Moving Through the Mysteries of the Rosary
Event Type:
WorkshopSaturday, October 4, 2008 9:30am - 4:00pm
The rosary is a traditional Roman Catholic meditative prayer form that combines prayer intentions, scripture stories called “mysteries,” and repetitive prayers. In honor of October as the Month of the Rosary, we will explore how the full cycle of the mysteries of the rosary – Jesus’ birth, ministry, death, and resurrection – is relevant to our contemporary life journeys. After grounding ourselves in movement-based Lectio Divina (scriptural reflection) and faith sharing, we will develop our own moving meditations to the natural rhythms of the spoken rosary. Our movement might focus on any one of the three intertwined elements of rosary prayer – the prayer intention, the scripture meditation, and the repetitive prayers themselves – or it might flow between them.
Our leader, Michele Marie Beaulieux, dances the rosary as a private movement meditation, and, as a retreat leader, she guides other people, whether they consider themselves dancers or not, in experiencing how they can deepen their personal prayer by moving to the rhythms and stories of the rosary. The rosary is so rich, so full of layers that it provides a plush opportunity for exploring movement. People who participate in Michele’s retreats find their personal rosary prayer deepened: they expand their movement beyond their fingers to their entire bodies.
No rosary, dance, or movement experience is required, merely a desire and willingness to move and pray. Please wear comfortable clothing. If weather permits, we may pray outside. Rosaries will be provided.
ABOUT YOUR FACILITATOR
Michele Marie Beaulieux has led movement-based rosary prayer hours and retreats at numerous retreat centers, convents, and churches. One day a decade ago, Michele heard the rosary being prayed out loud and thought, “There’s a rhythm there. I could dance to that.” And, so began her journey putting the rosary into motion.
Based in Chicago, Illinois, Michele is a gifted movement minister who has deepened worship in Roman Catholic and Protestant churches as well as ecumenical and interfaith settings. She works with worship teams to incorporate movement into liturgical celebrations in ways that are appropriate for their communities. A past president of the Lakeshore Chapter of the Sacred Dance Guild, Michele writes about her experiences deepening worship and prayer through movement, dance, and drama on her website, deepenworship.org.