The Ties That Bind
An exploration of life’s essential connections and how they are…well…connected!
The theme of last fall’s Diocesan Convention in Fredricksburg was “Closing the Gap between Religion and Life,” a topic that lends itself well to this weekend’s theme of Connection. They fit hand in glove with the reason most of you come to Shrine Mont every year: to strengthen one or more of what I call life’s four essential connections:
- With God
- With Others
- With Self
- With Nature
At least for me, when my life feels out of kilter in any way, and I look closely and honestly at my situation, I can almost always identify one of these four connections that needs some work, some shoring up, some strengthening.
May 4, 2024 Workshop at Shrinemont
Elizabeth Cottrell’s website HEARTSPOKEN is all about helping readers strengthen the four essential connections of the Heartspoken Life: with God, with Self, with Others, and with Nature. And since our favorite connection tool is pen and paper, you’ll find a link below to posts about that too!
These links will help you explore the rest of the site content.
- Connect with God/your Higher Power
- Connect with Others: Community
- Connect with Self: Self-Knowledge/Self-Awareness
- Connect with Nature: the world outside your door
- Learn to write Heartspoken Notes and Letters that connect, comfort, encourage, and inspire
Try one of Elizabeth’s Heartspoken newsletters
- “Today’s HEARTSPOKEN Note”: – a weekly email newsletter for note and letter writers who want to turbo-charge their correspondence to build and nourish the important personal and professional relationships in their life.
- “The HEARTSPOKEN Connection” – a monthly LinkedIn newsletter with examples, stories, and templates for using handwritten notes and letters appropriate for your various professional relationships.
- “Essential HEARTSPOKEN Connections” – an infrequent newsletter that explores all four of the essential connections of the Heartspoken Life.
Articles from my blog that I drew on from for this workshop:
“Can You Separate the Threads of Life’s Essential Connections?”
Connect with God
“Six Simple Steps to Building a Relationship with God”
Connect with Others
“Book Review: Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say“
Connect with Self
“Do You Know Who You Are? 6 Ways to Discover and Celebrate Your Truest Self”
Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Quiz (and other free quizzes for getting to know yourself better)
Connect with Nature
“Climate Change IS a Social Justice Issue”
“Life Lessons from the Labyrinth”
“View from the Bench” series – changes in what I see at different times of the year
“Weave” by Rosemary Crow
music and lyrics written by Rosemary Crow
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
We are many textures, we are many colours,
Each one different from the other.
But we are entwined in one another
in one great tapestry –
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
We are different instruments playing our own melodies,
Each one tuning to a different key,
But we are all playing in harmony
in one great symphony.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
A moment ago still we did not know
Our unity, only diversity.
Now the Christ in me greets the Christ in thee
in one great family.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, together in love.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Copyright 1979 by Rosemary Crow.
Workshop Prayer
by Elizabeth H. Cottrell
Heavenly Father, we are here today to explore the four essential connections of our most heartspoken life: our connection to you, our connection to others, our connection to ourselves, and our connection to Nature. Teach and inspire us, we pray, to recognize your gifts of connection that we might be grateful for them and use them to become more open vessels for carrying and pouring out your light and love to a world that needs both so desperately.
May we always be:
-
- open to hearing Spirit’s still small voice
-
- deaf to our inner critic and unnecessary fears
-
- bold in proclaiming your message
-
- faithful in seeking you in our life and work
You have promised that when two or three are gathered in your name, you will be in their midst. We thank you and welcome your presence among us this weekend. Guide our time together that we may be inspired and refreshed to grow in ever greater service to you.
Amen
Get the book!
Signed copies of my book, HEARTSPOKEN: How to Write Notes that Connect, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire, are available from the Shrine Mont bookstore the weekend of the retreat in both hardbound and paperback. For other online ordering sources, CLICK HERE. On the same page you’ll find excerpts, testimonials, and more. Foreword by New York Times best-selling author of The Christmas Jars, Jason F. Wright.
“Heartspoken is a work of art—and a work of heart…your words are packed with wisdom and inspiration.”
~ PEGGY POST
Director Emeritus, The Emily Post Institute
I would love to join your book club or discussion group—in person or by Zoom—if you’ve chosen her book to study and discuss. Contact me HERE.
Other workshops and presentations from Elizabeth
I also do presentations (in person and virtual) and workshops on using the heartspoken note as a connection tool. This has been especially popular with church groups who have a note-writing ministry and also with sales professionals who understand the importance of making and nurturing relationships, before and after the sale. Contact me HERE.
Book Review: The Reading List
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