Living Apart Together…

July 25, 2020July 25, 2020Leave a comment

Back in March, at the start of the pandemic and the shelter-in-place edict, none of us would have thought that months later we would still be here – social distancing and uncertain about when we would return to life even as we knew it.

As the health crisis unfolded, we instinctively switched to survival mode, resolved to find alternative ways to keep going. Our homes became both a quarantine fortress and our place of work. Companies and organizations quickly changed their daily operations as they tried to adjust. Parents and teachers turned to homeschooling. Many, understandably, struggled to make it through the day; while scores of others selflessly showed up to serve. Incomprehensibly, too many succumbed to the virus and lost their lives.

And, in the midst of the pandemic, our hearts further erupted at the sight of new, unwarranted and continuous killing of our Black brothers and sisters. While the country and even the world came together to cry “enough”, the poisonous effects of such inhuman cruelty – anger, grief, pain, fear, mistrust, despair – have undoubtedly already attached themselves to many a soul.

How are you doing, really?

It may have been months since 2020 took a detour but many of us have yet to come up for air, even less sit still to tend to our souls. We are submerged in a sea of emotions, which is even amplified for those who are living alone, cut off from regular human connection.

“Where do we go from here?” is a question many have asked these past few months. I don’t purport to have the answer; I am, however, certain that any step forward must come from a place of self-awareness and wholeness. Just as we must come to term with the fact that we are all connected and we are more alike than we are different.

With that in mind, I offer this opportunity for us to intentionally slow down to care for our souls and to do life together. Whether you need time in community, a safe space to lament or a moment of rest from your new normal, I propose that we connect during the month of August to engage through guided discussions, contemplative reflections and to recharge for the days ahead.

The list of offerings, for both men and women, and the registration button are below. Please sign-up as you feel led. I look forward to connecting with you, and until then, I pray that you and yours are safe and well!

In His grace,
Christine

“Let him who cannot be alone beware of community.
Let him who is not in community beware of being alone.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Living Apart Together
Free Online Soul Care Pauses
Virtually on Zoom [10:00am-11:00am]
Zoom Link will be Emailed Following Registration

Saturday, August 1: Holy Interruption
Saturday, August 15: Soul Care in Times of Crisis
Saturday, August 29: As We Wait…

“It’s better to have a partner than go it alone…And if one falls down, the other helps…(Ecc. 4:9-10 The Message)

Christine A. Dorvil is Founder and Director of Sabătica. She is a retreat leader and holds a certificate in Spiritual Transformation from the Transforming Center in Chicago where she studied for two years and was mentored by Ruth Haley Barton. Christine is passionate about spiritual formation, restoration and soul care. She holds an MBA in Finance and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Old Testament and Hebrew. She is a Fellow of the New York City Leadership Center and serves as Executive Director for the Alliance for Thriving Communities.

Do You Ever Feel Like Running For Your Life?

October 13, 2018October 13, 2018Leave a comment

From time to time I do.

I also know of someone who actually did. Elijah. He was in such a state of desperation and was so fearful that he fled into a cave. One minute he was on top of his world; the next, he was being hunted and on the verge of losing everything, including his own life.

It is unclear that Elijah foreknew his hiding place would be the site of his own Bethel. Be that as it may, instead of being where he would succumb to his despair, the cave was the meeting ground for a divine encounter and where his life was saved and restored. Elijah may not have had a well-thought-out plan but The One whose master plan supersedes all plans, showed up and deployed both familiar and supernatural resources to care for Elijah’s body, spirit and soul.

God met Elijah and didn’t beat around the bush — he went straight to the matter. “Elijah what are you doing here?”, He began. He didn’t judge Elijah for being in the cave, instead, he helped him awaken to his truth, to process and release his worries to God. Fortunately, the prophet didn’t sugarcoat his emotional turmoil and disappointments. He opened up and told God exactly how it was — unlocking the door for his own healing and restoration.

What followed were moments of physical rest and nourishment. Elijah slept and was supernaturally fed until he regained his strength. The journey went on for a while but all along, God kept on speaking with Elijah, guiding him through his own soul assessment and renewal. At the end, Elijah symbolically stood at the entrance of the cave and there was re-commissioned to his calling and purpose.

God’s blueprint for total well-being works — acknowledge where you are, face your truth, tend to your whole self [body, mind and spirit], all-the-while abiding in Him. We must choose to remain centered, to make soul care and sabbatical rest a way of life or fear having to run into a cave. For, as Dallas Willard said, “If you don’t come apart for a while, you will come apart after a while.”

