Category Archives: Workshops

Rising Up

with Chris Austin
9 Sessions
on the 2nd Monday of the month
from 6:00 - 8:00pm
Beginning September 14th

October 12th
November 9th
December 14th
January 11th
February 8th
March 15th (3rd Monday - personal conflict)
April 12th
May 10th

What if the deepest purpose of the spiritual life is not simply to understand truth, but to become a conduit through which it enters the world?
Rising Up is a practical follow-up to the Beyond the Void series, but it also stands on its own as an invitation to explore what it means to consciously participate in the evolution of ourselves and society. Drawing from thinkers such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dallas Willard, Peace Pilgrim, Flannery O'Connor, the contemplative traditions, and depth psychology, we'll move beyond questions of What is true? to the more demanding question: If these ideas are true, how should we live?

Together we'll explore practices that cultivate greater openness to transcendence and help us become better "conductors" of love, creativity, wisdom, and service. Rather than pursuing perfection, we'll consider the possibility that our task is to increase our capacity—to become more aligned, more surrendered, and more available to something larger than ourselves. We'll examine why challenge often produces growth, why discomfort may be an invitation rather than an obstacle, and how small daily choices gradually transform who we become.

Whether or not you attended Beyond the Void, this workshop is designed for anyone who senses that our world—and perhaps humanity itself—is in the midst of a profound transition. If evolution has become conscious, then each of us is faced with a remarkable question: Will we merely observe what comes next, or will we help create it? Rising Up is an invitation to choose participation over passivity, growth over comfort, and to become the kind of person through whom something greater can flow into the world.

 

Workshop Leader: Chris Austin

Husband, father of three, and electrical engineer by training. A spiritual refugee and lifelong seeker who values liberty, personal responsibility, and learning how to live in harmony with truth.

Deep Listening Circle: Caring for Aging Parents

Deep Listening Circle on Caring for Aging Parents

2nd and 4th Monday of each month
6:30pm to 8:00pm
with Elizabeth Rowland
Participation is limited to 15. 
If we go over your name will be added to a waitlist for future openings.
If interest is high a second group could be formed.

Sharing, listening, and connecting deeply with others around life’s challenges can help us
navigate difficult situations, find genuine community, tap into greater meaning in life, and
generate personal and collective healing. Various types of listening circles have been utilized
over the centuries by many cultures around the world for different purposes. In the United
States today, and in Knoxville specifically, most listening circles are found in religious, recovery,
conflict resolution, or medical spaces, and there are not many opportunities to engage in the
practice in the context of everyday life challenges. This Deep Listening Circle on Caring for Aging
Parents is the first circle series of a new pilot program being developed by Knoxville-native
Elizabeth Rowland to fill this gap.

About the Circle
This Deep Listening Circle on Caring for Aging Parents is a small group of individuals who
regularly meet to hold compassionate space for each other’s suffering and joy around the topic
of caring for our aging parents. Participants do this by alternately sharing their own
personal struggles/experiences and listening to others in the circle as they likewise share. This
circle is a group for sharing and listening, not dialogue or advice-giving, though we will
experiment with ways of communicating relevant helpful resources regarding topics that arise
in circle sharing. While the circle is similar to a peer support group, it is not intended to be
clinical group therapy. Nevertheless, as we build community through the circle, we will seek to
expand understanding of ourselves and others.

The circle will operate under a set of “community agreements” that create a supportive
environment for vulnerability and expression. Such agreements include a commitment to speak
from one’s own personal experience using “I” statements, to assume good intentions of others
in the circle, to maintain confidentiality, no crosstalk or advice giving, no speaking on
theoretical topics or generalizing as to what others might be experiencing, etc. As this is a pilot
program, the community agreements and structure of the circle may evolve as the facilitator
asks for input and feedback and we shape this deep listening circle model together.

The Purpose of Deep Listening Circles

  • Process our feelings and share deeply in a safe space with people who understand
  • Build deep listening skills and expand our capacity for compassion and connection
  • Learn about resources and strategies for navigating life's challenges

Who Should Participate
Each participant in the circle should have personal experience with and interest in addressing
caring for an aging parent, including the facilitator who will also be an active participant in
sharing. “Parent” can include biological, adoptive, or foster parents, a grandparent or other
guardian that cared for you in childhood, or another significant elder in your life that you are
currently caring for to some degree (even if mostly remotely).

