adult RE: the quest
january to may 2008
Our ten session course based on The Quest, a book of spiritual exploration exercises developed originally at Findhorn, has now come to an end and a copy of it is available to borrow from our church library. But it's not so much a book to read from cover to cover as something to work through slowly and return to again and again. In our 10-session course we worked through all the chapters in The Quest but covered only a few of its suggested activities.
Sarah Tinker
responses to "the quest" from participants
"After ten sessions of The Quest, I'm not near the end of my spiritual journey at all. In fact the journey is now looking like a much bigger task than I initially anticipated. But I feel that I got to know much more about myself: why I do what I do, how I react to the outside world, what makes me unique, what makes me tick. These are tools of utmost importance for my future steps. And above all, I realised I am not alone. The spiritual quest might be an individual journey, but it doesn't have to be a lonely one. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to have shared this process with my fellow seekers."
Camila Gough
"Visitors to my house look politely puzzled at the very inartistic picture of the stick men and the unicorn on my kitchen wall. I can't quite bring myself to tell them that it is an allegorical picture of my journey through life, as I see it. It is a tribute to the Quest course that I felt comfortable producing such a picture and then putting it on public view; normally I am allergic to both art and thinking. What the course did do is provide a safe space for confronting difficult ideas about ourselves - sometimes painful, sometimes sustaining, and sometimes funny. Of course for those of us who didn't manage to fit in much of the homework there was too much material to take on all at once, but I know that more will sink in over the next few months. I was grateful, as I am sure we all were, that Sarah and Jane had taken so much trouble over the course, so that the rest of us didn't need to. Sometimes security in a group exercise is nothing more than knowing that someone else has taken on all the responsibility and work, so the rest of us can just sit back and let it work."
Caroline Blair
"I was encouraged by a friend to contact Sarah, our Minister, to sign up for the course she was planning called the Quest. I was already doing a Practical Philosophy course, which seems similar in its purpose to that of the 8-week Quest programme Sarah had planned to do. As I previously attended a number of Self Development and Spirituality education courses over the years, and already had a commitment for Thursdays, I was not particularly keen on committing myself for such a long time. I am delighted, however, that I made the effort as this was a most rewarding and purposeful experience for me. The process of exploring my spiritual journey and sense of purpose, has provided me ideas and practical tools - such as the Mind-Map, which I hope will enable me to live a more fully conscious life - being in the present and enjoy all of the simple pleasures of life such as the beauty of a rose, a walk along the Southbank and saying thanks for all the blessings in my life. Many thanks to Sarah and to Jane for the lovely prepared sheets each session."
Doris Campbell
"The Quest, as delivered by Jane and Sarah, provided a vehicle for spiritual self discovery and valuing of self and others. The structure, group management and interactive listening felt holding and deeply supportive. The journey allowed space for a non-judgemental enquiry into self and others. I enjoyed the tranquillity and warmth of the experience and sensed it as place of being and less doing. An excellent programme well delivered."
Jim Blair
"I felt so blessed to have Jane and Sarah guiding me through this fantastic course. I was very impressed by the turnout and the commitment of us all and of the hard work put in by Jane and Sarah as I know how much energy and commitment it takes to run any course let alone one of this stature. They have clearly done a lot of their own 'inner work' and they complement each other in the way that they work. I think only 2 people out of the original 14 decided not to continue which is brilliant. The rest of us attended as consistently as we were able. I had a trip to America in the middle of it so I didn't do the work and the homework as diligently as I had intended but I still got such a lot out of it.
I'd love to do it again...and again...and again. It's one of those courses where you can get something new each time however many times you do it because it's so far-reaching and comprehensive....perhaps a bit like 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron. It's the kind of thing you can dip into, just read for pleasure or study in very great and detailed depth depending on interest and time.
When I first started to do it I felt quite despondent because I could feel myself falling into some of my old patterns of procrastination and then the beating-up of myself that usually follows but I decided to use the experience to try to understand and change the habit. The idea is that you keep a journal and write down your process with it all as well as answering and practising the questions and suggestions.
There are no right or wrong answers because it all comes from within anyway. No-one is looking to catch you out AND it's fun too! I really enjoyed doing the collages and life-mapping AND the wonderful music and the guided meditations lying on the lovely comfy carpet below the beautiful wall-hangings in the main space of the church with someone... whose name I won't mention... gently snoring beside me! Aww! It was hard not to laugh out loud!
In each fortnightly session we did exercises by ourselves, in pairs and in small groups as well as having homework to do in preparation for the following session but I'm relieved to report that no-one checked up to make sure I had done it!
I found the content very validating because I have done quite a lot of reading and soul-searching already so seeing books, ideas and people who I have read and liked (or not!) makes me know I am going in the direction I want to be going. Included also were people and ideas I haven't come across too so it keeps me alert and interested without getting overwhelmed with too much new information.
I LOVE being in groups with other 'seekers', people with open minds and hearts so it was delightful to be in this group of people from Kensington Unitarians and also new people because it was advertised on the London Spirituality Network.
One of the beauties of this course for me at this particular time in my life is that it was free. What a gift! It's the kind of course where elsewhere I would have had to pay a very large amount of money which would have precluded my attendance so I am extremely grateful to Jane, Sarah and this community of people. Thankyou!"
Jo Ridgers
last updated: 03 Aug 2009
