Minnesota Report
Profound Journey Dialog©
January 6-7, 2010
Carondelet Center, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
Pre-conference event to ToP Trainers Network annual meeting
a four-session meaning event
Session 1: Wednesday evening – Way Life Is
… dialog about real life and our relationship to mystery at its heart
Session 2: Thursday morning – Transforming Events and Story
… dialog about life-changing events and an empowering story to live by
... luncheon solitary reflection with a Daily Spirit Journal
Session 3: Thursday afternoon – Responsible Freedom
… dialog about responsible decision-making
Session 4: Thursday evening – Big Context of Care
… dialog about living on behalf of
Dialog happens throughout, using small and large groups,
meal conversations, and individual reflection. Dialoging
about the deep dimensions of our journeys can be
exhilarating, intense, transforming, and celebrative.
Participant Endorsements
This event gives participants many opportunities to realize more intimately the dynamics
of our movement through life to the meaningfulness we long for. ~Alice Shenandore, Director/Founder, Wisconsin Women Gathering Place
Attending the PJD helps you to muster the motivation and courage it takes to be fully engaged with life, especially in a time of trial. PJD helps one make the shift from victim energy to creation energy. ~Sheila LeGeros, MN
To get your nose stuck into the meaning of your life and how it can make a difference in
this suffering universe, do a PJD (oh, and to have fun, too). ~Edwin Waters, IL
I deeply valued the opportunity to recall and focus on transformative events in my life and
the ways in which they have bridged estrangement (Tillich) from my (w)holy self/Self and others. These events have resulted in personal affirmation, discovering the gift of vulnerability, and a release of love for others and the universe. ~anonymous
It is refreshing and energizing to reflect and share with others the profundity of who we
are and what life is really all about. ~Jean Watts, LA
PJD offers … ideas for understanding the human journey and a format for exploring and
sharing your own part of the larger human journey … and caring and knowledgeable people
to journey with you. I am grateful for their passion and mission. ~Ken Heintzelman, minister, Shadow Rock UCC, AZ
In search of tools for meaningful civic engagement, this is a great event for transformation
and focus on your vocation. ~Elsa J. Batica, Dir. Community Heath Education and Outreach, MN
PJD is an opportunity to expand your thoughts, gain insights, and make meaningful connections with caring, like-minded, like-hearted beings. ~Cheryl Hiltibran, consultant,
energy healer, MN
If you want some blunt talk about the way life is and our human possibilities, this is the
place to get it. ~John Epps, Malaysia/CO
Participant Comments (from evaluation sheets & special Friday a.m. evaluation by 24)
Participants Appreciated• “sharing profound experiences in the huddles”
• “participants and guides’ stories”
• “deep community happening”
• “humor throughout, especially in the huddles”
• “fabulous: presentation, papers, personal reflection, huddle dialogue, solitary, & breaks”
• “emphasis on meaning”
• “question: what is my #1 obligation?”
• “I felt affirmed and safe”
• “multi-modes of interaction and learning”
• “personal times before huddles to reflect on profound experiences”
• “lunch solitary reflection with Daily Spirit Journal book”
• “imaginal physical exercises during each session so refreshing; and poetry readings”
• “the powerpoint was great”
• “the depth of ‘outer’ research, knowledge and methods combined with ‘inner’
experiences and journey stories”
• “loved the four symbols around the room filling up Patrick’s big easels”
• “Terry's Session 4 presentation about the wedgeblade symbol”
• “core ideas so powerfully woven into the whole”
• “excellent event: the dialog; great speakers with something personal to say”
• “liked being a huddle host”
• “incorporation of song, story and symbol”
• “squeezing it into short and sweet design, leaving me wanting more”
Why Recommend PJD• “PJD met deep, urgent, ongoing needs at the cultural level”
• “PJD is authentically fun”
• “it’s about story”
• “connecting at the heart level to build meaningful relationship to the ideas”
• “last session pushed me to I.D. my focus”
• “grounding ‘way life is’ in postmodern era”
• “helped me understand that we do experience our lives as profound”
• “raises the question of how we relate to the way we experience life”
• “a new context and way to talk about the transformed life without ancient words”
• “PJD is a powerful reminder of the spirit dimension that is so easy to overlook”
• “deeply sustaining event for me”
• “an engaging experience – more about the big picture than the inner reflection”
• “a chance to renew one’s purpose for focused action”
• “PJD provides structure, guides, & community to help you look seriously at how you’re doing”
• “the Profound Journey Dialog is well named”
• “a fascinating way to broaden your context of care and service”
• “confirmed we are inspired, expanded, and accepted on our journeys”
Sundry Comments• “there is a difference in the ‘way the world is’ and the ‘way life is’”
• “Session 3 is really about vocation in midst of responsible obligation and freedom”
• “please make more time for huddle dialogue, especially in Session 4”
• “rework Session 1 to explore individuals' names for the mysterious power”
• “deep laughter during epitaph sharing during vocation conversation”
• “symbols point to a self-understanding; PJD to help ground the self-understanding”
• “emphasize the offense of intrusion and new possibility in transformative event”
• “acronyms are new to participants and can be confusing as well as helpful”
• “make powerpoint words larger and put on printed page in notebooks”
45 Participants/Guides from 13 States and 2 Countries
Beverly Baron (MN); Elsa Batica (MN); Addi Batica (MN); Terry Bergdall, guide (IL); Lisel Burns (NY); Elizabeth Campbell (MN); John Cock, guide (NC); Betty Dyson (MN); John Epps (Malaysia/CO); Alan Gammel, guide (WA); William Glew (MN); Beth Glommen (MN); Sean Gosiewski (MN); Beret Griffith, guide (MN); Mitch Haycock (WI); Rachel Hefte (MN); Ken Heintzelman (AZ); Cheryl Hiltibran (MN);
Mary Hopkins (MN); Elizabeth Hutchins (MN); Cristy James (MN); Cheryl Kartes, coordinator (MN); Patrick Kartes (MN); Dianna Kennedy (MN); Heidi Kolbe (CA); Cynthia Lapp (MN); Betty Pat Leach (MN); Nancy Lee (MN); Sheila LeGeros, coordinator (MN); Cathy Lue (MN); Ivan Martino (MN); Cass McLaughlin (MN); Gene Philbrook (TX); Maryann Philbrook (MN); Ron Robinson (WA); Eunice Shankland (CO); Sherwood Shankland (CO); Molly Shaw, guide (WA); Alice Skenandore (WI); Jane Stephenson (FL); Sandra True, guide (NJ); Ed Waters (IL); Jean Watts (LA); Erness Wright-Irvin
(LA); Roy Zabrowaski (AZ) [9 MN PJD participants aspire to join PJD guide track.]
[9 MN PJD participants aspire to join PJD guide track.]About the Profound Journey Dialog© Experiment
The Minnesota PJD is the sixth Profound Journey Dialog event during the PJD experiment phase. The first was held in Denver, September 2007; the second near Dubuque, September 2008; the third in the New York City metro, March 2009; the fourth in Chicago, April 2009;
and the fifth near Seattle, October 2009. PJD’s primary source is a seminar of the Ecumeni-
cal Institute: Chicago (a partner organization of the Institute of Cultural Affairs: Chicago), shared with many thousands globally.
• MN PJD Coordinators: Sheila LeGeros and Cheryl Kartes
• MN PJD Guides: John Cock, Terry Bergdall, Beret Griffith, Sandra True, Alan Gammel, and Molly Shaw
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“You should have a ritual for your life.” ~Joseph Campbell “Profound Journey Dialog is a ritual for our lives.” ~PJD Team
