Volunteers are essential to the life of Luisne…IN FACT, even if the resources were there to pay staff for all the work necessary to run our centre efficiently, we feel that something of our spirit would be lost without our volunteers. There’s a very special quality present in giving and receiving freely.There are many different roles volunteers can fill -ranging from flower arranging or house plant care to hostessing at events, to secretarial or library work.There are also gardening, sewing and carpentry opportunities! the latter would be short term or once off. There’s always a chance to help with publicising our events too.Volunteering times and dates are negotiable so if you would like to become a volunteer at Luisne Spirituality Centre please contact us on 01 2010001, email us at info@luisne.ie.
Miriam began Luisne in a very small way in the year 2003 – 2004. But the seeds were sown in Miriam long before that through the cultivation of a love of nature that is deep in the old Irish tradition and was cherished in the family home. A faith-expanding, paradigm-shifting, life-changing experience during Miriam’s sabbatical year, spent partly at St Anselm’s in Kent and the Sophia Centre in Oakland (founded by Matthew Fox), were the ground bed on which the seeds fell and began to take root. The modern Universe story and especially its implications for the spiritual/faith journey and its demand for a radically revised image of God were both fascinating and challenging. The writing of the required thesis at All Hallows provided the opportunity for the Luisne vision to break through and take form. This vision had to be grounded in an understanding of the Divine in the light of cosmology. The boxed-in, unchanging, distant, well-defined God of the catechism no longer made sense. There was a need to share the broader concept of the Divine and of the deep and sacred interconnectedness of all life. And so, Luisne came to birth and found expression in the beautiful surroundings of the Luisne Centre in Kilcoole.
From a very early age, Barbara studied classical music and ballet. While music has always been part of her life, she concluded her classical ballet training during her teen years. However, to Barbara’s delight, dance made a welcome return to her life during the Millenium, in the form of Dance Meditation-Sacred Dance. Barbara has trained with several teachers but the most transformative and enduring influence has been her encounter with Friedel Kloke-Eibl founder of the Association of Dance Meditation – Sacred Dance in Germany, under whose direction she undertook an intensive training over several years.
Barbara joined Miriam at Luisne in November 2008 where she has been leading regular dancing circles. As well as giving dance workshops at Luisne Barbara conducts dance classes/workshops elsewhere in Ireland, in England and in the USA.
Qualifications: B.A, B Mus., Dip Psych., Dip. Dance Meditation – Sacred Dance