Dates/Time:
“What is the focus of this retreat?”
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So often, we focus on the gaps, emptiness, wounds and unfulfilled aspects of our lives, but forget or take for granted the simple and familiar gifts that are always with us. Retreat with us as our Elder and Weaver Jared Adams leads us in exploring and practicing gratitude. Small group sharing and time in nature will offer unique opportunities to reveal gifts and insights in ourselves and our group. For two days, we will set aside urgency and enter a quieter time, shaped by long walks, shared silence, and unhurried meals. This retreat is offered without doctrine, only space to notice what is usually overlooked: the patient teaching of trees, the rhythm of your breath or the way light changes across an afternoon. Through reflection, councils, ritual and presence we will lean into an invitation of awareness that life continues to offer us opportunities for gratitude.
“Why come to this retreat?”
Someone might choose to attend this retreat not to escape their life, but to meet it more honestly through the lens of gratitude. We’ll engage around the “subtle and profound nature of gratitude” as one previous attendee described it. Through ritual, sharing, time in nature and group gatherings we’ll approach the concept of gratitude as not just “thank you” but as a ‘deep and wide’ way of being. From the toys and joys we may have in our lives on the surface we’ll make space to also look inward.
What to expect:
Our sessions will be invitations to maintain a sense of gratitude yet not be in denial of life’s difficulties and how to approach them with an open heart. From examining the ‘in-betweens’ and our inner ‘Gratitude Ratios,’ with examples and angles that encourage us to live fully anchored with a deep appreciation and awareness to the present. We’ll walk through scenarios that challenge us to think of and consider the significance of all the processes of life’s events and how to separate ‘gratitude’ from merely being gratified.
Related Quotes and Recommended Reading
“The movement toward gratitude, authenticity and union is the natural and organic inner work of the second half of life.
-Fr. Richard Rohr
The retreat leaders:
Weaver:
Jared Adams //
Jared has been involved in many aspects of Illuman since making his rites in 2012. Pilgrim Park, IL. In the subsequent melting down of everything he thought he knew about himself and the universe in general, he has served as our Illuman of Indiana/Michigan chapter’s secretary, webmaster and admin for several other chapters, weaver, presenter and has served and endured Michael Whitman on the council since 2014. He also serves Illuman National on the Tech, Communications, Reweaving and Diversity Councils and has served on Soularize and Awaken planning teams. Writing about yourself in 3rd person is hard. It’s been a true honor to give back to an organization that has helped reorient me on a molecular level. I also deeply grateful to be involved with Tom Pawlak and Michael Whitman’s wonderful Youth Rites of Passage for the last 10 years.
I’m a quiet extrovert who loves alone time around lots of people. I’ve been a touring and performing musician and singer/songwriter with the band Annagail for many years. We’re Americana/folk-rock that lives somewhere between the Foo Fighters and Emmylou Harris. Between gigs – a freelance artist, coffee roaster at Crel and Picos Coffee, a web designer and developer doing my part to discourage the use of the Papyrus font.
This brotherhood consistently invites me to go deep(er), be brave and honor the quiet stirring of “no matter what-ness.” Life has a tendency to exceed my capacity to manage it and the community of Illuman has kept me grounded through all the gratitude and grief it has dished out. It has helped give me language to talk about the ‘un-talkaboutable’ parts of life.
Presenter:
Phil Noonan //
I have been married for 37 years. My wife Cathy and I, have three grown children and two dogs: all have been and continue to be my teachers…the learning never stops! My spiritual journey has led me to the teachings of Richard Rohr, the 12 Step program and my marriage as a spiritual practice. I completed my MROP in 2014 at Pilgrim Park, IL; participated in Elder Cohort 5 in 2019 and am an Elder with Illuman of Indiana-Michigan Council of Elders.
Ritual Elder:
David Wenger//
