With John Philip Newell
In 2016 John Philip Newell founded the School of Celtic Consciousness (SCC). He did so in the belief that Celtic wisdom is needed at this moment in time, urgently. It is a spiritual tradition in the Christian household that can nurture vision of mind, strength of soul, and compassion of action.
Five Oaks is the fifth retreat centre to become home for the SCC, and is the only Canadian location of the school. The school will convene annually in the early summer at Five Oaks.
SCC Purpose
- To expand the consciousness of Celtic wisdom through study and reflection.
- To deepen spiritual practice in the context of Earth’s sacredness.
- To nurture community and a commitment to compassionate action.
SCC Curriculum
The SCC has a three-year curriculum. In other words, the themes of Year 1 will not appear again until the fourth year of the School. Participants may join at any stage and, over a three year period, receive the full curriculum of teachings. It is also possible in the three-year program to attend more than one of the school locations, e.g., to take Year 1 at Five Oaks, and Years 2 and 3 elsewhere. The recommended prayer book for the School is Sounds of the Eternal: A Celtic Psalter.
Year 1 ‘In the Beginning was the Gift’ (Pelagius, St Brigid, and Teilhard de Chardin). Required Reading: Listening for the Heartbeat of God.
Year 2 ‘The Song of the Sacred Earth’ (Eriugena, the Carmina Gadelica, and John Muir). Required Reading: Listening for the Heartbeat of God and The Book of Creation.
Year 3 ‘Dreaming the Way Forward’ (George MacDonald, Kenneth White, and George MacLeod). Required Reading: Listening for the Heartbeat of God and Christ of the Celts.
Program Format
Our daily schedule will consist of prayer at the beginning and ending of each day, presentations by John Philip Newell, followed by meditative practices, silence, and sharing. Meals will be shared in common and there will be free time to hike, walk our large outdoor Chartres Labyrinth, and rest. We will share in celebration on the last evening together.
Watch for information coming soon about scholarship applications to attend our 2018 session.
Leaders
John Philip Newell
John Philip Newell, the celebrated author of Listening for the Heartbeat of God: A Celtic Spirituality, is one of the most prominent Christian teachers of spirituality in the Western world.
Formerly Warden of Iona Abbey in the Western Isles of Scotland, he now divides his time between Edinburgh, where he does most of his writing, and travelling and teaching internationally. In 2015 he became the Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Spirituality at Iliff School of Theology in Denver where he offers a course every Spring.
The Revd Dr John Philip Newell is an ordained Church of Scotland minister with a passion for peace among the great wisdom traditions of humanity. In 2011 he received the first-ever Contemplative Voices Award from the Shalem Institute in Washington DC in recognition of his work in spirituality and peacemaking. His PhD is from the University of Edinburgh and he has authored over 15 books, including Christ of the Celts, Praying with the Earth, A New Harmony, and his most recent visionary title The Rebirthing of God: Christianity’s Struggle for New Beginnings.
John Philip Newell is the co-founder of Heartbeat: A Journey Towards Earth’s Wellbeing (www.heartbeatjourney.org) a scholarship-awarding foundation committed to enabling:
- the articulation of earth-honouring spirituality
- the pursuit of interfaith relationship
- the practice of contemplation and action
Date
July 3 – 5, 2018
Location
- Commuter Program – CAD $320.00
- Dorm Style – CAD $390.00
- Private Room – CAD $480.00
- Shared 1 Double Bed – CAD $420.00
- Shared Room (2 beds) – CAD $420.00
(All prices include $320 base amount)
Base Price includes Programming and Food. All prices are in Canadian Funds