SPIRITUAL FORMATION

VISION

Spiritual Formation encourages life-giving spiritual growth.

Matt 11:28-30


“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you will recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me. Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
We Hold Both Beauty and Brokenness
We all have both . . . beauty and brokenness. We purpose to see and value both in you.
We do this knowing that we are all on a journey and both are important to the  journey.
After all, it is from our wounds that we minister most effectively.


Spiritual Practices
We teach and host spiritual practices or “protected spaces” where we can be with and listen to God. Some of these practices are a once-a month contemplative worship service, an annual silent retreat at Pacem in Terris, an Advent Watch, discussions of books such as Spiritual Pathways and seminars on practices like The Examen.


Enneagram - A Friend of Formation
Through seminars, our trained Enneagram Coaches help us to see the potential for health and un-health in our unique designs. They help us to talk about the gift we can be in our most valued relationships. In these times together we also learn to author more accurate stories of ourselves . . . our truest selves.


Art and Spiritual Formation
We believe beauty moves the heart toward God and that art illuminates truth. You will find poetry read, fine art featured, icons present and music, a part of almost all Spiritual Formation offerings. We also believe along with Vincent Van Gogh:“The more I think it over, the more I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people”.

Loyola Center for Spirituality

Awaken has a Friendship with the Loyola Center for Spirituality in St. Paul.
This organization holds values similar to ours. The Center provides spiritual direction and education in Ignatian Spirituality.
We encourage you to visit their website and take advantage of these offerings.

Listening
Groups

Listening prayer is rare today, yet so important if we want to know God. In our growing network of Spiritual Direction Groups we are learning to listen well to God and each other. In one of these groups, 4 people meet monthly for 2 ½ hours. They listen to each other’s stories, listen to God and share what was discerned. We experience the words of the Quaker Author, Douglas Steere “To listen another’s soul into a condition of disclosure and discovery may be almost the greatest service that any human being ever performs for another.”