Pilgrimage is a time-honored practice of personal and spiritual development.  This retreat explores life as a pilgrimage in mythic themes with storytelling, imagination, body movement, and journaling. Look back at your life path and use mythic storytelling to describe challenges, victories, defeats, loves, and losses.  Look forward to life and re-imagine it unfolding in alignment with your dreams.

?“A long time ago …”. Use journaling and create imagery of princes, priests, maidens, queens, crones, warriors, beasts, and demons. Explore thoughts, emotions, and experiences of your life and pilgrimage.  “And then one day …”.  Imagine life going forward as you would have it to be.  Defeat becomes victory.  Love lost becomes love fulfilled.  Demons of the shadows, deep caves, or dark forests are confronted.  Wild beast attacks are overcome.  Re-imagining life as a pilgrimage in mythic stories, images, and adventures provides insight, wisdom, energy, and transformation.  Magic, skill, and providence take form in how our life pilgrimage unfolds as a reimagined and improved experience.  We literally envision a new and better way to be.

 A series of simple Tai Ji movements enable participants to work with the energy, emotions, and mythic images that arise in our imaginings.  Journaling and storytelling will help open the body, mind, and spirit to the magic of myth, transformation, and re-creating the life experience we hope for.  In the retreat and the following days, participants will combine mythological themes, imagination, journaling as a sacred storytelling art, and Unity Tai JI Qi Gong to embody the experience of seeing ourselves differently.

Join a community of like-minded people on a mythic and spiritual pilgrimage to explore the transformation of life through ancient traditions and modern interpretations of experience and circumstances.  Employ Tai Ji Qi Gong to embody visualization, undertake a myth pilgrimage, experience a hero’s journey, and exercise creative writing as a journaling discipline that captures wisdom and understanding.

Mathew Francis is the founder of Unity Praxis bringing synergies of 40 years dedicated to Christian Discipleship and Tai Ji practice. Mathew guides people to a deeper experience of life through faith, practice, and business. He shares learnings from his personal spiritual journey balancing work, life, and family through the wisdom of Eastern and Western traditions. Mathew is currently President of Pacific Rim Advisory Group, a Business Strategy & Development and Family Succession firm. Mathew lives in the Central Valley of California, is married to his lovely bride Elizabeth, and finds his identity as a husband, father, grandfather, friend, and wayfarer on the Path.

When*: January 26 – 28, 2024
Where*:St. Columba’s Inverness, 12835 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Inverness
Cost: $150-$500 Depending on lodging/commuting choices
Contact: Anna Haight, annahaight@stcolumbasinverness.org
Link*: https://www.stcolumbasinverness.org/mythic-pilgrimage-retreat