To Love Our Sacred Earth

Event Details

This retreat, facilitated by Maureen Wild, SC, explores teachings within the writings of cultural historian and geologian Thomas Berry as they interweave with the wisdom of nature-centered mystics and of nature-inspired scientists. 

The session is two hours long and includes a contemplative break. Those who participate in-person at The Star of the North are welcome to come early for lunch and/or stay the rest of the afternoon to process and reflect in a retreat style fashion.

Thomas on ‘Guidance and the Self-Healing of Earth,’ meets Janine Benyus on ‘Biomimicry’

Thomas points to humanity as being ‘lost’ and needing guidance. [Ch.15, Dream of the Earth] "We need to ask for guidance," he states, "hidden within our genetic coding … ask for it from the Earth community … ask for it from the universe." We turn our attention to guidance from the Earth community as expressed within Thomas’ essay, Earth as Self-Healing. 

“The healing of the Earth Community has two basic dimensions that are intertwined. There is the need for the healing of the Earth as a whole. And there is the need for the healing of the human, considered as a particular species.  In both related endeavors, the context for the healing is the universe as a whole.  The powers of healing, the powers of regeneration, the powers of renewal are rooted in the primordial realities of the universe, the Earth, and the human species.”  Thomas Berry

This is mirrored within the contemporary wisdom of biomimicry as articulated by natural science writer and innovation consultant, Janine Benyus.  Biomimicry looks to the authentic spontaneities within the wild for solutions - solutions that emulate nature’s ways.

“Biomimicry is basically taking a design challenge and then finding an ecosystem that’s already solved that challenge, and literally trying to emulate what you learn.” Janine Benyus

PRESENTER

Maureen Wild, SC  A teacher by profession, Maureen’s M.Ed. focused on the evolving story of our universe and earth literacy. In 1994 she was a founding member of, and a committed volunteer for, the international network, Sisters of Earth (sisters-of-earth.net), who follow the teachings of Thomas Berry and explore cosmos/earth as manifesting our sacred story with its many implications for living in balance and right relationship. Featured in the book, Green Sisters (Harvard Univ Press, 2007), Maureen served as educator and director for two ecological learning centres (US and Canada). She has led spiritual ecology programs and retreats internationally for 25 years. On the BC coast, she helped the Gabriola Ecumenical Society develop inter-spiritual programing that nurtures spiritual questing. She’s currently on the Board of the Gabriola Memorial Society who advocate for the creation of a natural burial cemetery, and she oversees a community garden where she also gardens with families and seniors.  She serves at local seniors’ monthly lunches hosted by People for a Healthy Community (PHC) as part of their Circle of Care for Seniors; a program she cofounded in 2011 with the aid of a grant from her congregation.

REGISTRATION

Retreat only (in-person or online) $30
Retreat + Lunch (in-person)         $45 

Register

Schedule