Upcoming Sessions
Registration for sessions
To the left you will find the list of our upcoming sessions for this fall.
You can register for many at one time, or weekly, or simply click on the link below to attend without registering:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Open to all to attend without fee but donations are deeply appreciated.
While we are on summer pause,
please visit last season’s sessions by visiting our channel on YouTube.
Recent Past Sessions
Last Season’s Sessions
Alignment: Chrysalis Labyrinth Walk
Saturday, May 6, 7:00-8:00 pm EDT, 2023
Alignment celebrates World Labyrinth Day with a Chrysalis Walk at Bournelyf led by the Outdoor Chaplain.
The meditative practice of walking into the labyrinth resembles the wrapping of the chrysalis, enveloped in possibility.
The reflective act of walking out of the labyrinth resembles the release of the chrysalis, renewed in transformation.
More information about our session facilitator at www.TheOutdoorChaplain.com
Instagram @OutdoorChaplain
The Labyrinth at Bournelyf
1066 S. New Street, West Chester, PA 19382
This event is free and open to the public. Please register to attend. Donations gratefully accepted.
Alignment Online: A Reflection on Interfaith Harmony
View this session that was held on Sunday, April 30, 2023
When we live in harmony as a community, we are aware of each other’s individual voices while also lifting up that which unifies us and helps us to blend. Join Molly and Harold as they share songs that are rich in vocal harmonies as well as lyrical themes of love, acceptance, and honor for our shared struggles and triumphs as human beings.
Molly Hicks is a member of Old Haverford Friends Meeting, where she is Clerk of the Worship & Ministry Committee. Hazzan Harold is the Prayer leader and Spiritual Music Director at Congregation Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley, Pa.
Together they are part of the Interfaith Music Project Philadelphia.
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Season of Liberation - Finding Freedom in Song
Sunday, April 23, 2023
Link for tonight’s session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Season of Liberation: Finding Freedom in Song
Marni Loffman will lead us in the opportunity for singing, listening, reflection as we contemplatively explore the role of music in unlocking our inner gates and opening ourselves up to meaning, connection, and freedom.
Marni Loffman is a community-driven ritual leader, musician, performer and educator currently living on Lenni Lenape land. Marni is passionate about using creative practice to hold complexity and contradiction, to cultivate joy, make space for emotion and confront community harm and conflict. Marni works as a music teacher and tefillah/prayer educator at Beit Rabban Day School and facilitates music, contemplative practice, deep learning, and conversation in various synagogue and grassroots communities. They hold an MA in Peacebuilding from Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, where they studied tools such as abolitionist and alternative community justice practices, dialogue, mediation, and trauma healing. They guide individuals and groups in spiritual, musical, and Jewish learning experiences and use creative art and language to help people navigate conflict and pain.
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Kirtan with Zach Freidhof
Sunday, April 16, 2023
Link for tonight’s session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
This week’s session of contemplative practices will be led by Zach Freidhof, Zach Freidhof is a Troubadour of Peace from Akron Ohio. His music is an uplifting blend of folk & soul immersed in love.
Recently he was awarded the John T Looney Justice and Peace Award, Humanitarian of the Year, Local Band of the Year, Best Singer/Songwriter, and he has presented at the Parliament of World's Religions.
In addition to his numerous other albums, Zach has albums of his kirtan offerings. He is a yogi, leads meditation, and is a co-director of the Yoga Summit of Ohio. He also co-created and is the Executive Director of the Big Love Network, which seeks community uplift and engagement though neighbor-led neighborhood initiatives involving arts, skills, and gatherings. https://zachmusic.net/bio
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Taizé Chants
Sunday, April 2, 2023
Join us for half an hour of stillness and peace as we center ourselves using the chants of the Taizé Community, an ecumenical Christian monastic community in France. Taizé is one of the world’s most vibrant sites of Christian pilgrimage, and there are communities that follow the Rule of Taizé all over the world. Those who are a part of the community are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity, and reconciliation.
Rev. Margaret Somerville will introduce the meditation to mark the beginning of Holy Week in the Western Christian Church. It is a time of traveling to the depths of our experience, a time of reflection and preparation as we await the gift of life renewed.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment Online: Creative Clay
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Link to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Lester Morris will lead us in the meditative process of working with clay. We will join Lester virtually in his clay studio, engaging in our time of reflection as we watch his hands at the wheel.