In order to ensure group continuity and time for everyone to share in each session, the circle
will be limited to 15 people who commit to attending at least one meeting per month for six
months. Any individual participant’s first meeting will be considered a trial meeting during
which that participant can evaluate whether or not they want to make the six-month
commitment to the circle. Meetings will generally be held the second and fourth Mondays of
each month, though certain dates may be rescheduled or canceled due to holidays or facilitator
availability. The facilitator will email circle participants two weeks prior to any anticipated
schedule changes.

 

Elizabeth Rowland worked and volunteered in government policy, law, business, and advocacy for 25 years, including on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC; in China nearly five years; in Knoxville as the founder of a non-profit, a candidate for TN State House of Representatives, a community advocate with Knoxville HEART calling for a community-based emergency response to mental health crises; and more. Elizabeth has always been a driven, purpose-focused individual who sought to use her life to impact her community and the world for the better. That often led to very long hours at work in front of a computer and a failure to listen to the needs of her own body, mind, and heart. After a series of health issues starting in 2018, Elizabeth began her journey toward self-healing, which included therapy, mindfulness meditation, grief work, Al-Anon, and other practices to get back in touch with her feelings and find meaning in what seemed like a pointless world. After participating in deep listening and sharing in various contexts, Elizabeth realized its profoundly healing impact and wanted to bring this nourishing practice to more people. From there sprung the idea of deep listening circles based around challenges we face in daily life. Elizabeth is excited to partner with the Meaningful Life Center to pilot the deep listening circle concept with this first circle series on caring for aging parents.

A Course of Love

A Course of Love Study Group

with Susan Saunders and Diane McCutcheon
Tuesday evenings 6:00 to 7:30pm
beginning April 21, 2026

We want to emphasize that consistent attendance is not required, nor is it necessary to always have the material read in advance. Please come as you are able. Each gathering will stand on its own, and you will receive exactly what you’re meant to receive from whatever sessions you attend. The intention is to create a welcoming, flexible space that supports participation without pressure. - Susan & Diane

This group is a ‘Chapter a week’ exploration of a book that centers upon living from love, developing inner awareness, and learning through experience and relationship. We will discuss and explore its ideas of wholeheartedness over 32 weeks.

Each week, we’ll gather to discuss themes, questions, and personal reflections that arise from the material. Meetings will be discussion-based, allowing each participant to develop their own understanding and relationship with the text whilst learning from the perspectives and experiences of others and finding practical ways the ideas from the book can be lived in everyday life.
No prior experience with A Course of Love is necessary—only a willingness to read, then reflect, listen, and be in open, respectful, conversation with others.

The intention of this group is not to teach a doctrine or promote a belief system. Rather, the purpose is to create a welcoming space where participants can read, reflect, and discuss the themes presented in the text while exploring what meaning those ideas may hold in their own lives.

A Course of Love’s message invites readers into a heart-centered experience of unity, love, and true identity.

The Course:
Introduces heart-centered spiritual ideas.
Emphasizes “wholeheartedness”-the integration of mind and heart.
Discusses the dominance of the ego.

Duration: 32 weeks
Structure: One chapter per week

Each session will include a brief opening reflection, a short overview of the chapter, open discussion guided by thoughtful questions, and a closing reflection. The emphasis will be on conversation rather than instruction. We will serve simply as facilitators encouraging discussion, maintaining a respectful and open environment.

Susan Saunders and Diane McCutcheon are students of A Course of Love who share a deep curiosity about consciousness, personal growth, and spiritual development. Susan, a devoted seeker, brings warmth, presence, and genuine love in order to create a space where meaningful conversation and connection can grow. Diane is a professional life coach who is passionate about personal transformation, self-discovery, and helping others recognize the power within their own lives.

A Course of Love: How It Came to Be
For almost three years Mari Perron heard an inner voice, as if dictating. She transcribed what she heard. The result, unedited, is A Course of Love.

Have you ever had the experience of noticing thoughts in your mind that you did not think? Maybe you had this experience as you remembered a loved one who passed away and felt his or her words were coming to your mind. Perhaps you had a flash of inspiration or an insight that showed up unexpectedly in your mind, carrying the answer to a question when you were not thinking about it.

Scientists like Henri Poincare, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and Albert Einstein openly recognized the great role intuition played in their discoveries. And innovators often ascribe their ingenuity to intuition, as did Steve Jobs when he said,

Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than intellect, in my opinion. That’s had a big impact on my work.

Intuition is a way of knowing that comes to you, so the idea of us having meaningful thoughts we did not actively think is not unusual.

For millennia, religious works have been transcribed by individuals who claimed to have heard them as revelations, such as the Hindu Vedas, Moses’ Ten Commandments and the multiple texts written by Jewish prophets, Muhammad’s Quran, and Buddhist texts like the Heart Sutra.

