Discovering Your Radiance with Gordon Creamer

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Hello, friends.

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Would you describe yourself

as having Radiance?

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Our podcast guest, Gordon Creamer,

would emphatically say yes.

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Discover more about what radiance truly

means, even in life's darkest moments.

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Join the conversation with us, the

Good News team, Lynn Shematek and

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Deacons, Jon Shematek and Lauren Welch.

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Jon Shematek: Gordon Creamer,

welcome to our podcast.

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Good News!

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Lauren and I are both absolutely

thrilled that you're joining us today.

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Gordon Creamer: I'm excited to be here.

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Thank you for the warm invitation.

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Lauren Welch: Gordon, you are the

creator of Mission Bridge, and

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are currently serving as program

director of Well for The Journey.

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You're a spiritual director, end

of life doula, reiki practitioner.

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Share with us what it is that seems

to be a thread in your life that you

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want to, empower people to know that

they are spiritual beings, becoming

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human beings instead of vice versa,

which most of us think we are.

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Gordon Creamer: On a foundational level,

it comes from, God, the Holy One as I

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refer to God or Spirit as a gift, an

authentic gift, and it's been powerful

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and meaningful and enlightening.

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My life journey of 47 years

to see it's unfolding.

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I believe at its core, that's, what it

means to me and how I see it, as a part

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of my every day and moment to moment.

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There's a word that's arising

for me, and it has been for

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the last several months when I.

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Take a moment and pause and spend some

time in contemplation about that gift as

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it unfolds, and that word is radiance.

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So part of where I focus in my

journey with folks, however I might

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be accompanying them, it could be on

a retreat, it might be in spiritual

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companioning or guiding, is inviting

them to behold their own radiance.

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Lauren Welch: can you share what happens

when people are finally able to see that?

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Can you share a story of when

someone had an aha moment?

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Gordon Creamer: Yes.

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it happens pretty regularly

and is attributed to.

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The presence of the spirit

as I'm gathering with folks

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in those various capacities.

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it can be at, Well for the

Journey, where I'm privileged

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to work as the program director.

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It might be in a group or a retreat.

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sometimes it's happening one-on-one

and other times it's in that

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communal setting and it's powerful.

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Sometimes it might happen subtly, as

they say, the light bulb goes off.

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to see how that, takes its own journey

of unfolding in that person's life

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or that group or community, it's a

very rich experience as a witness, to

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behold that and to also, continually

be grateful for the opportunity to

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engage with others, in capacity.

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for myself, the gratitude is

deeply present because it's

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so life-giving and fulfilling

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Jon Shematek: I'm wondering,

Gordon, about the sense of radiance.

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what obstacles I or people put in

the way of really recognizing that,

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I've had some folks even on this

podcast where, wow, you've got an aura

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about you, and I think that's maybe

another word for what you're thinking.

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And they are stunned and surprised.

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when people come to your retreats

or in the course of spiritual

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companioning, are they expecting.

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Something like this or is it a surprise

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Gordon Creamer: I'm glad

you're raising that question.

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I find this, to be a phenomenon I love

words and creating descriptions for

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various programs or how I'm showing

up in the world, As human beings,

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we do a lot of assumptive reading.

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We don't read all of our emails.

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Even if they're short, We might

be interested in something like

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the title and sign up for it, or,

gosh, I just wanna go and retreat.

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It doesn't really matter what.

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And again, we're turning back to the

presence and the power of the Holy Spirit.

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She does great things in her work.

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even in preparing and planning for

a program or a one-on-one session

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for spiritual companioning or

direction, it's really the work of

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God, that makes all things possible.

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if we can be open.

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To that invitation that's ever present,

that radiance can be tapped into.

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held, observed, celebrated,

moment to moment.

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That doesn't always happen

because things get in the way.

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You mentioned, barriers

or things of that nature.

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That's part of our human nature and we

are constantly bombarded with information,

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things clutter up our spiritual lens.

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Being able to recognize the spirit and the

work of God in our lives and in the world.

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opportunities to be with folks in deep

listening helps to clear the field, helps

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to polish the lens, that we might be

looking through to, glimpse that radiance

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Sometimes it's about glimpsing it

and other times it's being, in the

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radiance and aware of that radiance

that leads us to positive action.

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Jon Shematek: Yeah.

