Wintering: The Value of Withdrawing

This week, ​​Ruth and Marilyn discuss the concept of Blue Christmas services that acknowledge grief during the festive season and offer consolation to those experiencing loss. The episode also delves into the idea of dormancy, likening spiritual dormancy to the natural world's winter phase, where growth happens unseen. The conversation highlights the importance of creating space for mourning, acknowledging our vulnerabilities, and the need for faith and guidance during these seasons of grief and apparent inertness.

Questions for Reflection:

 Where do you feel that you need to mourn? Have you had the guidance that you've needed for your mourning? And if not, how might you seek that out?
Is there any place in your life right now that can be explained or given meaning through an understanding of dormancy? 

In this season of the Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership podcast, Ruth invites listeners to embark on a unique journey during Advent 2025. Departing from traditional liturgical approaches, we will focus on the overlap between the seasons of Advent and winter, inspired by Marilyn McIntyre's book 'Midwinter Light: Meditations for the Long Season.' Ruth will be joined all through Advent by Marilyn McIntyre, herself. Together they will explore themes such as inner reflection, the significance of silence, and the profound connections between spirituality and the physical season of winter. 

Marilyn McEntyre is an author of over 20 books, including Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies (2021) and Speaking Peace in a Climate of Conflict (2020). Her book, What’s in a Phrase? Pausing Where Scripture Gives You Pause won the Christianity Today book award in spirituality. Midwinter Light, reflections on poems for the “long season,” has just been released. A former professor, now writer, writing coach, speaker, and retreat leader, her deepest interests lie in connections between spirituality, language, healing earth, and each other. She teaches regularly for programs at Western Seminary, New College Berkeley, and the Oblate School of Theology.

Mentioned in the Episode:
Being Mortal by Atul Gawande
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Moby Dick by Herman Melville
Wintering by Katherine May
The Reed of God by Caryll Houselander

Music Credit:
Kingdom Come by Aaron Niequist
A Light Unto My Path from Advent Music in Solitude

We’re starting a Substack! This will be “a new home for reflection, conversation, and connection with our transforming community.” Our new Substack is called “On the Journey with the Transforming Center,” and it will include thoughtful reflections from Ruth Haley Barton and the Transforming Center team, as well as alumni and friends of the Transforming Center, occasional special video teachings and guided practices, and space to interact with our content and respond with how God is working in your life through the posts. This will also be the new home of all of our podcast patron content! There will be free and paid tiers. We’d love for you to join us over on Substack. (Existing patrons, check Patreon for a special link to provide you with a discounted rate!)

Support the podcast! This season patrons will receive spiritual practices tethered to the lectionary readings to accompany them through Advent. Become a paid member of Substack today to receive these practices and so much more!

The Transforming Center exists to create space for God to strengthen leaders and transform communities. You are invited to join our next Transforming Community:® A Two-year Spiritual Formation Experience for Leaders.  Delivered in nine quarterly retreats, this practice-based learning opportunity is grounded in the conviction that the best thing you bring to leadership is your own transforming self! Learn more and apply HERE.

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