Next Retreat
Malibu 2024: Canticle of Creation, Mirror of God
Special Guest: Simon de Voil
When: April 14-19, 2024
Where: Serra Retreat Center, Malibu
To Saint Francis, Mother Earth was a mirror of God. In the legacy of Celtic Christianity, we’re reminded that the teachings of the Bible are a wee book, set beside the big book that is Creation. Yet in much of contemporary spiritual and religious practice, we’ve lost our connection with the earth, the living water, the voice of God in all her creatures. How do we learn to see again the face of God in all of Creation? What does it mean to touch the earth with reverence, in the midst of so much ecological distress? Can we remain open to divine wisdom as we respond to this moment in the unfolding cycle of Creation? And … wouldn’t we love an easy answer to these big questions?
That quick answer may not be forthcoming, but we can engage with the teachings of St. Francis, St. Clare, and the Celtic Christian wisdom tradition as we live our way into the questions. We can join our voices in song and in prayer, and cultivate spiritual practices that bring us back down to the earth, one loving footstep at a time.
Reverend Simon Ruth de Voil is an ordained interfaith/interspiritual minister, trained to be a sacred presence outside the conventions of traditional religion. As a sacred musician, spiritual mentor and worship leader he incorporates chant, ritual, storytelling and mindful practice to create a space for profound connection and sacred witness. Simon is also an experienced workshop and retreat leader, drawing on 15 years of study, training, and practice that grew from his time living and working in Iona Abbey. Although influenced by many traditions, Simon's spiritual path and teaching is deeply rooted in Celtic Christianity, the wisdom of the earth, and in the Scottish land where he's spent most of his life.