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.

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

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.

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.

SCC Purpose

1. To consciously access the wisdom of our Celtic Christian inheritance.
2. To deepen spiritual practice in relationship to this wisdom.
3. To translate this study and practice into compassionate action.

SCC Curriculum

The SCC follows 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 in Colorado, 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’ (Alexander Scott, Kenneth White, and George MacLeod). Required Reading: Listening for the Heartbeat of God and Christ of the Celts.

SCC Locations & Dates

The Colorado School of Celtic Consciousness (Every Spring)

Year 1: May 17 – 19 2016 at Estes Park, CO (* already completed – see SCC Curriculum above)

Year 2: April 4 – 6 2017 at Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lake, CO (* already completed – see SCC Curriculum above)

Year 3: April 13 – 15 2018 at Shambhala Mountain Center, Red Feather Lake, CO (click here for more event information)

The Canada School of Celtic Consciousness (Every Summer)

Year 1: July 3 – 5 2018 at Five Oaks Centre in Paris, Ontario, Canada (click here for more event information on the Five Oaks Centre website)

Year 2: To be announced

Year 3: To be announced

The New England School of Celtic Consciousness (Every Summer)

Year 1: July 11 – 13 2017 at Mercy by the Sea Retreat & Conference Center, Madison, CT (* already completed – see SCC Curriculum above)

Year 2: July 10 – 12 2018 at Mercy by the Sea Retreat & Conference Center, Madison, CT (www.mercybythesea.org)

Year 3: in July 2019 at Mercy by the Sea Retreat & Conference Center, Madison, CT (www.mercybythesea.org)

The Virginia School of Celtic Consciousness (Every Autumn)

Year 1: October 17 – 19 2017 at Roslyn Retreat Center, Richmond, VA (* already completed – see SCC Curriculum above)

Year 2:  November 6 – 8 2018 at Roslyn Retreat Center, Richmond, VA (click here for more event information)

Year 3: October 15-17 2019 at Roslyn Retreat Center, Richmond, VA (www.heartbeatjourney.org)

The California School of Celtic Consciousness (Every Winter)

Year 1: January 31 – February 2, 2017, at Bishop’s Ranch, Healdsburg, CA (* already completed – see SCC Curriculum above)

Year 2: January 30 – February 1, 2018, at Bishop’s Ranch, Healdsburg, CA (click here for more event information on Bishop’s Ranch website)

Year 3: January or February 2019 at Bishop’s Ranch, Healdsburg, CA (www.bishopsranch.org)

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SCC Quarterly Gatherings

Each of the SCC locations will also hold quarterly gatherings (at which John Philip will not be present), led by members of the regional leadership team, to continue to nurture study, spiritual practice, community, and action. Details of dates and locations will be posted on our Heartbeat website Events Page (www.heartbeatjourney.org).

It is our hope that the School of Celtic Consciousness will be a legacy of Celtic wisdom for today, to further enable the sacred work of healing and transformation in our lives and world.

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Weekly Prayers

Readings

Videos

Books and CDs

Heartbeat Blog

Ben Lindwall, Executive Director: [email protected]

Karin Baard, Communications Assistant: [email protected]

Telephone:

(503) 902-4820

 

Mail:

Heartbeat

5431 NE 20th AVE

PORTLAND, OR 97211

 

Email: [email protected]