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I love that way to think of that the other

thing I'm wondering about, thinking about

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spiritual companioning, we use the word

discernment and trying to discern, we've

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had other folks on the podcast talk in a

secular way, even talking about discerning

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what their purpose is and so on.

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Is this radiance or this sense

have a direct connection with

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discerning what's God's will, in your

opinion, what God's will is for the

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Gordon Creamer: I believe so, and

that's part of my spiritual practice

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of being with others in that journey

as a spiritual director or companion

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or guide, that inner radiance is

always available, much like joy.

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yet because of a myriad of

reasons we aren't able to.

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Recognize that radiance.

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practices such as discernment help

to return us to that illumination.

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sometimes it's just being reminded that

we have that radiance and all of its

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possibilities, and other times it's,

galvanizing that radiance being grounded

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in it to take action in a vocational

way, in a way that we are intended to.

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By our Creator

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Lauren Welch: And how has this

radiance and I love your, use of joy

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too because when we recognize that

we are part of that radiance, we are

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grateful and joy is abundant around us.

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how has that guided you?

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Gordon Creamer: This is where I can begin

speaking about Well for the Journey.

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I love being a part of The Well community

and have had the privilege to serve

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in various capacities, over the years

we're in our 23rd year and I first heard

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about The Well, almost a decade ago.

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I started guiding programs there

and served on the board, and as a

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volunteer for the last almost three

years, I have been the program

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director, which is such a privilege.

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The Well has a really important

mission for the healing of the world.

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we focus on three foundations,

within our mission.

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And I'll just quickly name them.

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It's a deeper sense of connection to

ourselves and other living beings,

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and ultimately to whatever name

we have for that, which is greater

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Spirit, God the Universe or Mystery.

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A deep sense of community,

that we're not alone.

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emerging from the pandemic has reminded

us of the importance of community.

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thirdly, spiritual nourishment,

spiritual wellbeing and things that

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sustain us on this journey of being

a spiritual being, in human form.

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to tie that to radiance joy and other

things that are permanent, that we

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always have access to, Name countless

examples of how that happens through

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anything that The Well is doing.

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It could be a program.

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We have a weekly reflection

call on Wednesdays.

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We have different, ways of showing up

to partner with other organizations.

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For example, we are, currently providing

spiritual wellness programming for the

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dementia community and its caregivers.

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to help folks, even if it's just in

the moment to realize that connection,

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that community, and that spiritual

wellbeing that they are entitled

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to because of that inner radiance.

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Jon Shematek: Gordon most of our folks

are here, in the Maryland region.

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Can you just talk, let, people know,

first of all, are the programs there?

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There's a variety of 'em.

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I know, and you've highlighted that.

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are you still offering

online access to programs?

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I know with Covid that happened, but,

where is it and how do people find it?

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Gordon Creamer: Yeah.

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Thank you for that question.

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Our current, residence is in the historic

Lutherville area on Seminary Avenue.

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we share and rent our space from Church of

the Holy Comforter, an Episcopal church.

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also, worshiping there is a

reconstructionist synagogue Voice

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of the Heart is what that means.

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And so we identify that we are on

an Interspiritual campus, and that

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really speaks to the identity of

The Well in the types of programs

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that we offer, both in person,

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groups designed for deep, reflection

sharing and engagement, as well as online.

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I'm grateful for my predecessor,

Jean Ann Walsh, who when the pandemic

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happened, was able to help transport

all of our programming from in

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person to the virtual online format.

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about three years ago, when it was time to

safely start gathering again in person, we

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said, this has opened up The Well to the

entire world and especially our country.

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we have folks that join us, for online

programming in 46 different states,

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from other countries in North America.

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And we've even had folks as far.

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Away join online such as

South Korea and, South Africa.

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Lauren Welch: Wow.

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how do people, know about

the, programs at The Well?

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How do you, publicize those?

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Gordon Creamer: I'm privileged to work

with four other staff members and each of

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us has our own area, of responsibility.

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unlike a lot of organizations,

we do so much collaboratively.

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We make a lot of decisions together.

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We each bring our own.

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Gifts, our own ways of being creative

We have a weekly staff meeting where

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a lot of the decisions we make, are.

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Decided, and it's also where I like

to say that the magic happens always

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holding our mission before us and

creating from that place Manager

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and her name is Tami Tarwacki.

