Learning Together

Participation in our core community provides the opportunity for a deep dive into the inner and outer personal work that is involved in awakening of the heart, transformation of consciousness, and living of wisdom. But unlike independent study, this is work we do together. Even though the program is online and available to people from around the world, the 20 or so members of the core community share deeply with each other and learn and grow together, not simply as individuals.

Suggested readings are built around the various wisdom traditions upon which we draw, although many things that we read, watch, and discuss together are suggested by members. Our online platform and regular video-conferences allow us to discuss these readings and, more importantly, our challenges in making them part of our lives. Our regular engagement with each other is both an essential commitment and a great joy and blessing.

 
 
 
 

Is Membership in Cascadia for You?

  • Are you a seeker rather than simply a settler? Does your seeking sometimes require deconstructing old meanings and beliefs as you pursue ever-larger horizons?
  • Can you affirm that no one religious or spiritual tradition holds a monopoly on wisdom, and are you open to learning from traditions other than your own?
  • Do you know something of the importance of silence, and are you already making a regular place for it in your life?
  • Do you have, or are you willing to establish, an ongoing contemplative or meditative practice involving times of wordless, thoughtless, imageless presence?
  • Are you engaged in some form of ongoing inner work that supports knowing yourself more deeply and becoming more whole?
  • Do you know something of your solidarity with all humans and with the earth that we share as our home?
  • Is this sense of solidarity with all humans (not just those of your own tribe) reflected in ongoing acts of compassionate care for others and the earth?
  • Do you sense an inner call to live your way more deeply into wisdom and to do this within the context of an active, committed engagement with the others who are part of the Cascadia community?
 
 

If the answer to most (or even many) of these questions is “Yes,” our Cascadia core community sounds like it might just be a good fit for you, and you for us!

 
 
 
 

Community Membership

Wisdom is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or beliefs. Cascadia is committed to inclusivity in our admission policies, and we seek to maximize diversity in membership. 

Applicants to Cascadia’s core community should be motivated to live their way into wisdom, wholeness and wellbeing and learning how to do this within the context of active, committed engagement with others within the community. They should also have (or be committed to establishing) an ongoing contemplative or meditative practice involving wordless, thoughtless, imageless presence, and should possess a spirituality that leads to engagement with the needs of the world. In order to participate in the ongoing online and video-conference interaction within Cascadia, applicants must also have basic computer skills and regular access to a laptop or desktop computer (not just a smartphone).

 
 
 
 

What You Can Expect

  • You will be part of a small group that offers high levels of respectful inclusiveness, caring companionship, and loving support.
  • You will be welcomed wherever you presently are at, but will be offered continuing nudges to further growth and unfolding.
  • You will receive the upcoming year’s reading list and provisional dates for video conference sessions once your admission is confirmed by receipt of your membership fee.
  • The online interaction starts on April 1 and continues until the end of the subsequent March.
  • The readings, as well as the challenges and progress in living the things being taught, are the core of our ongoing dialogue. Special topics arising in the online interaction often form the focus of our video conferences, which are also used for teaching and deeper sharing of our journeys and lives.
  • Dr. David G. Benner will serve as the primary teacher and mentor throughout this process. He makes himself readily available for interaction with community members by being present most days on our online interaction platform (Ryver) most days of the year and leading the monthly video conferences (on Zoom).
 
 
 
 

What is Expected of You

Membership within our core community requires a commitment of approximately 3 to 5 hours a week. Contemplative reading of our chosen texts, approximately 30 pages a week, will take 1–2 hours, while interaction with community members by means of Ryver and Zoom may average out to 2–3 hours a week. 

Think of Ryver as our Community Center. It is where we spend most of our time together – reading what others have shared, responding to posts that resonate with us, and sharing what is happening in our journey and life. There is no one right way to use Ryver. Many people spend time reading posts and interacting every day. Others establish a pattern of checking in several times a week. The flow of interaction is usually quite rapid, so regular engagement is highly recommended to help avoid overwhelm.

Our community-wide Zoom video-conferences occur once a month on a Wednesday at 6 PM GMT. Members are responsible for converting this to their local time and day. Our members come from around the world, some within time-zones that make regular participation on Zoom a challenge. For these members, interaction with the community is understandably limited to Ryver. The international nature of membership is, however, one of the advantages of our online community.

Beyond time-zone challenges and unforeseen life circumstances, we do expect our members to commit deeply to the community. This means making every possible effort to be present on Ryver at least once a week and to participate in as many of the Zoom video-conferences as possible. Such commitment is vital for developing and maintaining the community culture we wish to embody. We desire to be a community of companionship that avoids constraint and legalism while offering ongoing and authentic support and care.