Earth Day Concert in the "Bowl" featuring Jan Novotka

April 22, 2008

Our first-time-ever concert in the bowl at La Vista! Jan Novotka, eco-spirituality songwriter,  entertained us with her lovely original songs. Jan sings of the sacredness and oneness of all, care for Earth, and the Still Silent Presence within.  Join us for this Earth Day concert/sing-a-long as we express musically our call to walk reverently and lightly on Earth.  If you have been a participant in our retreats, then you have sung Jan's music!

Learn more about Jan and her music from her website:

     http://www.jannovotka.com

April 19, 2008

Dr. John Dinkelmann, homeopathic practitioner located in Wood River, Illinois, will join us and share his wisdom on eating for health. During the break we'll enjoy a healthful snack.  In the afternoon during a special cooking class, we'll put into practice what we learned in the morning as we create a delicious and nutritious dinner.  At 6:00 pm we'll enjoy the fruits of our labors as we dine with the Novitiate Community.  Sign up and be nourished in mind, body, and spirit! Cooking class and dinner are limited to ten participants. 

April 18, 2008

Join us at the Religious Center, located on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, to hear Satish Kumar, Earth pilgrim, peace activist and sage of the deep ecology movement.  Kumar returns to our area from England to lead us in pondering the spiritual qualities we need to persevere in greening our lives.

Spiritual Compass is a guide to a more balanced and fulfilled life in harmony with our surroundings, neither taking too much, nor destroying unnecessarily. Kumar will expand on the ancient wisdom of the Indian Ayurvedic tradition, illustrating a spiritual compass by drawing on three primary qualities: sattva (characterized by calmness, clarity and purity), rajas (energy and passion), and tamas (dullness and ignorance).

Kumar wrote that, “These three qualities of life are as much external attributes as they are an internal state of being. Inner intentions and motivations are as important as outer actions. So we are not to judge people only by their external appearance.”

Local non-profit, The Dare to Dream Institute, will bake organic artisan bread for sharing during an informal question and answer period,

Silent Spring: Listening to the Voices of Extinction

     A Weekend Retreat

March 29 - 30, 2008

Join us this Spring as we listen to the voices of extinct species speaking through you, our participants, and through a scientist’s challenging presentation. Deepen your commitment to care for Earth as you align yourself with the energy of the sixth extinction spasm and discover how to pursue a life of integrity at this critical juncture in the Universe story.

Spring Equinox Celebration

March 29, 2008

All of us at La Vista Ecological Learning Center invite you join us as we celebrate the beginning of Spring. Bring your kids and come join the fun with poetry, procession and potato planting!!  Bring a spring-themed dish to share as we conclude with potluck supper in the historic "lodge" overlooking the Mississippi.

Voluntary Simplicity Discussion Course

February 11 to March 24, 2008

February 13 to March 26, 2008

Occurring during the Lenten season, take this opportunity to explore the meaning of voluntary simplicity, consider the material and psychological distractions preventing us from caring for Earth, and discuss how life might be enriched through the practice of simplicity.

Blessed Darkness, Sacred Fire Retreat

January 10, 11, 12, 2008

What image does “January” conjure up for you?  Cold? Winter doldrums? Cabin fever?  This time of year also invites us to go within, to knit together what is seemingly opposed. Come find life in the midst of this season: bald eagles soaring along the bluffs, tracks of critters in the snow, new life lying dormant outdoors as well as within each of us. As always our delicious meals reflect a seasonal tone as we strive to honor this place and the food that is grown here. Includes optional participation in the Winterfires Coffeehouse.

Winterfires Coffeehouse

January 11, 2008

This gathering was a warm intimate evening of poetry, story, and music.  This is a magical night of sharing favorite poems or original poetry.  Poetry and music are soul food. Shared around a glowing fireplace in our lodge, we are nourished through this long Winter season.

Contemplating a Cosmic Advent

December 10 - 12, 2007 - Canceled due to icy weather.

What do you long for?  What do we need to birth at this time?  How does the new cosmology heal old divisions and immerse us in the “Real”? Bring your cosmic Advent ponderings to La Vista amidst the return of bald eagles, the Geminid meteor shower, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As always our delicious meals will reflect a seasonal tone as we strive to honor this place and the food that is grown here.

Winter Solstice Celebration

December 22, 2007

Barren trees, browned grasses, gardens gone dormant. Winter begins with the shortest day of the year.  As this part of Earth tilts away from the sun, reflection and meaning-making are called forth. We celebrated both dark and light with poetry, ponderings, procession, and the turning of the sun staff.

Fall Equinox Celebration

September 22, 2007

Cool breezes, the season’s bounty, shorter days. A sense of change is in the air while seemingly all of Creation makes preparation. As the Autumn season begins, plan on spending a meaning-filled late afternoon at La Vista.  We celebrated this harvest time with ponderings, procession, and the turning of the sun staff.

