Minding Your Business July 11 2024

Center for the Spiritual Journey

Transforming ourselves transforming our world

880 Main St.

Chatham

508-945-1304

Join us Thursdays, 11 a.m. -4 p.m. for cozy vibes, fresh reads, and friendly chats with faculty about upcoming workshops.

Chatham’s Pilgrim’s Landing has a new name but their mission remains the same, and the new name makes sense, a natural transition even. This group is very similar to those 1620 pilgrims, who were looking for a spiritual center when they ended their journey here in Massachusetts. I met with Anne Bonney and Dawn Tolley to talk about this transformation into what the organization is today. Pilgrim’s Landing was a retail shop offering “books of a spiritual nature, journals, chimes, prayer beads, hand labyrinths, candles, cards, and much more.” All items related to their programs and mission.

“We were going over the budget at a board meeting, and realized our enthusiasm for running a retail business was worn out,” said Tolley. “It had gone well for a long time, but there were a lot of tedious details such as inventory work.”

“We seem to think it was taking away time from our programs,” added Bonney. “At that time our new board chair suggested why don’t we just close the retail?”

“It was as if a lightbulb went off,” said Tolley. “Retail was supposed to support the programs. And it was actually hindering us from doing all we wanted to do.” So a decision was made to close the retail and change the name and the Center For the Spiritual Journey was born.

Along with the open houses on Thursday from 11 to 4 (where you can learn about the programs and register), they offer yoga, nature walks, meditation groups, a Book Circle, and so much more. There’s even Zoom sessions; such as the Building Bridges forum this spring.

But one of the diamonds on their curriculum is the labyrinth.

“We take the stewardship of the labyrinth very seriously,” said Bonney. “We honor every equinox and solstice there, and we created a peace garden at the site”

Every Monday evening from July 8 through August 26 the Center hosts guided walks at the labyrinth. The labyrinth is located in Chase Park on the other side of the gristmill with the peace garden nearby. All are welcome. There is no charge for the walk but donations are accepted for the upkeep of the labyrinth.

“A labyrinth is an ancient and artistic circular pattern found in many cultures and places around the world,” (chathamlabyrinth.com)

The message of inclusivity is evident in all the programs the Center has created or is involved in; “we are all in this together,” emphasized Tolley.

“It’s amazing how much we share in common with each other,” added Bonney. The Center is not focused on one religion, they embrace them all, “each has a unique yet common respect for humanity and there are so many similarities,” said Bonney.

These two founders of the center embrace these two quotes to further explain their mission. Tolley quoted Henri Nouwen, “The spiritual life does not remove us from the world, but leads us deeper into it.” And Bonney’s closing thought was from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”