Lester is a ceramics enthusiast and potter who has been working with clay since 1999, beginning with a class at his local community college. The first time he saw the fingerprints of an artist memorialized in a piece of ancient Japanese Jomon pottery dating from 10,000-8,000 BCE, he was filled with awe at the enduring nature of this art form. And quite different from the tech industry in which he works, he has found his meditative and spiritual practice in centering and throwing clay on the potter's wheel. Through the ceramics community, he has built relationships with artists who work in a wide variety of methods of building, glazing, and firing.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment Online: Maronite Chanting
Sunday, March 19
Link for tonight’s session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Serge El Helou will lead us in prayer and meditation from the Maronite tradition, playing the oud and piano.
Serge El Helou was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He began playing guitar, piano, and percussion at an early age. While pursuing his degree in Musicology in Lebanon, he had the privilege to learn harmony and composition with renowned composer Toufic Succar. In 2003, he pursued his musical career in Paris at René Descartes University where he earned another degree in Music Therapy and received his Orchestration degree from Boulogne Billancourt Conservatory, France. El Helou also received a Master’s degree in music therapy in the U.S. In addition to many years of experience in music therapy, teaching music, and working as a choir director, El Helou composes music for children’s plays, films, and documentaries. Several of his compositions were recently performed by chamber orchestras in Philadelphia and New York.
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Crisis Contemplation with Barbara A. Holmes
Sunday, March 12, 2023
Link to attend: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Alignment is honored to welcome the Rev. Dr. Barbara A. Holmes to share her work in Crisis Contemplation.
Dr. Holmes is a spiritual teacher and writer focused on African American spirituality, mysticism, cosmology and culture. She is President Emerita of United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (2012-2016). She also served as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Memphis Theological Seminary (2005-2010). She holds the title of Professor Emerita of Ethics and African American Religious Studies at that seminary. She is currently a core faculty member with The Center for Action and Contemplation founded by Fr. Richard Rohr.
Holmes was called to ministry while working as a corporate lawyer for the J.C. Penney Corporation and was ordained in the Latter Rain Apostolic Holiness Church in Dallas, Texas. Today, she has privilege of call in the United Church of Christ and recognition of ministerial standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Dr. Holmes grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, and was a member of Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church. Dr. Holmes has earned the following degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in Theatre Arts from the University of Connecticut; a Master of Science in Education from Southern Connecticut University; a Master of Divinity degree from Columbia Theological Seminary; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Religion (Ethics) from Vanderbilt. Also, she earned a law degree from Walter F. George School of Law, at Mercer University and practiced law in Miami, Atlanta, Macon and Dallas. She specialized in civil litigation, corporate, and appellate practice.
She says, "My life is committed to the struggle for justice, the healing of the human spirit, and the art of relevant and radical creativity." In addition, Dr. Holmes has worked with homeless missions; HIV/AIDS support groups and international ministries in Kenya (the Presbyterian Church of East Africa) and Japan. The author of six books and numerous articles, her most recent publications include: Crisis Contemplation: Healing the Wounded Village, Fall 2021, Race and the Cosmos: An Invitation to view the World Differently 2nd ed. 2020, 2002, Dreaming 2012, Liberation and the Cosmos: Conversations with the Elders, 2008, 2nd ed. 2023, and Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church, 2004, 2017. Dr. Holmes is married to George Ford and has two sons: Marcus, a film director, and Jason a professor of music.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment Online: Praying with the Outdoor Chaplain
Sunday, March 5
choose 30 minutes with the outdoor chaplain to explore blending prayer and nature.
mindful of the earth as sanctuary, the individual may connect with their understanding of the Divine.
Explore more information about our session facilitator at www.TheOutdoorChaplain.com
Instagram @OutdoorChaplain
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment Online: Jumpstarting Our Journaling Journey into Spring
Sunday, Feb 26
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
The Christian tradition of recognizing the forty days of Lent provides an opportunity for all of us to walk through a season of reflection regardless of our faith tradition. Join Reverend Carla Jones Brown for a brief period of introspection and journaling as we move into our future together. We’ll take this opportunity to tap into the stillness and to hear the inner voice of Wisdom that longs to speak to us. Participants need not commit to a 40 day practice - but perhaps for some this will be a jumpstart to a sustained practice.
