Greetings!

Seems a better way to begin than Happy New Year, seeing as we are well beyond January! However, many of us have not yet met in 2022, and I write to draw your attention to some events this coming year. So along with greetings, I wish you all good things, health and happiness, for 2022.

Good things might include time to nurture your spirit, and if you have not already arranged sacred pauses in the year, you may like to consider some I have scheduled. They will be offered in person, at my home, with small numbers to allow safe spaces between us. If you are interested, yet anxious about gathering like this, do let me know, as the material could be made available for use in your own time and environment. These have been advertised in Spiritual Growth Ministry’s retreats booklet; those who have a copy will recognise the events, but please note a few changes of date:

Praying with the Elements: a series of contemplative days, 9.30 to 12pm on February 23, March 23, April 27 and May 25, each focussing on a separate element. The initial intention was to hold these on a Wednesday, but Saturdays could be possible. If you are interested, please contact me by February 20.

An Introduction to Dream Work: will be held on Saturday morning 14 May, providing a brief history of dream interpretation as well as some principles and methods to interpret dreams through a Christian and
Jungian lens. A follow-up workshop will be held on 11 June.  This second one will be practical and applied: participants will bring their own dream to work with, and join in assisting others to unpack the meaning of a dream.

Enneagram workshops will be offered again, on Saturday 2 and Thursday 9 July. I would appreciate registrations for these and dream work a week ahead of each event.

For further details and to register please get in touch by emailing anne_chrisp@me.com.

A few more words about the series on Praying with the Elements: St Francis wrote

All praise be Yours, my God, through Brothers wind and air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather’s moods,
By which You cherish all that You have made.

All praise be Yours, my God, through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.

All praise be Yours, my God, through Brother Fire,
Through whom You brighten up the night.
How beautiful he is, how gay!
Full of power and strength.

All praise be Yours, my God, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits and coloured flowers and herbs.

We live surrounded by these elements; they enliven us and nourish us. Drawing on material in a book by Christine Valters Paintner, we will contemplate our relationship to Brother Wind, Sister Water, Brother Fire and Sister Earth. As with similar past events, each session will include a short introduction, some optional creative exercises on the theme, as well as silence and space for personal reflection.

May this year challenge and encourage you towards growth and wholeness, and bring every blessing –
Anne