A Course of Love (ACOL) also guides us along the way to bypassing the intellectual mind and accessing the intuitive mind from which we may receive revelation:

Questions such as, “What might this situation look like if I forgot everything I have previously known about similar situations, and looked at this in a new way?” Questions such as, “Do I really need to worry about this situation, or can I affect this situation simply by not worrying about it and allowing it to be and unfold as it will?”

One of the major benefits of questions such as these is that they can circumvent the usual thinking you would apply to these situations. They can circumvent the labeling of many situations as problems or crises. They can leave the way open for revelation.

As Mari Perron wrote in an introduction to ACOL,
Revelation is what this Course is, as well as the new way of knowing that it invites. When I received the Course I received revelation. When I thought about it, I blocked my ability to recognize what I received.

Talk Circle

Meaningful Conversations Exploring the Inner Journey
2nd Thursday of each month • 6:30 to 8:00pm

Be part of our ongoing circle of conversation where, each month, we explore stimulating subjects that could affect our quality of life and vitality. What are some options to inject meaning into our lives and move us farther along our paths?

Many of the spiritual authors encourage us to find purpose for being alive, one that offers a vibrant, juicy life. That purpose can be bold and noble, as in service to the planet, and it can be small and intimate, offering personal fulfillment and joy.

TALK CIRCLE offers options for self-exploration and the roles they can play in our lives and our spiritual growth, contributing to a meaningful life.

Each monthly topic focuses on a guest or two who concentrate in that field and can offer insight to its workings, and benefits derived. Group conversation is encouraged and is open to Q & A while also being facilitated by Joyce Richman, a former TV program producer & executive.

Hosted by Joyce Richman
As a former non-fiction TV program creator, producer, director and executive – she produced hundreds of talk show hours as well as many series & specials.  Joyce worked in Pittsburgh, Boston and Chicago, for national syndication, and, after producing two series in Chicago for HGTV’s inaugural year, was recruited to Knoxville as their first Director of Programming and later VP.  She’s retired from the business. 

Joyce also recently facilitated the book discussion at MLC, LIVING TAO by Ilchi Lee.

Planned Talk Circles

Topics may change based on scheduling and availability of guest speakers.

FEBRUARY 12 - What defines a meaningful life?

MARCH 12 - What is past life regression and how might it heal a person’s current life?

APRIL 9 - Buddhism, its premise and its fundamentals

IMPORTANT: May meeting will be 6pm at Ijams Nature Center
MAY 14 - Sylvotherapy – or forest bathing
Related to Taoist practices, revering nature and becoming enveloped by it is the basic premise to forest bathing. Suggested reading - “The Hidden Life of Trees –what they feel, how they communicate” by Michael Wohlleben. We may also schedule a day retreat in the Smokies for a forest bathing session.

JUNE 11 - No meeting

JULY 9 - Life Coach, what role can they play in one’s search for direction?

AUGUST 13 – Taoism or Daoism – its premise as connection to the nature of things

SEPTEMBER 10 - Energy healing modalities: sound baths & Reiki.

OCTOBER 8 - Aromatherapy – its benefits

NOVEMBER 12 - Acupuncture – why, how and when?

DECEMBER 10 - TBD

Art, Science, Religion

Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality

6 Tuesday Evenings
Beginning February 17 and ending March 24 • 6:00 to 7:30pm

An exploration of David White's book Art, Science, Religion, Spirituality: Seeking Wisdom and Harmony for a Fulfilling Life. Each week we will delve into the readings from the book, share our insights and have deep discussions.

 

We humans tend to create categories around which to organize our thoughts, but we don't live from those categories. Living happens from a moving center that includes every imaginable aspect of life: the psychological, political, emotional, rational, cultural, sexual, spiritual, religious, scientific, artistic, sociological, economic, and more. It can be valuable to study the separate parts, but the only way to a fulfilled life is to act and move from the point of intersection that contains them all.

Swirling around this center are many currents that arise from both the world outside and from within ourselves. Everyone has motivations and expectations involving food, shelter, sex, pleasure, adventure, power, wealth, fame, achievement, relationship, spiritual fulfillment, and on and on. It is not hard to think about these separately, but at the living edge, where life happens, these currents do not exist in individual boxes that can be examined one by one; rather, they constantly mix and mingle. Nor do these thought-boxes have actual boundaries, but only arbitrary and shifting shades of distinction.

