Reminder: Online retreat with the wisdom of Howard Thurman begins September 10

Longing for some reflective time and space?  

Hoping for something that fits your schedule? 

Interested in (re-)discovering the life and words of a wise guide? 

 

Join us for

 

Nine Days with Howard Thurman

 

An online retreat on your own time:

Got 20 minutes a day? 

You will be able to visit the retreat blog any time, day or night,

 for nine consecutive days.

 

September 10-18, 2024

 

 

Scroll down for an overview of Dr. Thurman's life and work

and for registration for the retreats.

 

The retreat takes place on a blog accessible only to those who have registered. Signing on to the blog is easy. (And if needed, tech help is available from your friendly retreat leader.) For each of the nine days, you will find on the blog:

one short excerpt from the writings of Howard Thurman
one spiritual exercise
one prayer

Conversations can take place in the comments to each blog post, or you may choose to remain silent and anonymous.

 * * * * * * *

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to people whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited (1949) predated Black liberation theology by a generation.

See also here.

* * * * * * *

There is a sliding scale for the retreat fees, as you will see below.

If even the "hardship rate" is too high, write me 

so we can arrange a full or partial scholarship.
If you wish to register at the "benefactor" rate, 

your fee will help offset the cost of scholarships 

and will enable me to keep offering these retreats

 

PLEASE REGISTER AND PAY HERE. 

 

Thurman 9-day (Sept. 10-18) online retreat - pick one rate

Regular rate $95.00 USD Benefactor rate $155.00 USD Hardship rate $45.00 USD

Message (optional):

 Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration. 

 

In September, we are also offering an online (Zoom) group on grieving and grief. See here for details.

September, online: 1) Howard Thurman: nine days of insights and practices 2) Grieving and grief: three weeks of companionship

REMINDER

Click titles below for details and registration.

 

 

 

Meditations with Howard Thurman

September 10-18, 202
9 days in a row, 20 minutes a day, on your own time 

on a blog accessible only to retreatants

Grieving and Grief: Three Weeks of Companionship 

September 16, 23, 30, 2024
three Monday evenings, two hours each

on Zoom

 

 

 

 

sliding scale

confidential

supportive, gentle, insightful

THE RETURN OF THE ONLINE RETREATS: August and September 2024

Short retreats, long retreats, 

    individual support, group support, 

        explicit spiritual or religious content, no specific religious content -- 

Take your pick!

Some of the retreats are online on Zoom and one is online on a private blog. 

All retreat conversations are confidential.

As always, we offer a sliding scale.

Click below for details and registration.

Grieving and Grief: Three Weeks of Companionship 

(September 16, 23, 30 on Zoom)

Meditations with Howard Thurman: A Choice of Online Retreats 

(August 16 in the morning or August 19 in the evening on Zoom; or nine days online on a blog, September 10-18)

 

Meditations with Howard Thurman: a choice of online retreats

Longing for some reflective time and space? Hoping for something that fits your schedule? Interested in (re-)discovering the life and words a wise guide? 

 

Join us for one (or two) 

of the following three

online retreats.

 

 

Scroll down for an overview of Dr. Thurman's life and work

and for registration for the retreats..

A LABOR DAY NOTE: OPTIONS 1 and 2 are now past.
Option 3 below is still ahead of us. Sign up now!

Option 1: 

Meditations with Howard Thurman

A morning retreat on Zoom

Friday, August 16, 2024

at 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time / 8:30 Mountain Time / 

9:30 Central Time / 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time

(hello, early birds!)

 

We will spend two hours listening to selected reflections by Howard Thurman, pondering them in meditative silence, sharing some of our responses in conversation, and enjoying some related images and music. (Yes, there will be a little stretch break in the middle.)

Option 2: 

Meditations with Howard Thurman

An evening retreat on Zoom

Monday, August 19, 2024

at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 6:30 Mountain Time / 

7:30 Central Time / 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time

(hello, East Coast night owls!)

Same content as in Option 1: We will spend two hours listening to selected reflections by Howard Thurman, pondering them in meditative silence, sharing some of our responses in conversation, and enjoying some related images and music. (Yes, there will be a little stretch break in the middle.)

 

Option 3:

Nine Days with Howard Thurman

 

An online retreat on your own time
September 10-18, 2024

 

Got 20 minutes a day? Visit the retreat blog any time, day or night,

 for nine consecutive days

 

The retreat takes place on a blog accessible only to those who have registered. Signing on to the blog is easy. (And if needed, tech help is available from your friendly retreat leader.) For each of the nine days, you will find on the blog:

one short excerpt from the writings of Howard Thurman
one spiritual exercise
one prayer

Conversations can take place in the comments to each blog post, or you may choose to remain silent and anonymous.

 * * * * * * *

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to people whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited (1949) predated Black liberation theology by a generation.

See also here.

