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Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center:
Where Women Find Their Way
1780 Thurman Creek Road
Matfield Green, Kansas
620.753.3465
Rev. Billie Blair, Director
Tallgrass Spiritual Retreat Center
Where Women Find Their Way
Sacred Poetry - Gather the Women
April 29, 2008
Tue 9:30am - 3:30pm
Fee: $36, includes lunch
Poetry reader: Mary Jo Davis-Grant, Ph.D.
ALIVE
We can be birthed again
An inner marriage of
Spirit and self Can create New ConsciousnessAs membranes of old fears rupture
Holy waters of
Faith Wisdom InsightBaptize lifeless
Habits
Beliefs Hatreds Then...Nourished by prayer and communion
We flourish...
Wholly alive Born...Again!Mary Jo Davis-Grant 2007copyright | ||||
BIRTH
Rain drops a final kiss;
Breezes blow-dry the dewLight erases the darkness;
Earth awakens life to LifeNature sings a dawn blessing;
Creation births a new daySpirit whispers“It Is Good”! AMEN Mary Jo Davis-Grant 2005 copyright | ||||
Mary Jo Grant,born in Shannon County, Missouri, is a graduate of Kansas University with a BS in education and a Masters in counseling. She also has a Ph.D. in Archetypal Psychology. Mary Jo retired both from directing her church choir and from the faculty at Butler County Community College. She is currently active in outreach to survivors of childhood sexual
abuse, facilitating groups of survivors and advocating on behalf of survivors. Mary Jo enjoys writing poetry and has given several poetry readings. She likes reading (everything), discussion groups,and leading dreamwork groups. Married to an attorney, she is the mother of two and has four grandsons. She is a member of First United Methodist Church in El Dorado, Kansas. It is a joy to have Mary Jo at the Center reading her Sacred Poetry at the April Gather the Women. Mary Jo has facilitated another retreat here at Tallgrass, based on her book DreamPower .
Mary Jo has won an Award for Literary Excellence
by Books and Authors.net for Best Book in Psychology for 2007.
Below are two examples of Mary Jo's poetry.
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Never having written poetry before in her life, Mary Jo Grant was surprised - and pleased- to find the words flowing from her with such ease. Mary Jo does not consider herself a poet. She understands herself to be a conduit for the Spirit who actually writes the words through her. Scroll down to read a few samples of her beautiful, heart-felt poems.
For this day retreat, Mary Jo will use a reading - meditation - discussion format. She will share some of her writings with those gathered, offer time for meditation on the words, symbols, and experiences evoked by the readings, then provide time for discussion.
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Poetry is
the exquisite expression
of exquisite expressions.
- - Joseph Roux
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The only thing that can
save the world is
the reclaiming of the
awareness of the world.
That's what poetry does.
- - Allen Ginsberg
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