Journey Center

Dear Journey Center community, today we learned of the passing of Beth Misner, a former board member of the Journey Center (2012-2013). Beth was known for her beautiful compassionate heart, her positive joyful way of being in the world and the way she brought her God-given gifts to the world, literally. She and her husband, Ivan, are known all over the world and loved by so many. Please lift him and his loved ones in prayer as they grapple with this devastating loss. Among many other accomplishments, Beth wrote books, and we had a book celebration event at JCSR when she published her first book. Here are a couple of photos from that event, in January 2012:

"Meditation rather than an escape is engaging life at its deepest level." ~ Bob Holmes #comeintothequiet

THIS IS THE TIME TO BE SLOW This is the time to be slow, Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes.... Try, as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesitant light. If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet Again on fresh pastures of promise, Where the air will be kind And blushed with beginning. JOHN O'DONOHUE From his books, Benedictus (Europe) / To Bless the Space Between Us (US) Ordering Info: https://www.johnodonohue.com/store Cottage Hearth / Dunquin, Co. Kerry - Ireland Photo: Ann Cahill

Reminder for October Offerings - https://mailchi.mp/journeycenter/october_offerings-1571887

We honor the Pomo, Wappo, Coast Miwok, Graton Rancheria. We acknowledge what is now known as Sonoma County is on their land. They are still here.

Beautiful prayer!

Beannacht ("Blessing") by John O'Donohue On the day when the weight deadens... on your shoulders and you stumble, may the clay dance to balance you. And when your eyes freeze behind the grey window and the ghost of loss gets in to you, may a flock of colours, indigo, red, green, and azure blue come to awaken in you a meadow of delight. When the canvas frays in the currach of thought and a stain of ocean blackens beneath you, may there come across the waters a path of yellow moonlight to bring you safely home. May the nourishment of the earth be yours, may the clarity of light be yours, may the fluency of the ocean be yours, may the protection of the ancestors be yours. And so may a slow wind work these words of love around you, an invisible cloak to mind your life.

Beautiful in many ways!

Be gentle with yourself. Take time to rest, dear one. Your body and mind and spirit need to heal. You are loved and you are held. May you find rest this weekend.

May God's Love Sustain Us - October Offerings - https://mailchi.mp/journeycenter/october_offerings

Living in Sonoma County, I find myself greeting October with more trepidation than I’d like. I think of fire season now. Prayers of lament are on my heart as I think of our community in the midst of yet another fire. I grieve for those who have lost their homes. Their sense of place being taken possibly. Where does our help come from? Where is our refuge? This quote was recently spoken to me and it caught my breath. "If we are absolutely grounded in the absolute love of God ...that protects us from nothing even as it sustains us in all things, then we can face all things with courage and tenderness and touch the hurting places in others and in ourselves with love." -James Finley. I confess I want more protection sometimes, yet the human experience includes suffering....and God promises to be with us in the midst of it. If you are in the midst of PTSD from evacuating once again, if you have lost your home in the fire, if you are feeling yet even more isolated in this ongoing pandemic.... I pray from the depths of my heart and soul that God’s presence and absolute love would sustain you. May we have the courage and tenderness to face all these things. You are not alone. Maybe a time of contemplative prayer might be a solace? Are you in need of sacred listening? There are spiritual directors trained for deep listening. You don’t have to walk this journey alone. www.journeycentersantarosa.org [email protected]