* * * * * * *

There is a sliding scale for the retreat fees, as you will see below.

If even the "hardship rate" is too high, write me 

so we can arrange a full or partial scholarship.
If you wish to register at the "benefactor" rate, 

your fee will help offset the cost of scholarships 

and will enable me to keep offering these retreats

 

PLEASE REGISTER AND PAY HERE.  

Remember there are three options. 

Sign up for the one you want!

 

Thurman morning retreat 08/16/24 Zoom - pick one rate

Regular rate $45.00 USD Benefactor rate $80.00 USD Hardship rate $25.00 USD

Message (optional):

 

 

Thurman evening retreat 08/19/24 Zoom - pick one rate

Regular rate $45.00 USD Benefactor rate $80.00 USD Hardship rate $25.00 USD

Message (optional):

 

 

Thurman 9-day (Sept. 10-18) online retreat - pick one rate

Regular rate $95.00 USD Benefactor rate $155.00 USD Hardship rate $45.00 USD

Message (optional):

 

 Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration. 

 

In August and September, we are also offering an online (Zoom) group on grieving and grief. See here for details.

 

Meditations with Howard Thurman: an evening Zoom retreat - March 17, 2022 (9:30 p.m. Eastern / 6:30 p.m. Pacific)

Longing for some reflective time in your busy life?  

                            Interested in (re-)discovering the work of a wise guide? 

Want a shorter Zoom retreat rather than a longer blog-based retreat?

                            Needing and hoping for spiritual support in this season of Lent?

Join us for an evening of 

Meditations with Howard Thurman

Note the change in date and time!

For the convenience of people across time zones,

this two-hour evening retreat is now scheduled for

 Thursday, March 17, 2022

at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time / 7:30 Mountain Time / 

8:30 Central Time / 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time 

(hello, East Coast night owls!)

 

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to people whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited (1949) predated Black liberation theology by a generation.

We will spend our two hours listening to selected reflections by Howard Thurman, pondering them in meditative silence, sharing some of our responses in conversation, and enjoying some related images and music.

There is a sliding scale for the retreat fee, as you will see below. 

If the "hardship rate" is too high for you, please write me and we will arrange for a partial or full scholarship. If you can afford the "benefactor rate," your fees will help make scholarships possible.

Register here:

 

Thurman Zoom retreat - pick one rate

Regular rate $30.00 USD Benefactor rate $55.00 USD Hardship rate $15.00 USD

 

 

 We have also adjusted the schedule of our other Lenten retreats. 

See [here - link coming later today].

NINE DAYS with HOWARD THURMAN: an online retreat

Note: We offer TWO kinds of online retreats:

 

 1. on a blog (as we have offered in the past):

No appointment needed: read, gaze, listen, and practice on your own time; resources are posted regularly to mark a rhythm and offer progression and order, but you may pick the hour of day or night and the pace at which you participate; any conversation is in writing -- or you may remain anonymous.

 

 2. on Zoom (as we began offering last year)

Weekly (or in some cases, one-time-only) gathering on Zoom, at an appointed date and time; in real time; any conversation is in person and with your face (or Zoom profile) showing.

                                              The full list of our Lent 2022 online offerings is here.

 

Longing for some prayerful and reflective time in your busy life?  

Interested in (re-)discovering the work of a wise guide?  

Want a short and more intense retreat rather than a longer retreat?

Need spiritual support?

Not a Zoom person?

                                                                    please join us

Wednesday, March 9 - Thursday, March 17, 2022

Howard Thurman:

Nine Days in Lent

an online blog-based retreat

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to people whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited (1949) predated Black liberation theology by a generation.

What, when, where, how
 
* An online nine-day spiritual retreat, beginning Wednesday, March 9, 2022.

* The life and writings of  Howard Thurman serve as a focus and inspiration.

* Simple and accessible:

one quote or short excerpt per day
one spiritual exercise per day
one prayer per day
                                        on nine consecutive days

* At home, on a break at work, in a coffee shop, on vacation, in your daily life: read, reflect, meditate, and pray with the retreat materials in a way that suits your schedule.

* Spiritual refreshment, nurture, and challenge.

* You'll need 20 minutes a day of focused time (any time, night or day) and a computer or tablet with internet access.

* Easy registration via PayPal secure link, which takes credit and debit cards in addition to PayPal. 

 

--You don't have to have your own PayPal account to use this online payment method. (If you prefer to pay by Venmo or check, please e-mail me.)

--Discounts are available for those in financial hardship. (If even the "hardship rate" is too high for you, please e-mail me about scholarship need.)

--The benefactor rate helps offset costs and makes scholarship aid possible.

--Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration. 

Register here!

Retreat fee (choose one)

Regular rate $95.00 USD Benefactor rate $150.00 USD Hardship rate $60.00 USD

An online blog-based retreat? How does that work?

