Ripples

Petrea King is an author, keynote speaker, teacher and facilitator and is qualified as a naturopath, herbalist, clinical hypnotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher. Petrea has been a regular guest on ABC Radio’s Midweek Conference and Nightlife for nineteen years. In 1983 Petrea was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and wasn’t expected to survive. Meditation and integration of past traumatic experiences which included the suicide of her brother, became paramount in her recovery. Meditation has been a constant in Petrea’s life for over 50 years. Petrea has also written nine best-selling books and has created a series of CD’s for Meditation including one for children entitled, Rainbow Connection.

Petrea established the Quest for Life Foundation in 1989 after a series of personal traumas. She has developed many effective programs for people living with a range of significant mental and physical health challenges which are delivered through the Quest for Life Centre in Bundanoon and in the community. Today I sit with Petrea at the beautiful Centre in Bundanoon as she shares the story of the Quest for Life Foundation and the significance of creating spaces where people can hear the still small voice within and be truly heard.

“But people will not move until someone hears the suffering, can bear witness to it and and can stand with it.” Petrea King

Paige Bullen is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Grief Care, in Sydney. She is passionate about Visual Arts as a way of embodying and expressing difficult to describe experiences. Paige has witnessed and experienced its potential to foster a sense of wellbeing and community, even amidst life's pain. In this Episode Paige generously shares moving stories from her own life and from her experiences with others and creative elements. She reveals the gift of art, the way in which the Spirit speaks to us deeply through this medium and the way it has the capacity to embody, restore and transform us. 

"Creativity is life-giving, it's vital." Paige Bullen

This program will include a 5 minute introduction and a 10 minute guided reflection on a chosen piece of art. During this time you will be invited to firstly select your piece of art – this may be a photo, an artwork or a beautiful place in nature that you can sit in or look at from your window. This form of Meditation is called Visio Divina, which is a Latin word for “Divine Seeing”. It is not unlike Lectio Divina or praying the Scriptures, but instead of drawing on the Scriptures we will draw on a visual image. As we spend time reflecting on a piece of artwork, we create a space where God can speak to us and we can speak to God. You may like to draw on a journal during this time of stillness or you may reflect on the questions internally.

“Art has the capacity to still me and through that I can be led to prayer. I can be led to prayer through that deep looking and that deep and contemplative noticing.” Paige Bullen

Peter Turner has worked in the area of Education throughout his career and during this time has carried out a number of significant roles. He was the Director of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong for thirteen years and the Regional Director of Education for the Southern Region of the Archdiocese of Sydney for five years. Apart from his commitment to education he also has a strong heart and passion for social justice.

Peter is a wonderfully inspiring speaker and has been invited to address many different groups. During one forum with beginning teachers he raised the significant question - For what do you wish to be known? It is a question that prompts us all to consider both our purpose and the principles which underpin this.

In this Episode I explore this same question with Peter, eager to hear more about what motivates and guides him in his decisions and actions. Peter acknowledges the importance of words, yet highlights that these must be met with actions.  He generously shares stories and experiences from his professional and personal life and underlying these experiences is a deep and profound sense of God’s presence and support.

“The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.” Billy Graham

This program will include a 3 minute introduction and a 11 minute guided reflection on living a life of Purpose. A series of inspired words from spiritual writers and modern day mystics will be shared and each quote will provide an insight into pursuing our purpose. There will be an invitation to reflect on these four inspired quotes. You may like to draw on a journal during this time of stillness or you may reflect on these quotes internally. It is an opportunity to recollect our lives and to remember what we deem as most important. This time is treasured time and provides a space for us to hear the voice of wisdom within, the voice of God.

“To our distracted world, the practice of spiritual recollection might even look like a waste of time. Recollection is a hidden gift from God that requires patience, practice, repetition, and, ultimately, humility, the decision to make ourselves available, without an agenda, to the work of the Holy Spirit.”  Elizabeth Kelly

Josie Larkin is nineteen years of age and she currently works for the RUOK DAY Foundation. RUOK Day is a day to inspire and empower people to connect meaningfully with each other and to start a conversation with anyone who may be struggling with life.

