insight on spirit-centered leadership --- Gifts of Spirit

by Tim Scorer

When we talk about spirit-centered leadership, we have to take seriously the reality that humans are endowed with qualities that are not of our own making; these literally are “gifts of spirit.” Effective spirit-centered leaders are able to recognize, acknowledge, and activate these sacred endowments through the way they exercise their influence in the world. When they do that, they are taking seriously the deepest meaning of their lives and claiming the places of leadership to which they are individually called.

However, we have to go the next step and provide leaders with a way of visualizing and claiming the qualities which give colour to what we mean by spirit-centered leadership. Here’s one way to do this. Take a sheet of paper and on it draw a circle marked with five points equidistant from one another. Take time to ask yourself the question, “What are five key qualities that I express in my living and leading that do not arise from any education or training that I have received?”

Rather than use single words to describe these qualities of character, I want to encourage you to exercise a little creativity. The kind of wording that I am suggesting will put you in touch with the deeper spiritual value that is expressed by these qualities. Let me introduce this form of expression to you with some examples:

lends an ear word weaver hope shaper gets it done pays attention artist of change

walks beside vision speaker lives blessing reaches beyond pours out patience earth healer

chooses to notice friend of integrity voice of justice lives compassion cuts the nonsense spirit dancer

brings the colour life singer facilitates change grows possibility inspires truth prophet

The five expressions of spiritual giftedness that you write on the points around your circle will sound more poetic than just five words. Take time to reflect on the implication of this collection of gifts that express something of who you are. Think about the ways that these five qualities interact with one another and give sacred substance to your spirit-centered leadership.

This approach is consistent with the latest offering from Wood Lake Publishing featured in this edition of the newsletter. In Creating Change: the arts as catalyst for spiritual transformation, Keri Wehlander brings together the voices of 27 spirited catalysts of change into one powerful reflection on how creativity and the arts are agents of transformation.

insight on small groups --- Galaxies and Weeds

by Tim Scorer

I was recently planning a small group study session based on a book by Bruce Sanguin: Darwin, Divinity, and the Dance of the Cosmos . We were looking at the chapter that had us examining our evolutionary journey that began in a great creative flaring forth 13.7 billion years ago and continues in the startling reality of an ever-expanding universe. As I thought of ways to bring the participants in the group to a place of cosmic wonder, I recalled my own sense of awe at the images of deep space that had been made accessible to us through the Hubble Telescope. I began to imagine creating a gallery of deep space images of galaxies and stars – a gallery into which I could invite the participants as part of the evening session. Where would I find my gallery?

Rather than cutting up a coffee table book, I opted to find two calendars of Hubble images – 24 spectacular pieces of cosmic art. When I arrived at Oscar’s Bookstore I had no thought that anything would be required for the gallery other than the 24 Hubble images, but Oscar’s is one of those spirit-filled bookstores where serendipity rules. On this occasion I came across a book which was a visual spectacle to match the Hubble images, but at an entirely different level of cosmological existence: weeds! Howard Bjornson, a naturalist and photographer, had taken crystal clear photos of solitary weeds set against a plain backdrop, often black. There were amazingly sculpted pods, prickly seed heads, simply elegant flowers, slim grasses – all wonderful constellations of procreativity. In one bookstore moment the word ‘weed’ was redefined! I realized that the gallery I was planning had to be both the macro of space and the micro of weeds.

What I created for the group was a stunning visual adventure where galactic weeds took their place in amongst the seedpods and spirals of deep space. I wondered at first if it was to be a silent gallery experience, but discovered that improvised cello music by David Darling was just the right kind of sound accompaniment for this meeting of seeds and galaxies.

Sometimes we use the word ‘breathtaking’ too casually. Think about it: to have one’s breath taken away by something so awesome that there can be no other response. The response of the group members was of that kind. One member of the group commented, “What I loved about the gallery was seeing how, when juxtaposed, the shape of the galaxies and weeds mirrored one another. It filled me with a sense of awe. Seeing patterns reflected at the micro and macro level reminded me of the order that is inherent in chaos – a Divine order.” Wordlessly and collectively, we lived the experience of recognizing that our existence is framed by infinite and untouchable magnitude as well as minute and infinitely touchable intimacy.

As I drove home that evening feeling overwhelmed by the sense of awe that had been opened in us in the company of images of galaxies and weeds, I found myself reflecting on the place of art experience in adult education. In such times of reflection sooner or later I arrive at a reaffirmation of a truth that I first learned thoroughly in the context of drama in education, namely, that the creative arts have a power to ‘take us off guard’ and to bypass our over-dependence on language and thought. We could have spent the evening exercising our heads and voices by showing off our scientific knowledge of deep space; instead of that we took the risk of allowing image and music to open our hearts and minds to the wonder of our extraordinary galactic paradise. It’s in such moments that we can truly feel the transformative power of our evolutionary universe moving through us.

This is an extract from a longer piece which appears under the title Cosmic Zoom and Galactic Weeds by Tim Scorer in the new book by Keri Wehlander, Creating Change: the arts as catalyst for spiritual transformation, published by CopperHouse, an imprint of Wood Lake Publishing Inc.

insight on spiritual practice --- Seeing

by Lois Huey-Heck

This “seeing” practice takes its inspiration from Tim’s insight on small groups.

