The Soul of a Pilgrim
Eight Practices for the Journey Within
- Companion retreat to the book
- Online retreat
- Self-study, start anytime
- Move at your own pace, in your own place
- Lifetime access
Registration Fee: $150 USD
Program Description
Make a soulful journey in the coming season.
Join us for an 8-week companion retreat to Christine Valters Paintner’s book The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within. Christine takes you on a new kind of pilgrimage: an inner journey to discover the heart of God. Eight stages of the pilgrim’s way–from hearing the call to coming home–are accompanied by scripture stories of great biblical journeys and creative practices of prayer, writing, and photography.
In The Soul of a Pilgrim, Christine identifies eight experiences of the pilgrim’s way and shows how to follow these movements to make an intentional, transformative journey to your inner “wild edges.” Each phase of the exploration requires a distinct practice such as packing lightly, being uncomfortable, or embracing the unknown. She shows how to cultivate attentiveness to the divine through deep listening, patience, and opening oneself to the gifts that arise in the midst of discomfort.
Each of the eight chapters offers reflections on the themes, a scripture story, an invitation to the practice of lectio divina, and creative exploration through photography, midrash writing, and meditative movement (with Jamie Marich, founder of Dancing Mindfulness).
The Soul of a Pilgrim was named one of the best spiritual books of 2015 by Spirituality and Practice!
All materials are hosted on a private teaching platform with audio guidance from Christine Valters Paintner to deepen into the materials along with a special guided meditation to begin each week that is not included in the book. All mp3 files can be downloaded and all videos can be streamed.
Where have you been forced by circumstance of family or culture into a life that no longer feels like your own?
What has been sacrificed that you thought was lost?
How might you reclaim this in your life? Who are the wise ones to help you guide the way?
What's Included
Six days each week you receive an email with a link to the day’s content. The 7th day is a time for rest and integration.
Monday: Audio recording of a webinar session Christine Valters Paintner led for the original community offering of this retreat. A closed captions version of the recording along with transcripts, and text of the poems read during the recordings are available.
Tuesday: Scripture reflection from John Valters Paintner (text with audio lectio divina meditation)
Wednesday: Midrash Exploration (with audio)
Thursday: Photography Exploration (with audio)
Friday: Movement Invitation from Jamie Marich (with video)
Saturday: Closing Blessing (with audio)
Sunday: Sabbath rest
- 8 audio recordings of webinar sessions with Christine Valters Paintner.
- 8 audio lectio divina guided meditations on the scripture text for each chapter.
- 8 audio recordings offering guidance on the weekly midrash explorations.
- 8 audio recordings offering guidance on the weekly photography explorations.
- 8 videos from dancing mindfulness creator Jamie Marich inviting you into a movement exploration connected to each week’s theme.
- 8 audio recordings of Christine reading her closing poem from each chapter.
Weekly Themes
Week 1
Week 1: The practice hearing the call and responding
Week 2
Week 2: The practice of packing lightly
Week 3
Week 3: The practice of crossing the threshold
Week 4
Week 4: The practice of making the way by walking
Week 5
Week 5: The practice of being uncomfortable
Week 6
Week 6: The practice of beginning again
Week 7
Week 7: The practice of embracing the unknown
Week 8
Week 6: The practice of beginning again
Your Guides for the Journey
Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, REACE
Christine is the director of AbbeyoftheArts.com, a virtual monastery exploring contemplative practice, creative expression, and ways to nourish an earth-cherishing consciousness. She is a spiritual director, teacher, pilgrimage guide, and author of nine books on spirituality and the arts. Her deepest belief is that the earth is the original monastery–a wisdom guide and mentor in living a soulful and vibrant life. Visit the “About Christine” page for more information.
John Valters Paintner, MTS
Jamie Marich, Ph.D., LPCC-S, LICDC-CS, REAT, RYT-500
Dr. Jamie Marich (she/they) describes herself as a facilitator of transformative experiences. A clinical trauma specialist, expressive artist, writer, yogini, performer, short filmmaker, Reiki master, TEDx speaker, and recovery advocate, she unites all of these elements in her mission to inspire healing in others. She began her career as a humanitarian aid worker in Bosnia-Hercegovina from 2000-2003, primarily teaching English and music while freelancing with other projects. Jamie travels internationally teaching on topics related to trauma, EMDR therapy, expressive arts, mindfulness, and yoga, while maintaining a private practice and online education operations in her home base of Warren, OH. Jamie is the author of numerous books on trauma recovery and healing, with many more projects in the works. Marich is the founder of The Institute for Creative Mindfulness.
Praise for the Course
Registration
$150
Registration Fee
Purchase the Companion Book
The book is not included in the registration fee. You may purchase the book at the links below or at your local book seller. Thank you for your support!
Terms and Conditions
Please consider your purchase carefully and review the many free materials we have on our website to make sure the program will be a good fit or get in touch with any questions.
We ask that you honor our work by not sharing the program materials with others who are not enrolled.
Please contact us for permission to quote in settings beyond the program
Some self-study retreats include video or audio recordings of sessions that were recorded in a live community offering of the retreat and may make reference to forums or other modes of sharing. Please disregard these as self-study retreats do not have these available.
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If you choose a payment plan and stop payment before fulfilling the commitment without contacting us to make other arrangements, your access to the program will be removed.
