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 The Presidency of Barack Obama marks a new moment in the history of the United States. This new moment offers us reason to hope and to believe that we are on a new course as a country and as a member of the international community. It invites us to do things in new ways. It requires of each of us nothing less than a transformed consciousness. This is exactly the work that Engaging Impasse: Circles of Contemplation and Dialogue® has been about through the years. Over 300 Engaging Impasse participants have begun to imagine new ways of being and doing so as to move beyond either/or ways of thinking and to approach the challenges of our lives from a contemplative perspective. This new moment requires the involvement of many more of us and so whether you are new to this web site or a former participant I invite you as you browse this website and the new offerings to consider joining in the important work of the Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue.New Brochure Click here to download the new brochure for the Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue. You can see that there are new offerings for a shorter time period which introduce some of the key insights of Engaging Impasse. Invitation to Engaging Impasse Circles If you would like to receive an invitation to the next round of Engaging Impasse: Circles of Contemplation and Dialogue®, please send your name and address to Renee Shema at circles@engagingimpasse.org. New Reflections Mary Jo Klick and Margaret Galiardi, OP, each contributes a reflection for the Seeing Through the Impasse section. New Pictures Click here to see pictures from our most recent Circles. Updated Bios Click here to read the new and updated biographies of the women who are and have been involved with the Institute. These notes from the ICCD President will be updated on a regular basis to keep you informed of what is happening and new ways to extend the work of Engaging Impasse. |
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  I want to welcome all who have entered this website. As you read Constance Fitzgerald’s quote and reflect on the picture of our planet on our home page, you can tell that this website is about some of the major shifts we are experiencing in our world today and how these shifts are affecting those of us whose vision is one of transformation and change. This website is about engaging impasse through communal contemplation and dialogue. It primarily serves the project: Engaging Impasse: Circles of Contemplation and Dialogue®. This project is convening persons who have experienced impasse in their work for transformation either within society or within the Church who are willing to engage that experience through a process of communal contemplation and dialogue. The Circle participants gather three times over a period of months or for a one-time eight-day gathering to see what might emerge as they enter the experience of impasse more deeply and surrender it to the Spirit within.Impasse might not be a familiar word for you. But see if the following questions resonate with you. As you reflect on your life on this planet do you experience a sense of powerlessness, a feeling that things have gotten so complex that you don't have the answers anymore? Do you feel a sense of futility as you continue your work of transformation, a realization that all the ways you know for effecting change and influencing others are not enough--they are not adequate--they just aren't working? Do you experience a low-grade anger or a grief that never leaves you?That is an experience of impasse. Yet, you continue to believe that as a citizen of this planet you must do something about the situation in which you find yourself.Those of us participating in the project believe that God is profoundly present, even if hidden, in the darkness and pain of the impasse. That is why we are engaging in a process that opens ourselves to the divine energy that may spark new imagination and new ways of being and acting.Over 300 people have participated in the Circles. What is becoming clear is that this experience invites one to a transformation of consciousness within a communal setting. It prepares persons to approach the impasse in their lives in new and creative ways.How to Use this Website This site first went up in November, 2002 and has been added to throughout the years. If you resonate with what you have read so far I invite you to use this website. If this is your first visit I suggest that you read the reflection pages within the major topic entries – Contemplation, Impasse and Dialogue -- in sequence as they build upon each other and draw the connections among them. These provide some understanding as to the way these concepts are understood within the project. I have chosen to write the reflections on the topics from my perspective. When you read about me under, “Who We Are”, you will find that I have spent many years working for social justice and the transformation of church and society. I have lectured widely on a variety of related topics. I have chosen to make accessible some of my work. Although it is mine it represents the growing understanding of many scholars and activists throughout our globe. I want to acknowledge that my insights and work reflect the richness of their thought and experience as well as my own.The section entitled ”Related Topics” deals with the societal context, the ecclesial context, globalization, and the new cosmology. They describe trends, current realities that influence the work for transformation and impact the experience of impasse. It may appear that these are being dealt with separately; however, the project and its design reflect the interconnection of these realities. I encourage you to read all the sections over a period of time. You will see cross references and many of the suggested resources address the interconnections. A special feature is the “Book Club.” Periodically, we post excerpts and questions for reflection from the book, Crucible for Change: Engaging Impasse through Communal Contemplation and Dialogue. I hope this will help make the project come alive for those of you who are not part of the Circles.The newest section “Seeing Through the Impasse” began in Winter, 2008. These periodic reflections evolve from the Circle experience. They provide an opportunity to integrate what is happening in the Circles with some of the other movements for transformation. The hope is that this section will nurture the ongoing transformation that is needed today.I hope you will find here a place for contemplation as each page begins with artwork and poetry. Come often and let me know what you are learning and what is attracting you from our common future. Contact the project at circles@engagingimpasse.org or at nsylvester@aol.com.Nancy Sylvester, IHM President, Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue Return to Top Written by Nancy Sylvester, IHM © Institute for Communal Contemplation and Dialogue 2003-2009 Reprint with permission circles@engagingimpasse.org |