Carla Jones Brown (She/Her) is a Teaching Elder in the PCUSA and serves Arch Street Presbyterian Church as the Senior Pastor. Our congregation partners with Interfaith Philadelphia to broaden our perspectives and to connect with and learn from other faith traditions. This aids us in our work to be a loving and welcoming community. She enjoys creating on paper and in the kitchen and longs to see people live in ways that allow them to clarify their deepest desires and dreams and also to discern where the Holy is leading them.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment Online: Gregorian Chant
Sunday, Feb 19
During this half hour, we will gather online to sit in a time of meditation and reflection guided by the sounds of Gregorian chant. Consider bringing with you into your space of meditation something from the world outside and/or something that smells fragrant. We can use these as a focal point as we sit in prayer or meditation in order to connect to the words of the chant.
People come with their cameras on or off. Some share things that arise for them in the chat during or after the meditation.
This contemplative practice is a time for you, one in which you create your own sacred space and give yourself the gift of pausing. We pause at the end of the week or at the beginning of the next to remember that our connection to our own wellbeing and to any understanding we might have of the divine, both within us and beyond us, is central to our wholeness, our shalom.
This session will be introduced by Rev. Margaret Somerville.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Honoring Your Path through the Four Directions
Friday, February 10, 7:00-8:00 pm EST
Honoring Your Path through the Four Directions
Delwin Elk Bear Fiddler, Hehakapa Mahto, is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, pipe carrier and medicine man. In this evening session at Temenos Retreat and Sanctuary, Hehakapa Mahto will lead us in the practice of the native Medicine Wheel. Native medicines refer to spiritual practices, messages, and objects that guide us in the direction that is right for us to experience our connection to the divine and the earth.
Delwin shares prayers, chants, and dance that is indigenous to his Lakota tribe.
This opening session to Alignment’s weekend retreat is also offered as a stand alone session for Friday night attendees only.
Fee: $35
Register for info about paying by Venmo or PayPal.
Alignment Online: Celtic Imbolc
Sunday, February 5
The Celtic festival of Imbolc marks the time between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. The time when we are most eager to celebrate the arrival of spring, but when we are still lying dormant. During Imbolc we honor the Celtic Brigid, goddess of fire and fertility. Adopted and adapted by Christians as St. Brigid of Kildare, the two Brigids honor that which is being held in the womb, “imbolc”.
Join us for a time of gentle meditation at this time of Imbolc as we consider what is lying dormant within us and what is ready to take root. Led by Margaret Somerville.
Register to receive the link to attend, which will be sent the day of the event.
Alignment: Shelter from the Storm
Sunday, January 29
Here is the Zoom link which will open at 7 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Where do you find refuge in life’s harsher seasons? Join Molly for a time of contemplative music and poetry exploring how we brave the emotional and spiritual elements and how we can access sanctuary for a time of rest.
Molly Hicks is a member of Old Haverford Friends Meeting, where she is Clerk of the Worship & Ministry Committee. In her professional life, Molly is a music therapist and bereavement coordinator with Penn Medicine Hospice, serving grieving adults through individual counseling and support groups. Molly has always felt drawn toward interfaith work and is especially grateful for the partnerships she has formed with local clergy and lay leaders over the years. Molly uses music and other forms of creativity to connect with other people, with herself, and with God, and is pleased to share this part of her life with you this evening. She also believes in the value of the silence between the sound, as a space for us to reflect on our thoughts and feelings and any messages we might be receiving.
Lunar New Year: Dumpling Workshop
Sunday, January 22, 2023 Register by January 14
The Dumpling Academy: 2401 Walnut St, Suite 102, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Join Alignment for this special workshop to celebrate the lunar new year.
We are so happy to have Yin of the Dumpling Academy lead us in this Dumpling + Tangyuan cooking experience.
Tangyuan (汤圆), also known as yuanxiao, is a ping-pong sized traditional Chinese desert, taking its name from a Chinese homophone for union (tuányuán). This glutinous rice ball is only offered around Chinese New Year, and symbolizes togetherness and completeness. Exactly what we seek with our Alignment offerings.
Register soon to reserve your spot and for information about sending payment for this event.
Adults: $95
Children 12 and under: $50
The entire fee is for the cost of the workshop. Any additional payment will be a donation to Alignment.
Parking: there is a lot behind the building, $10 on Sundays and free street parking on Sundays. Your dumpling making event ticket does not cover the parking fee.
