“Life has a way of pulling us from our essence, our center. Sometimes it is simply everyday routines and distractions that grind us down, taking us on a path we do not want to travel. When this happens, we may feel a bit lost, aimless, overwhelmed or even ‘burned out.’ At more intense times, illness, loss of friends and family, job or career fatigue, relationship setbacks, divorce or empty nest syndrome can pull us from our center. Too often we choose to ignore the gap between who we have become, and who we intended to be. Ignoring this rift between role and soul creates a potential risk to our health, well-being and ideals.”
So says Tucsonan David Sadker, an author and Courage & Renewal facilitator, adding, “This need not be the case.”
Sadker will lead a Jewish Courage & Renewal retreat, “A Jewish Journey Toward an Undivided Life,” on Saturday, March 18 from 1-5 p.m. at St. Francis in the Foothills United Methodist Church, 4625 E. River Road.
By offering time away from daily pressures to reflect, he says, the retreat can help participants:
• Resolve to live closer to their core commitments.
• Create a caring community that welcomes the soul and honors diversity.
• Explore Jewish practices that renew heart (lev), mind (sechel), and spirit (ruach).
• Discover principles and practices from the Circle of Trust approach (based on the work of author and activist Palmer J. Parker) that can be applied to their daily life and work.
“In large group, small group, and solitary settings, we will explore the intersection of our personal and professional lives, making use of stories from our own journeys and insights from poets, storytellers, and Jewish traditions,” Sadker explains.
Sadker is the author of seven books on education and more than 75 articles. Newspapers and magazines including The Washington Post, The New York Times and Newsweek have reported on his work and he has appeared on numerous television and radio shows. He holds degrees from City College of New York, Harvard University, and the University of Massachusetts and is professor emeritus at The American University in Washington, D.C.
The cost of the retreat is $60, which includes refreshments and materials. Tuition assistance is available.
To register by March 15, visit couragerenewal.org/events/a-jewish-journey-toward-an-undivided-life-az-17/. For more information, contact Sadker at 297-2319 or dsadker@gmail.com.