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What she does, to promote things

online, so we have a social media

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presence, we have a weekly email

that comes out, on Wednesday

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evenings called For Your Journey.

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And that's a great way to tune in

and find out what's new and exciting.

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We'll have articles, and other

things related to what's happening

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at the well posted there.

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And then we have a wonderful website,

that is dynamic and engaging and

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provides a lot of different information.

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Jon Shematek: That's great, Gordon.

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And we'll put those links in our

show notes on the audio version

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as well as the, video, version

of this podcast what about you?

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if someone wanted to contact you about.

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spiritual companioning or something

they wanted to work with you on?

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Is there an email address that,

you're comfortable releasing or that

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you'd prefer to be reached through?

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Gordon Creamer: sure.

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you could easily contact me at my

Well for the Journey email address.

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that's my first name, Gordon,

G-O-R-D-O-N, at, Well for the Journey.org.

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I also have my own, business and

ministry that I've had for almost 16

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years called the Mission Bridge, and

that's really through which I work

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with folks in spiritual companioning.

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And sometimes folks reach out, and they

would like me to design a retreat or

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a workshop for, their organization.

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It could be, a dedicated spiritual group.

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a church or worshiping community,

some kind of spiritual wellness group.

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Or it could be some of the retreat centers

that I offer programs through, one of

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which is The Well, I'm very blessed for

many years to be offering programs at Bon

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Secour Retreat Center in Marriottsville.

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Jon Shematek: this crosses all sorts

of spiritual boundaries, this is not

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restricted to any particular belief

system, religion, or faith, tradition.

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Gordon Creamer: All are welcome.

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there's a focus, and enjoyment

in my own life on diversity.

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part of what flows out of

our mission is an emphasis on

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diversity, equity, and belonging.

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That is integral to our mission.

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We want every person knocking on our

door and coming in, whether at our center

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or online, to really be immersed in a

sense of belonging that emerges from

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connection with one's inner radiance

others, and with God through that sense

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of community and spiritual nourishment.

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And I just realized I didn't see

my other email address for those

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that might, want to have that,

and that is the Mission Bridge.

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Can contact me through that.

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The Mission bridge@yahoo.com.

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Perfect.

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Jon Shematek: Gordon, you've had a very

adventurous journey through your life

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and been involved in so many, diverse.

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Programs projects and

experiences as Lauren said, we

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do see a common thread there.

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are there any particular obstacles

you encountered along the way

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that have informed your spiritual

life and, been, important for you?

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You don't have to bear your soul.

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But if there's anything that was, a

magical moment or not so magical moment.

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Gordon Creamer: Well, a lot of the

fruit that I believe is born in

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our own lives and our spiritual

lives, comes through transformation.

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And that transformation has its deepest

roots when it has involved a deep

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wounding or, a significant, experience

of trauma pain, on various levels.

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And so for myself, a significant

way that I show up in the world is

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in and around grief and grief work.

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And about 12 years ago, almost 13

years ago, I had a profound experience.

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With a deep wounding of my soul, that

came as a result of an experience

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I had with a longtime friend.

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it was a barrier.

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pouring into that, for me is

attributed to the grace of God.

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this awareness of choices that I had

before me I was led to choose compassion,

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and that brought me into a place of

illumination about my life, journey

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what was most important and integral,

for who I am and my mission, in life.

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Part of how I can participate in the

Divine mission that we're all called to.

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So growing out of that, everything

became transformed, not just, on a

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spiritual level and understanding that

inner radiance of others and myself.

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But it shows up in the different

contributions I try to make,

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in every aspect of my life.

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there's the compassion component,

but the bridge to that was grief

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and trying to be present to my own

sense of grief, the rawness, the

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cascading emotions, and the greater

possibility of meaning being cultivated.

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A lot of times when we're hurt,

there's a sense of our power being

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absconded with or kidnapped from us.

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And when we are able to cultivate meaning

out of something, even a dark period

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or era in our lives, that's where the

power returns in its positive, authentic

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sense, is when meaning and purposes.

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Created or realized, or remembered.

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So that really has me tuned in the last

13 years or so to not only the relevance

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of grief, but the nature of it we are

created to be able to grieve, to weather

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all the stations, transitions, losses,

and everyday changes in our lives.