* The retreat offers daily resources (the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers mentioned above, with some images as well to nourish you visually, and sometimes a piece of music too) online on a blog. More specifically, a closed blog.

* What's a closed blog? It's a blog like this, but it is not public: it has restricted access and is open only to those whom the blog owner-administrator (that's me, Jane) has signed in. In other words, it is not open to anybody wandering around the internet. It is not searchable: random web surfers will not be able to view either the blog or our conversations in the comments.

* Once you register for the retreat, I will send instructions on the one-time sign-in mechanism. After you first sign in to the retreat blog, the blog will always recognize you.

Privacy and community

During the retreat, you can remain anonymous, invisible, and silent and just read the blog and use the quotes, images, music, spiritual exercises, and prayers on your own.

OR

If you are more extroverted and communal or in need of companions on your retreat, you can share your thoughts, experiences, and questions via the comments function on the blog and engage in conversation with other retreatants and with the retreat facilitator. (More about your friendly retreat designer and facilitator, Jane Redmont, here. Please do not hesitate to write me with questions or concerns.)

 Reminder: The full list of our Lent 2022 online offerings 

(both blog-based offerings and Zoom offerings) is here.

All of the blog-based retreats have a structure and a schedule, but they are flexible enough to integrate into your daily life: you are the one who decides when and where to read and pray with the materials in the retreat (day or night, at home or elsewhere) and how to apply the invitations to practice.

Nine Days in Lent with Howard Thurman

The full list of our Lent 2018 online offerings is here.

Got a late start on Lent?
Interested in (re-)discovering the work of a wise guide?
Need spiritual support?
Want a short and more intense retreat rather than a longer retreat?
Longing for some prayerful and reflective time in your busy life?

Join us

Monday, March 5 - Wednesday, March 13, 2018

Howard Thurman:

Nine Days in Lent

an online retreat

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to people whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited predated Black liberation theology by a generation.

What, when, where, how
 
* An online nine-day spiritual retreat, beginning Monday, March 5, 2018.

* The life and writings of  Howard Thurman serve as a focus and inspiration.

* Simple and accessible:

one quote or short excerpt per day
one spiritual exercise per day
one prayer per day
on nine consecutive days

* At home, on a break at work, in a coffee shop, on vacation, in your daily life: read, reflect, meditate, and pray with the retreat materials in a way that suits your schedule.

* Spiritual refreshment, nurture, and challenge.

* You'll need 20 minutes a day of focused time (any time, night or day) and a computer or tablet with internet access.

* Easy registration via PayPal secure link, which takes credit and debit cards in addition to PayPal.  

Note: You don't have to have your own PayPal account to use this online payment method. (If you prefer paying by check, please e-mail me.)

--Register by February 20 for the Early Bird discounted rate!
--Some discounts are available for those in financial hardship. Talk to me.
--The benefactor rate helps offset costs and makes scholarship aid possible.

Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration. 

Register here!

Retreat fee (choose one)

Regular rate $75.00 USD Benefactor rate $120.00 USD Early Bird rate $65.00 USD Hardship rate $50.00 USD

An online retreat? How does that work?

* The retreat offers daily resources (the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers mentioned above, with some images as well to nourish you visually, and sometimes a piece of music too) online on a blog. More specifically, a closed blog.

* What's a closed blog? It's a blog like this, but it is not public: it is open only to those whom the blog owner-administrator (that's me) has signed in. In other words, it is not open to anybody wandering around the internet. It is not searchable: random web surfers will not be able to view either the blog or our conversations in the comments.

* Once you register for the retreat, I will send instructions on the one-time sign-in mechanism. After you first sign on to the retreat blog, the blog will always recognize you.

Privacy and community

During the retreat, you can remain anonymous, invisible, and silent and just read the blog and use the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers on your own.

OR

If you are more extroverted and communal or in need of companions on your retreat, you can share your thoughts, experiences, and questions via the comments function on the blog and engage in conversation with other retreatants and with the retreat facilitator. (More about your friendly retreat designer and facilitator, Jane Redmont, here. Please do not hesitate to write me with questions or concerns.)

 Reminder: The full list of our Lent 2018 online offerings is here. 

All of the retreats have a structure and a schedule, but they are flexible enough to integrate into your daily life: you are the one who decides when and where to read and pray with the materials in the retreat (day or night, at home or elsewhere) and how to apply the invitations to practice.

Nine Days with Howard Thurman: begins July 7

Longing for some meditative time in your busy life?
Interested in (re-)discovering the work of a wise guide?
Join us!

Nine Days with Howard Thurman

an online retreat
July 7-15, 2017

Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a philosopher, educator, theologian, and pastor, was an African American born in the segregated South during the Jim Crow era. Nourished by the rich traditions of the Black Church and ordained as a Baptist minister, he was deeply influenced by Quaker thought, especially the mysticism and nonviolence of Rufus Jones. He was also a pioneer in interreligious understanding. His writings --books, prayers, meditations, and sermons-- are rooted in Christianity yet accessible and pertinent to persons whose wisdom path is "spiritual but not religious."

