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People came from 13 states and Canada to attend the New England School of Celtic Consciousness with John Philip Newell held at and in collaboration with Mercy by the Sea. The second annual gathering drew 170 participants; all seekers wanting to deepen their knowledge of Celtic Christian wisdom.
In 2016, John Philip founded the School of Celtic Consciousness with the conviction that Celtic wisdom is “urgently” needed at this moment in time. “The instinct for seeing the sacredness in all things is rising again,” he said. John Philip also observes a widespread spiritual yearning for a deeper integration of the feminine and the masculine.
Recently I had the opportunity to read A Spirituality of Fundraising by priest, author and teacher Henri Nouwen. This book opened a new awareness for me about the relationship between fundraising and giving, and how the experience of giving relates to the growth of our spiritual life.
In the Farmer’s Almanac, there is a list of companion plants. As the title suggests, these are plants that should be placed next to each other in the garden because they are mutually beneficial. It makes sense that as gardeners we would seek to create a growing environment that promotes healthy soil and a bountiful harvest. So why don't we apply the same principles to the soil of our soul and the garden of friendship? Here are some examples:
In October of 2017, a favorite blogger of mine and a friend of Mercy by the Sea, Omid Safi, wrote a blog on the On Being website, entitled How Can We Live Beautifully in an Age of Vitriol. I have been re-reading this lately as the vitriol in our country disappoints and demoralizes those of us who believe in conversation and an honest exchange of ideas.
Omid, Director of the Islamic Studies Center at Duke University, turned to his Muslim faith when struggling with the question of living in the age of venom and hatefulness. His blog focused on an incident in the Libyan resistance to Italian fascism between 1911 and 1931. I quote:
