Contemplative Arts and Creative Spirituality Retreats
We invite you to become part of a Christian community experiencing God’s love through the Creative arts. Open up your intuitive creativity and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal your personal journey, desires and purpose.
This is a guided retreat, each month we explore Gospel themes as we take few generous fruitful steps towards receiving God’s graces. While it is a guided retreat there is freedom to express yourself in your own unique and individual way.
Testimonials
…Praying with art is as necessary as breathing for some of us. Lynne’s sessions are creative and engaging and involve moving between individual work and group reflection. I have found Lynne’s sessions an invitation to experience my own contemplative creativity and to experience the wonder of God’s love for me in this. Lynne has a gentle encouraging manner and the space she facilitates is light filled.
Judith Keller, SOUTHPORT
The Contemplative Arts group was my second experience with the Faber Centre, and the Ignatian style of spiritual contemplation.
I went, expecting to have a play with some pastels and maybe a God-talk.
I found a welcoming, honest and caring group to share and explore our Lord’s work in my life. There were pastels, and lots of God-talk, but it was open, meaningful and very life-giving. I felt a genuine connection with the others in the group, and with our guide, Lynne, who gently and skilfully led us through scripture and art-based meditation. I had no hesitation in signing up for the next one!
Each time I have gone, I have had a new, wonderful experience with a different style of art, movement or meditation-style. I treasure the fellowship I’ve shared. Many of the words spoken and thoughts drawn out of others in the group have stayed with me, as well as my own personal revelations. We all met as strangers, but left with a real feeling of spiritual connection that only the Holy Spirit can provide.
Lynne’s thoughtful and encouraging attitude to art and Ignation Spirituality helped me explore my own artistic gift and gave me room to stretch my wings. It was definitely God who guided me there, and I thank Lynne for her special ministry and the Faber Centre for bringing me closer to Christ in a way I never would have found on my own. Amen!
GW
What our have retreatants have created...
ANONYMOUS ARTWORK 1, 18 Jun 2019: “Highways, Pathways & Stairways” - traces of His gifts in my life.
ANONYMOUS ARTWORK 2
8 June 2019 Same day: “Birth Channel” - there’s a hint that in the Beginning, the dark Void was pregnant and there was Pain in birthing the Light. The same cosmic energies living out my life bears similar pattern.
ANONYMOUS ARTWORK 3.
9 Jun 2018: “Walking with Jesus: neither this directionnor that.”
I looked back on my art journal and found this black-&-white artwork of my unfolding, drawn exactly one year ago, from the one above.
'Acts 2:1-11' pastel artwork and its details by Emmee
Reflection: God's spirit encourages me to be my true self, to be open to new perspectives of my life. To look beyond the black and white thinking. Embrace myself and all my colours. To be courageous and take risks. Try something new, get to know myself more. To place my hope and trust in God and enjoy life's journey.
A peom by one of our retreatants, Pamela Eldridge, shared with the Arts Group
I AM HERE
-----
Relaxing in the sunlight
I begin to close my eyes,
Gently contemplating who I am and why.
Seeking the truth that is inside.
-----
In the quiet now, I see myself.
Before the sun I stand,
Facing heat, billowing fire—I might die.
Have I the courage to find out what’s inside?
-----
God, stay, with me!
I pray.
I feel a calming presence all around.
With FAITH, I walk right on through the flames.
-----
Arms and legs are flailing
And I’m all out of control,
Staggering inward, onward, downward.
I’m unsure.
-----
I find
I’m stuck,
On cliff edge.
Looking down, all is orange-red and loud. Heart beating fast. I am afraid,
‘til I perceive a gentle Voice above the roar.
GO, says the gentle Voice, GO NOW.
-----
I go.
I fall.
-----
I’m floating!
Clouds of comfort hugging me, Surrounding me, supporting me.
I’m floating in this lovingness of God.
Resting in the mystery of God.
I AM HERE.
I AM ALWAYS HERE.
-----
Here in all the whiteness
It’s so wonderful and calm,
In the silence of the softly glowing rays;
In the radiance of all-embracing Love.
I AM LOVED.
----
I weep.
I sob with Joy. I know this!
I AM LOVED—I am sorry for my doubt.
NO DOUBT.
NO FEAR. I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.
REST.
-----
I weep
With relief.
I rest.
-----
It’s getting darker,
I AM HERE
And darker.
I AM HERE
----
Resting now on a pillow,
On the sea,
Undulating with the waves
And my breathing in and out.
Cradled securely,
In the shimmering on the sea, In God’s arms,
Up and down,
PEACE.
-----
Waves
Are surging in
And I’m now not so secure.
What if there’s a storm? I am alarmed.
-----
God’s whiteness
Simply
Rises
Up the face of the threatening wave,
To encircle me in a shiny-white, soft pearl,
With me safely in its centre, reassured.
Together we roll smoothly with the waves.
-----
The pearl
Unfurls
And I rise.
And I see that I am young—a child!
Where were You God?
I needed You!
When alone, bewildered, lost.
I WAS WITH YOU. I AM ALWAYS HERE.
-----
I’m Distressed,
Resentful.
I hear
My tender Voice Divine, once more.
YOU’RE RESISTING.
LET THE FEELINGS GO.
YOU ARE LEARNING—TO BE WHO YOU ARE.
-----
I feel It all.
The tears,
They flow.
I’m lighter now and free!
GRATEFUL—for the WONDROUSNESS of me.
LOOK AT YOU.
YOU ARE YOU.
BEAUTIFUL.
-----
JOY
In the rhythm of the breathing, up and down,
As I’m resting in the rosy-golden glow,
In the eternal loving arms of God.
-----
The sea is whitish, merging
With the formlessness of God,
All supporting me in whiteness all around.
I realize— I need nothing. ALL IS WELL.
But, there’s still
That pillow
Under me.
I don’t need it now. Away!
-----
God’s whiteness
Quickly
Rises
Protectively, with a roar,
Sweeping over to enfold me, swift and sure.
Comfort and protection, swift and sure.
-----
Now
I MERGE
Into
This ... luminous ... whiteness.
BLISS
In the rhythm, in the whiteness, in the
LOVE.
I can’t see myself,
But I know that
I AM HERE.
My Lord.
My Love.
I know that
I AM HERE.
-----
Where are you God? I wonder.
And the whiteness funnels into me,
Whoosh, into my heart,
In my heart, inside me and all around.
God is in me.
God’s in me, and I’m in God.
I AM.
Afterword
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