What is the Center for Spiritual Life?

What do we do?

As the chaplain and director of Spiritual Life, I hope to address and provide space for the spectrum of experience, which might be deeply traditional, rooted in order, and carefully practiced, or it might be constantly changing, open to interpretation, and coming from your own structures. You might be bringing practice and a way of being that you deeply love and feel safe in and want a space to continue connecting with those experiences. You might be deeply hurt by the kind of teachings, people, and experiences you’ve had with the practices that you’re leaving behind. The ideas of spirituality and religion might feel unfamiliar and new to you, and maybe even intimidating to approach. No matter what, I and the Spiritual Life team are hoping to host you and hear you.

How do we approach religion and spirituality?

Defining religion and/or spirituality is ultimately unsatisfactory, as it can never contain all the varieties of experiences that each person may have. We operate from a collection of various definitions and are happy to meet with you to listen to what it means for you.

How can we heal without causing harm?

Our intentions are always to invite personal and communal wellness and healing, to trust fully that your story is true, to advocate for you in ways that let you better experience your fullest self, and to continue to grow and evolve with our community. We recognize that, inevitably, we will unintentionally cause harm. We hope to grow from our mistakes with your feedback and communication. Email Hilary Martin Himan, hmhiman@lclark.edu to set up a time to connect -either to share feedback or simply to grab a cup of tea!