This Sacred Sorrow
An online Lent retreat with Mother Mary, honoring grief as resistance in times of great sorrow
This Sacred Heart, Amber Stanford
What if you knew that all you feel right now, the many flavors of grief– rage, numbness, fear, sadness, denial, hopelessness– was deeply sacred? What if all of that was making you more human, and very powerful? What if your sorrow, One with your love, was embodied every day as resistance?
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary, tracking the movements of Mother Mary and the women accompanying Jesus as he walks towards his execution, give us a map for walking the way of sorrow in our own lives. They point bright arrows to the grief that is love that is resistance. Each story portal reminds us that in this world of “well and woe” (to quote Julian of Norwich) we are rooted, resourced and reborn in the Great Love of Goddess. Each archetypal opening is a teaching in how to become more deeply human, and more rooted in love, as the world burns, bellows and births anew all around us.
We walk this road together, sharing wisdom and wonder, woven in these ancient Mysteries that continue to pour succor and solidarity into our lives today.
Images: top left: Photo by Chandri Anggara on Unsplash. Top right: Photo by Ezechiel Kouassi on Unsplash. Bottom left: Photo by Chandri Anggara on Unsplash. Bottom right: Photo by Dmitry Ganin on Unsplash
In the great spiral of human-meets-divine Life that the rosary represents, the Sorrowful Mysteries fall between the Joyful and the Glorious. So often, we are told or tempted to skip the sorrow. Yet it is the center of the sandwich, the spiral into the belly of the Dark Mother, the bowels of earth that constantly regenerate new life. What if the sorrow is the bay leaf in the soup of life? What treasures are waiting to be found there? What might call you, here, to deeper and greater aliveness, waiting and ready to propel you into the Glory of it all?
Details:
5 Tuesdays of Lent, beginning February 24th
(Feb 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24th)
6:30-8:30 pm Central Standard Time (St. Louis, MO)
Zoom Retreat Space (option to attend in live time or receive the recording)
$133 Standard Rate // $111-155 Sliding Scale
Embodied Soul Care. Prayer & Practice. Teachings & Transmissions. Wisdom Circle. Community Connections.
Our Lady of Sorrow
I used to wonder why so many statues and paintings of Mother Mary featured her with tears running down her face. Why was she so sad? Wasn’t that image of Her rather depressing? Wouldn’t a joyful depiction better represent Her love? Now when I look at those tears streaking rivers of truth and love down her face, I see endless solidarity and the most fecund love. She sees the horror of this world and refuses to look away. She feels the suffering of Her children– in all the small and large ways we suffer– and she feels our pain. She witnesses the atrocities we inflict on one another– we who have human hearts and the capacity to choose much, much differently– and she weeps in agony. Now, I feel so much understanding in this crying face. I have been there so many times myself– weeping tears of grief and rage, frustration and deep longing for the kin-dom to come, NOW. Now I see that those tears are urging us to remain human, to feel deeply, to remember with every tear that the kin-dom is not yet here but that we– each of us– have great capacity to affect change by living every day with love.
Our Lady of Sorrows walked step by step, side by side with her Sacred Son– murdered by the state for being a brilliant beacon of non-violent, insistent love, for being so fully human He became a threat to the powers that be. She walks with each of us similarly today– as we root into our true humanity, and rise in liberative love. Sorrow in this way, Her sorrow, is resistance– throwing off the lies of empire to become more truly human, alive and awake in love, One with one another and all of creation.
Images: Top left: Our Lady in Chains, Alice Lynn Greenwood; Top right: Photo by JOSE SIMON on Unsplash; Bottom left: This Sacred Heart, Amber Stanford. Bottom right: Virgin de Guadalupe, George Yepes
Weekly Themes:
Week 1: The Agony in the Garden. Letting Her Hold Us
Week 2: The Scourging at the Pillar. Becoming the Pillar of Light
Week 3: The Crowning with Thorns. Loving Truly in the Upside Down
Week 4: The Way of the Cross. Receiving the Love of Others
Week 5: The Crucifixion. Surrendering Fully to Her
Practicing the potent path of grief as resistance with the women who walked the Way of the Cross
What folks are saying about Erin's retreats...