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Jon Shematek: Yeah.

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thank you.

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that was beautiful.

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we certainly have lots of

everyday changes these days right?

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Yes, indeed.

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Lauren Welch: Great.

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along with the obstacles that you have

learned from grief what has been something

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that surprised you on this journey?

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Gordon Creamer: Well, about four

years ago, my beloved parents died

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about three weeks apart, and for a

few years before that transition in

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their lives, I was being made aware,

by grace, from God that would be

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transpiring, and there was a choice

to prepare for that or to resist it.

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Thankfully, I did more preparing than

resisting, but there was a deep part of

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me that was frightened by the reality

that my parents wouldn't be here any

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longer in the way that they were.

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It was very close to my mom and dad,

as a nuclear unit, for all the years

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that we were together on Earth.

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And so even just the thought

of losing them as it is for

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many of us, seemed daunting.

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And I wondered, I didn't stay in a place

of doubt about it, but I wondered not

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only what would life be like without

them, how lonely because of who they

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were and the role they played in my life.

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thankful that I tuned in more to

the possibilities than resisting it.

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that was an obstacle and

a gift in and of itself.

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that also led me to experience

the divine possibilities that

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come with an experience of grief.

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Lauren Welch: So the spirit

can always surprise us, right?

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No matter where we are

or what the situation is.

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Thank you so much,

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Gordon.

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Before we leave, is there anything

else that you would like to share

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with us about that's going on

with you or that you have learned?

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What do you want to leave, our

viewers and listeners with?

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Gordon Creamer: Thank you so much for

your generosity and the warm invitation.

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I am a parishioner at St.

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Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in

downtown Baltimore, and for many years

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we've had a LGBTQ+ affirming ministry,

which has invited folks who identify

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as part of that community as well as,

family members loved ones and allies.

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a lot of incredible things God has

been doing through that over the years.

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And I had the privilege

to serve as a coordinator.

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For 12 of those years.

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I'm excited to see the possibilities

of our new leader and what's

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unfolding there I also am a student

at the Ecumenical Institute of St.

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Mary's Seminary.

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I'm in the doctorate of ministry program.

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I'm preparing to submit my research

proposal, in the coming months where I

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will be focusing on the experience of

dementia and what it is to be a care

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partner with someone who has, dementia.

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as we know, a hundred different

diseases and conditions cause dementia.

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the focus of the research at this

time, the research question is.

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How can the experience of caregiving

for a loved one with dementia be

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positively impacted, by intentional

grief work through a spiritual framework?

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looking for the meaning of it, cultivating

the meaning in and around having a

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loved one who has, memory impairment,

and that can be very stigmatizing.

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In our society and culture, how

can someone caregiving for an

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individual, with dementia grieve in

the ways that they are called to?

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Paying attention to that grieving is not

easy, and yet the divine possibilities

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that are made available when we make

that space through the grieving and

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the spiritual framework part of it.

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It is very broad because we all

are able to create meaning in

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our lives in various capacities.

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with it being spiritual that deeper

identity level, it could be related

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to particular faith tradition

or, a sense of religion for sure.

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Spirituality is so much broader than that.

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it might be music or time spent

in the sanctuary of nature.

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It could be embodied movement through

practices like yoga or dancing.

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It could be a sense of connection, to

those divine possibilities through,

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gardening, storytelling, lots of other

areas where meaning exists We can

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be reminded of and grounded in that,

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Lauren Welch: thank you.

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Jon Shematek: Yeah.

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So Gordon, I personally want to thank

you for, being with us and giving us

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your presence and your time today.

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this has been an honor.

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I feel like we've been on

sacred ground together.

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thank you very much for everything

that you are, that you've

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given to us today, especially.

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Gordon Creamer: It's really been

an honor to be here and a joy.

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I hope that as you continue your,

good work in spreading this Good News

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both of you and all of those that

you journey with are able to glimpse

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and live into their own radiance.

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Thank you.

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Lauren Welch: Thank you and

Jon, I want to thank all who are

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viewing and listening for the gift

of your presence with us today.

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Until next time, peace and blessing.

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Lynn Shematek: This episode

of Good News has been brought

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to you by Listening for Clues.

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For more podcasts, check out

our YouTube channel or our

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: 00:22:59

website listening for clues.com.