Josie’s father Gavin Larkin was the founder of RUOK Day back in 2009. He established it in response to his own father’s death from suicide and from a desire to de-stigmatise mental health issues. Today Josie generously shares the story of how RUOK Day came to exist and of her own courageous story. She speaks of the significance of human connection and of the importance of asking for help when you need it. Josie also highlights the importance of continuing the conversation after RUOK, which is the theme for this day in 2020.

RUOK Day encourages each one of us to listen attentively and to respond generously to those around us. These qualities were modelled by Jesus throughout his life and we may look to Jesus for both inspiration and support as we endeavour to do the same.

THERE'S MORE TO SAY AFTER RUOK?https://www.ruok.org.au/

Please note that there are some references to suicide in this podcast. If you feel uncomfortable or distressed at any point during the Episode please reach out to someone for help, connect with one of the support agencies like Beyond Blue or contact a medical practitioner directly.

This program will include a 2 minute introduction, a 6 minute guided Meditation on Compassion and a 3 minute song entitled “Walk Each Other Home” composed and performed by Tim Hart. All of these elements have been offered in response to RUOK Day.

The guided experience will begin with a focus on the breath in order to develop a greater attentiveness to the needs within us and around us, and to the presence of God. This will be followed by a series of questions on different facets of compassion - Compassion towards oneself, towards others and God’s compassion. You may like to reflect on these questions using a journal or you may choose to reflect on them internally. We create this quiet space to hear the voice of the Compassionate One, the voice of God. There will be an opportunity to bring all of these people, including ourselves, to God in prayer.

"We can’t practice compassion with other people, if we can’t treat ourselves kindly."Brene Brown

Tim Hart has composed and recorded a beautiful song in support of RUOK Day entitled "We Walk Each Other Home." Tim offers us some words below to express the background to this moving piece designed for young and old.

RUOK Day reminds us, as Christians, that we are called to be loving neighbours. We are called to be companions on the journey. People who walk with one another, sharing in each other's stories as we make sense of the journey - just as Jesus did with the disciples on the road to Emmaus. RUOK Day reminds us that we are called every day to love our neighbours back into fullness of life. And so we pray through this song, that on this day and every day we might be there for one another as we walk each other home…

We walk together, together,

The road may be strange, the journey unknown,

Together, together,

We walk each other home.

Tim Hart

Fr Laurence Freeman is a Benedictine Monk and the spiritual guide and Director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. In this second Episode Laurence highlights the importance of building a contemplative society. He suggests that in our complex world today we need to be sending people out with a contemplative orientation so that we can respond to these challenges with wisdom and insight.

One way in which we can support this vision is by providing children with an opportunity to experience a meditative practice. Laurence is regarded as someone who is leading the teaching of meditation to children and students as part of the recovery of the contemplative wisdom tradition in the Church and in society at large. In this Episode Laurence shares some insights on the value of this practice for children and some practical suggestions for introducing the practice in schools.

"You cannot put a price on it!" (The value of Christian Meditation for Children.) Fr Laurence Freeman OSB

** The World Community for Christian Meditation has developed an outstanding resource throughout this time of COVID-19. It is called “A Contemplative Path Through the Crisis.” This site provides information on Christian Meditation and beyond, resources, programs and links to online meditation groups. https://acontemplativepath-wccm.org/

This program will include a 2 minute introduction and a 10 minute guided experience of Christian Meditation entitled “A Contemplative Spirit”. In this week’s Episode Fr Laurence Freeman OSB spoke about the importance of developing a contemplative orientation. He also advocated that we need to learn to do less and use less. And that as we do this we get more out of life. With this in mind this Meditation has a very simple structure. There will be a short opening prayer, an invitation to bring the mantra “Maranatha” into the stillness and a closing prayer. This simplicity reminds us all that the pathway towards a contemplative life involves a willingness to stop and be, without added complexities or formulas. And whilst it is simple, it is not always easy. But our desire to continue trying is a gift and as we quieten the busy mind we create a space to hear the voice of the Compassionate One, the voice of God. “We have to learn to do less and use less. But less is more. We will get more out of life at a personal level, a spiritual level, a creative level if we can learn this lesson.” Fr Laurence Freeman OSB ** The World Community for Christian Meditation has developed an outstanding resource throughout this time of COVID-19. It is called “A Contemplative Path Through the Crisis.” This site provides information on Christian Meditation and beyond, resources, programs and links to online meditation groups. https://acontemplativepath-wccm.org/