Perfect Joy: The Path of Radical Embrace with Saint Francis the Mystic
WHERE: A Retreat in the Misty Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC
WHEN: March 17-19, 2017
WHO: LGBTQ People and our Friends
HOW MUCH: $125.00 Full Price. Save $30 by registering by Friday March 3, 2017!
Discover the secrets of Radical Embrace and Perfect Joy revealed by Saint Francis of Assisi, hidden by nine hundred years of religious dogma and spiritual abuse, and waiting to be unleashed in your life ...
How did St. Francis discover the path of Radical Embrace? Through troubadors, moorish traders, or even Shams of Tabriz, the beloved master of Rumi? From ecstatic visions of the Divine Beloved? We may never know.
What we DO know is that the teachings and practices of Radical Embrace survived eight hundred years of religious dogma and spiritual abuse, inspiring, challenging, and freeing those with eyes to see! It was never about poverty -- it was about embrace all along ...
Through Radical Embrace, we, like St. Francis, can shatter the illusion of separation, discover ourselves in all creation, and experience the ecstatic ocean of Love, described by mystics as "heaven on earth,” that lies beneath the surface of our lives! Join us as we set aside the chains of dogma, surrender our shame, fear, and doubt, explore the ecstatic practices of Saint Francis, and embody his discoveries in our own lives!
In this weekend workshop, we will explore the eight stages of the path of Radical Embrace: Contemplation, Blessing, Grieving, Longing, Embrace, Munificence, and Surrender. With stories, songs, dancing, and ceremony, we will discover the the teachings and practices of Francis, and harness their power to bring us back to life and gratitude, free us from the past, open our hearts and awaken in us a profound feeling of connection to our own hearts, to each other, and to the Divine Beloved in whom we live, move, and have our being ...
Participants are encouraged to extend their stay in the Asheville area to enjoy the incredible restaurant scene in downtown Asheville, drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit local waterfalls, or tour the magnificent Biltmore Estate. Asheville features a wonderful array of hotels and bed & breakfasts to meet every taste and price range. Hunter will also be available for private sessions before and after the retreat. Our retreat is only twenty minutes from downtown Asheville, and thirty minutes from the Asheville regional airport!
What we DO know is that the teachings and practices of Radical Embrace survived eight hundred years of religious dogma and spiritual abuse, inspiring, challenging, and freeing those with eyes to see! It was never about poverty -- it was about embrace all along ...
Through Radical Embrace, we, like St. Francis, can shatter the illusion of separation, discover ourselves in all creation, and experience the ecstatic ocean of Love, described by mystics as "heaven on earth,” that lies beneath the surface of our lives! Join us as we set aside the chains of dogma, surrender our shame, fear, and doubt, explore the ecstatic practices of Saint Francis, and embody his discoveries in our own lives!
In this weekend workshop, we will explore the eight stages of the path of Radical Embrace: Contemplation, Blessing, Grieving, Longing, Embrace, Munificence, and Surrender. With stories, songs, dancing, and ceremony, we will discover the the teachings and practices of Francis, and harness their power to bring us back to life and gratitude, free us from the past, open our hearts and awaken in us a profound feeling of connection to our own hearts, to each other, and to the Divine Beloved in whom we live, move, and have our being ...
Participants are encouraged to extend their stay in the Asheville area to enjoy the incredible restaurant scene in downtown Asheville, drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, visit local waterfalls, or tour the magnificent Biltmore Estate. Asheville features a wonderful array of hotels and bed & breakfasts to meet every taste and price range. Hunter will also be available for private sessions before and after the retreat. Our retreat is only twenty minutes from downtown Asheville, and thirty minutes from the Asheville regional airport!
“There are beautiful wild forces within us.
Let them turn the mills inside and fill sacks that feed even heaven.”
— Saint Francis of Assisi
Hunter Flournoy is the director, lead facilitator and visionkeeper of the new Spirit Journeys. Hunter has been inspired, challenged, and broken open by the life and teachings of Saint Francis from his earliest spiritual awakening at 11 years old, and has devoted his life to the way of Radical Embrace. A heart-centered life coach, therapist, and spiritual healer, Hunter helps people of all genders and sexual orientations break free into more powerful, joyful lives through self-love, conscious breathing, and joyfully embodied spiritual practice. He is a certified Somatic Breath Therapist and a pioneer in the use of breathwork in trauma and addiction treatment, and his work integrates two decades as a licensed psychotherapist with twenty-five years of experience in the world's shamanic and mystical traditions, including the Buddhist, Sufi, Eastern Christian, Toltec, and Currandero traditions. Hunter offers individual sessions by phone and in person, retreats, ceremonies, and journeys around the world. To learn more about Hunter and his work, go to www.hunterflournoy.com.
Current Cost: $125.00 Full Price, $95 with payment in full on or before Friday March 3, 2017. Travel: Participants are responsible for transportation to and from the retreat. Where: Our retreat will be held at the Common Light Meeting Center at 137 Center Avenue, Black Mountain, North Carolina 2871. The Center is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Asheville, North Carolina. When: Cradled by two streams that run along the edges of the property and a lovely strolling garden, the center is the home for the Swannanoa Valley Friends Meeting. When: Our retreat begins promptly at 6pm on Friday March 17, and ends Sunday March 19 at 1 pm. Meals: You are invited to eat before arriving at the workshop on Friday evening and Saturday morning. We will allow an hour and a half for lunch and two hours for dinner; you are invited to bring food or visit a local restaurant for those meals. We will make reservations for the entire group at a local restaurant for breakfast on our final day. Included: All workshop activities and handouts. Not Included: Transportation, lodging, or meals. Our Policies: Cancellations made on or before to March 3, 2017 (14 days) are subject to a $30 Cancellation Fee. Reservations cancelled between March 4, 2017 March 16, 2017 are subject to a cancellation fee in the amount of $62.50 (50% of the full workshop cost). Reservations cancelled on or after March 17, 2017 are non-refundable. You may want to consider purchasing a commercial travel insurance policy, especially for international journeys, that would include trip cancellation protection. "General Terms and Conditions" and ”Assumption of All Risks and Release of Liability" as listed on the registration page apply.