Becoming…

We are excited to introduce Becoming (Joy) as a facet of EduSpirit and as its own YouTube Channel. Becoming (Joy) is a space where like-minded and -hearted individuals who are committed to the journey of knowing who they are and how they can serve the greater good can come together in conversation. This space is facilitated by Pat Berberich, Lynn Santamaría, and Cristina Santamaría Graff (Pat is Cristina’s aunt and Lynn is Cristina’s mother). We are dedicated to the path of Becoming. Becoming is the process of aligning our hearts with who we are and what we do. It is an exploration of rediscovering our gifts and solidifying our purpose in this life. Another way to understand Becoming is to define it through what gives us joy. Borrowing from the philosopher, Paul Tillich, “Joy is the emotional expression of the courageous YES to one’s true being.” In this light, we ask, “How do we show our love to and for others? How does this love blossom into the manifestation of joy, of becoming, and of demonstrating our essence through creativity?”

Becoming … Recorded Conversations

CONVERSATION 1 – Becoming (Joy), August 9, 2020 – What is our purpose? Who are we “becoming”?

CONVERSATION 2 – Becoming (Enter), August 30, 2020 – Where are we beckoned to “enter” as we step into uncertainty trusting the unfolding of our spiritual path?

CONVERSATION 3 – Becoming (Explore), September 20, 2020 – “We should stake our whole existence on our willingness to explore and experience.” – Martin Buber

CONVERSATION 4 – Becoming (Once Upon a Return), October 11, 2020 – Discovering whose story we are in and what story we are living through artwork, poetry, and narrative. Here we uncover the essence of who we are.

CONVERSATION 5 – Becoming (Listen), November 15, 2020 – We focus on Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen’s scholarship and storytelling where active listening leads to compassion, curiosity, and an exploration of one’s essence.

CONVERSATION 6 – Becoming (Blessing), December 13, 2020 – We talk about what blessings mean on both the micro- and macro-levels and integrate these understandings through a Blessing Way Prayer, through poetry, and through a discussion about the movie, “Collateral Beauty” (2016).

CONVERSATION 7 – Becoming (…), January 10, 2021 – Welcoming ourselves to BE and to BECOME in an authentic and organic manner. We discuss storytelling and reference the Lord of the Rings Trilogy as well as Dr. Bertrice Berry’s work where she invites folx to recognize who they are in the stories they are telling about their own lives. We discuss the hero’s and heroine’s journey through both the dark and the light.

CONVERSATION 8 – Becoming (Hope), February 7, 2021 – What is hope? Howard Thurman, one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s mentors, writes, “Hope is the remembrance of radiance, the assurance that Light will be Light, even when walking in dark places.” Martin Luther King, Jr. tells us that “Everything that is done in this world is done by hope.” Today’s Conversation #8 focuses the theme of hope. What does hope mean to you? 

CONVERSATION 9 – Becoming (Reach), March 21, 2021 – Becoming begins Spring with the word “Reach.”  To assist in setting a tone for Conversation #9 here is a quotation from Michele Obama: “For me becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.”

CONVERSATION 10– Becoming (Remember), April 18, 2021 – In this session Pat reads Anne Baring’s illustrated book,“The Birds Who Flew Beyond Time.” It is a modern retelling of the Sufi parable, “The Conference of the Birds.”

CONVERSATION 11 – Becoming (Connection), June 6, 2021 – In this video Pat discusses the movie, “Rebel Hearts” and makes direct connections to her lived experiences learning from Sr. Corita Kent, artist and activist. Here is a synopsis: https://www.rebelheartsfilm.com/

CONVERSATION 12 – Becoming (Surrender), August 8, 2021 – “As we think of the word ‘surrender’ … there are many ways we can understand and feel that word as we hear (and feel) it within our bodies … and think about what that word has meant to us in our life and how maybe it has changed and evolved. And as we go on our journey today and as we (contemplate) this word ‘surrender’ we open ourselves to the possibilities of how that word can shape knowings and understandings that uplift and also bring us a sense of complete peace within.”

CONVERSATION 13: Becoming (Beyond), September 19, 2021 – Who are we beyond our stories? And, what does this really mean? In this conversation, we explore who are are “at the brim of that which is beyond or known of our own lived stories.” We talk about “who we are between the cracks” invoking the practice of Kintsugi, a Japanese art form of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold — built on the idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. We also bring in Leonard Cohen’s Anthem in connection to his lyrics around the ways our “cracks” allow the light to enter.

CONVERSATION 14: Becoming (Be), November 14, 2021 – What does it mean to BE who we are in this lifetime? In this conversation, we discuss the ways we make connections in our lives that bring purpose and meaning. We end with the understanding that we create and become who we are by recognizing our the amazing “parts” that shape and form our soul-driven identities.

CONVERSATION 15: Becoming (Heart), January, 2022

Upcoming Conversations

OUR NEXT CONVERSATION IS SCHEDULED FOR SUNDAY, January 23, 2022 at 10:00am (PST)

and 1pm (EST)