Stephanie Dowrick is the author of many much loved books, from Running Backwards Over Sand to Seeking the Sacred and Everyday Kindness. Here she celebrates the publication of her newest book, Heaven On Earth, by writing frankly about her writing life and what has supported, allowed and inspired it. I began my writing life in […]
Peacemaking in our personal lives, peacemaking globally: this is the most urgent challenge of our time. Happiness, wellbeing and safety depend on it. To consider others and treat them with respect; to lift other people’s spirits wherever we can; to keep them and ourselves safe: nothing else matters more. 21 September International Day of Peace […]
The greatest gift you will ever give your children is your loving, safe presence. And treating everyone around you – especially your partner – with interest, kindness and respect. Lots of parenting goes on in public, particularly as the weather warms. But watching children and their parents in cafes, parks and on the occasional visit to […]
Interfaith service, Sydney, this Sunday 15 September 2013, 3pm * Retreats – October * Visiting the Universal Heart Book Club * YouTube talks * Regular inspiration on FACEBOOK * New book on its way! * A gratitude prayer (even for those who never pray) Dear friends This Sunday, 15 September, is our beautiful, enriching monthly interfaith […]
We all love a bargain – and are all inclined to congratulate ourselves when we find one. I certainly do…especially when it comes to my weakness around nice clothes. But how often do we stop to remember that our “bargain” is possible only because someone has made our briefly-desired object for far less money than […]
Countless people draw on work for identity as much as income. But this can leave people feeling immensely vulnerable to others’ decisions and whims. Far greater freedom can come from consciously deciding that no matter what your work is, what most positively affects your wellbeing are the values you seek to express through your work […]
Dear Network friends Today I am writing to share news of the two retreats that I am delighted to be offering in October. The longer, more “newsy” newsletters I usually send give you a variety of information and it’s easy to miss details of special events. The early October retreat (3-6, 6-9 October) is at […]
Please enjoy this short, heartfelt talk from Dr Stephanie Dowrick on what it means to “grow in spirit” even and sometimes especially when your circumstances are hard or especially challenging. No, this is not “easy” – but it is slowly possible – and the benefits will resonate throughout our lives. On the day she gave […]
“If one saw that underlying thread that connects all religions, one would see that all religion is one, as truth is one, as life is one, as God is one.” Hazrat Inayat Khan was an Indian musician and Sufi master who died in 1927 at the age of 44, having brought the message of universal […]
Interfaith service, Sydney, this Sunday 21 July 2013, 3pm * A year in the life of the Universal Heart Book Club * Visiting Mudgee Readers’ Festival? * Buddhism & Psychotherapy Conference, Brisbane, not just for Buddhists and therapists! * October retreats * Regular inspiration on FACEBOOK * beautiful words from Francis of Assisi Dear friends, […]
Francis Spufford’s Unaplogetic is quite unlike any other book I’ve read on the contemporary experience of being Christian and I cannot recommend it too highly. Since reading it I have been pressing copies on a great variety of readers – with considerable success. At the very least it offers a dimension to Christian experience that […]
Dr Stephanie Dowrick begins this powerful talk on thanksgiving and living fully as well as “thankfully” by quoting Mahatma Gandhi on what we share: our unity with all of humanity, with “our human and divine family” as well as the profound possibility that each of us is “enough”. She also reflects on the sublime opportunity […]