Caring for Common Ground

Education for Spiritually-based Ecological Restoration

Caring for Common Ground is a collaboration between Holy Wisdom Monastery and the Earth Partnership ecological restoration education program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, to bring people of different faith and spiritual perspectives together around land care practices. We strive to create a supportive learning environment where people can share ideas about spirituality and ecology, learn tools to put their values into action and join others in a community of spiritually-based ecological restoration.

2021 Caring for Common Ground

People from diverse spiritual/religious (and non-religious) traditions are invited to learn together how to heal the land and restore relationships and spirit!

Come as a member of a group, or as an individual. Holy Wisdom Monastery is an ecumenical, inclusive Benedictine community committed to prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth. All are welcome!

Workshop topics:

  • Dialogue about intersections of faith and contemplative spirituality, ethics and environmental care
  • Hands-on experience in land care
  • Strategies for engaging others in spiritual ecological action
  • Reflection and fellowship

Schedule:

FRIDAY – Connections

  • Welcome & Opening Blessing Land Acknowledgment
  • Botany Bouquet Oak Reflections
  • Dinner & Fellowship

SATURDAY – Sacred Restoration

  • Interfaith Opening
  • Landscape Past: Oak Savanna Story
  • Landscape Present: Site Analysis
  • Single Spot Observations/Contemplations
  • Project Stories
  • Landscape Future: Design Charette
  • Dinner & Campfire Fellowship

SUNDAY – Taking it Home

  • Breakout Groups: Action Planning
  • Closing Ritual: Seed Sowing
  • Dialogue about intersections of faith and contemplative spirituality, ethics, and environmental care
  • Hands-on experience in land care
  • Strategies for engaging others in spiritual ecological action
  • Reflection and fellowship

Dates/times/location

October 8-10, 2021
at Holy Wisdom Monastery
4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI

  • Friday, Oct. 8; 3-7 pm
  • Saturday, Oct. 9; 9 am-7 pm
  • Sunday, Oct. 10; 11 am-3 pm

Cost

There is no cost to participate, although donations are welcome ($50 suggestion). Friday dinner, Saturday lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast are included. Lodging is not included.

Thank you to the High Winds Association Foundation and Madison Gas and Electric for their support of this initiative.

Lodging

Lodging is available at the monastery for a fee. Please contact Brooke Miller at bmiller@holywisdommonastery.org or 608-836-1631, x100 to reserve your room.

Who can participate?

Anyone! We welcome participants who want to care for the earth and who want to learn and share with others. Participants do not need to have experience in ecology or land care. We believe that everyone can contribute to and learn something from this experience.

Caring for Common Ground participants are invited to participate in seasonal gatherings after the initial workshop, where members of past and current cohorts share knowledge, resources and support.

What will I learn?

We encourage collaborative learning about ecology and spirituality and land care practices. We learn through individual and group reflection, including nature observation, journaling, art, dialogue, and hands-on experiences in the field.

More information

Registration

Register below by September 24, 2021.




“An uplifting, loving educational, and even more so, spiritual development experience that prepares people to enact their values more effectively.”

–Past Participant


Visit the Caring for Common Ground website for more informationView photos from past Caring for Common Ground events