The United Campus Ministry Center for Spiritual Growth and Social Justice continues Soup for the Soul, its six-week discussion series about unconventional journeys in faith.
Soup for the Soul is a forum where area residents can discuss and learn about different faiths, said Melissa Wales, UCM's Interim Director.
Area religious leaders guide a discussion group of about 20 people every week. The participants then enjoy a homemade soup lunch, she said.
Joe Buzzelli, an Ohio University freshman and UCM volunteer who has attended the program numerous times, enjoys the intimate, casual format. It's cool to hear somebody else's perspective and then (be able to) discuss it with them
he said.
Soup for the Soul began eight years ago in an attempt to allow students and faculty to talk about faith-based issues outside the classroom. Since that time, the program has covered a different faith-related theme each quarter, Wales said.
This quarter's program features the topic Off the Beaten Path stressing non-traditional takes on spirituality.
The program began last week with a discussion about earth-centered spirituality by Krystal Bowden, of Circle of Gaia Dreaming, a local earth-based faith group.
Tomorrow's discussion will be led by Crow Swimsaway and his wife, Bekki Shining Bearheart, ministers and founders of the Church of Earth Healing in New Marshfield.
The couple, who specialize in teachings about shamanism and Paganism, are no strangers to the open forum style. They took part in a weekly talking heads show about alternative spirituality and healing about 15 years ago and have participated in Soup for the Soul before.
The program is a great way to cover a wide range of spiritualities and give people a more accurate understanding of what each practices, Swimsaway said.
We usually give a general presentation talk a little bit about the kind of work that we do
and then spend a lot of the time talking to the people and answering questions
he said.
In the past, the pair have taken two different approaches, focusing on either paganism or shamanism, he said.
Paganism recognizes the divinity in everything and honors more than one manifestation of (a) divine force
Swimsaway said.
Shamanism refers to the healing modality that exists in most tribal cultures. The term shaman means medicine man in Native American culture and witch doctor in African culture, he said.
Which one we (cover) this time will just depend a lot on the audience and what we're feeling the people are interested in.
Soup for the Soul takes place from noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday through May 12 in the lower level UCM, 18 N. College St. Large groups and classes should call ahead before attending.
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