MYSTICISM, CELTIC SPIRITUALITY, and PRAYER: JOHN, AIDAN and ELIZABETH I

The mysticism of John’s Gospel profoundly influenced the development of Celtic Spirituality and, ultimately, Anglican Spirituality: the belief that within the ordinary we can experience the extraordinary and that seeing beneath the surface guides us into deeper mysteries in Christ. And because we experience and see things in different ways, so too prayer — which leads us into communion with God in Christ — can take a variety of forms. This retreat will consist of brief lectures, discussion, and quiet time in which participants will be encouraged to experience a variety of prayer forms including the labyrinth, art, music, poetry, journaling, and Anglican prayer beads. Our hope is that through reflection on scripture, church history, spirituality, and diverse ways of praying, we can have an enhanced awareness of God’s creative presence in ourselves, in one another, and in the world around us.

The Very Rev. Liza Spangler, an Episcopal priest, spent 28 years in parish ministry in Alaska and Michigan and 8 1/2 years as dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo, New York. She has led both parish and diocesan retreats on “The Virgin Mary as Mother, Disciple and Priest,” and has taught diocesan classes on liturgy and Anglican Spirituality. She now lives in Mexico where she’s learning to play the classical guitar, doing her best to speak Spanish, and spending time with Cuthbert the dog.

Dr. Luanne J. Bauer served as a Professor of Communication at three universities. Her favorite courses included Persuasion, Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication, London Theater and the Performance of Literature. Outside of work, she created Venerable Beads, makers of fine Anglican rosaries: prayer beads made from gemstones, gold, and silver. She currently dabbles in watercolor painting on her mirador in Mexico and takes Cuthbert the dog for long walks.