Participants from Channing’s Clearing Circle (originally the “Clearing as a Spiritual Practice” group) have decided to continue, and renew, this work. Having worked through two of Stephanie Bennett Vogt’s books, we’ll be journeying, together, through another one of her books, beginning on, or around, March 23rd. Anyone interested is welcome to join us! (No prior experience with Stephanie Bennett Vogt’s work is required.)
On this journey, we’ll explore “space clearing” from the inside out with the help of Stephanie Bennett Vogt’s book, A Year to Clear: A Daily Guide to Creating Spaciousness in Your Home and Heart, which is divided into 365 days of bite-sized reading and practice.
- What’s this all about? Stephanie Bennett Vogt writes, in the introduction to A Year to Clear, “The way I work to restore balance in people’s homes and lives is a bit like acupuncture– the ancient Chinese practice of inserting tiny needles into the energy centers of the physical body to release stuckness and improve the flow of chi…. What I ‘insert’ to bring about lasting change is pure compassionate awareness.’” Elaborating on this “compassionate awareness,” she adds, “Feeling and witnessing a task or a stressful situation in the present moment does a magical thing: It releases stuck energy, quiets the mind, helps us detach more easily, and creates openings that weren’t there before.” (To summarize, Stephanie Bennett Vogt’s approach strongly emphasizes the inner dimension of clearing.)
- What will I need to do? Participants will work through one small bit of reading and practice per day on our own, and we’ll meet together via Zoom once every two weeks to share about our experience. Practice will include reading, reflection, journaling, and occasional gentle practical work.
- What materials are required? Participants will need access to a copy of A Year to Clear. The book is available from various sources, including Amazon, in paperback and on Kindle. (If you’d like to participate, but are short on funds at this time, please contact Rev. Jane.)
- When will the group meet? The group plans to meet every two weeks throughout the year. Our first Zoom session is tentatively scheduled for 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 23rd. If you’d like to participate, but this time doesn’t work well for you, please let us know. The timing of sessions is not set in stone, and is contingent on participants’ schedules.
- I’m interested! What should I do before the first session? First, let Pam El-Dinary (pameldinary@gmail.com) know you’d like to join our circle–and whether the proposed time works for you. (Pam will be our Zoom host for the sessions.) Then, please read the introduction, and do the reading and the “Explore” practices for the first two weeks before the first session.