Preparing
Seek an image that evokes a sense of wonder in you. It might be from your own photo or art collection, or from an art book or calendar. If an image doesn’t present itself then watch for an object from the natural world that inspires you. It’s best if you can resist the urge to analyze or over-think the selection.

The Invitation
For a week or so, spend time with your awe-inspiring image/object every day. If you already have a prayer or meditation practice you might simply integrate this time of deep-looking into it. If you don’t have a standing practice, then choose a time of day when you are most able to quiet yourself and sit with your image/object – you’ll know your own rhythms best. During this prayerful time let your thirsty eyes drink in wonder.

There are seekers who have spent years contemplating a single icon, object or painting. Sometimes this deep-looking yields surprising epiphanies; sometimes it’s a gateway to deep prayer; and sometimes an image simply helps us center ourselves more fully in the present moment – the only moment when we can experience wonder.

Whatever happens for you, may these moments of quiet contemplation be a gift in and of themselves.
 

insight on authors --- Keri Wehlander

by Ingrid Turnbull

In your face. Up close and personal. That’s how Keri Wehlander is experiencing change at the moment. Ironically, the author of Creating Change is moving from her home of ten years to a new place just as her book about transformation is being released. Although her new house is lovely, it has no basement storage, and the notice to move came suddenly and unexpectedly. Challenge! Chaos! Opportunity!

Keri graciously took time in the midst of unpacking boxes to speak with me about the book and her own perspectives on change and transformation. For Keri, the move could almost be summarized by the words of a German saying: All beginnings are difficult. Yet like most of us, she acknowledges and accepts that change is constant and inevitable, as well as usually being hard. But what is change if not a beginning – the start of a transformation. We just have to take the first step – somehow.

Keri points out that “we so often resist change because of the effort required to enter into it or because it means leaving behind a comfortable place in life and feels risky, or because we fear the unknown.” We want to stay in our old familiar chair, despite the fact that springs may be poking through and making us uncomfortable. Change nudges our complacency and “urges us to think about what is happening and what our beliefs are. Change causes us to reflect upon what we do believe in life.”

Many of us hold the (conscious or unconscious) assumption or belief that nothing should change. If we enter into discernment around this, we may come to a place where we recognize what it is exactly that we want to hold on to. What is it that should not change? We long for a safe haven where we can relax our guard completely and know that things are secure and unmoving. We try to put that sense of security in our lives in many ways, usually to no avail. The perfect job ends, the stock market collapses, the house we are renting sells. There we are again, left looking for “what is at the centre, what can I hold on to that does not change? What do I believe is certain?”

Keri believes that the constant is the love and grace of God.

Just before moving day, Keri’s son was a little anxious about what going to a new place would mean for him. Keri reassured him that, “as a family, our love will not change. Furniture arrangements may be different, but the most important thing will not change.” For him, this was a confirmation that you can make big changes outside, but the centre remains the same.

If we enter into our changes from the secure centre of knowing the love and grace of the Holy One, then we can often see a way to allow transformation. Rather than being dragged kicking and screaming into some transformative experience, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, we can allow perspective and be open to grace.

Keri talks about the same principle applying to institutional settings. If we hold too tightly to circumstances, the resistance to movement may prevent us from reaching a deeper space - the place that holds our True Source and lies at the centre of our faith. It is easier to hold on to the arrangement of the furniture (in a home or church sanctuary) than it is to hold on to God, but holding on to God is what we are indeed asked to do. Keri points out that in the Bible, God tells us to give up holding on to idols. Jesus tells his disciples to orient themselves to God, rather than to traditions or physical items.

Using Mystery as our fundamental anchor – letting go of our resistance to change and allowing Mystery to be - is not easy, but it will transform us. And the arts can help.

For Keri, it is nearly impossible to separate her own personal journey of faith from the inspiration she draws from the arts. She has always experienced a connection with words and music. When she was a child, her grandfather would send her poems that he had written for her, and she would write her own and send them back to him. Her writing continues today and includes song lyrics; she also participates in liturgical dance. She says that engaging in music, writing, visual arts, and dance has been a pure gift in her life. She speaks of the artist’s constant hope that she or he will encounter Mystery in the artistic process, but notes ruefully that there is no guarantee that this will happen. “Doing art,” no matter what the form, means taking a huge risk. It is an act of faith. The artist has no idea if what they create will allow others to encounter the Mystery. But hopefully it has come from a place of the artist’s own encounter with the Mystery.

Keri speaks of the truly remarkable people featured in Creating Change and of their insights, artistry, storytelling, and willingness to share. She is incredibly grateful for the stories and inspiration she received in the process of putting the book together. She hopes that Creating Change will be the kind of book that people can read for their own spiritual enrichment and that it will be a source of inspiration, encouragement, and insight. The book contains stories of specific instances where the arts have transformed people in the context of faith. It isn’t a “how to” book, nor is it academic in nature. The stories cover social justice, prayer, worship, dancing and the use of the arts in churches, among other topics.