This 30th anniversary edition presents the unique approach of Listening Hearts to the spiritual practice of discernment for a new generation. Written to make the often elusive and usually clergy-centered spiritual practice of discernment accessible to all people, Listening Hearts features simple reflections and exercises drawn from scripture and from Quaker and Ignatian traditions. The seminal work in the Listening Hearts Series, this book has been a beloved resource for tens of thousands of individual readers, retreat participants, small groups, and church leaders listening for and responding to God's call in their lives.

Step-by-step retreat designs, accompanying meditation exercises, and leader s guidelines based on the bestseller Listening Hearts, are presented in this unique resource. Songs, from the Listening Hearts Songbook, specially-planned Eucharists, Scripture readings, meaningful projects, and meditation options are arranged to result in a Spirit-filled community bonding. Retreat Designs and Meditation Exercises can be used with other Listening Hearts series books: Listening Hearts, Grounded in God (Revised Edition), and the Manual for Discussion Leaders. "

This powerful, prayerful, and practical guide teaches groups a whole new way of conducting meetings and reaching consensus. Whether your group, committee or board is secular or religious, its members can now move beyond parliamentary procedure to a higher level using the model described here. Rooted in scripture, Grounded in God energizes and inspires.

Learn how to incorporate creative silence, imagination, intuition, attentive listening, scripture, and prayer into routine meetings, decision making, or working retreats. By opening up to new perspectives, discover that the first order of business is to become attuned to God s presence within those assembled.

As members of the group become receptive to alternative viewpoints, they are opened to tap into the flow of divine wisdom and align with the will and mind of God. The results can be both spiritual and practical as they are put into action."