Join us for Illuman Virtual Councils
Illuman’s Virtual Council Circles use Zoom to gather men from anywhere in the world. They are designed as an opportunity to connect and a practice that helps men begin to find their true voice in the presence of other men on their journey of personal growth.
Virtual Councils are conducted in much the same manner as in-person Councils: with grounded time in quiet contemplation, reflective readings or poetry, and deepening our connections with open-ended prompts.
A typical format for a Council might look like the following:
Welcome & Opening Reflection
Quiet Contemplation
Reading of Council Practice Intentions
Sharing of Significant Life Events
Introduction of Council Theme
Dedications
Sharing in Response to Prompts
Intentions
Closing Sharing
We typically break into smaller Councils of four to six men, so that everyone has plenty of time to respond and be present to one another.
Bringing the practice of Council into one’s life is an amazing gift that facilitates deep connection. These Virtual Councils aren’t meant as a replacement for gathering face-to-face but as a supplement, especially for those for whom in-person gatherings are inaccessible.
Wherever you are, you are welcome!
We need practices to help us realize that our minds and emotions are on cruise control, unconsciously trapped in a repetitive, even obsessive pattern that limits our ability to see or to truly understand.
– Richard Rohr, Just This
I feel now I have a place to go and process very tricky experiences I am going through in my life and am not dependent on my partner. There is somewhere else I can go and I don’t have to always turn to one person. That’s important.
– Matthew Fox, Hidden Spirituality of Men
Virtual Council Meeting Times
The Virtual Councils currently take place at the following days and times listed below. (Note that Eastern Daylight Time is UTC-4, and Pacific Daylight Time is UTC-7.)
While many of the councils listed below are hosted by geographically based chapters, you are welcome to join ANY that work for you.
Wherever in the world you may find yourself, please join us!
Click here if you need a quick Zoom tutorial.
Concilio Virtual de ILLUMAN en Español
4to Sábado de cada mes
Meeting ID: 962 8495 3304
If the times listed above don’t work for you, please let us know what you would prefer by emailing the Virtual Council Guiding Circle.
In addition to the Virtual Councils listed above, we also offer interest-based Passion Circles.
What does Virtual Council look like? How does it work?
To get a feel for the benefits of Virtual Council, watch the video to the right of men expressing their gratitude for Virtual Council and how it supports their spiritual journey. The video features the voices of twenty Illuman men, who share the impact Illuman Council Practice is having on their lives. It closes with words from Fr. Richard Rohr on the challenges that initiated men face after returning home from the MROP experience.
An example of Virtual Council
Some of the men deeply involved in Virtual Councils made the video to the left to demonstrate the practice. Take a quick glance to see how this sacred practice plays out in the ‘virtual’ realm.
Virtual Council Flyer
We also have a downloadable PDF flyer that contains nearly all the information on this webpage packed into 2 pages. It contains detailed descriptions and contact information to get you involved in the incredible work being done through our Virtual Council community. Download the flyer and share it with a friend now!
Virtual Way of Council // Training Sessions
We also host Virtual Council Training Sessions – an experiential program where men have an opportunity to learn the Illuman Way of Council from an experienced Council Carrier. These sessions will help men learn about the components of Council and aid them in their practice. The format of each session will include a brief teaching about Council, with question and answers, and an opportunity to participate in Council with other men on the journey. Our goal is to expand the use of Council, as it is the cornerstone practice for the Journey of Illumination. Our next set of sessions will begin in January 2023. These sessions are held on the first Saturday of the month.
The 2023 session schedule is below:
January – Intentions of Council
February – Roles within Council
March – Creating Sacred Space
April – Themes and Prompts
May – Difficulties
June – Loose Ends
ZOOM Login Information
1st Saturday
08:00 – 9:30 Pacific Time
https://illuman.org/vcc1
Meeting ID: 922 512 3855
Learn more about Zoom
Learn more about ZOOM, the software we use for Virtual Council Circles, and download it here! Zoom provides remote conferencing services using cloud computing and is a downloadable communications software that combines video conferencing, online meetings, chat, and mobile collaboration.
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