As we collectively face this unprecedented moment of destabilization and volatility, the Wisdom question of the moment seems to be: What is ours to hold — and how do we do it consciously? We are resolved, we do not want to hide, but nor do we want to fritter away energy in ungrounded reactivity.
In early May 2025, Cynthia Bourgeault met with an intimate group of students, gathered in Georgia, to offer a teaching on meeting this moment with hope, resilience, spiritual readiness, and assistance from the imaginal realms. Wisdom Waypoints is thrilled to be able to share select excerpts from this rich, accessible teaching with the entire network.
Our deep gratitude to Rebecca Parker with Integral Arising in Atlanta, Georgia and Rev. Stuart Higginbotham with the Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Georgia for creating this powerful and needed event and generously sharing it on behalf of the whole. Please read more about these seasoned Wisdom teachers and their offerings at the bottom of the page.
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About the Event Creators
Rebecca Parker is the Director of Integral Arising in Atlanta, GA, a non-profit organization formed to offer resources and instruction for the inner work needed for the rising Integral structure of consciousness as articulated by Jean Gebser. The seedbed for this work is Cynthia Bourgeault’s Wisdom Lineage of Mystical Christianity and of the Fourth Way work of G I Gurdjieff. Teaching practices, offering resources, holding classes, and spiritual coaching are offered in ongoing small groups and occasional Workshops.
For more information contact Rebecca at rparkermmp@gmail.com Note: The Integral Arising website is coming soon.
Stuart Higginbotham is an Episcopal priest, poet, and retreat leader. He serves as the rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Gainesville, Georgia and is the author of The Heart of a Calling: The Practice of Christian Mindfulness in Congregational Ministry and Bones of Light: Poems of Spiritual Imagination. His writings can be found at www.contemplativereformation.com.
I watched Cynthia’s discussion about Hope and thought this passage from JG Bennett was worth sharing.
“We can take the example of Hope. We always connect the word ‘hope’ with ‘for’ – to hope for something and that ‘for spoils it all – because hope is a state, a power, an energy. It is not something to do but that something that is going on in us. If we begin to connect hope with hoping for, then we put hope into the future and think that something is going to happen. We do not realize that hope must work in us now: that it is the working of hope in us (as we are this moment) that can help us not to hope for something. If we begin to allow ourselves to connect hope with something in the future, then we begin to expect. We say hopes are disappointed, but it is not like that. Hope is a present, immediate awareness that there is help. It is now yet at a stage at which we can understand it or be conscious of its working but it is like someone in darkness who sees some light, the light of hope. When that light in the darkness is an experience that happens to a man at this moment, then he is aware that at this moment there is a light which was not there before. It is like that with us if we realize that there is help, that there is a way our and we feel it at this moment.
That state is the state of Hope. That is why it is called objective. It is the same with the word Belief.
we always connect the word ‘belief’ with believing in something, believing that something. We believe in a person or we believe that something is true. This brings believing into ordinary experience connected with behavior. We believe in someone because we see them behaving in a certain way or they inspire some sort of confidence in us. Our belief is outside ourselves and it depends upon something outside ourselves, some person or another. Or we believe in an idea, in a creed, in a way of life – again outside ourselves and this spoils real, objective faith. Real faith is not faith in something outside or in something in the future. It is the awareness that we are in touch with another reality, a reality that is not conditioned by time and uncertainty, a realty that is also favorable to us, friendly. That does not mean that we believe in it or we be believe that it exists or something like that. In order to arrive at what faith really is, one has to be free from any separateness.”
All the best,
Charlie Paris
Boulder, CO
Cynthia’s insights and advice that we should work on our inner willingness to be vessels ,through focused spiritual practice really resonanted with me. The “trouble” Will find us…..
Loved the truth, Cynthia spoke, when she said that the need in this season of confusion , is for clarity and incisiveness (Métis)that will help us in correct identification of the situation, which should be spoken when necessary and with humility and appreciation of our oneness
Many thanks for Cynthia’s talk “What Is Ours To Hold.” It is a guiding light in a time of darkness and deep grief. Keep on keeping on, Cynthia! ❤️
As always Cynthia’s timely message encouraging us to hold firm to our spiritual practice is not only inspirational but necessary to survive these times. It’s just what I needed to continue my daily prayer and hold on to the hope that many more will see how “wrecking ball” tactics destroy what is good.
What is Ours to Hold-
EXCELLENT and timely.
Please continue to spread Cynthia’s important message.
This talk by Cynthia Bourgeault brought such needed clarity for me. And I sincerely appreciate that it came to my email today —So “right on time!”Thank you for your work in Atlanta and the forthcoming website for Integral Arising. I would very much like to stay connected.