Midlife spirituality

We run a midlife spirituality group within Edinburgh, typically on the last Wednesday of the month.  The group is sometimes called the Two Halves (of Life) group. We have been meeting since August 2007, going public at Richard Rohr’s visit to Edinburgh in June 2007. We invite any who wish to explore, share, learn and reflect on this one particular stage in human and spiritual development – mid life, and beyond. Our outlook and practice is broadly contemplative and the look and feel of our gatherings may be described in this article. To get a flavour of our range of conversation go to Topics or consult a colourful summary document with thumbnails and brief words.

Perhaps the most important is the meeting with other, different people, in a respecting and safe environment, where challenges are non-threatening yet still challenging. Ideally, I come away changed and comforted. There is also always some learning (adding rather than changing) which feels wholesome. (Stephan)

I really value the content and form of the Wednesday evening meetings. Our shared conversations help me to grow and are an important touchpoint on my spiritual wonderings. There’s a sense of belonging and of having my place here. It’s been good to pause, reflect, and be struck by a deep sense of gratitude for this simple repeating pattern - of eating together and listening to one another’s stories. I’m deeply grateful for the faithful (almost monastic) repetition over the years. (Lynn)

ASCENT AND DESCENT: THE JOURNEY OF THE SOUL

This group aims to explore the energies, struggles and spiritualities arising from the transition from the first half to the second half of life. It notes that faith and life take on a strikingly different aspect, the way becomes less clear. 'I don't know where I'm going but neither am I lost' remarked one member of the group. What we believe in and how we pray seems to be disconcertingly unsatisfying and appears to be shifting. Writers speak about the journey which formerly was about ascent - making a mark and way in the world, developing a sense of self or ego - but which then changes into descent - a sense of letting go, of poverty, an integration and of compassion. See 'The two halves of life'' What happens in us when such changes occur? Do I misinterpet them, do I resist them? Is a message of ascend, and more ascending, of More and Again of the same actually the journey for the soul?

I’ve consistently found value in the space created by these gatherings for chewing over things that seem urgent or necessary of just interesting. The format (eat / silence or way of council / theme for the evening) works well. There is ongoing value for me in contributing to and benefitting from a space in which we can bear witness to one another without fixing or sorting or correcting. It is vanishingly rare in life that we find communal spaces where the discourse is predicated on the possibility of silence and an eschewing of the need to comment/critique/sort out or go one better. (Gus)

Senses and faith

Click through for accounts of various Senses and Faith Expeditions conducted by our groups.

Please contact Andrew Hook through coracletrust@gmail.com and/or see the Calendar for meeting details.

Image credit: Gus MacLeod