The document summarizes a retreat focused on embracing a feminine spirituality of naturalness and play. Through guided meditations, dancing, visualization, and other practices, participants encountered the divine presence in earthly, ordinary experiences of the present moment. The retreat invited discovering inner wisdom and reclaiming a sense of belonging within the universal dance of life. It was an opportunity to integrate mind and body, and glimpse the sacred in unexpected ways through openness, wonder, and participation in life's dance from one's unique perspective.

1. A PATH WITH A HEART
(From Tales of the Heart – Alba-pbvm)
Our lives are holy. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.
Spiritual life embraces all of this. It is the ground upon which we
walk, the deep well from which we draw throughout the process.
Yes, Spirituality pervades the entirety of our lives. Our life
pilgrimage, our journey towards wholeness therefore, is a spiritual
undertaking.
We encounter the Spirit as we delve deeply into our lives, into that inviolable part of
ourselves sometimes called soul and discover our own beauty, strength and goodness, our
passions and life’s purpose. We encounter the Spirit as we form relationships both with
those we love and with those who are different from us. We encounter the Spirit in the
presence of creation, of the earth and all her glorious creatures. And we encounter the
Spirit in the awesome discovery that all things are interconnected as we come together
to recreate the world.
There are varied ways to experience the Divine and countless pathways through which
we can arrive at the center. One particular way we can embody the Sacred Feminine
experience in our daily lives is by embracing a Spirituality of Naturalness – a Spirituality
of Play. Like spring water this spirituality arises out of our nature. The way is natural to
us for it is not artificial or manufactured or piped in from some other place. Very simply
this spirituality is true to who we are as women. It comes from within us and flows out.
As Sue Monk Kidd aptly puts it, “A natural spirituality tends to incorporate three very
organic, basic and overlooked things into our sacred experience: the earthly, the now and
the ordinary.”
One of my encounters with this Spirituality was a Retreat I was privileged to attend
together with 11 sisters from various congregations at NBCLC – Bangalore. It was
directed by Fr. Prashant Olalekar s.j. a great supporter and promoter of Feminist
Spirituality. I was attracted by the theme of the retreat which was “ Prophetic Play and
Mystical Movement – A Feminine Spirituality”, and felt it would be an apt ending to a
Spirit-filled and grace-filled sabbatical year.
I must say like the rest of the year, this experience too, has been without a doubt a
wonderful means of encountering the Divine tangibly in the very heart of life. The whole
retreat has been an unforgettable encounter with the Sacred Feminine Consciousness who
seized me by the shoulder, looked into my eyes and told me with passion and simplicity –
COME DANCE WITH ME
As I recall the whole experience I see that this Retreat has offered its participants a
wonderful blend of ancient eastern spiritual practices and the modern technique of
interplay. Through the guided meditations we were led to discern the Spirit’s movements
in the dance of our life. During these days we were gently guided into exploring new
ways of praying, through a spontaneous engagement in effortless dancing, creative

2. visualization and centering meditations. The result was a joyful encounter with the
Divine Presence in the Earthly – the Now and the Ordinary. I was delighted to come face
to face with and to trust the infinite wisdom of the body which is nothing other than Her
Divine Presence engaged in our beings, longing to break out in spontaneous joy, dance,
laughter and song – desiring to connect with and embrace all Reality – a Presence that
persistently challenges us to take our unique place in the great Cosmic Dance of Life.
For me this retreat has been a great opportunity for growth and renewal – a joyful
engagement in the Dance of Integration – a dance towards wholeness. More than
anything else, it has been a dance of celebration as the Spirit invited me to discover Her
radiant Presence within and called me to reclaim my space and my power; my sense of
belonging to the Universe - my connectedness and interdependence with all reality. It
has been an experience where the past and the future converged into the Eternal Now-
leading to the Sacred encounter with an “I Am” God who is the still point of our turning
world.
Each day was full of surprises for encountering the Spirit in Her Feminine Resplendence
who opens us up to embrace the unpredictable and the unexpected. For me this whole
retreat has been an invitation to live fully the NOW MOMENT, to participate fully and
actively in God’s Eternal Cosmic Dance and to accept the whole of life as blessings – as
gift.
Interplay, which was an important part of the retreat apart from its therapeutic benefits,
was a deeply spiritual and integrating experience for me. At the core of this integration
was a whole new way of being- an invitation to bring about this balance in my life by
being more right brained – to let this part of my personality to lead me – to let the heart
access the body wisdom that is eternally available to those who live in the now. This for
me has been a call to return to my true self – to rediscover and to reclaim my true
prophetic identity.
The retreat has also been a deeply mystical experience for I was often surprised by
glimpses of the Divine Feminine Energy in unexpected places and unfamiliar ways. It
was as if She looked into my eyes, laughing her acceptance and affection. As I gazed
back into her eyes I beheld in them a reflection of the spontaneity and creativity, the deep
sense of wonder, the capacity for laughter and play – communion and inclusiveness that
lie like buried treasures in every human heart! In her welcoming eyes I recognized the
eternal invitation to participate in Life’s Cosmic Dance from my own unique stance.
Apart from it being a deeply personal experience it was a spiritual experience where I
glimpsed in the vast expansiveness of Her Magnanimous Heart the whole of creation at
play in an eternal dance of interconnectedness and interdependence - an endless interplay.
As I gazed in awe and wonder I felt a compelling call in Her invitation to participate with
the same magnanimity in this great Dance of Life.
For all those who are seeking a meaningful, life giving and life promoting Spirituality
this Path with a Heart offers endless possibilities. Perhaps one of the songs of the retreat
holds in it my wish for you:

3. “I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat, but always keep the hunger,
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love never leaves you empty handed-
I hope you still feel small when you stand before the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me that you will give faith a fighting chance,
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…
I HOPE YOU DANCE.
I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances but they are worth taking
Loving might be a mistake but it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heat leave you bitter.
When you come close to selling out, reconsider.
Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance.
And when you get the choice it sit it out or dance…
I HOPE YOU DANCE. ”