The Northwest Regional Labyrinth Gathering in Portland, OR this weekend will feature an interfaith panel discussion titled “Walking the Labyrinth Together: An Interfaith Spiritual Journey.” The workshop is scheduled for Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 2-3:15pm at Mission of the Atonement, 7400 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Beaverton, OR. Panelists include four women representing four faith traditions: Muslim, Jewish, Zen Buddhist, and Roman Catholic.
“I believe that anyone interested in labyrinths in the Seattle area would benefit from attending all or part of this weekend gathering in Portland. Labyrinth Network Northwest has done a great job of organizing it and I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ones!” – Adrienne Fermoyle, Seattle, WA
The panel discussion will be facilitated by Carolyn Wilhelm, who has experienced the labyrinth as a powerful spiritual tool in events at places such as Trinity Cathedral, Marylhurst University, and Chartres Cathedral in France. Carolyn is a professional artist, spiritual director and a retreat leader. Raised a Quaker, she joined the Roman Catholic Church in 2001, and is married to a Rabbi.
One of the panelists is Marion Dawan, also known as El Hajjah Lavada Marion Poole Dawan, a pioneer in Islamic Community Building, in the Portland area. Her spiritual search has taken her to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where she circumambulated the Kabba seven times, each circle bringing her closer to the revered Black Stone. Marion is working to establish a mosque, is a board member of Islamic Social Services, a member of the Shura board of the Muslim Community Center, and an advisory member of the Muslim Educational Trust.
A second panel member is Emily Gottfried, a woman with a long and deep history with interfaith dialogue, who has participated as part of a Catholic/Jewish dialog, a Latter Day Saints (Mormon)/Jewish dialog, as well as a series of multi-faith dialogues for the Inter-Religious Action Network of Washington County, OR. Emily is a well- traveled cantor for various services and events, and has served as a member or officer of numerous state and local boards. Currently, she is Executive Director of the Oregon Area Jewish Committee.
The third panel member is Laura Jomon Martin took the Dharma (or Buddhist) name Jomon when she became a practicing Zen Buddhist. Laura is a licensed clinical social worker who has been utilizing the tools of mindfulness for several years in her work as a therapist. She is an instructor of mindfulness-based stress reduction, an evidence-based program to help people reconnect to the present moment through mindful movement and meditation.
Attendees may choose to spend all three days or just one of the conference days; visit Labyrinth Network Northwest’s website for more information and to register. Special thanks to Betty Hawkins of Vashon Island, WA for her help in procuring the panelists and sharing information about the panel discussion for this article.
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