Spiritual Exercises: Play and Pray
Betsey Beckman and
Prashant Olalekar
Seattle, WA
Sunday, August 19 Noon to 2 pm
We will explore InterPlay forms of movement, voice, storytelling and stillness that can energize and activate us to become artisans of peace in an interconnected world. Eastern forms will help to deepen the integration of body, mind, spirit. These spiritual exercises from east and west will foster grateful and graceful living. Open to all ages, 8 years old and up.
Cost: Donations accepted to benefit InterPlay India
Registration/Information: Sharie Bowman 253/740-8209 or email infoseattle@interplay.org
Leaders
Betsey Beckman
Betsey Beckman, MM travels internationally and brings the tools of InterPlay wherever she goes - as dancer, storyteller, and spiritual director, as well as retreat, workshop and pilgrimage leader. With her extensive background in performance, movement therapy, ministry and InterPlay, she has often been featured as artist/presenter at national conventions as well as local churches. Betsey’s storydance series of DVDs feature riveting performances and include participatory InterPlay workshops to break open the scriptural stories with embodiment. She's become a fabulous video editor with four collections of dance prayer DVDs available through her collaboration with Abbey of the Arts. Betsey's co-authored book, Awakening the Creative Spirit: Bringing the Arts to Spiritual Direction, offers numerous InterPlay exercises for integrating into soul-care ministries. She has been leading SpiritPlay classes in the Seattle community for the past 20 plus years, and has been a member of the local InterPlay Sounding Board for most of those years as well. Betsey offers the gift of playful improvisation whenever possible!
Prashant Olalekar
Prashant Olalekar together with the InterPlay India team played a pioneering role in actively promoting InterPlay in India and building bridges through Global Peace Exchanges. He is a Jesuit, peace activist, spiritual director, and educator. He travels throughout India and abroad to share what he is learning about the power of play, spirit, and the deep wisdom of the body to foster peace. He has served as the former Novice Director and Coordinator of Formation of the Bombay Jesuit Province. He was also director of Jivanvikas Sadan Retreat House in Mumbai and founder of Pasayadaan Peace Partnership, a fledgling global network for peace. He is currently playing with integrating Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuit Education and Body Wisdom. Prashant encourages lay collaboration to foster the vision of InterPlay India namely, “to co-create a universe InterPlaying for Peace.” He enjoys exploring new frontiers especially playing with people on the margins.