Living the Questions: Religion & Spirituality
AN AUTUMN SALON
Six Sundays in November & December
1:00-2:15pm EST
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart, and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
- Rainer Maria Rilke
Addressed to an anxious young poet in search of guidance over a century ago, Rilke’s advice to “live the questions” resonates with all of us who have ever wondered…
…what makes life meaningful? Is there anything beyond this life? How do I know what to believe? Does the value of religion outweigh all the conflict and suffering it has caused? How do I find my people and raise my children with a sense of purpose and ethics? How do I heal from spiritual trauma without giving up on God altogether?
I don’t have answers , but I believe the questions are worth asking. And I think that asking may be the point - learning to live in a posture of openness and not-knowing, receptive to what we can’t yet fully grasp or understand.
and the point is,
to live everything.
Join me for Living the Questions: An Autumn Salon
Centered around six 75-minute online gatherings, our conversations will be grounded in a rich selection of resources carefully chosen to generate questions and spark conversation.
Gatherings will be designed to facilitate curiosity and learning as we reflect on our own stories, consider the role of religion in our lives and communities, and expand our imagination by inviting the perspectives of diverse writers and thinkers, from scientists and philosophers to religious practitioners.
You’ll also be introduced to a handful of simple, concrete actions you can take each week to bring the themes of our inquiry into daily life.
November 5th, 12th, and 19th
December 3rd, 10th, and 17th
You’ll come away with new ideas, a supportive community, and fresh motivation to continue living the questions as they unfold in your own story of religion and spirituality.
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A Well of Resources
Carefully curated articles, podcasts and more to spark new ideas about what’s possible.
Read. Watch. Listen.
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Six 75-minute Gatherings
Meaningful conversation and gentle coaching to help you explore the questions you’ve been longing to engage with renewed intention, curiosity, and courage.
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Field Work
From journaling prompts to conversation starters, daily habits to big ideas — we’ll be on the lookout for ways to deepen our inquiry in ways that make sense for you.
“What does any of us mean when we say ‘God’? We use the word as if it were made of steel girders instead of silk netting, but when we compare what we have caught with it, the divine array confounds. ”
— Barbara Brown Taylor
FAQs
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In the post-Enlightenment 18th century, French salons were social events - a key institution in which women played a central role. Frequently hosted by noblewomen in private homes, salons were cultural hubs for intellectual discourse that helped break down social barriers and disseminate ideas.
In that spirit, the Salon is a series of themed gatherings for women serious about creating the conditions for our own thriving. We explore a wide range of topics, grounding our conversation in inspiring resources and guiding it toward the development of generative practices to support collective flourishing.
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Skeptics, seekers, and saints.
You might have more questions than answers; you might have a complicated relationship to religion but still be drawn to the rituals, community, and sense of transcendence it offers; you might be fed up with church but missing something without it; you might not really believe the things you’re supposed to, but still want a place to belong.
If any of this resonates, this Salon is for you. It’s a safe space to ask the questions you can’t ask elsewhere, find new inspiration and ways to think about the role of the transcendent in your life, and to think deeply and broadly in the company of others.If you already have a lot of answers and aren’t interested in examining them, this might not be what you’re looking for.
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Pay whatever you want or can.
If that stresses you out, you can read my rationale for not setting fixed registration fees here.
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No. It’s a difficult call for me to make because I don’t want anyone to miss out.
But I also want those present to be able to explore ideas and question deeply-held beliefs without fear of being misunderstood or taken out of context - so what happens here stays here.
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Absolutely!
Each guest will need to complete a separate registration, but you are welcome to invite anyone you think might be interested.
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Yay!! I’m so excited to have you in the conversation.
Once you’ve registered I’ll reach out with more information, including recommended resources, a schedule of topics, and a calendar invite with Zoom link. Stay tuned.
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I love questions. Send me an email.