Alignment: Kirtan with Zach Freidhof
Sunday, January 8, 2023
Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
This week’s session of contemplative practices will be led by Zach Freidhof, Zach Freidhof is a Troubadour of Peace from Akron Ohio. His music is an uplifting blend of folk & soul immersed in love.
Recently he was awarded the John T Looney Justice and Peace Award, Humanitarian of the Year, Local Band of the Year, Best Singer/Songwriter, and he has presented at the Parliament of World's Religions.
In addition to his numerous other albums, Zach has albums of his kirtan offerings. He is a yogi, leads meditation, and is a co-director of the Yoga Summit of Ohio. He also co-created and is the Executive Director of the Big Love Network, which seeks community uplift and engagement though neighbor-led neighborhood initiatives involving arts, skills, and gatherings. https://zachmusic.net/bio
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Setting Intentions
Sunday, January 1, 2023
We begin the new year by coming together for a time of quiet meditation and reflection.
Similar to the celebration of Samhuinn, New Year’s Day in our calendar is a threshold time of looking back on the year past and looking ahead with intention.
What will we carry forward with us?
What will we leave behind?
Are there some intentions that we need to face alone and others where we need support?
Our time together will allow space for writing, sharing, or just sitting in gentle contemplation.
Led by Margaret Somerville
Register to receive the link to attend online.
Alignment: Luminous Darkness. Labyrinth Walk.
Sunday, December 18, 2022
Labyrinth at Bournelyf (1066 S. New Street West Chester, PA 19382)
and online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Led by the Outdoor Chaplain
Luminous Darkness, a term found in various traditions, including Buddhism and Christianity.
Luminous Darkness helps one understand a coexistence. A term we hope you will find helpful for this special in-person, outdoor (and hybrid online) session of Alignment.
Sunday sessions are offered through the generosity of donations. This event is free and open to the public.
More information about our session facilitator at www.TheOutdoorChaplain.com
Instagram @OutdoorChaplain
Register below and note whether you would like to attend in person or online.
Extinguishing the Darkness: Rededicating Ourselves through Song, Chant and Prayer
Sunday, December 11, 2022
This session of Alignment will be online led by Hazzan Harold Messinger.
If you would like to attend without registering, the link will open at 7 pm EST: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
During these days in which we seek light and honor the darkness, we are grateful to be able to share each other’s traditions of prayer.
Hazzan Harold is the Prayer leader and Spiritual Music Director at Congregation Beth Am Israel in Penn Valley, Pa.
For 14 years he has led prayer and brought new innovation to the musical and spiritual life of this community. Some of these ideas include an improvisational ‘Music Prayer Lab’, enriching the prayer life of the community through the inclusion of music on Shabbat and holiday worship, seeking out congregants to take genuine leadership roles and developing a dynamic interfaith music partnership (Interfaith Music Project of Philadelphia with area Houses of Worship.
Register below to receive the link to attend.
Alignment Online: Calendar of Light
Sunday, December 4, 2022
The new Calendar of Light begins on December 1.
Each day offers a brief contemplative practice from a different religious or spiritual tradition.
This week’s session of Alignment will be an introduction to the calendar with an opportunity to hear about the creation of this interfaith project. We will also have the chance to discuss ways that it can be used as part of your daily practice or as an offering in your community.
Register to receive the link to attend online.
Alignment Online: Candle of Hope
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Link will open at 7 pm EST: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
This week will mark the first Sunday of Advent in the western Christian calendar. It is a time marked by sitting in the darkness in preparation for the coming of the light. Each week a candle is lit to signify something with which we sit in this period of expectation. The first candle represents hope.
During our time of meditation and reflection this week, we will sit with the candle of hope and reflect on the areas in which we seek hope in our lives.
As always, consider setting the space where you log on to Alignment. Perhaps light your own candle, have paper ready if you wish to journal, or drawing materials, if sketching while meditating is helpful for you.
We will sit in stillness for 30 min, and if anyone wishes to stay on longer to share any thoughts, you are welcome to stay after.
Register to receive the link to attend online.
Alignment Online: The Iroquois Tree of Peace
Sunday, November 20, 2022
The Tree in Me
Connecting Our Roots
Hear the story of the Iroquois Tree of Peace with Jennifer Folayan, an expressive arts and indigenous rights advocate.
