Listening… An Offering for Our World

"To listen’ another’s soul 
into a condition of disclosure and discovery
may be almost the greatest service
that any human being ever performs for another."

I am writing this in-between two full weekends of
Prairie Jubilee, Cycle 12-Year Two.
We have completed a weekend of teaching The Art of Spiritual Direction
and are about to begin our first weekend of practice.

I am, therefore, lifted up by the deep insights and
determined, humble intentions of our eleven students.
They know not where this program will lead them, yet,
they trust that a new way of be-ing is unfolding within them.

I am also weighed down with news reports and full of concern for our world.
In the midst of it all, I have been heartened by
stories of courage and caring, and of people
standing, walking, holding, reaching out.

A few years ago, in one of our Prairie Jubilee gatherings at
The Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre, 
Elder Alan Jacobs gifted us with the image of 
‘Bracketed Time’
which he described as time set apart for
Ceremony, Ritual, and Teachings
understanding that these ‘times’ 
restore us and grow resilience within us
for the living of our days.

Our weekend Prairie Jubilee gatherings are
Bracketed Time …
set apart time; safe time; intimate time; growing time
contained and bracketed,
separated from new reports, and yet
we always affirm that all that we do is
for
our world…
for our family, our circle of friends, our Directees
and for whomever we meet along life’s way
on the street or in forums of discussion where
an exchange of speaking
an exchange of story
is received through
     listening …
the quality of listening that we are learning to embody:
intentional
non-judgemental
curious
caring.

Sometimes, it seems a small offering, and yet
oftentimes, this is the offering that
calm and re-orients.

I have unfortunately lost the acknowledgement for the quote above
If any of you know the name of the author, please forward.
We repeat these words in each of our Year Two Teaching sessions.
They capture the heart of Prairie Jubilee and The Art of Spiritual Direction.
This is the offering we give 
for our world.

Cheryl Kinney Matheson

P.S. If you know of someone who might be interested in Prairie Jubilee, 
we are offering A Taste of Jubilee: Online Open House on Sunday, April 26th 
from 2-4 PM Central Time. This will be an opportunity to meet the 
three Prairie Jubilee Instructors and to experience the ‘container’ of 
our program.  Contact dale@prairiejubilee.ca to register.