It is no wonder, then, that the major fields of human knowledge began with an interrelated search for the good, the true, and the beautiful. A core motivation we humans have always had, beyond taking care of our basic needs, has been to find a meaningful and fulfilled life. From our beginnings, this has involved finding wisdom concerning what is good, knowledge about what is true, and a relationship to that which is harmonious and beautiful. For thousands of years, the world's wisdom traditions have said that there is more to life than the everyday things on which we spend much of our time, and many of the best and brightest have taken up the challenge and pursued wisdom.
~Excerpt from the Introduction 

 

Copies of David's books are available Here
and at the Meaningful Life Center.

Workshop Leaders

Jerry Askew

Jerry is a husband, father, teacher, spiritual director and retreat leader.  He is an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, currently assigned to St. John’s Cathedral in Knoxville.  Since arriving in Knoxville in 1985, he has served as a university dean, foundation president, healthcare executive and on the boards of over 60 nonprofit organizations at the local, state and national levels.

Jerry received his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a Morehead Scholar, MS from the University of Memphis and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University. He and his wife Robyn, an attorney, have two adult children.

Jerry has led On Being Human, Third Half of Life, Sacred Reading and other workshops.

Ronda Redden Reitz

Ronda is a Clinical Psychologist and depth therapist practicing primarily in the Jungian tradition. A devotee of the inner life, Ronda is at home in the imaginal world. Both personally and professionally, she enjoys dreamwork and using dream images to spark creative endeavors. Off and on, she pursues analytical training. Ronda has been married to Carl for 47 years. Together, they have three children and four grandchildren. The children are wonderful; the grandchildren perfect.  For nearly 25 years, Ronda has been involved with the Meaningful Life Center and its predecessor, the Quest for Meaning. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, and needlework, primarily knitting and needlepoint.

Mindfulness Practices for Life

Mindfulness Practices for Life

Five Wednesday Evenings
Beginning February 4 and ending March 4 • 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Half-day Retreat on Saturday February 28 • 1:00 to 5:00pm

This course starts from the belief that we don’t practice mindfulness to get better at
meditation; we practice mindfulness to get better at life. The course will draw from the
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum as well as from Deeper
Mindfulness (Williams and Penman, 2023). Both of these sources integrate rigorous
science and experiential knowledge from the wisdom traditions to offer practices
consistently resulting in positive outcomes beneficial to beginner and experienced
practitioners.
This five-week course will focus on
1. Introducing and cultivating practices that can be integrated into daily life
2. Coming to our senses through pausing and grounding
3. Coming to recognize the feeling tones* pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral and
their role in perception and response.
4. Restoring balance, gratitude, and appreciation.
*“Mindfulness of feeling tones is one of the master keys that both reveals and unlocks
the deepest patterns of our conditioning.” Joseph Goldstein

Workshop Leader: David Patterson, Ph.D.

David is a professor emeritus of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. He is a certified MBSR Teacher through the Brown University Mindfulness Center and has had a daily sitting practice for over three decades. He has trained a wide array of individuals and groups in mindfulness practices. For five years, he taught the MBSR 8-week course to UT graduate students in social work, counseling, and psychology.

“In Asian languages, the word for mind and the word for heart are same. So if you’re not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you’re not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness towards oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn –

First created in 1979, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., MBSR now has 40 years of outcomes research highlighting statistically significant reductions in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression and chronic pain, along with positive changes in risk factors that may lead to more serious chronic ailments. The 8-week MBSR course integrates a range of meditation practices including body awareness and gentle yoga with the intention to aid participants in enhancing self-care and improved emotional and physical adaptations for healthier living. Participants will learn experientially and conceptually how and why this public health intervention that is “secular, scientific, evidence-based practice has become an accepted part of mainstream medicine”[1] and behavioral health.

Sacred Singing

Come Sing With Us!

Everyone can sing, whether you think you can or not...

As children we sang for the love of it without worrying about our 'performance.' We are a group of people who still love to do that.

We get together to sing all kinds of songs: traditional American, sacred chants from all over the world, pop songs from the Beatles to Bob Dylan to Joni Mitchell, and so on. We find that singing is good for body and soul, for friendship and camaraderie. We'd love to have you join us for an afternoon songfest.

We have songbooks so you don't need to bring anything, but if you have a guitar or other instrument and would like to accompany the singing, please bring it.

Although there's no charge, we would like you to register below so we have a good idea of how many people might show up. We'll have light snacks; no need for you to bring anything unless you'd like to.

We hope to see you then!