Bring paper and drawing items to explore in art form what our own tree of peace would be.
Jennifer Folayan, is of Pueblo, Cherokee, Aztec and Spanish descent. She was a keynote speaker at the South Africa Artizen 2021 Conference: Artists for Social Transformation. She founded a team of ambassadors to travel from Turtle Island to share our Indigenous teachings and culture across borders. She is currently residing in Spokane, Washington serving as a Cultural Specialist at the Healing Lodge of Seven Nations. She also serves on the Board of Directors at Baltimore American Indian Center.
She is a business owner and graphic designer that has created events and programs that serve to empower and unite survivors of rape, incest, domestic violence and foster care youth through the healing arts so that we can heal and discover our own empowered voice.
https://www.jenniferfolayan.com/
https://www.spreadyourwingsturtleisland.com/
Register to receive the link to attend online.
Alignment Online: Maronite Chanting
Sunday, November 13, 2022
Link for tonight’s session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Serge El Helou was born in Beirut, Lebanon. He began playing guitar, piano, and percussion at an early age. While pursuing his degree in Musicology in Lebanon, he had the privilege to learn harmony and composition with renowned composer Toufic Succar. In 2003, he pursued his musical career in Paris at René Descartes University where he earned another degree in Music Therapy and received his Orchestration degree from Boulogne Billancourt Conservatory, France. El Helou also received a Master’s degree in music therapy in the U.S. In addition to many years of experience in music therapy, teaching music, and working as a choir director, El Helou composes music for children’s plays, films, and documentaries. Several of his compositions were recently performed by chamber orchestras in Philadelphia and New York.
We are honored to have Serge leading Alignment again and sharing the beautiful sound of the oud.
Register to receive the Zoom link.
Alignment Online: Sacred Gifts
Sunday, November 6, 7:00-7:30 EDT
Here is the link which will open at 7 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Sondra Rosenberg will lead us in a reflection on the gifts we have received throughout our lives. We will take time to identify and honor the people, places, and experiences that have imparted gifts to us and then use art materials to envision a sacred vessel in which to hold these gifts. Gather in your space any paper and drawing materials that you might use during the session.
Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC, is an artist and art therapist residing in the Mt. Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. She works at The Renfrew Center, a treatment facility for people with eating disorders, maintains a private art therapy practice, and facilitates healing arts workshops in various spaces.
Register for this free session of guided creative meditation.
Passages: an interfaith, intergenerational dialogue
Wednesday, November 2, 7:00-7:45 pm EDT
Here is the link which will open at 7 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
This month's topic: One of the most common questions asked within faith communities is, “How do we get younger people to engage with our religious community?” Last month's discussion showed, however, that people of all ages often struggle to connect to the communities in their area. So if this applies to you - what do you feel is lacking for you in communities with which you have attempted to connect? If it does not, can you pinpoint something that your community does provide for you that makes that connection possible?
Join Sonjay Singh, a trial attorney, and Douglas Roberts, a Montessori educator, as they tackle the ways in which faith deals with universal aspects of the human experience.
Sonjay and Douglas grew up in Hindu and Christian families which were deeply engaged in the rhythms and rituals of their respective traditions. They also grew up together and shared each other's traditions. This became a part of their own way of being in and seeing the world - especially the fact that one tradition did not preclude or exclude or superimpose itself on the other, but could embrace the other. Grown from tradition into expansive and inclusive ways of thinking, they invite us into dialogue about where we find ourselves grounded in our tradition, and where we find ourselves expanding from it.
They are joined by their elders, a Hindu pandit, a mantra leader, and a Presbyterian minister, for an intergenerational, interfaith, open conversation.
Free registration to receive the zoom link to attend. The link will be sent out the day before the session.
Alignment Online: Celtic Samhuinn
Sunday, October 30, 7:00-7:30 EDT
Here is the link which will open at 7 pm ET: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Samhuinn is the Celtic celebration that marks the time and space that lies between - between now and then, between here and there, between life and death, between us and those who have gone before us. During this transitional time between summer and winter, the veil between this world and the next is thin. Christian traditions have incorporated this Celtic festival into the celebrations of All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Halloween, and Día de los Muertos.
Our contemplative practice this week will be led by the Rev. Margaret Somerville, as we open ourselves to the liminal space of Samhuinn and an awareness of the thinness of the veil that divides.