Thankfully, the issues of your life and your well-being are not lost on God. Whether you regularly make space for Him or occasionally find yourself longing for a hiding place, in His grace, He will surely meet you where you are. He will walk you through it and as He did with Elijah, he will restore your soul.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to hide for a little while. You don’t even need to have a perfect plan. You simply need to accept the invitation and make space for God.

In His grace,
Christine

We are excited to announce that during this Fall retreat, we will be introducing and creating space for communal worship. We are equally thrilled that Katie Nelson Troyer, a worship leader with a passion for God’s heart, a teacher and talented musician will be ushering us into that sacred space Friday evening.

Wisconsin-born songbird Katie Nelson made the road her home for eight years. She toured the country performing music from her albums Alabaster Worship (2003), Do You Know Who He Is? (2005), and Speak To Me (2007). After a long battle with health complications and consequent songwriting dry spell, Katie is happy to be healthy and has returned this winter with a new album entitled Lavender & Lace: An Anthology of Queens. In addition to writing and performing original music, Katie spends much of her time leading worship for local churches and mentoring other musicians. She and her husband Scott Troyer, live in Greenwich where they enjoy creating music, cooking together, and gardening.

Christine A. Dorvil is Founder and Director of Sabătica. She is a retreat leader and holds a certificate in Spiritual Transformation from the Transforming Center in Chicago where she studied for two years and was mentored by Ruth Haley Barton. Christine is passionate about spiritual formation, restoration and soul care. She holds an MBA in Finance and is pursuing a Masters of Divinity in Theology and Hebrew. She is a Fellow of the New York City Leadership Center and serves as Executive Director for the Alliance for Thriving Communities.

Eucharistia: 30 Days of Gratitude

November 1, 2017November 6, 2017Leave a comment

eucharistia2017 (2)

Eucharistia is the Latin form of the Greek word Eucharist which signifies gratitude, thanks or praise offering. It is derived from the word charis which means favor, grace; and related to the Greek word chairein which signifies to rejoice.

Eucharistia is a praise offering — a celebration of the small things, God’s Everyday Grace.

As we begin this month which commemorates Thanksgiving Day, we invite you to use the next 30 days to go a little deeper and to be more intentional with cultivating a life of gratitude. With that in mind, we offer the following practices as a starting point.

During the month of November, we invite you to:

gratefully notice God’s presence and gifts throughout the day
practice an abundance mentality; counting the blessings of life
gratefully give and share all you are and have as a sign of your thankfulness to God
express gratitude to others; the habit of saying “thank you,” “I am so grateful,” “you are so kind” and so forth
keep a gratitude journal of the myriad gifts God has brought you [*]

As you start to pay attention to your everyday graces and begin to enjoy the fruits of such practices, consider encouraging someone else by sharing your experience on our Instagram or Facebook feed by telling us how you are practicing gratitude and/or what you are thankful for. Please submit your post with the hashtags #30dayEucharistia #Thanksgiving2017 and #Sabătica.

We pray that at the end of the 30 days, you will continue to count your blessings; we pray you will continue to live with a grateful heart.

Sola Gratia,
Christine

*Contributed by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Gather me to be with you…

March 18, 2017Leave a comment

O GOD, gather me now to be with you as you are with me.

Soothe my tiredness;
quiet my fretfulness;
curb my aimlessness;
receive my compulsiveness;
let me be easy for a moment.

O LORD, release me from the fears and guilts which grip me so tightly;
from the expectations and opinions which I so tightly grip,
that I may be open to receiving,
to learn something refreshingly different.

O GOD, gather me to be with you as you are with me.
Forgive me for claiming so much for myself
that I leave no room for gratitude;
for confusing exercises in self-importance
with acceptance of self-worth;
for complaining so much of my burdens that I become a burden;
for competing against others so insidiously
that I stifle celebrating them and receiving your blessing
through their gifts.

O GOD, gather me to be with you as you are with me.
Keep me in touch with myself,
with my needs,
my anxieties,
my angers,
my pains,
my corruptions,
that I may claim them as my own
rather than blame them on someone else.

O LORD, deepen my wounds into wisdom;
shape my weakness into compassion;
gentle my envy into enjoyment,
my fear into trust,
my guilt into honesty,
my accusing finger into tickling ones.

O GOD, gather me to be with you as you are with me.

