FEMINIST & WOMEN'S SPIRITUALITIES.

The module on "Feminist & Women's Spiritualities," part of the 9-week-long Sumedha Sadhana programme, concluded on Friday 13th April at Sumedha Centre.

This module was facilitated by Dr. Shalini Mulackal PhD, Professor of Theology at Vidyajyoti College of Theology, New Delhi and President of the Indian Theological Association.

Dr. Mulackal explored the meaning and salient characteristics of spirituality from women’s perspective. She helped participants look critically at some of the popular images of traditional Christian spirituality, the process of masculinisation of women’s spirituality, and religion’s subjugation of women through theoretical inputs and examples from everyday life.

30th SUMEDHA SADHANA

The 30^th Sumedha Sadhana – A Psychospritual Wholeness Journey – commenced on October 2 with 20 participants – the highest number ever. The previous highest number was 19. Of these 14 are women and 6 are men (four priests and two religious brothers, including a Salesian brother).

The foundational module, facilitated by Jose Parappully, the Director of the Centre was “Psychological Dynamics on the Spiritual Journey.” This module used insights from psychology, especially developmental theories, to help participants to examine their understanding of and way of living their spiritual journey.

Gerard Alvarez, a Christian Brother and Trainer, currently residing at St. Joseph’s College, Nainital, used stories of Jesus (especially as narrated in the Gospel of Mark) and the emerging Universe Story to help participants to look at their own stories.

This week the participants explore “Feminist and Women’s Spirituality” This module is facilitated by Presentation Sister Shalini, Professor at Vidyajyoti College of Theology, New Delhi.

Recreation common, birthday celebrations and picnics are also part of the Sumedha journey along with the serious work of self-exploration and self-transformation.

Remaining Modules: Core Spirituality by Jose Mathew Kuttianimatathil PhD; Unconscious Dynamics & Psycho-Spiritual Maturity by Johny Dominic PhD; Group Therapy by Johny Dominic PhD, Jose Parappully PhD and MC Abraham PhD; and Spiritual Retreat by Jose Parappully PhD.

This 9-week programme concludes on December 3. 

26th SUMEDHA SADHANA Participants’ Appreciation

The last two months (July 4- September 4) we had been journeying together in quest of wholeness. We started from where we were, looking at our “Now Period” of life and what is happening on life’s journey.

Fr. Jose Parappully helped us to explore the current realities of our lives and also our spirituality in the context of changing paradigms. He also helped us to explore the psychological dynamics that are affecting our spiritual life, particularly the midlife dynamics of identity, intimacy, generativity and integrity. He used various psychological theories of development to help us explore these issues.

Fr. Parappully also helped us integrate body, mind and spirit through Somatic Meditations – a combination of Yoga, Music and Dance at the dawn of the day.

We had sessions on “Trauma and Healing” by Sr. Agnes Panikulam. She helped us explore the adverse emotional effects of trauma and provided some techniques to heal from them.

The sessions on “Befriending Our Emotions” by Sr. Maria Goretti Kanakarathinam presented the meaning of emotions and emotional maturity. She helped us explore and understand some of our major positive, negative, hidden and dominant emotions through art, role play, group exercises and by sharing her personal experiences.

Through sessions on “Sexuality, Celibacy & Intimacy” Fr. Parappully helped us to understand the impact of sexuality and affectivity, particularly hetero-sexual friendship, on our celibate commitment and lifestyle.

The sessions on “Sexual Abuse and Healing” by Fr. Parappully helped us explore and understand the impact of sexual abuse and learn about various approaches to healing from them.

In “Feminist & Women’s Spiritualities” Sr. Shalini Mulackal explored the meaning and scope of Feminist spirituality and their implications for us. We also looked at the salient features of spirituality from women’s perspectives.

We had ample opportunities throughout the programme to reflect on our experiences and to share them with one another.  This helped our growth in psychospiritual integration.

We experienced further healing and transformation through Group Therapy. Fr. Parappully facilitated the process, helping us create an atmosphere of freedom and trust in the group wherein we could openly share our brokenness and work through our unresolved issues.

We concluded our Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey integrating all our wonderful experiences at Sumedha in prayer and reflection on the Word of God during our Spiritual Retreat which was also facilitated by Fr. Parappully.

Today as we celebrate the conclusion of our psychospiritual wholeness journey we thank God for the healing and transformation we have been privileged to experience at Sumedha Centre.

Sumedha Sadhana Participants

 September 4, 2014

FEMINIST AND WOMEN’S SPRITUALITIES

Last week participants of Sumedha Sadhana completed the 2^nd module of the programme — Feminist and Women’s Spiritualities — facilitated by Dr. Shalini Mulackal PBVM, professor at Vidyajyoti College, New Delhi.

Earlier to that Dr. Parappully, director of he Centre, in his module “Psychological Dynamics on the Spiritual Journey” had explored with the participants paradigms that influence spirituality; the shift from a dualistic-mechanistic to a holistic-ecological paradigm; distinguished between religion and spirituality; and presented 17 characteristics of a mature spirituality for today which paved the way for the more detailed exploration of Feminist and Women's Spiritualities.

Dr. Mulackal explored contemporary feminist movements, situation of women in the Church and society and presented an understanding of feminist and women’s spiritualities within these contexts, particularly the much needed emancipation and empowerment of women.

Some typical comments from participants:

Holy Cross Sister Onila found, like some others as well, the module “an all together new topic which was presented in a systematic way. The content and presentation were very good.”

For Sister Celine of the Congregation of Jesus, the module served as “an invitation to celebrate womanhood.”

It helped me to “change my attitude towards feminine spirituality and my understanding about myself as a woman,” observed Ursuline Sister Reena.

For Divine Word missionary and spiritual director Father Gregory, the combined explorations of Dr. Parappully and Dr. Mulackal provided “the most comprehensive and deepest understanding of spirituality that I ever received anywhere.”

The week concluded with an outing up the stream that lies below Sumedha Centre and the visit of Fr. Maria Arokiam, Regional Counsillor of the Salesians of Don Bosco for South Asia, who interacted with the participants.