Cranaleith Communities of Practice

Both healthcare and education ask of their practitioners a concern for the wellbeing of the person who comes before them. Healthcare professionals recognize the physical wounds or the illness residing in the patient; they offer relief from pain and discomfort as well as healing of those wounds and diseases. In the intimacy of their care, healthcare professionals attend to the disease as well, seeing the whole person. Educators likewise recognize the wholeness of the student; they know how essential attention to the whole person is connected to success in learning. 

Because these professions ask for high levels of proficiency, compassion and kindness, the spiritual side of the practitioner is engaged as well as the intellect. When this is acknowledged – that is, when time is given to reflect on roadblocks and invitations, scarcity and abundance – educators and healthcare professionals can find the renewal they need to continue to offer proficiency, compassion and kindness in their work. 

Social workers are professionally attuned to the living situations of the people they serve.  Social workers help others solve personal and family problems of many kinds.  They assist with housing, finances, jobs, childcare.  They help clients navigate labyrinths of institutional paperwork so that they can connect with the services available to them.  Although they are often underpaid and undervalued, they attend to the basic framework of life that makes the rest of life possible.

How can spiritual renewal help social workers?  As they engage deeply with people, they witness firsthand the struggles and suffering of life in all its social complexity.  This creates an energy drain beyond work tasks themselves and that energy needs replenishing.  Reflection, puzzlement, wonder, rejoicing and grieving all deserve to be pondered.  By taking time for spiritual renewal, the social worker can return to work with renewed vitality and commitment.  They can better see the person before them as dignified and trust that their own efforts are making a difference.

People whose career lies in the business world bring their whole selves to work too. They have memories, values, emotions, concerns, dreams, imaginations and free will.  Sometimes making a profit is overemphasized and they may feel their value reduced to what they do and how much they have. But making a profit is only one among many goals business people envision for their work outcome. Questions likely arise regularly in their hearts: 

• How can I work in such a way that I am satisfied and grow as a whole person?   

• What does a healthy work-life balance look like? 

• How can my company’s product improve the lives of others?   

• How can I contribute to a safer, heathier society?

Spiritual reflection provides the opportunity to answer these questions. Business people can acknowledge the longing to live more fully, to bring their whole self to work.  They can move from defining themselves solely by what they do to who they are and who they feel drawn to become.

• Individual attending a program: $120 

• Organization sending multiple staff: 

• 5-14 people $2,500 

• 15-24 people $3,500 

• 25-40 people $4,500

All fees include lunch.

Cranaleith’s mission includes ensuring that all have access to spiritual practice.  All are welcome, regardless of ability to pay.  Please let us know if you need to negotiate a lower fee.  Please let us know if you are able to support our mission and pay more.