I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound*

Washington, DC, June 24, 2014 — The much-anticipated Wild Goose Festival taking place June 26th through June 29th in Hot Springs, North Carolina, will feature, among its many eclectic and rich offerings, a presentation on spiritual direction by Patience Robbins, Director of the Young Adult Life and Leadership Initiative for Shalem Institute and long-time spiritual […]

Washington, DC, June 24, 2014 — The much-anticipated Wild Goose Festival taking place June 26th through June 29th in Hot Springs, North Carolina, will feature, among its many eclectic and rich offerings, a presentation on spiritual direction by Patience Robbins, Director of the Young Adult Life and Leadership Initiative for Shalem Institute and long-time spiritual director on the staff of Shalem’s Spiritual Guidance Program. Festival participants will also have the opportunity to experience spiritual direction first-hand from spiritual directors who are graduates of Shalem’s Spiritual Guidance Program.

Spiritual direction is the sacred and time-tested Christian practice where an individual opens in a conscious and loving way to the Spirit with the support of a spiritual companion. According to Robbins, who will lead a presentation on spiritual direction on Saturday, June 28th at 2:00 pm at the festival (Chapel, Group Camp), “the heart of this practice is listening with deep reverence for the nudges and invitations of God’s loving and liberating Spirit. The director honors whatever longings, experiences, fears, doubts, questions, or joys that person may bring to a session and prayerfully holds all of this with open attention for God’s guidance.”

“We celebrate the passion and vision of the organizers of the Wild Goose Festival and are delighted that Shalem graduates have volunteered to be of service to participants who may feel called to reflect on their personal, spiritual paths while attending the festival,” commented Leah Rampy, executive director at Shalem. “We all have moments of wondering where we are bound. Spiritual direction offers a space to walk with a spiritual companion to live into that question— to more boldly listen to our hearts and to God.”


Festival participants may sign up for spiritual direction at an assigned tent on the festival grounds and arrange to meet a spiritual director privately. This is a confidential, prayerful meeting, usually lasting one hour.

# # #

About the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation: Shalem is one of the most respected centers for spiritual deepening in the US and globally. The Shalem community continues the lineage of the Christian contemplative tradition. Its programs center on contemplative teaching and practices that open the mind and awaken the heart to the living Spirit. A generation of spiritual directors have trained with Shalem and graduates practice this work around the world. Many of the world’s foremost spiritual speakers and writers have been featured in Shalem programs including Cynthia Bourgeault, Thich Nhat Hanh, Richard Rohr, and Eckhart Tolle. Its Online School of Contemplative Prayer Series brings Christian contemplative living to the digital age. The next online course with Patience Robbins starts June 29th, “Living Word, Living Way,” featuring lectio divina, walking meditation, the practice of gratitude and intercessory prayers. Click here to register. Follow Shalem online at www.shalem.org | Twitter @ShalemInstitue | Facebook  | LinkedIn

About the Wild Goose Festival: Taking place on June 26-June 29 2014 in Hot Springs, North Carolina, the Wild Goose Festival is a community creating a festival at the intersection of justice, spirituality, and art. Buy tickets for the Wild Goose Festival here. Follow the festival http://wildgoosefestival.org | Twitter @WildGooseFest  #wildgoose14| Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildgoosefestival

* Props to singer and songwriter Tom Paxton, “I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound.”

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!