A Collective Liberation Book Circle

Facilitated by Rev. Jessica Steward and Lantern Keeper Jen Trulson

Tuesdays at 5pm PT/8pm ET; Begins April 25 through July 11, 2023 (We meet on Wednesday, July 5, 2023.)

Realizing Freedom Together.

“The heart of truth can be found in all things, in all circumstances, in all times. This book is about acting in the world on behalf of this truth. It’s about reconciling our personal desire for truth and freedom with our desire to relieve suffering in the world. Our suffering is not separate from the suffering of the world. Our liberation is not separate from the liberation of the world.” ~Caverly Morgan, Author of The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together

We live in a world that feels increasingly divided. Increasingly disconnected. Increasingly unsafe. And increasingly unkind. Our government’s ongoing legislation is not only regressive but oppressive. The violence, murder, and ongoing oppression of perpetually ignored and marginalized populations not only continues but is alarmingly on the rise. Sanctioned violence and discrimination can be found at the highest levels of influence and government in our countries. It seems that anyone who isn’t a Cis-gendered, Heteronormative White person continues to have to live in constant fear for not only their psychological and physical safety but also their basic liberties. In 2023.

Our institutional and societal systems of oppression are so deeply rooted in our colonized cultures that most days it feels impossible to know what to do to free ourselves, never mind the world at large, from their rule. As a result, there may be an urge to isolate and retreat from one another. And yet the path to healing ourselves and our planet cannot be done in isolation because individual freedom or liberation is directly tied to everyone else with whom we share the world. Because as civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer has said, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”

True freedom or liberation can only be achieved together.

But how?

In her book, The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together, author Caverly Morgan proposes that when faced with the enormity of the problems of the world, it is by applying our individual spiritual practices—designed for realizing personal freedom—to the collective that we can make a tangible difference in the world. Offering a wealth of teachings and reflections, solo and group exercises, and personal stories that inspire us to put our values into action, this timely guide invites us to connect with the deepest truth of who we are, and then use that understanding to transform our own lives and the world we share.

At the core of this book is the call to liberation—to find freedom that is within and without—both personally and collectively. “The longer we cling to the notion that there’s a separate self who awakens, the more arduous our path will be,” Morgan writes. “We realize freedom together.”

“When I liberate myself, I liberate others.”  ~Fannie Lou Hamer

This April, join us for a 12-week, immersive journey using The Heart of Who We Are as our guide. This powerful book will help us deepen into the core of our being—exploring the nature of consciousness, identity, and interconnectedness.

Through her accessible prose and insightful individual & group exercises, Morgan will lead us on a journey of self-discovery and connection. Together, we will explore how our own sense of self is intertwined with the world around us, and how our actions can ripple out to create positive change—even when it feels overwhelming and impossible.

Whether you’re new to the world of mindfulness and meditation or an experienced practitioner, The Heart of Who We Are offers valuable insights and practices that will help you unwind the internalized systems of oppression that exist within you and then bring that insight and healing out into the world around you.

Your facilitators, Rev. Jessica Steward and Lantern Keeper Jen Trulson, will also share their own experiences, insights, and practices to complement those shared in the book. From Yoga Nidra to Shenpa to Lectio Divina to Tonglen, we will share a variety of contemplative modalities to help us find freedom within ourselves so we can bring it forward to our families, communities, and hopefully, the world.

“Collective liberation acknowledges that multiple oppressions exist, and that we work in solidarity to undo oppression in ourselves, our families, our communities, and our institutions, in order to achieve a world that is truly free. We work collectively because we recognize that each of us has a stake in ending White supremacy and all related systems of oppression.” ~Center for Racial Justice in Education

Together We Will…

  • Deepen into the concept of collective liberation and take real and practical steps towards it.
  • Explore the nature of the ego and how it keeps us separate from deep and meaningful connection with self, spirit, and community.
  • Understand the nature of our conditioning and how to begin addressing the internalized systems of oppression that arise from the conditioned mind and perpetuate the illusion of separation from each other.
  • Learn how to “bring your life into your practice versus your practice into your life.” Everything in our lives is an invitation to remember our inherent wholeness and our interconnectedness with all things. Together we will learn how to awaken without requiring special circumstances to do so.
  • Address the nagging voice of our Inner Critic and move from judgment and shame to compassionate understanding and appreciation for ourselves and all our parts.
  • Tap into the well of Love and the Compassionate Mentor that is ever-present within us.
  • Develop regular individual contemplative + reflection practices to help embody the lessons that we learn each week.
  • Learn how to apply meditation, mindfulness, and contemplative technologies to the collective by practicing each week as a community.

What You’ll Experience During Our Time Together

While the idea of collective liberation may feel intimidating or perhaps even serious or heavy, it is, in fact, quite freeing—filled with hope and healing.

During our time together, you will..

  • Cultivate a deeper sense of belonging within yourself and to yourself.
  • Experience less anxiety or depression as you begin to understand who you are at a much more genuine level.
  • Appreciate the powerful threads woven between us while also respecting and understanding the differences that also exist.
  • Develop more authentic and meaningful connections with yourself, with Spirit, and with other like-spirited people.
  • Learn to live your life from the depth of its center instead of toiling in the shallows.
  • Create a sense of personal authority and sovereignty as you untangle yourself from the internal and external story lines and systems that hold you back.
  • Feel more comfortable with—and find more appreciation for—your emotions and the depth and breadth of information they offer to help you more easily navigate the world.
  • Realize how deeply connected we all are and how you don’t have to isolate or “go it alone” in order to find the fulfillment of freedom.
  • Feel more comfortable and at home in your own body as you find liberation from the oppressive messages you’ve inherited about its worth.
  • Develop greater compassionate understanding, appreciation, and respect for all the parts of yourself that have been helping you survive in a challenging environment.
  • Experience more spontaneous joy and laughter as you learn to reclaim your wonder and awe in the simple pleasures and ordinary magic of our world.

Circle Details

  • 12 weeks; April 25 through July 11, 2023.
  • Tuesdays at 5pm PT/8pm ET for 90 minutes
    • Please note we will meet on Wednesday, July 5, instead of Tuesday, July 4 to accommodate the US Independence Day Holiday.
  • Meet via Zoom
  • Weekly, you’ll be encouraged to complete contemplation & journaling invitations posted via our private group in our free online community—House of Belonging.
  • During our live circle, we’ll engage in group discussion, contemplation, & journaling practices.

Preparing for Circle

While you will need a copy of The Heart of Who We Are: Realizing Freedom Together by Caverly Morgan, this is not a book club. This is a contemplation and reflection circle using a book as a framework for our time together. With that, please review the following for how to prepare and what to bring to circle:

    • Purchase a copy of book:
    • Have a journal and your favorite pen. Journaling and reflection are core to this offering.
    • We will use the Circle Sanctum Facilitation Model for our weekly sessions.
    • Each week, you will read a chapter and then come to circle prepared for contemplative practices, journaling, and discussion
  • While live attendance is not required, it is strongly encouraged for collective liberation.

Enroll Now

In the spirit of this “collective care fellowship”, all paid programs offer 3 tiers of pricing: Collective Care Beneficiary, Collective Care Maintainer, and Collective Care Contributor. We may play all of these roles throughout our lives and wherever you find yourself in this moment is welcome.

Registration is now closed.