Exploring the Sacred Universe – Earth Literacy Program

August 3 - 10, 2007

Explore Creation’s integrity for a week along the bluffs!  As we sit with the wonder, awe and newness of the Universe Story, we also critically examine the perceptions that currently fashion our cultural world view. Recognizing the inherent spiritual dimension in the universe, a reconnection to the Creator through Creation is facilitated. In addition to the guided activities and instruction, there is, thus, a strong emphasis on immersion into the natural world and on developing practical skills for a more ecologically conscious life-style.

July 20 - 22, 2007

This is the follow-up program for “Earth Literacy” alumni. Returning to the bluffs of La Vista we again ponder the Story of the Universe.  Catch up with old friends and make some new ones.  Along with meaning-filled prayer and locally-grown food, we share stories of the differences we’ve made in our bioregions.

June 22, 2007

Don’t you just love the early mornings and spacious evenings of Summer? This fruitful season begins with the longest day of the year on the Solstice. Plan on spending a refreshing evening at La Vista.

May 2007

Students in grades 1-12  had the opportunity to explore God’s creation at the scenic Oblate property in Godfrey, IL by participating in a hands on ecological experience. Possible activities for the students will include hiking in the woods, learning how to plant and compost in the nearby children’s garden, talking to a real live farmer, walking the “Creation Story,” bringing their own picnic lunch and reflecting on the call to care for God’s creation.

April 14 - 15, 2007

In 1962 Rachel Carson warned us of an impending silence in the springtime if we allowed pesticides to decimate populations of birds, bees, frogs, crickets, coyotes, and ourselves.  This Spring we listened to the voices of extinct species speaking through you, the participants, and through a scientist’s presentation.  We deepened our celebration of Earth Day by aligning ourselves with the energy of the sixth extinction spasm and discovering how to pursue lives of integrity at this critical juncture in the universe story.

March 24, 2007

After the long, cold Winter, Earth is balanced once again at this equinox (equal night) between dark and light.  To ring in Spring, we spent a meaningful afternoon at LaVista.  We celebrated with poetry and ponderings.

Winterfires Coffeehouse

January 20, 2007

This gathering provided a warm intimate evening of poetry, story, and music. It was a magical night of sharing favorite poems or original poetry.  Poetry and music are soul food. Shared around a glowing fireplace in our lodge, we were nourished through this long Winter season.

January 19 – 21, 2007

What image does “January” conjure up for you?  Cold? Winter doldrums? Cabin fever? This time of year also invites us to go within, to knit together what is seemingly opposed.

Find life in the midst of this season: bald eagles soaring along the bluffs, tracks of critters in the snow, new life lying dormant outdoors as well as within each of us. As always our delicious meals reflected a seasonal tone as we strive to honor the place and the food that is grown here.  Includes optional participation in the Winterfires Coffeehouse.

January 2007

This course focused on the exciting revelations of how everything came to be - from the Stars and Galaxies in the immensity of space to the grasshopper in our garden, how a star in our galaxy of the Milky Way birthed our Solar System, how our own precious Planet Earth came to bring forth life, and how we humans have a vital role to play in this drama.  Our guide, An Amazing Journey: The Universe and Me,  provides readings taken from books, periodicals, and the internet - in the format of a discussion circle. The goal is to gather with others to question, probe, and share the material - to make it your own. Each session ends with provocative questions for discussion and ideas for action and experience.

December 11, 2006

What do you long for?  What do we need to birth at this time?  How does the new cosmology heal old divisions and immerse us in the “Real”?

Bring your cosmic Advent ponderings to La Vista amidst the return of bald eagles, the Geminid meteor shower, and the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Join us on the 11th to explore these questions together with the option of continuing your own contemplation on the 12th and 13th. As always our delicious meals reflected a seasonal tone as we honor this place and the food that is grown here.

September 16, 2006

“Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”  Henry David Thoreau

Cool breezes, the season’s bounty, shorter days; a sense of change is in the air while seemingly all of Creation makes preparation for the coming winter. As the autumn season begins, plan on spending a meaning-filled late afternoon at La Vista.  We celebrated this harvest time with poetry, ponderings, and procession.

August 3 - August 10, 2006

We explored Creation's Integrity for a week on 255 acres along the Mississippi River bluffs!  As we sat with the wonder, awe, and newness of the Universe Story, we also critically examined the perceptions that currently fashion our cultural world view. Recognizing the inherent spiritual dimension in the Universe, a reconnection to the Creator through creation was facilitated.  In addition to the guided activities and instruction, there was a strong emphasis on immersion into the natural world and developing practical skills for a more ecologically conscious lifestyle.

July 21 - 23, 2006

We invited Earth Literacy graduates to join us to continue the creative effort of deep visioning. This summer we explored what it means to live with an expanded sense of one’s bioregion.

During this weekend we focused on how our bioregions - the regions of life we share with humans and other creatures - invite us to think, act and pray in a holistic manner. A broadened "sense of place" is both necessary and nourishing. A highlight of our weekend together was a pilgrimage to the center of this bioregion, the nearby point of confluence of two great rivers: the Mississippi and Missouri. Praying, reflecting, and experiencing the heart of this bioregion deepened perceptions about the integrity of all creation.