Henry David Thoreau had to step outside established religious ways of knowing and into the natural world and its ancient rhythms to realize how hope works. In the process, he (re)formed an ancient/new way of understanding what human life is all about. Popular spiritual writer Jon M. Sweeney distills this for us in a new e-course that is full of practical applications.
Hope is why we build gardens. It is why we cultivate flower beds and clean the bird feeders each spring. It occurs when we expect the sun to rise on a morning after a dark night of thunder and lightning. It is also why we get out of bed and go to work — doing what we’re called to do — even when we’d rather hide under the covers. It is why we protest and do acts of civil disobedience. Hope is an essential practice for the times in which we live.
The author of Walden and one of the most important journals ever written by an American writer (adored by Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King, Mary Oliver, Jimmy Carter, among others), Thoreau still has much to teach us about building a capacity for hope, and the ways of exercising our hoping muscles. We will learn from him over the next thirty days.
As a subscriber to this e-course, you will receive 30 daily emails, beginning on August 3. Each email will contain an essay by Jon Sweeney and a brief excerpt from Thoreau’s writings. A practice based on what is revealed about hope will be offered for your use during the day. Then you will be invited to join an online 24/7 Practice Circle to discuss your responses to the writings and your experience with the practices. At the end of the course on August 26, from 5 – 6 pm PT / 8 – 9 pm ET, Jon will join us on Zoom to answer questions and join in our further sharing. The gathering will be recorded if that time is not convenient for you.
Here’s who will want to join us: Anyone in need of hope just now. Also, those who, like Thoreau, have a spirituality and practice that is either Done or None with regard to organized faith. Relatedly, for those who need to fill the vacuum left by an exit from organized religion, Thoreau’s practices of hope, patience, and gratitude are like pearls found in a field.
We will lean in to hope, discovering that it is something to be practiced, not simply thought or believed. Hope isn’t an act of mind, but a way to be in the world. To explore how this applies to your life, click on the Subscribe button below. (4 CEHs for Chaplains available.)
Monday, August 3 - Tuesday, September 1
$85.00
