A Haven of Peace, a Piece of Heaven
The Bield at Blackruthven
Retreat and Conference Centre
The Twelve Mysteries - praying with Michael Cook's paintings of the unnamed characters in the Gospels
6th June 2024
10:00-16:30
£60
“The basic command of religion is not “do this “or “Do not do that” but simply “Look!”
(Philip Toynbee)
Come and join us for a contemplative retreat of looking and praying with the 12 paintings showing the nameless, marginal characters from the Gospels by Michael Cook, a contemporary British Romantic artist.
Michael Cook is based in Derbyshire and his work is often displayed in churches and cathedrals. His work can be viewed at www.hallowed-art.co.uk and he has given The Bield special permission to share his paintings and the accompanying poems which were written by Rosalind O’Melia for this retreat day.
“There is the opportunity to use the imagination to make visible some of the less significant characters who populate the margins of Jesus’s story, to see what happens when we place them centre stage.” (Michael Cook)
The twelve characters include the Syro- Phoenician mother who asked for healing for her daughter, the young man who ran naked from the the Garden of Gethsemane and the woman with a haemorrhage who touched Jesus’ hem.
There might be one character or painting which speaks directly to you and which you might wish to spend the day with or you might find inspiration in the whole collection.
Throughout the day, we will sit with the paintings, meditate on the scripture passages which mention the characters and have time and space to express our responses to them in the art room, the beautiful grounds of The Bield or walking in the labyrinth.
Facilitator:
Louise Younger
Louisehas a ministry in spiritual accompaniment and leading people in various meditative activities. Her background is rooted in Ignatian spirituality and she finds visual imagery leads her deeper into prayer and aids imaginative contemplation.