Modern cultures encourage us to compartmentalize our grief, but coming home to grief is sacred work that confirms the wisdom of all spiritual traditions: that we are all deeply interconnected. Grief registers the many ways that this depth of kinship is assaulted daily; and thus, it becomes a powerful practice to remember the mutuality of our suffering and the possibility of compassion.

As a part of our 3-month "Sanctuary of the Heart" series, we are exploring different facets of resilience. Last month we explored the gifts of uncertainty, and this month, we consider the gifts of grief -- with a global circle of kindred spirits.

I have come to have a deep faith in grief; I have come to see the way its moods call us back to soul. It is in fact, a voice of soul, asking us to face life’s most difficult but essential teaching: everything is a gift, and nothing lasts. --Frances Weller, in Grief as Deep Activism

Finally on my way to yes, I bump into, All the places, Where I said no, To my life. All the unintended wounds, The red and purple scars, Those hieroglyphs of pain, Carved into my skin and bones, Those coded messages, That sent me down, The wrong street, Again and again. Where I find them, The old wounds, The old misdirections, And I lift them, One by one, Close to my heart, And I say, Holy. Holy. Holy. --Pesha Gerstier

To join our circle, simply RSVP below and we'll send you the details. Through music, spiritual practices, stories, and renowned thought leaders, we’ll sit in the tension of the challenges we face daily, and trust that the collective voice of the community will be our guide. From this place, we believe that the gifts of adversity may catalyze new insights and skills to thrive in transitional times.

This month, we're particularly excited to feature a remarkable guest speaker:

Lily Yeh, once described as the "Mother Teresa of community arts," is an artist whose work aims to "to spark transformation, healing and social change in places plagued by poverty, crime and despair." On 1989 trip to showcase her art in China, she witnessed the tragic events of Tiananmen Square and found her calling of using art for creating social change, "without sparing oneself". That practice of being the change took her to far-flung places in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, to "bring colors" and beauty to communities plagued by dearth of hope and resources. For more: Rwanda Healing Arts Project (video), Lessons from Palestine, and a personal interview Fire in Dark Night of the Winter

Also on our call -- a meditation by Rhonda Magee, poetry of Charles Gibbs, and music of Radhika Sood Nayak and much more!

To join our virtual gathering, simply RSVP below and you'll be emailed the details. (Following the event, you'll also be invited to join the Sanctuary Pod for deeper engagement with each other.) Thank you for helping co-create this Sanctuary of the Heart!