Howard Thurman exercised a deep influence on some of the Civil Rights Movement's leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He traveled to India to meet Gandhi in the 1930s with the first group of African Americans to do so. Thurman served as the first Black Dean of Marsh Chapel, the university chapel at Boston University, and founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, a multicultural, multiracial, and interfaith congregation in San Francisco which is still in existence today. Thurman's book Jesus and the Disinherited predates Black liberation theology by a generation.

What, when, where

* An online nine-day spiritual retreat, beginning Friday, July 7, 2017.

* The writings of Howard Thurman will provide us with focus and inspiration.

* Simple and accessible:

one quote per day
one spiritual exercise per day
one prayer per day
on nine consecutive days

* At home, on a break at work, in a coffee shop, on vacation, in your daily life: read, reflect, meditate, and pray with the retreat materials in a way that suits your schedule.

* Spiritual refreshment, nurture, and challenge.

* You'll need 20 minutes a day of focused time and a computer or tablet with internet access.

* Easy registration via PayPal secure link, which takes credit and debit cards in addition to PayPal. Note: You don't have to have your own PayPal account to use this online payment method. (If you prefer paying by check, please e-mail me.)

Some discounts are available for those in financial hardship. Talk to me. The benefactor rate helps offset costs and makes scholarship aid possible.

Register here!

Retreat fee (choose one)

Regular rate $75.00 USD Benefactor rate $100.00 USD DIscount rate $65.00 USD Hardship rate $50.00 USD

Payment is non-refundable and due upon registration.


An online retreat? How does that work?
* The retreat offers daily resources (the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers mentioned above, with some images as well to nourish you visually, and a little music to feed the soul) online on a blog. More specifically, a closed blog.

* What's a closed blog? It's a blog like this, but it is not public: it is open only to those whom the blog owner-administrator (that's me) has signed in. In other words, it is not open to anybody wandering around the internet. It is not "searchable": random web surfers will not be able to view either the blog or our conversations in the comments.

* Once you register, I will send instructions for the one-time-only sign-in mechanism. After you first sign on to the retreat blog, the blog will always recognize you.

Privacy and community

During the retreat, you can remain anonymous, invisible, and silent and just read the blog and use the quotes, spiritual exercises, and prayers on your own.

OR

If you are more extroverted and communal or in need of companions on your retreat, you can share your thoughts, experiences, and questions via the comments function on the blog and engage in conversation with other retreatants and with the retreat facilitator. (More about your friendly retreat designer and facilitator, Jane Redmont, here. Please do not hesitate to write me with questions or concerns.)

Reminder: The full list of our summer 2017 online offerings is here.

LENT! Four online retreats, two short and two long -- Thurman, Soelle, Merton, desert journey, daily bread

Lent in the Western churches begins early this year.


Ash Wednesday is February 10.

We've got four online retreats for you to choose from this Lent. Click on the name of each retreat below for further information and registration:

FEBRUARY 10- MARCH 27 (Lent and Holy Week):

Two options:

Desert Journey and Daily Bread: New Lenten Perspectives on Food and Fasting

Peace in the Struggle: Lent with Thomas Merton

In case you're still in shock at the early beginning of Lent, or if you prefer a short and more intense experience to an all-Lent-long one:

FEBRUARY 22-MARCH 1:

Howard Thurman: Nine Days in Lent

MARCH 7-15:

Dorothee Soelle: Nine Days in Lent

All of these online retreats call us to simplicity, mindfulness, and holiness. Like the season of Lenten itself, they invite us to repentance and conversion, but also to joy.

Peace be with you. Please join us on the journey of Lent.

* * * * * * *

Lent is the Church's annual long retreat.

We go on this retreat --not necessarily to a different place, but a zone of mindfulness and practice that simplifies our life and peels away its non-essentials-- in order to reconnect, deeply, with God, with Christ, with the Spirit at the heart of God's life, our life, and the life of the world.

So we clear space, or let God help us clear space, and time, to make room for the God of comfort and surprises and to make room for what is deepest and truest in our lives.

And because we not only live in our bodies but are our bodies, our practices are not only states of mind but bodily actions and attitudes.

"Spirituality" does not mean "outside the body" or "other than the body."

Quite the contrary.

"Holiness," though it may include sacrifice or restraint, is not a forgetting of the body but really "wholeness," a way of not living a life in pieces. "Integrity" may be another way of thinking of it. In Lent we seek to be whole again, or whole in a new way.

In the wilderness, in a life that is even just a little simpler, a little slower, and little more mindful, we can discover or rediscover the integrity to which the Holy One calls us.

(c) Jane Redmont