Spiritual Exploration

Quaker spirituality begins with the expectation that you are capable of spiritual experiences, and that you hold the highest authority for interpreting your own experience. When it comes to exploring your own experience, what feels invitational? What gets in the way?

If you are drawn to focus on spiritual exploration as your next area of focus, what is the question that holds the most energy for you? If it isn’t named here, what words or images arise for you? Talk to your housemates and Coordinator about what resources are available in your chosen area of focus!

  • We only share the places where we feel uncertain with the people we trust. If you knew it was safe, what’s a deep question you’d like to explore with your housemates?

    What would help you feel safe enough to do so?

    What do you notice about your current experience with group worship and decision making?

    Your Coordinator has resources available to support you in these conversations.

  • What experiences draw you closer to the divine, to a sense of wonder, to your deepest self?

    Are there ways you’d like to explore the experience of stillness? Exuberance?

    What helps you feel like a certain space is sacred or set apart?

    How can you involve all your different senses in an experience of worship?

    Your Coordinator has resources available to support you in these conversations.

  • Are you drawn to visit another spiritual community?

    What will help you prepare for a meaningful visit?

    If you visit another group, what do you notice about their use of space?

    What do you notice about the words and metaphors that people use?

    Your Coordinator has resources available to support you in these conversations.

  • How you see yourself will shape how you see the experience you are having— including spiritual experience. What are questions you have about yourself and the way you experience the world around you?

    What systems have shaped your view of self?

    What systems would help you see yourself differently?

    Your Coordinator has resources available to support you in these conversations.

  • Talking about spirituality isn’t the same as doing exploring spirituality. But developing a conceptual framework could help you feel more confident in doing exploring your spirituality.

    Do you have questions about what makes something a spiritual experience?

    Are you drawn to explore the meaning behind certain words, images or metaphors?

    How is your understanding of spirituality shaped by history — both your personal history and the history of your culture?

    What would you like to know?

    Your Coordinator has resources available to support you in these conversations.

  • Because your background and experience are unique, you might have ideas or questions that haven’t occurred to us yet. What would it take for you to feel comfortable asking for something that hasn’t already been named?

    Your Coordinator would love to help you strategize about bringing a proposal to the group.