SOUL TENDING CLASSES
With Lisa Whitlow ~ 2011

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Mary Magdalene, the Black Madonna, and the Holy Grail

In all of the excitement about The DaVinci Code, many have missed the most important spiritual lesson in the story: not the ancestral “bloodline” of Jesus, but the inner Sacred Marriage of the masculine and the feminine. With the repression of the feminine, and particularly of the connection between the divine feminine and the natural world, Christianity has lost half of its soul. In this class we will explore and experience the mysteries of the Holy Grail, the symbolic cup that holds insights for women and men.

Shadow Dancing

Amazingly, the material that we hide and repress about ourselves - sometimes called the "shadow" - is actually the source of immense spiritual growth. Like the Ugly Duckling that turned out to be a magnificent swan, so much of our magnificence is hidden in the shadows of our personality. Shadow work is like "mining for gold," and can lead to personal transformation and healing.

She Who Is: Sophia, Archetype of Holy Wisdom

This class is an in-depth exploration of the Goddess of Wisdom (actually the hidden goddess in the Judeo-Christian tradition). Sophia is the forgotten partner in the Sacred Marriage; the divine feminine principle that must be reclaimed before we can realize personal and global health and wholeness.

Wounded By Religion

Has your religious tradition failed you, disappointed you, abused you, disenchanted you, angered you, or confused you? Have you gotten the message that your gender is “wrong” or defective, or that your sexual orientation is sinful? Do you feel further away from God/Goddess/Spirit rather than closer? We will explore our religious wounds and discuss possibilities for healing.

Wheels of Blessing: The Seven Chakras as Gateways to Physical and Spiritual Health

This class is based on ancient teachings about the chakra system, and also the revolutionary theology of Matthew Fox. We will celebrate the body as spiritual temple, and the chakra system as a blueprint for integration and wholeness.

Four Paths to Wholeness:
Creation Spirituality’s Wisdom for the Journey


When Matthew Fox signed my copy of his best-selling book, Original Blessing, he wrote: “To cosmic hope and wonder!” This is an apt description of what Creation Spirituality is all about. Creation Spirituality affirms the universe as blessing. Human beings are not “cursed” by original sin, but are born to be, and to experience, joy and blessing. Creation Spirituality embraces all the discoveries of science about our universe, and in fact affirms that “creation continues” – we are all meant to be co-creators with the Divine. Although grounded in the Christian tradition, Creation Spirituality celebrates and embraces the goodness and value of other religious traditions. In this class, we will explore and experience the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality: the Via Positiva (joy and wonder), the Via Negativa (befriending darkness), the Via Creativa (creating, awakening), and the Via Transformativa (befriending creation and transformation of self.)

Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty): A Tale for Women & Men about Waking Up

This class will explore some surprising twists and turns in this familiar tale that has ancient origins and still speaks to us today. It is said that we spend two-thirds of our lives in a relatively unconscious state ("asleep"). Our task as adults is to become more conscious. We will explore the meaning of waking up to our own lives, and reflect on the vital role of the Thirteenth Fairy Godmother!

Cinderella: It's Not Just About the Fella!

Forget Disney. This story has roots in ancient Egypt, Sumeria, and Israel. Embedded in this familiar tale we find the soul's search for the inner beloved. Drawing on Jung's concept of individuation, along with ancient sources (including Gnostic literature) we will explore the hidden riches that this simple tale holds for men and women.

"Powerful...perfect for me in my time of transition...deep, exploratory, dynamic." / "My body and soul have come to the well and been nourished." / "Lisa teaches with wit, compassion and openness." / "Lisa never ceases to amaze me with the depth of her wisdom and insight." / "Deeply insightful and playful as well!"

Living the Symbolic Life

Carl Jung asserted that we are all badly in need of "the symbolic life." He believed that only a symbolic life is capable of feeding - and freeing - the soul. Our prevailing culture does not prepare us to befriend the non-rational, intuitive, imaginal, and symbolic realms. We are therefore deprived of the depth and richness that spring from everyday contact with the psyche. This class will explore a variety of ways to enrich our lives with inner work that feeds the soul - including dream work, active imagination, and the gifts of synchronicity.