Alignment: Candlelit Labyrinth Walk for Diwali
Sunday, October 23, 2022
Are you carrying it around: a question, decision, or heavy loss?
Labyrinths provide the non-judgmental space to walk with our concerns. When we reach the center, we release them gently. For a time we can turn inward, lean, bend, and then emerge from the path, returning to the world and into the lights of a new year and new resolutions.
Labyrinths are ancient tools. No prior experience is required. You cannot get lost as there is only one path. We will walk without speaking and at our own individual paces. Wear the bright colors of Diwali, pick up a light to carry with you on your meditative walk and share a sweet to welcome the new year.
The Outdoor Chaplain, Cairn Neely, and Savita Singh will be our leaders for this in-person session of Alignment which is co-sponsored by Interfaith Bryn Mawr.
Meet at the labyrinth on the Bryn Mawr College campus. Register (to receive directions) or just show up. If there is light rain, we will continue and take in the freshness of the rain.
Melody, Meaning and Mindfulness in the Sukkah
Sunday, October 16, 2022
The link for tonight’s session will open at 7 pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Join us for song, prayer, silence, and breath to honor our souls for the holiday of Sukkot. This session of Alignment will be in person, outdoors in the sukkah of Rabbi Shelly Barnathan in Havertown.
Sukkot, the Festival of Booths, a time for celebrating the ingathering of the harvest, also commemorates the wandering in the wilderness after liberation from enslavement. Hospitality is extended to fellow travelers in a sukkah, an outdoor dwelling, as we are mindful of those who need temporary shelter.
Rabbi Shelly Barnathan is the spiritual leader of Or Zarua, a co-constructed Jewish community located in the Haverford/Lower Merion area of the Philadelphia suburb. Rabbi Shelly is a 2015 graduate of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. As a child of Holocaust survivors and raised in a Modern Orthodox Jewish home, Rabbi Shelly possesses roots that are firmly planted in Jewish prayer, text, and practice. Rabbi Shelly is a "seeker", taking the traditional roots of Judaism and planting seeds of light into the world through acts of Tikkun Olam/Social Justice as well as creative practices such as chant, meditation, poetry, and song. It is Rabbi Shelly’s greatest wish to accompany others on their spiritual journeys, helping each person to find the light within each one of us, so that we can bring more light to our world, so in need of our care.
Register below for directions.
Alignment: The Creative and Spiritual Path of Acceptance
For who didn’t have a chance to register, here is the link which will open at 7 pm Sunday: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
When life shows up with big changes, where do you find yourself on the spectrum of “go with the flow” to “go kicking and screaming?”
Molly Hicks will offer music and visual art in a contemplative setting to encourage accessing and cultivating spiritual resources during times of loss and growth. Please bring a journal or notebook and something to write with, if you’d like.
Molly Hicks is a member of Old Haverford Friends Meeting, where she is Clerk of the Worship & Ministry Committee. In her professional life, Molly is a music therapist and bereavement coordinator with Penn Medicine Hospice, serving grieving adults through individual counseling and support groups. Molly has always felt drawn toward interfaith work and is especially grateful for the partnerships she has formed with local clergy and lay leaders over the years. Molly uses music and other forms of creativity to connect with other people, with herself, and with God, and is pleased to share this part of her life with you this evening. She also believes in the value of the silence between the sound, as a space for us to reflect on our thoughts and feelings and any messages we might be receiving.
Alignment: Navratri
For those didn’t have a chance to register, here is the Zoom link for tonight’s session: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4278628623
Savita Singh will lead us in chanting prayers and dance for the Hindu festival of Navratri, a celebration of the goddess Durga, the mother goddess. This nine day festival focuses on the divine as mother, on the triumph of good over evil, and on homecoming.
Savita hails from several generations of Hindu priests. She serves in the Hindu community, including her father Pandit Omanand Persaud’s Krishna Mandir in New York, as well as other faith communities to bring awareness to the Hindu way of life, its traditions, beliefs and practices. But in doing so, she strives to unify and not to divide with her religious beliefs. Savita’s philosophy is that divinity lives within us, there is only one light and we each call that light by different names. Savita enjoys chanting ancient mantras and practices meditation to invoke the divinity within.
Join us online for a time of meditation as we incorporate these prayers and chants into our own practice.
After you register below, a link for participation will be sent the day before the session.