Ignite the Fire
5-weekprogramme (via zoom)
Commencing Feb 1st

You are invited into a virtual journey where together we will creatively fan into flame an alchemical and transformative sacred fire! Commencing on the Feb 1st, we will call on St Bridget to accompany us on this healing journey. (The Celtic name Brigid means “fiery arrow.)” It is often when things fall apart in our world, we become more drawn towards the quest for honouring the soul with more passion and conviction. We begin to feel more urgency around ensuring that we each leave some unique flame behind us when we leave this planet. In some way, this desire is written into every human heart. We may get faint stirrings of an inner divine spark, but our many fears and unconscious conditioning frequently eclipse and prevent us accessing it.. In this programme, we will discern those tiny embers still burning in the ashes of what has been lost. Instead of allowing them to dwindle away, we will re-ignite them and discern what they may be directing us towards. We will learn how to draw back misplaced or detoured energy so that it can be placed at the service of the soul’s longings. While each of us is uniquely complex, there are recognizable denominators in our navigation towards wholeness, and so we need the wisdom of mystics, poets, psychology, science, scripture , and great stories to help us. We will also glean inspiration from mythologist, Joseph Campbell, best known for his work on ‘The Hero’s Journey’.1 He suggests we each go through stages such as Receiving a call, Departure from an old way of life (old way of thinking) , Finding Treasure and a journey of Homecoming. Through this weekly, creative, healing space you will create your own ‘Heroes Journey’ which will provide a skeletal framework for this great inner adventure. However, the foundational inspiration will be sought from the Indwelling fire of the Holy Spirit. For example, in the first session, ‘Believe the Impossible’, we will explore how to access miracles in the mess . We will learn about the ‘science’ of happiness and how to cultivate the states that align us with a joyful heart. (even in the most difficult external circumstances) In the session, , ‘No time like the Present’, we will learn how living fully in the now can be compatible with envisioning a compelling future; in fact, we discover that it is only when our feet are solidly planted in the present moment that our eyes can truly see the horizons we are created for. We will explore how we can heal the psychological blocks which frequently drive us blindly by unconscious forces such as self-sabotage and social comparisons, we will uncover any consent we may be giving to unhelpful or unrealistic external expectations.

We will discover how the place of our wounding becomes the place of our giftedness; the very fuel that makes our fire blaze all the brighter. Through meditation, input, ritual, poetry, music, creative writing exercises, etc, we will each discover the joy of being able to design and fan into a flame our own unique vision, one that enlivens our hearts and inspires others to discover their own sacred fire. This fluid, non-linear journey is for everyone, because the fiery energies inside of us are no respecters of age; and while they change over the years, they continue to beckon us in new ways until our dying days, and possibly beyond. So, let us go together brave souls: in embracing a journey which will be at the service of your growth and at the service of this beautiful world. May the journey spark an energy that will set ablaze every aspect of the inner and outer world. Important Information

We gather virtually each Tuesday eve 730 to 9pm (via zoom). Bookings before Jan 25TH. The weekly sessions will be recorded so you can return to them again at your own pace. The last video arrives just at the beginning of lent so you will be able to dip into them and integrate them especially throughout the Lenten season. We are offering the package, valued at 125 euro, for a reduced fee of 75 euro which includes all the videos, recordings, book, postage etc)

Our hope is that this reduced fee, will make it accessible to all, while helping us to continue this work here at Ruah. If interested, please email your postal address to info@ruahrest.com (as you will be receiving a hardback copy of the book Surprised by Fire in the post), This book is a part of the programme (if you have the book already, consider gifting it to somebody, or indeed gifting the programme and sharing the journey together.).

Some day after mastering the winds,

The waves, the tides and gravity,

We will harness for God the energies of love.

And then, for the second time,

Humankind will have discovered fire.

(Pierre Teilhard De Chardin)