“Edith Wharton wrote in 1934 that “…one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways.” What exactly does it mean? Three women authors—Rev. Eileen Mahoney, Barbara Becker, and Mirabai Bush—will explore its meaning and what the implications are for living a full life at a workshop at The Mount on Friday, September 6, 2024, from 10am-4pm.
Greening of the Soul is a paradigm that describes different ways to address the need to refresh, revitalize, and tend to our spirits. “Greening” is a phrase borrowed from an 11th century nun, Hildegard Von Bingen, who used it to mean that everything was infused with the Divine Spark. Rev. Mahoney and her colleagues will guide participants through discussion and exercises to practice attending to our spirits.
The fast pace of our lives today: the feeling of being outpaced by technology, unsafe because of the political climate and climate change are some of the reasons why our spiritual lives have taken a back seat. We lose connection with each other and ourselves, making our lives feel empty even as they are filled with activity.
Mahoney was moved by reading Barbara Becker’s “Heartwood: The Art of Living with the End in Mind” and the intimate conversation chronicled by Mirabai Bush and Ram Dass in “Walking Each Other Home: Conversations on Loving and Dying.” She saw both works as different expressions of her Greening so invited them to collaborate with her on this workshop.
“I was intrigued by the idea of bringing Barbara and Mirabai’s work together with mine in a retreat to help others explore this for themselves,” Mahoney said. The resulting daylong retreat “Greening of the Soul: Harvesting the Wisdom of our Lives” will be held at Edith Wharton’s estate The Mount on September 6 from 10 am to 4 pm.
All three address in their own way: “Can we live our lives more fully knowing some day we will die?” The result is a dynamic, refreshing, clear way to explore what makes life truly worth living.
Barbara Becker, a perpetual seeker, a mom and a human rights advocate, says that “Heartwood…” was her quest to immerse herself in what it means to be mortal.”
Mirabai Bush, author with RamDass of the best-selling “Walking Each Other Home,” adds, “We hope to reawaken that simple yet profound passion [for life}for all who attend.”
The relationship between these women is a divine weaving of wisdom, fusing three unique lenses together through which one can tend to suffering and harvest ways to stay fresh and alive in the face of challenges. “Through conversation, guided meditation and time on the beautiful surroundings of The Mount, our intention is to help participant remember to tend their spirits and relish what is most meaningful in their lives,” says Mahoney. “We hope that you can join us.”
Click here for more information, or call 413-441-4258
