This special event will explore how, even whilst living in the epicenter of the violence of war, the practice of meditation can support both our mental and spiritual health, and help us not to lose the inner light of humanity within us. We find we are able to experience a radical spiritual transformation during the most difficult times we face.
The speakers at the meeting will be meditators from Ukraine who have come to visit Bonnevaux to share their unique experience of meditation during the war.
This international dialogue will encompass those issues and values that are universal to all of humanity.
The Ukrainian community will be represented by Orthodox priest Fr. Anastasii Danilevsky, who survived the Russian occupation as a refugee, and Irina Kokovska, a young meditator from Lviv.
The meeting will also be joined online by Revd Dr Sarah Bachelard (Anglican priest and theologian), Herman Van Rompuy (President Emeritus of the European Council) and Maria and Albert Zakharovy (WCCM National Coordinators, Ukraine).
Schedule (CET- France)
| Saturday, 9 November | |
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| 09:30 – 09:45 | Opening words by Maria and Albert Zakharovy |
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Film about Younger Meditators from Ukraine about their experience (10 min) |
| 10:00 – 10:30 | Fr. Anastasiy “Creation, the Flood and the rainbow of unity” (1. Personal experience) |
| 10:35 – 11:05 | Laurence Freeman talk |
| 11:05 – 11:35 | Sarah Bachelard talk |
| 11:35 – 12:00 | Meditation |
| 12:00 – 12:30 | Open space for Q&A, extra sharing and reflections |
| Lunch pause | |
| 14:00 – 14:30 | Talk led by Herman Van Rompuy |
| 14:35 – 14:50 | Meditation led by Irina Kokovska |
| 14:55 – 15:25 | Fr. Anastasiy “Creation, the Flood and the rainbow of unity” (2. Divine-Human experience) |
| 15:30 – 15:55 | Albert and Maria – presentation of the forthcoming book “War & Inner Peace” |
| 16:00 – 16:30 | Irina Kokovska’s Oblation Ceremony |
| 16:30 – 17:00 | Final words and closing by Laurence Freeman |
Please go to www.worldtimebuddy.com to work out the time in your country.Â
Leader
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Laurence Freeman
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Laurence Freeman is a monk of the Benedictine Congregation of Monte Oliveto. He is the Director of Bonnevaux and of The World Community for Christian Meditation.
Other Leaders
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Sarah Bachelard
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Revd Dr Sarah Bachelard is a theologian and leads the Benedictus Contemplative Church in Canberra, Australia. She studied theology at Oxford with Rowan Williams. She is a leading teacher with the WCCM and gave the John Main Seminar in 2019, A Contemplative Christianity for Our Time (2020, Medio media)Â which is the title of her most recent book.
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Herman van Rompuy
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Herman Van Rompuy is a Belgian politician, who served as Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008 to 2009 and then as the first permanent President of the European Council from 2009 to 2014. More recently, he was one of the speakers at the 2018 John Main Seminar in Belgium, addressing the theme Politics and the management of division.
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Fr. Anastasiy Danylevsky
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Fr. Anastasiy has served the WCCM community for many years as an oblate and leader of the Kherson meditation group. Father Anastasiy spent several months under Russian occupation, experienced a dangerous journey to the territory controlled by Ukraine, and during this time had gained a deep spiritual experience. At this meeting he will share his reflections which were born during the last meetings of the meditative group in the Ukrainian city of Kherson, already occupied then by the Russian army.
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Maria & Albert Zakharovy
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Maria and Albert are National Coordinators in Ukraine and WCCM Oblates. They are responsible for developing the Ukrainian WCCM communities over the past 10 years. Both are focused on mystical contemplative Christian tradition and interfaith theology. They make a living working in the field of graphic design and enjoy making contemplative electronic music as a hobby. Before the Russia attack on Ukraine, for many years they tried to establish friendly relations between the spiritual seekers of both countries with the help of meditation.
Register for the Online Retreat
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Opportunity to meditate
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Unlimited access to recordings
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Registration form at bottom of page
This retreat is offered by WCCM for free and requires a registration. We would appreciate any donation. Â
Image by Albert and Maria Zakharov