LCWR 2016
The words Mystery, Contemplation, Reflection, Transformation and Love arose again and again at this year’s LCWR Conference where the theme was Embracing the Mystery: Living Transformation. You may be aware that in recent years the Conference has placed great emphasis on Contemplative Dialogue and this year we continued to use the contemplative process in our conversations and sharing.
Liz Sweeney SSJ describes it as ‘a contemplative way of being together; a way of engaging in meaningful conversations that are rooted in deep listening. We listen from an inner silence that creates a space where something new can emerge. We come together in a circle of peers, of equals (where no one is an expert, no one is teaching, dominating, persuading). We come with the intention of creating a field of presence and love by grounding our awareness in our hearts, our Source, our interiority. At the same time, we offer ourselves wholeheartedly to creating communion in this circle as we intentionally listen for something new to emerge’.
In her address titled Fostering the Evolution of Love Liz spoke of the spiral of human evolution highlighting the expressions of love at the various stages. She went on to talk of four facets of our awareness; 1) the interior of I which is known only to the person themselves, 2) the exterior of I which is observable in behaviours, body language etc., 3) the exterior of WE which is observable in the systems, practices etc that we have developed and 4) the interior of WE which is our culture, what we value. Contemplative dialogue is an important way for a group to learn to tune in to and become aware of the interior of their particular WE, a way of finding, creating, generating a new interior of WE.
The Spiral of Human Evolution – Liz Sweeney
Liz referred to this awareness as a collective consciousness that binds us as one. If the culture of that WE is one of contemplation, deep listening, creative thinking, inclusive love, dialogue, welcoming diversity, mutual respect, then we are in a place to engage in contemplative dialogue. Without that harmony and coherence we are not in a place to engage in contemplative dialogue.
In her Keynote address titled Finding Ground in an Age of Groundlessness Margaret Wheatley suggested that ‘we are called to be careful listeners for the still small voice that is leading us to the edge.’ The Spirit she said speaks as loudly as I am willing to listen to. Being in relationship with God, Holy Mystery includes possibilities and risks. We are invited to surrender our own plans, our own goals, our own desires, certainties and arrogance and to wait and listen.
Margaret Wheatley
Margaret invited us to reflect on who it is we want to be in the world at this time of turmoil when the fabric of society is being ripped apart. Instinctively we want to do something about the suffering in the world, the 65.5 million people who are without a country and without hope. Yet, we know we cannot solve it. The challenge now is to stay with people in their suffering, stay with perseverance, patience, tolerance and with heart.
Talking about the way we are living now she noted that some writers refer to us as ‘future eaters ‘ while a Peruvian poet suggests that we are ‘undoing the future’. For Margaret contemplation is the only way forward for us to be the presence of peace and love in the world. ‘Hope is a state of mind, not of the world. Hope, in this deep and powerful sense, is not the same as joy that things are going well, or willingness to invest in enterprises that are obviously heading for success, but rather an ability to work for something because it is good.’ Vaclav Havel
Other addresses given at the Conference included Leading from the Allure of Holy Mystery: Contemplation and Transformation by Pat Farrell OSF and the Presidential address titled Transformation – an Experiment in Hope given by Marcia Allen CSJ. Both of these talks and other materials are available on the LCWR website. https://lcwr.org/calendar/lcwr-assembly-2016
Rosaline O’Connor
US Province
