Class 6— May 10-11 — Zimzum, Telos & Practicing Paradise
Music during Meditation: From “Compline: The Shadow of Thy Wings” by the Christ Church Choir, New Haven, CT.
Poem: “I dwell in possibility” by Emily Dickinson.
Article: “Interview with Robin Wall Kimmerer” Author of Braiding Sweetgrass on the importance of experiencing the world as a gift.
Spiritual Practice: “Getting into Nature” from Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. Find nourishment for your soul in creation.
Film: “Sabbath” by Journey Films. Requires signing up for emails, 2 hour documentary on an exploration and importance of Sabbath.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 6 here.
The Zoom class video for Class 6 is available on Dropbox here
Class 5— April 26 & 27 — Zimzum, Sabbath & Commerce
Music during Meditation: “The Ludlows” and “Off to War” by James Horner, Legends of the Fall Soundtrack
Poem: “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” by Wendell Berry.
Article: “Sabbath Practice as Political Resistance: Building the Religious Counterculture” by Ana Levy-Lyons
Spiritual Practices: Play from Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. Take time to play, that is, in “purposeless enjoyment” with one another. Play a game, throw a frisbee, play cards, or something else.
Go Commerce Free: Take a 24 hour period where you do not buy or sell anything. Just make do with what you already have and find enjoyment.
The Zoom Class recording for Session 5 can be found here on Dropbox.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 5 here (with esoteric presenter notes).
Class 4—April 12 & 13 — Zimzum and Sabbath Delight
Music during Meditation: “Rain” by George Winston, “Winter into Spring” album
Poem: “Sabbath Poem 1985, V” by Wendell Berry. From his collection This Day: Sabbath Poems.
Book: 24/6: Giving Up Screens One Day a Week to Get More Time, Creativity, and Connection by Tiffany Shlain
Article: “In Praise of Being Unproductive” by JM Olejarz in The Harvard Business Review.
Spiritual Practices: Sabbath Box from Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. As you head into a sabbath rest, place items, or things left undone on slips of paper, into a box and close the lid. Don’t reopen until your sabbath time—an hour, morning, day—is finished.
Tech Sabbath: Introductory video below.
The Zoom class video for Class 4 is available on Dropbox here.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 4 here (with presenter notes).
Class 3—March 29 & 30 — Zimzum and Kenosis
Music during Meditation: Allegri’s Miserere Mei, Deus sung here by King’s College, Cambridge.
Poem: “Keeping Quiet” by Pablo Neruda.
Article: “An Ode to Silence: Why You Need It In Your Life” by the Cleveland Clinic.
Book: Biography of Silence by Pablo d’Ors. A wonderful book to savor if you want to explore silence and meditation more.
Spiritual Practices: Meditation
Sabbath Walk from Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. Take a 30 minute walk with no purpose other than letting your soul catch up to you. Stroll. Meander. Ramble. Don’t head for a destination. Just see what bubbles up. Stop if you feel like it. Start again when you’re ready.
The Zoom class video for Class 3 is available on Dropbox here.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 3 here (with presenter notes).
Class 2—March 15 & 16 — Zimzum and the Imago Dei
Poem: “Alone” by Maya Angelou
Articles: “The Good Life Requires People” and “Where Have All the Guys Gone?” from the Boston Globe. Also, an additional video interview with the author of The Good Life which is the longest scientific study on happiness.
Spiritual Practices: “The Wealth of Companionship” From Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller — We often isolate when things get tough. How can you cultivate relationships with others and make sure to check in with them when you need a place of still water?
“The Be Still” Prayer — Pray using the verse “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) in diminishing lengths. Taught by Phileena Heuertz and explained fully here. Note: The organization Phileena formerly worked at is now closed and a dialogue box will appear when you click the link. Just close out the box to get to the practice.
The Zoom class video for Class 2 is available on Dropbox here.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 2 here (with presenter notes).
Class 1—March 1 & 2 — Intro to Zimzum
Poem “Have You Ever Tried to Enter the Long Black Branches” by Mary Oliver from Devotions: The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
Article: “How Constantly Being Busy Affects Your Well-Being” from VeryWellMind.com
Spiritual Practice: “Thinning” From Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller — Just like carrots that are sprouting, we need to make room and thin out good things, or there won’t be room for anything to flourish or thrive.
Spiritual Practice: The Jesus Prayer
Anglican Prayer Beads: Purchase on Etsy
Orthodox Prayer Bracelet: Purchase on Etsy.
Books: Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens; and A Bead and a Prayer by Kristin Vincent.
You can find Phil’s Slide Handouts for Class 1 here (with presenter notes).
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