"This is my second year participating in the advent retreat. Both times it has offered a deeply valuable space to access the (sometimes ignored) well of wisdom that exists within myself as well as in the wisdom of the feminine collective that gathers to share this experience together. As I walk out of these five weeks I find myself feeling stronger, rooted more deeply in my authentic self, and connected to other beautiful souls. With clarity, conviction and reverence for the unknown, I continue on my path with this Medicine."
-E.C., former retreatant
"I signed up for Erin‘s 5 Week Lenten retreat in late winter, being drawn to her invitation to wade into the waters of the Rosary’s Sorrowful mysteries. I also knew my soul was in need of a new level of support related to metabolizing a deeper level of grief related to the loss of my brother. What she curated during those five weeks of meditations, thematic talks and readings , as well as holding space for the collective wisdom to emerge from those who were in the retreat, was nothing shy of masterful. As a result, I experienced deep support and transformation from taking part."
-H.P., former retreatant
"Erin offers many ways to connect with the divine and quiet ourselves - guided meditation, personal time, dance, song, prayer, paired sharing, larger group sharing (optional). No matter what you prefer, you get to do something that feels comfortable and also are invited to try something new or experiment. Erin's leadership style, presence and very intentional flow of the retreat sessions always brings me in, no matter how busy my day has been or what's on my mind, I am gently led to spend time with Mother and quiet my soul."
-L.B., former retreatant
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this retreat for women only?
This retreat is open to anyone who identifies as a woman or female or primarily feminine as well as our non-binary siblings (femmes and thems) who feel drawn to this. We love you brothers and we need a place to deepen and heal in feminine focused space.
Is this retreat for Christians?
This retreat is rooted in the Wisdom tradition of the Christ lineage, but you don't have to identify as Christian to attend. Folks of all or no religious or spiritual persuasions are welcome.
Do I have to attend live?
No, the recordings are available to catch the retreat at any time that works for you. That said, the insights of those present in live time (Wisdom Circle) is a central piece of the retreat, so if you can attend for any of the sessions in live time, that is a bonus!
Do I have to be familiar with the Divine Feminine (or Mother Mary) to attend?
Not at all. This retreat is designed for those just beginning to get to know the Divine Feminine, as well as those seeking a deeper dive. We gain a lot by the Wisdom of one another, so wherever you are on the spectrum of relationship with Her is totally fine and welcome!
What if I have some serious wounding from Christianity?
We will be diving into some central stories from Christianity, so if you're triggered by that, this might not be the best place for you. However, if you sense there are some wounds there ready to be healed, engaging these stories anew with Mother Mary's love could be just the medicine needed. We expect each person to take full responsibility for themselves and their own healing, and we trust your capacity to do so. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to talk this over more!
Hi! I’m Erin Duffy-Burke
It's an honor to journey with you through these Lenten Mysteries.
My initiation in Sacred Sorrow came through the death of my beloved youngest sister thirteen years ago. Caity Christ has since walked with me in the alchemy of death and new life, and sorrow has been the river that has brought me to this new shore. Grief is the gateway that allowed me to surrender fully to love of the Great Goddess! Other teachers include my own relationship with depression and mental health, communion with the natural world, as well as many human and more-than-human kin along the way.
I have been leading retreats for nearly twenty five years, and am a professional minister and theologian. My education came primarily through life and love, but I am also traditionally educated with masters degrees in Catholic Education from the University of Notre Dame, Multicultural Ministry from the Franciscan School of Theology and Christian Spirituality from the Graduate Theological Union. I am also a certified yoga therapist, facilitator of embodied transformation and birth doula. I serve as a soul companion and am currently receiving deeper training with the amazing Benedictine Sisters at the Sophia Center at Mount St. Scholastic in Atchison, KS.