– Ted Loder

Sabătica Fall 2016 – Peace that Endures [Reflections & Pictures]

September 30, 2016December 30, 2016Leave a comment

We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God. –Thomas Merton

As we prayed and began to prepare for this year’s Fall retreat, the word PEACE kept on surfacing. Considering the current state of our cities, nation and world, overtaken by fear and despair, we took it as a clear indication of where our focus ought to be and a confirmation that our gathering needed not only to provide a space for serenity and respite but also to engage in practices that would harness an inner peace that could endure through layers of fear, global chaos and uncertainties. So, for two days we gathered and through selected teachings, various practices, rest and community, we pursued the peace that endures. What ensued was a beautiful lesson and testament of faith — faith to trust and proceed despite obstacles; faith to show up, to be vulnerable and to seek peace with ourselves, with others and with God.

For various reasons, this second Fall retreat was very significant to me, especially for the lessons it brought along. It didn’t go according to the original plan but as it unfolded and as everyone later shared about their experiences to and during the retreat, it was certain that it all transpired just as it was supposed to.

To every soul who attended, to our teachers and helpers who selflessly gave of themselves and to all of you, our friends reading this post, we pray for continued grace and enduring peace.

Here are some of the moments that were captured during the retreat.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you…”
— Isaiah 26:3

Sabătica Fall Retreat: {Peace That Endures}
Date: September 23-24, 2016
Location: Dolce Conference Center, Norwalk, CT
Retreat Leader: Peace That Endures, Lectio Divina, Meditation {Christine Dorvil},
Retreat Teachers: Pilates {Sarina Fiorita}; Painting {Vernice Holmes}; Aromatherapy {Dorota Matys}

The Enemy of our Peace

August 23, 2016August 24, 20161 Comment

There has been many a time when I wanted to run away from my life, to go to some deserted place in search of peace but only to realize that changing location, even less hiding from my world, wouldn’t take my distress away, for wherever I would be, so would also be my turmoil.

Some of us go to extremes in an attempt to find peace. Nations go to war. People try to dismiss their circumstances or opt to numb themselves with substances or temporary highs, often to no avail.

However, as I have had the grace to experience, even in the midst of the loudest chaos, inner peace is very much attainable. It is a sweet and inexplicable phenomenon. It is a treasure that must be protected and intentionally maintained.

Perfect peace enables us to stand with our feet firmly planted on the ground. At the same time, it is constantly under attack by an enemy whose arsenal can dangerously take on many forms and which requires that we remain alert, vigilant and properly armed to counter-attack. Yet, in order to do that, as written by Sun Tzu [a Chinese General] in The Art of War, we must know our enemies and study their war strategies.

With that in mind, do you know the enemy of your peace? Are you aware of the instances when you are the least at peace? Do you know your triggers?

If for instance we were to look at the current political environment, we could easily identify propaganda, fear and division as some of the strategies or tactics being used by the campaigning parties and which may have an effect on our peace. While on a microscopic and personal level, it might be mistrust, unprocessed pain or resentment, to name a few.

In every aspect of life, we are faced with options and choices. Sometimes, even in not choosing we are choosing. When it comes to peace, whether as a world, country or individual, we all have a part to play. The need for our involvement is even amplified when it comes to our own inner peace, for it is who we are as individuals that impacts who we are as a nation or world. For fear generates fear; brokenness generates brokenness; peace generates peace.

Last year, I was on a flight back home when one of the attendants approached me and asked what I did for work. She followed by saying that I had such a peaceful aura and was curious to find out my secret. I laughed and answered, “only if you knew”. At the time, I was working in the financial industry, was involved with several personal projects, with a schedule that seemed chaotic. As I briefly shared with the attendant, whatever sense of peace I had came from within and was the result of a journey that span from brokenness and layers of pain to healing and faith. My life although seemingly chaotic was anchored and sustained by God’s perfect peace.

My peace comes from years of journeying with Abba, surviving a series of wars and being sustained by a continuous longing that is supported by personal choices, one of which is to safeguard my mind and heart, as every aspect of my life [the way I live, respond to life and even how I ultimately impact my world] flows from there.

We live in a world where our ability or even willingness to co-habit as citizens of this one earth is increasingly in danger. Furthermore, we are systematically being subject to a myriad of ideologies, views and agendas that have the propensity to become enemies of our inner peace. Today more than ever, it is imperative that we become good steward over our mind, heart and soul; it is crucial that we are intentional in the pursuit and preservation of peace not only for ourselves but also for our neighbors and our world.

Reflection:

When you have a minute, go to your sacred space, quiet your mind and reflect on the following questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you seek to find and maintain your inner peace.

– How is it with you these days? If you were to measure your level of peace right now, where would you find yourself — is your soul agitated within you or are you totally at peace?
– If not, what is keeping you from it? What are the triggers/enemies of your peace?
– How is your lack of peace manifested?
– What do you think must be done to attain and preserve your inner peace?

