"I find great wisdom in a quote from Joseph Campbell: "I
don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are
looking for the experience of being alive." My key to finding
my own “experience of being alive” is to contemplate the myriad facets
that make up my life. The extraordinary and the mundane... the grand
revelations and the daily grind... all are a part of my experience of being
alive. Yet if I never take the time to consider the separate threads
and notice the individual vivid colors and interweaving that create this
glorious tapestry of experience, life may seem to be pure chaos.
I have attended two of the Hestia Hearth Circles, and each has
allowed me to set aside a span of time for that necessary
contemplation. The Hestia Circles are expertly planned to
create a safe and sacred space that encourages expansion of
thought. There is a choice of fascinating topics; the ones that I
choose allow me to consider those aspects of my life. Once I have
registered, my attention is already focused upon the topic at hand. From the
moment one enters a Circle, the Spirit’s response to beauty and sustenance is
carefully tended. In the entryway of the “Waking Into Dream”
Circle, a table stood with a bouquet of beautiful flowers, a bowl of ripe, red
strawberries and a plate of broken pieces of dark chocolate. Entering the room
where the spiritual work/play would take place, cushioned wicker
chairs with instructive packets were set in a circle, with symbolic art in the
center of the circle. Everywhere I looked in the room, there was
something to awaken my curiosity and my desire to journey into the
contemplative life.
Yet
I need not go on this journey alone, and that is what is exceptionally
wonderful to me about the Hestia Circles. The Circles create an
intimate and warm community of like-minded women coming together to meditate
and then share the wisdom from that period of reflection. I have found sharing
to be a profoundly emotional experience: I value the observations of life that
each woman in the Circle offers and it is a distinct honor to have my own
thoughts heard. The Circle leaders initiate our sharing with
astute insights into the topics at hand and suggestions for thought.
I
am grateful for Hestia Retreat’s grace-filled events, particularly since the
leaders are donating their time and considerable efforts to create an
affordable experience for those of us that participate. With my
appreciation and applause!"
~ Diane Schulstad
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