Sunday
April 19
2:00 to 4:00pm

Third Half of Life

Third Half of Life

A Workshop for Men and Women as they Approach and Pass that Amazing Milestone of 60 Years

To be resceduled

Somewhere along the way, as our lives approach 60, then move on to 65, to 70, and beyond — the questions change, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically. But there are still questions. Profound questions. And decisions. And opportunities. Join us for an exploration of the questions and possibilities that arise during this important time of life: a time of seeking — and a time of finding.

 

Jerry Askew

Jerry is a husband, father, teacher, spiritual director and retreat leader.  He is an ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, currently assigned to St. John’s Cathedral in Knoxville.  Since arriving in Knoxville in 1985, he has served as a university dean, foundation president, healthcare executive and on the boards of over 60 nonprofit organizations at the local, state and national levels.

Jerry received his BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a Morehead Scholar, MS from the University of Memphis and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University. He and his wife Robyn, an attorney, have two adult children.

Jerry has led On Being Human, Third Half of Life, Sacred Reading and other workshops.

Beyond The Void

Beyond the Void

SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR APRIL - MEETING MONDAY APRIL 27th

NOW MONTHLY • Join Any Time
3rd Monday of each month • 6:00 to 8:00pm

Nietzsche’s declaration, “God is dead,” was not a declaration of triumph but a warning: without a connection to transcendence, how do we find meaning in our lives? In a world unmoored from traditional beliefs, how do we navigate purpose and connection? This monthly workshop explores diverse perspectives on transcendence—spiritual, philosophical, psychological, and experiential—to discover how we might live in relationship with something greater than ourselves. From non-duality to near-death experiences, creativity to simulations, we’ll engage with thinkers, mystics, and artists to reimagine meaning in a post-Enlightenment age. 

Before each meeting participants may have readings, videos, or podcasts, fostering rich discussions in a supportive, curious community. 

For ANYONE:   

  • Who leans toward a materialist worldview but are curious about its limits and open to exploring possibilities of meaning beyond the physical universe.
  • Those wrestling with traditional notions of transcendence within their faith or belief systems, seeking alternate perspectives on what it means to connect with something greater.
  • Curious minds eager to engage in thoughtful dialogue about purpose, spirituality, and existence in a supportive, open community.

 

Workshop Leader: Chris Austin

Husband, father of three, and electrical engineer by training. A spiritual refugee and lifelong seeker who values liberty, personal responsibility, and learning how to live in harmony with truth.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – MBSR

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Orientation Class (Required): Wednesday, September 16 - 6:00pm
8 Weekly meetings beginning Wednesday, September 23 - 6:00 to 8:30pm
Full Day Retreat at The Meaningful Life Center: Saturday, October 31

MBSR is an 8-week evidence-based, experiential program designed to provide participants with intensive and systematic training in mindfulness meditation and movement practices, integrating into daily life what is discovered and learned through the process of participating in the program. For beginners and advanced meditators alike, this course offers practices that have consistent, research demonstrated, positive outcomes including increased self-awareness and growing capacity for present focused attention.

ESSENTIALS:
• No prior meditation experience needed.
• 8 weeks of instructor lead sessions
• Guided meditations & course materials include
  - Recorded and guided instruction in mindfulness meditation practices
  - Recording of the body scan, sitting meditation, and gentle mindful movement guided meditations
  - PDF Workbook provided
• Easy instructor access via email

“In Asian languages, the word for mind and the word for heart are same. So if you’re not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you’re not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness towards oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn –

First created in 1979, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., MBSR now has 40 years of outcomes research highlighting statistically significant reductions in symptoms for various physical and behavioral health conditions including anxiety, depression and chronic pain, along with positive changes in risk factors that may lead to more serious chronic ailments. The 8-week MBSR course integrates a range of meditation practices including body awareness and gentle yoga with the intention to aid participants in enhancing self-care and improved emotional and physical adaptations for healthier living. Participants will learn experientially and conceptually how and why this public health intervention that is “secular, scientific, evidence-based practice …has become an accepted part of mainstream medicine” 1 and behavioral health. Drawing on the recent update to the MBSR curriculum, this fall’s course will more explicitly address the domains of trauma, cross-cultural intersections and universality, inclusion and diversity as they might be raised and explored in the class.

Workshop Leader: David Patterson, Ph.D.

David is a professor emeritus of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work. He is a certified MBSR Teacher through the Brown University Mindfulness Center and has had a daily sitting practice for over three decades. He has trained a wide array of individuals and groups in mindfulness practices. He taught the MBSR 8-week course to UT graduate students in social work, counseling, and psychology for five years. He has been teaching the MBSR course and other mindfulness practices courses through the Meaningful Life Center since 2020.