“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace…”

–Romans 14:19

Sola gratia,

Christine

Please join us this coming September for our Fall 2016 Retreat, as we slow down to rest and pursue the kind of peace that is able to stand through the layers of fear, global chaos and uncertainties.

Peace that Endures
Friday, September 23rd – Saturday, September 24th
Dolce Conference Center in Norwalk, CT

The fee has been reduced and while we encourage you to disconnect and join us for both days,

after receiving some of your comments, you are now able to register for both or either day.

Take advantage of the multiple options, register today

RETREAT SCHEDULE: HERE
FEES & REGISTRATION: HERE

There is Something I Wanted to Tell You

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016Leave a comment

As we start this new work week, I wanted to share this prayer as a reminder [to us all] to be mindful of how we spend our days, to be consciously aware of life’s daily distractions and to be intentional about scheduling regular time alone with Abba — the one sure way to remain true to our divine identity, to renew our strength and to find sustaining peace.

Holy One,
there is something I wanted to tell you
but there have been errands to run,
bills to pay,
arrangements to make,
meetings to attend,
friends to entertain,
washing to do…
and I forget what it is I wanted to say to you,
and mostly I forget what I’m about,
or why.
O God,
don’t forget me, please,
for the sake of Jesus Christ….

O Father in Heaven,
perhaps you’ve already heard what I wanted to tell you.
What I wanted to ask is
forgive me,
heal me,
increase my courage, please.
Renew in me a little of love and faith,
and a sense of confidence,
and a vision of what it might mean
to live as though you were real,
and I mattered,
and everyone was sister and brother.

What I wanted to ask in my blundering way is
don’t give up on me,
don’t become too sad about me,
but laugh with me,
and try again with me,
and I will with you, too.

What I wanted to ask is
for peace enough to want and work for more,
for joy enough to share,
and for awareness that is keen enough to sense your presence
here,
now,
there,
then,
always.

Ted Loder, Guerrilas of Grace
As adapted and reprinted in Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton

Do you emotionally feel heavy and dejected?
Are you weary, in need of lasting rest and peace?
Please join us this coming September for our Fall 2016 Retreat, as we seek sweet rest and enduring peace to sustain through the layers of fear, global chaos and uncertainties.

Peace that Endures
Friday, September 23rd – Saturday, September 24th
Dolce Conference Center in Norwalk, CT
Registration is Open

The fee has been reduced and you are now able to register for both or either day.
Take advantage of the multiple options, register today
Review Schedule: HERE
Register: HERE

We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God. –Thomas Merton

The Wellness Initiative in Pictures

June 23, 2016June 23, 2016Leave a comment

The dictionary defines Wellness as “the quality or state of being healthy in body and mind, especially as the result of deliberate effort;” which comes pretty close to my preferred definition, “Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness; it is a dynamic process of change and growth.”

I love that it is an active process — one that requires our attention and intentional involvement. Wellness isn’t just about maintaining a clean bill of physical health but it also connotes that we are “whole” emotionally, spiritually, socially, financially, intellectually, etc…The Wellness Initiative only scratched the surface on a few of those dimensions. It was the beginning of what I hope will be a movement to bring awareness to the importance of complete wellness and a conduit to encourage us to make those practices a way of life.

Here are few pictures from the day’s sessions: Emotional Wellness, Walking Meditation, Nutrition and Floral Arrangement. Hope to see you next time!

SABĂTICA FOCUS ON: Linda Sellers, Clean Eating

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016Leave a comment

I strongly believe that our journeys are interconnected and that our individual transformation is not just for the self but also for the sake of others. Thus, while planning this first Wellness Initiative gathering, it was imperative that we stayed true to that belief by not only providing information on the selected topics but also creating a channel for us to learn from one another.

One of the elements of wellness that seem to be a challenge for many of us is maintaining our physical health. We are either afraid of finding out the unknown and thus stay away from everything medical; we don’t have the right information to make better choices or we know what we ought to do but simply can’t seem to follow through. It was, therefore, important for this Wellness Initiative to also focus on physical health, hence the topic of Clean Eating.

Interestingly, for the past few months or so I have been following my friend Linda Sellers who has embarked on her own “clean eating” and wellness journey and who has been generous with sharing along the way. I celebrate her commitment and accomplishments and am ecstatic that she will be joining us June 4^th to share with our Sabătica community and help us approach our own quest for weight loss/clean eating/well-being with the right mindset and tools.

As a foretaste of what to come, below is a brief exchange I had with Linda. Enjoy and join us at the Bartlett Arboretum for much more.

