Articles on Listening

  • Pride

    “Before you tell your life what you intend to do with it, listen for what it intends to do with you.” These words of wisdom from writer, speaker, and activist Parker J. Palmer have guided me along my spiritual path since 2012 when a colleague encouraged me to read Let Your Life Speak: Listening for…

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  • 2026 Shalem Picks for Contemplative Resources

    As Yourself by Caroline VogelI have loved Caroline Vogel’s book, As Yourself. Caroline is a Shalem graduate and her book is about how we can take seriously Jesus’s mandate to love ourselves (love your neighbor as yourself). The book is wise and compassionate and full of embodied practices. – Jehanne Gheith, Board of Directors Becoming…

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  • Searching for the Divine Light

    I struggled with how to approach this talk of grief. I’m a stoic Norwegian and German Lutheran, so I am notoriously uncomfortable talking about my own grief or life obstacles. I’m sure some of you can relate. We find a myriad of ways to minimize our sadness. For example, it is an ironic act of…

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  • Taking Refuge

    What gets us through the tough times—times of tribulation and heartache? To what or whom do we flee for refuge? Many of us might answer that it is the support of family, friends, and our spiritual practices. We certainly need help right now—in this moment—whether we are trying to navigate the deep political chasm in…

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  • “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” – John 1:5

    Shalem Institute invites you into a new special limited series: “Contemplation in Troubled Times” Minnesota’s example of courage and nonviolent action in the face of oppression is something we continue to witness and be in solidarity with as best we are able. It also extends beyond Minnesota to our brothers and sisters across the U.S. and around…

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  • Board Update on Executive Director Search

    Dear Friends, As the Shalem Institute looks toward its next season of leadership, we are invited into a moment that is both grounded and generative—grounded in the contemplative vision of our founder, Tilden Edwards, and generative in responding faithfully to the spiritual hunger and complexity of our present time. The search for a new Executive…

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Mission

Our mission is to nurture contemplative living and leadership.

Vision

In 2025, Shalem will be a dynamic and inclusive community, empowered by the Spirit, where seekers engage in transformation of themselves, their communities, and the world through spiritual growth, deep connection, and courageous action.

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