Spiritual Exploration
QVS is a distinctly Quaker organization and experience. We undertake this work believing the Light of God dwells in each person. Our tradition teaches us to seek this Light in our experience.
We’ve designed the QVS year to be an experiment. We don’t expect that every Fellow will begin the work of spiritual exploration from the same vantage point. Nor is there any guarantee that we’ll all reach the same conclusions. Rather, because this is an experiment, we’re inviting you to pay attention to what is really happening. Be where you are. Notice your presuppositions and put them to the test. Do the work of deep reflection so you can speak the truth of your own experience.
Freedom to Explore
“The soul is like a wild animal – tough, resilient, savvy, self-sufficient, and exceedingly shy. If we want to see a wild animal, the last thing we should do is to go crashing through the woods, shouting for the creature to come out. But if we are willing to walk quietly in the woods and sit silently for an hour or two at the base of a tree, the creature we are waiting for may emerge, and out of the corner of an eye we will catch a glimpse of the precious wildness we seek.”
The work of spiritual exploration is most rewarding when we move beyond the edge of what’s comfortable and predictable. It takes trust to enter the wilderness together. Invest in community so your House can live up to its potential as a center of spiritual life.
Community and Capacity
You have everything you need to begin the experiment. Maybe you’ve already invested in skills to help you reflect on your experience, like meditation or keeping a journal. QVS wants to build on your existing skills and innate abilities.
Trying to use a new tool will probably feel awkward at first. Tools for spiritual exploration may challenge your desire to be productive. They may ask you to set aside your reliance on the strengths that have served you well in other contexts in order to make room for something new. Allow yourself to be playful with new experiences. Be curious. For the sake of the experiment, please challenge yourself to try something new.
On QVS Days or Retreats, your Coordinator may invite you to try different spiritual practices. Other Fellows in the House may have suggestions for what to try. Meeting with a Spiritual Nurturer or attending meeting for worship may feel like a real stretch for you. Please give your best self to the experiment. Because the real work is always inward, there’s no life in going through the motions. Allow the experiment to touch your heart of hearts, and speak the truth of your own experience.
Try New Tools
We invite you and your Housemates to be very intentional about the way you live. To that end, we ask you to develop a Community Covenant. Some Fellows have called this document their manifesto or star chart. It’s a way to name the values your House will place at the center of your shared life -- and how those values will be embodied by what you do and how you do it. The process of reflection and commitment is deeply spiritual. What guides you will rise from a deep place.
QVS asks you to hold regular meetings for worship as a House community. This might look like silent reflection, a collaborative art project, or a dance party. Think about inviting different Fellows to facilitate whatever activity enlivens their hearts to the presence of Spirit. You’re welcome to ask your Coordinator for ideas, or to invite local Friends to facilitate. As part of your Community Covenant, decide how often you’ll worship together and how you’ll share the responsibility for organizing your time together.
You’re also expected to hold “meetings for worship for the conduct of business.” This Quaker practice is built on the expectation that listening deeply together has the power to unite our hearts. It requires us to distinguish what’s a matter of conscience from what is simply a preference. Your Coordinator will provide some training in how Quakers use decision making as a spiritual tool. This is the process you’ll use to create your Community Covenant.
At some point in the year, you will find yourself in conflict. Navigating conflict is an opportunity for spiritual growth. We’ve all learned habits to avoid, preempt, or “win” a conflict. How can we open our hearts to new patterns that affirm the dignity of each person and help us collaborate on a solution? What will your covenant say about conflict?
Everyday Spirituality
Quakers tend to emphasize the process of group discernment. We’re more perceptive when we listen together. This insight has shaped the way Friends worship and make decisions. Group discernment can also be used to support an individual.
Drawing on the Quaker clearness process, your Coordinator will introduce you to the practice of Peer Clearness. This work requires trust and a respect for boundaries. Throughout the year, you’ll have opportunities to practice the spiritual work of seeking clarity and the work of helping someone else listen deeply to their Inner Guide.
Peer Clearness
You’ve been paired with a Spiritual Nurturer. The two of you will meet together once per month. Having a regular opportunity to reflect on your experience is an important part of this experimental year. It’s a way of keeping you in touch with your own insights. Although your Spiritual Nurturer will ask insightful questions, these meetings will be most productive if you come prepared to talk about inner life. What are you noticing about yourself these days?
Spiritual Nurturer
Spirituality isn’t limited to a particular set of activities. You may encounter the Light at work or around the community table, in quiet solitude or in raucous celebration. We hope you’ll always be looking for these connections.