Delphic Days
Divination and Conversation
The Oracle at Delphi is the most known and beloved Oracle in the ancient world. Located in a sanctuary in upper central Greece on the slopes of Mount Parnasssus, the mountain of the Muses, her very title conjures up images of ceremonies in dark caves, wreaths of incense and sacred smoke, and words that carried both riddle and reason. Her abilities of seership are best understood as a tradition, for there were many Oracles at Delphi each understanding their sacred task and yet approaching it with their own unique voice. As do we.
The poet Aeschylus traces her ancestry back through Apollo to the most ancient and first of divinities, the Earth. The masters of this lore have it that the land was pure – was handed down in the freedom of conscience, and never taken by force under the sword point, never drenched in blood, as so many lands are occupied by human beings.
In ancient times, The Oracle of Delphi and its ancestry was taken with deep seriousness of the Sacred Imagination. Socrates himself relates in the Apology, or defense speech, how the Delphic Oracle motivated him to seek for wisdom. It is above her cave that the famous inscription was found: “know thyself, and none too much”
When the oracles of the ancient world were sought out, they were typically sought out by a group of people. Sometimes the person asking the question was not even present in the group. Group ceremonies hold their own special energy as do group divinations.
With eyes-wide open and a renewed awareness, oracles can still be taken seriously in our day. Often political and social in nature, oracles almost always concerned issues that affected groups of people instead of single individuals. The received words and insights were carried from sacred sites back to people’s homes and cities where they were written down, discussed, and contemplated with the understanding that an oracle delivers both immediate insight AND unfurls into its fullest meaning over time.
For a long time I have wanted to introduce the social dimension of Oracular arts to the community of soulful seekers, but the time was never quite right. Now it is. I am very pleased to present Delphic Days: Divination and Conversation
HOW IT WORKS
1.) Send in a question. Usually divination is concerned with personal questions but for this event we are calling on the spirit of ancient Oracles and asking BIG questions that we are all concerned about. (See more about what questions to ask down below). Note: you can submit a question for consideration even if you are not joining the group call or registering for the event.
2.) The evening before the event, I will select one question and send it to all of the participants so that everyone can divine on the question in whatever way they choose.
3.) Join the call on August 10th! The call will open with everyone sharing their divinations and then I will facilitate a Socratic style conversation so that everyone can share their experiences, ask questions, make comments, and in general learn from each other. Read my report on the first Delphic Days event to learn more.
WHAT KINDS OF QUESTIONS SHOULD I ASK
Every real question emerges from real concerns, and they represent a genuine desire for insight or wisdom. We all have big anxieties and fears about the world – fears that paralyze us, keep us from acting and being at our best. These are not problems remote to our own lives – they can touch our lives in the most intimate of ways. I would like you to reflect on what these might be for you, and try to shape a question out of this. Once you have framed your question, send it to me before 12noon of the day before the event.
Areas of concern may include any of the following:
- Political issues
- Social issues
- Economic issues
- Environmental issues
- Technological issues
- Arts and Culture issues
- Spirituality in the Modern World
Examples:
What is the best use of prayer and blessing in the wake of tragedy?
How can we best navigate the metals market right now?
What do we need to know in order to bring healing to our local lands?
What obstacles do we need to be aware of as alternative spiritual traditions become more mainstream?
Get the picture? You can submit a question for consideration whether you join in on the conversation or not, by going HERE.
A word to the wise: this is not and will not turn into a political debate, but it IS a collaborative reflection on the bodies politic that we are all a part of.
WHAT IS SOCRATIC CONVERSATION
The spirit of a true Socratic conversation is rare today. How much shouting and hollering do we hear, back and forth, to no end? I bring over 17 years of Socratic facilitation experience to the table, and I can tell you that the spirit of Socratic conversation bids all of that hollering nonsense a firm adieu, while pursuing a collaborative path of shared inquiry on questions of vital common interest.
My role not to lecture, but rather to facilitate the conversation, and create a safe space for all of you to take big risks, to voice questions, thoughts and experiences.
What should you expect? I will pose the question we have all read on, and you will be invited to share your divination findings, and we will try to think through together the results. There will be no need to ‘raise’ your hand, but you are invited to join the conversation freely.
The character of this sort of conversation requires that we all work with the utmost compassion and respect for each other. Our aim is to walk away with an open shared, collaborative understanding of the oracular insights offered to us by the various means and methods brought to the table.
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Features:
WHAT IT IS: A group Divination combined with a collaborative Socratic conversation.
We will gather via phone, share and reflect on the insights that come up for us and the signs, omens, and oracles that we have received in our divining on the BIG questions that matter to all of us.
AIM: My expectation is that this experience will allow all who participate to reflect on how the sacred art of divination speaks effectively to communal concerns while also allowing sacred artists to come together, learn from each other, as well share and hone our skills.
EVENT OCCURS: There is no currently scheduled Delphic Days event. Please subscribe to the Resources email list to find out when the next Delphic Days will take place.
DURATION: One Hour Fifteen Minutes
WE MEET VIA: private phone conference, the call will be recorded so if you cannot attend live you will still have a record of the conversation and readings.
COST: $20