontaneous collaboration and creativity, we realized
the extraordinary talents and depth of labyrinth experience within this
circle of facilitators. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBfeZFRFR1E&t=5s “My visit to Stony Point was full of many wonderful moments. During the weekend the idea of a ‘Council Alumni Association’ was born. My time with my dear friends was precious. It was inspiring to experience how the Council has grown and is dedicated to supporting Veriditas facilitators around the world. I hope other ‘alumni’ will meet with the Council when possible.“ A
welcoming 7-circuit Classic labyrinth is on the Stony Point Center
grounds near a beautiful meditation building. In Kitty Ufford-Chase’s
presentation, linked with Ellen Bintz Meuch’s on the Global Healing
Response, she mentioned that they are very interested in cultivating
increased understanding of the labyrinth and ways to integrate their
outdoor labyrinth into the work of reconciliation, peace, faithful
action and non-violence. We ended our day together by walking this
peaceful outdoor labyrinth. Here are some responses to a key phrase from the evaluations:
The
Council is already in the early planning stages for the next Veriditas
Council Renewal Day on March 29-31, 2019, at the Solomon Center in
Loranger, Louisiana. It is located equidistant from New Orleans and
Baton Rouge. Please save the date and watch for opening registrations
through Veriditas. We look forward to welcoming you there! “My overall impression of the renewal day was of once-solitary facilitators turning toward belonging, and then feeling the blessings of the circle in early spring. I think we all treasured being together in the Labyrinth tribe. “ ~ Judith Tripp |
GLOBAL HEALING RESPONSEThe Global Healing Response, founded in 2005 by Council member Ellen Bintz Meuch, offers an annual theme and quarterly ideas and information to enrich labyrinth walks.
The GHR theme for 2018 is LIGHT "To love beauty is to see light." —Victor Hugo Focus: See the Light in Others | LITTLE MIRACLES ON THE PATH"Little Miracles" is produced by Linda Mikell. Each month she shares an inspirational story from a labyrinth experience that is sent to her by a facilitator. She welcomes YOUR story. I'm sure you're got one, and we all benefit from this sharing. Thank you, Linda! Please send your story to Linda Mikell at edlinmik@optonline.net Booklets are available online for $10 each plus shipping. Proceeds benefit the Veriditas scholarship fund. |