The Wellness Initiative is your own personal invitation and a gentle reminder to make your total well-being a priority and a partnership offering to make that a reality and a way of life.

Linda1

Please tell us about yourself!

I’m 39 years old. I work with children with special needs at New Canaan Public Schools. I have a 19 year old son named Andre who attends a local college in town. I enjoy going to Church..serving the LORD through Worship. It’s so refreshing and life giving. I also have quite a blast spending time with family and friends. I enjoy volunteering at a local homeless shelter; I believe it’s important to give back. For, freely it’s given on to us, freely we should give; one of the many things my mother taught me as a child. (Soo good)

The highlight of my days is my alone time…I love to read a good book or sitting in silence.. .kick off my shoes & sip my Match Tea or iced Match in my comfy cozy chair by the window. Hello all 4 seasons. Oh such a treat!

What prompted you to change your diet and adopt “clean eating”?

I had a major health scare. I was put on a cardiac and low sodium diet. I stayed in the hospital for 4 days. But on the 3rd day, I started to reflect on what I was being fed and realized something wasn’t right.

They did a great job with portion control; no table salt, low carbs. However when I had my breakfast, a small muffin with margarine, I became sick. I knew I needed to educate myself on what’s healthy for me once I was discharged from the hospital.

My family started to help me research healthy eating. I became aggressive. I prayed for GOD to heal me from over-eating. I was able to get to the root of my eating disorder by surrendering it to GOD and I began a clean eating program that’s tailored for me. YAYYY!!!

Shopping

How would you, in your own words, describe “clean eating”?

Clean eating for me is eating natural or organic, grass-fed meats/fish. Two servings of 3oz of protein twice a day.

This includes nuts and almond butter/peanut butter. Fresh or frozen organic fruits/ veggies…. Sometimes I get regular. It’s all about the budget..however I don’t and I won’t ever get regular beef due to the way my body processes it. I only purchase items with five or less ingredients. I believe less ingredients means more natural. Nothing prepackaged. No frozen meals.

Snacks-1

How has that changed your life?

– I am no longer on meds for my heart
– My pseudo tumor has shrunk
– My optic nerve damage is improving
– My Bones don’t hurt when I wake up in the morning
– I have more energy than usual
– My skin looks great
– I lost 47 pounds since January 14 till present

I am accountable with my weight loss management through weekly meetings and weekly weigh ins along with some light exercise, walking on the treadmill or outside enjoying nature.

I do make mistakes along the way. The goal is to be aware and to expose them. Just being real with myself has helped me recognize that I will not be perfect; hey it’s okay, no big deal is what I tell myself. You are allowed to make mistakes along the way.

Thank you, Linda, for your authenticity and grace and for encouraging us to never give up; to keep going with everything we’ve got — faith, determination, education, action. xxx

Emotional Assessment: Why bother?

May 26, 2016Leave a comment

At the first sign of a medical symptom, we pause to question what might be the cause. Why are we having abdominal pain? Why the reoccurring headaches? Why does it hurt when we do this or that? Quite often, after we try to diagnose the problem, we attempt to heal ourselves or decide to call a doctor to have him/her take a look. The consultation is often followed by a series of tests in order to determine what our symptoms may be trying to tell us. Granted, some of us are hypochondriacs and only make it to the doctor’s when we are running out of options; however, when we see an unusual sign, we instinctively want to find out what’s wrong. Why is that not the case for our emotional health?

Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens, C. Dorvil 05.16

I remember times when I walked around “functionally” depressed, hiding behind multiple masks and angry like a ticking time-bomb. It wasn’t until I was broken open by yet another unexpected major loss that I finally surrendered and was able to deal with the real issues behind my sorrow. What came from that was not only healing and freedom but also a keen awareness of the necessity to regularly and intentionally assess the state of my emotions in order to both maintain wellness and avoid once again reaching emotional distress.

So, what is causing you to be so angry, to get offended so easily? What is behind your depression [mild or acute], your fear? Emotional wellness doesn’t happen overnight but it does require that we take the first step, that we pay attention to the symptoms before it is too late.

The Wellness Initiative aims to do just that, to give you a safe and serene space to self-evaluate, to identify and address the underlying issues of your emotional state.

I hope you can make it, but if not this time, I encourage you to be intentional and to make your emotional wellness a priority.

Selah,
Christine

The Wellness Initiative
June 4, 2016
10:00am – 3:00pm
9:30am Coffee & Mingle
Fee: $50
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens
151 Brookdale Road (off High Ridge Road)
Stamford, CT 06903