Dates: Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7 pm ET
Available by: Join by Videoconference Only (learn more about videoconference)
Suggested Love Offering: $ 10.00
Soulful Conversations: “Honoring Animal Spirituality: How can we more deeply support the more-than-human world
Facilitated by Rev. Sarah Bowen, with Rev. Diane Berke
Drawing from the work of Jane Goodall, as well as neuroscientists, ethologists, and animal theologians, we’ll explore the probability that animals experience spirituality.
We’ll engage in an interspecies meditative practice together, and then reflect on that experience through nature-assisted journaling followed by soulful sharing with each other. You’ll leave with tools for deepening your spiritual connections to animals you might live with as well as wildlife living nearby. Cats and dogs, cardinals and chipmunks, oh my!
FACILITATORS:
Rev. Sarah Bowen
Sarah Bowen (she/they) is an animal chaplain and a co-founder of Compassion Consortium―the first interfaith, interspiritual, and interspecies faith community. She teaches interspecies mindfulness practices, creates sacred memorial rituals, counsels humans grieving animal loss, and advocates for exploited and endangered species (and habitats!) in both religious and secular contexts. Sarah has presented at the United Nations World Interfaith Harmony Week, Parliament of the World’s Religions, Compassion Arts Festival, Pace E Bene’s Campaign Nonviolence Action Week, Spiritual Directors International, and the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab. She is a columnist for Spirituality & Health magazine, and her work has also appeared on t.v., radio, and print media including Parabola, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, and Animal Culture Magazine, among others. An award-winning and best-selling author, Sarah's latest book is "Sacred Sendoffs: An Animal Chaplain’s Advice For Surviving Animal Loss, Making Life Meaningful, & Healing The Planet." She identifies as a spiritually rebellious Christian who celebrates Shabbat with an irreverently pious Jewish Renewal group, meditates with the Brahma Kumaris, and joyously observes the wheel of the year as long as the sabbats don't conflict with her 12-step meetings. Accordingly, in her ministry, she guides others to connect with the higher power of their own understanding. Sarah holds a BA in Human Ecology and MA in Religious Studies from Chicago Theological Seminary, was ordained by One Spirit in 2017, studied at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics' summer school, and is now joyfully engaged in postgraduate research in Anthrozoology.
Rev. Diane Berke
Rev. Diane Berke is the Founder and Spiritual Director of One Spirit Learning Alliance. Ordained as an interfaith minister in 1988, she is a respected pioneer in the field of interfaith/interspiritual education; this past June (2020) she stepped down after 18 years as Director of the One Spirit Seminary Training. Diane has worked closely with Andrew Harvey in his Institute for Sacred Activism, is a founding member of the Contemplative Alliance of the Global Peace Initiative of Women, and is a co-founder of Transformation 365, an online platform to introduce people to a broad range of contemplative practices. She is also a certified facilitator of the Circle of Trust® work of the Center for Courage and Renewal. Diane maintains a private practice in spiritual counseling/companionship and supervision of spiritual counseling students and practitioners. In addition, she is a licensed mental health counselor in New York State. A student and teacher of A Course in Miracles for over 30 years, Diane has led retreats and workshops on spiritual development throughout the United States and internationally. She is the author of several books and educational manuals, including Love Always Answers, The Gentle Smile, Developing and Deepening Your Spiritual Practice, and Forgiveness as a Path of Awakening. Diane is known for the clarity and wisdom of her teaching, the sincerity and depth of her compassion, and her ability to create exceptionally safe and nourishing learning and companioning spaces in which people can heal and blossom. She continues to actively serve One Spirit as a "spiritual grandmother" and guide.
If you have questions about registering for this course, please contact One Spirit Learning Alliance by email to info@1spirit.org or call 212-931-6840.