Sarah McLean
Sedona AZ (June 20, 2010) – Sedona resident and businesswoman, Sarah McLean, will be one of ten speakers at the 7th Annual Mary of Magdala Multi-Faith Celebration. This annual event will address Woman: Creation to Compassion and is sponsored by the Celebrating Women Witnesses Ministry of Sedona, Arizona, on Saturday, July 24, 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at St. John Vianney Church, 180 Soldiers Pass Road, Sedona. McLean will address Modern Mysticism.
According to McLean, “Throughout the ages mystics have emerged from every religious tradition. Mary of Magdala, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, Jalaludin Rumi, Hildegard of Bingen, Rabindranath Tagore – each followed a unique path, yet their ecstatic experiences are quite similar. We will explore the insights revealed by mystics, how they relate to modern day spirituality and how each of us may be called to lead a modern mystical life.”
Phoenix Woman magazine calls McLean, “an inspirational and dynamic teacher.” Featured in the New York Times, McLean, director of the Sedona Meditation Training Company, inspires people to “take time out for time in” through meditation, mind-body health, self-awareness and mindfulness practices. As she explored world spiritual and cultural traditions over the past twenty years, McLean was a 2-year resident in a Zen Buddhist monastery, lived in an ashram in India, taught English to Tibetan Buddhist nuns, meditated in temples in Thailand and Japan, and trekked the golden triangle in Asia. She was also founding education director of Deepak Chopra’s mind-body health center and was personally mentored by him.
Other featured speakers will represent the Wisdom Tradition, Native American Tradition, Celtic Spirituality, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and the personal search for truth beyond religion. Speakers will address how faith traditions through the ages have honored the direct experience of Spirit, feminine energy, the mystery of the universe, the role of compassion in our world, and, what this means for women today.
Event details are on the website www.marymagdalacelebrationsedona.com.
The cost is $25 and includes lunch. For reservations contact Barbara Litrell 928-649-0135 or blitrell@aol.com.
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Magdala Celebration Changes Venue!
The Mary Magdala Celebration on July 24 has changed venues from St. John Vianney RC Church to the Sedona Creative Life Center, 333 Schnebly Hill Rd., after a representative from the Bishop’s office called objecting to one of the speakers on the program.
According to event chair, Barbara Litrell, the Bishop objects to keynote Barbara Mayer, former Catholic nun and author of Beyond Religion -The Personal Search for Truth. He said Mayer, on her website, endorses personal relationship with God and opposes organized religion. According to Mayer, “I honor the role organized religion plays. Religion is a valuable vehicle in humanity’s eternal search for God but I also respect those who search for a deeper, more personal relationship with God beyond organized religion. The word “catholic” means universal. I celebrate the universality of one God of us all, and I don’t see why the Catholic Bishop has a problem with that. ”
Mayer has studied world belief systems and champions the role of rising feminine energies in social advancement and growing spiritual maturity. Her book was released in April, 2010.
The program, “Woman: Creation to Compassion – A Multi-Faith Celebration” also features Rev. Ann Johnson, Vicar, St. John’s Episcopal Lutheran Church in Williams, AZ representing Wisdom Tradition; Vida Khow, founder, Walking in Beauty LLC, representing Native American tradition; Rev. Mary Piotrowski, Rector, St. Andrews Episcopal Church, representing Christianity; Rabbi Alicia Magal, the Jewish Community of Sedona/ Verde Valley representing Judaism; Jacqueline Freeman-Ennaffah representing Islam; Roshi Anne Seisen Saunders, Abbot, Sweetwater Zen Center in National City, CA. representing Buddhism; Bette Venkateswaren of Sedona representing Hinduism; Jeanne Crane, Unitarian Universalist addressing Celtic Tradition; and Sarah McLean, director, Sedona Meditation Training Company addressing Modern Mysticism.