Catherine Maine
As a Jubilee Leader:
member of the Ontario Jubilee Discerning Circle
past leader with the Ontario Jubilee Facilitation Team
Veriditas-certified labyrinth facilitator
Sacred Circle Dance facilitator
designer and leader of retreats and events
“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wildflower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
William Blake,
Auguries of Innocence
In my early teens I memorized this short poem by Blake and its words continue to guide me to this day. For me, they are about attending to Spirit and Mystery everywhere around and within us. In creation there is connection, an invitation to enter into the fullness of life. I strive to cultivate this kind of consciousness in my own life, and I see it reflected in the Jubilee program’s commitments to being contemplative, evocative, spacious, embodied, integrative, experiential and transformative. These qualities fit with my own approach to being a spiritual companion.
As for my faith, I resonate with simplicity of heart and mind. My foundational teachings are from the life of Jesus, Julian of Norwich and St Francis. I have been influenced by Thich Nhat Hanh, Bernard Wosien, Lauren Artress, and Richard Rohr. My spiritual practices include sacred circle dance, meditation, prayer, spiritual reading, tai chi – and peaceful communing with the cedars in my back yard! To remain in balance, I enjoy creating, too, including painting, drawing, and choreographing new dances.
As a Spiritual Companion:
Since 1994, I have led a wide variety of retreats and events to nourish the spirit. Currently, I lead the Wisdom of the Seasons series of retreats for women. They combine a love of Spirit, nature, reflection, and community, through embodied activities, quiet time and meaningful conversations. These retreats and others are meant to offer places of sanctuary and connection. I approach creating events with Blake’s invitation in mind, by seeking wonder in the particular.
I like to work locally and to do “small things with great love”, as St Theresa of Calcutta once said. In this time of rapid change, with our society facing serious and deeply interconnected problems, I seek equanimity and understanding. Two areas of focus for me have been exploring how better to navigate the relationships between we humans, other creatures, and our dear Earth, along with Indigenous-settler relations and reconciliation.
My hope is to continue to grow in compassion, the practice of non-violence, and deeper listening, that I might be more fully present to my family, neighbours, those I tend, and all of creation. This is the journey that leads me to offer retreats and events to help others find renewal, that they might come alive to their own spiritual journeys and to those they hold dear.
