Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Founder of meditation movement moves on

2010 Winter Feast for the Soul starts Jan. 15


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

Valerie Skonie founded Winter Feast for the Soul, which begins Friday, Jan. 15. Photo by David N. Seelig

Winter Feast for the Soul started as a local event in January 2008. Founder and Executive Director Valerie Skonie wanted to encourage people in the Wood River Valley to find a daily practice through prayer and meditation, which includes yoga and martial arts.

"In 2009, I realized there were 10,000 people from 29 different countries signed on for the feast," Skonie said.

Skonie's work in creating the 40-day meditation celebration, which begins Friday, Jan. 15, has reached a level for her to pass it on to a new executive director—Karon Korp, based in Asheville, N.C.

"I'll be in charge of this feast and through the transition at the end of March," Skonie said. "We will need to hire a local organizer to keep the Wood River Valley community together."

Korp found the feast through a conference call in which Skonie was a participant. Korp has been doing community service work in fundraising, media relations and event coordination for over 15 years with nonprofits in Asheville.

"I've been meditating for 20 years," Korp said. "I lead group mediations and practice for myself, which has been instrumental for me and for my spiritual journey."

Events leading up to the beginning of the feast will include talks, sermons and workshops by James O'Dea, who is an author, teacher, mediator and social healer. O'Dea served as director of Amnesty International for 10 years and also served as director of the Seva Foundation.

"I will discuss the central life question—how did we get so wounded and so damaged and become so violent?" O'Dea said. "We have denied that things are looming. Even the state of nature is a reflection of our denial of what is happening to our planet. Crisis can become opportunity for deeper creativity."

O'Dea will also discuss how to teach tolerance and compassion while maintaining a daily existence. In addition, he will explain and teach mind-body healing through his personal experiences and education.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com

Winter Feast for the Soul events

Thursday, Jan. 7

· 12:15-1:15 p.m. "Meditation, a Pathway to Well-Being" brown-bag Lunch with Valerie Skonie at St. Luke's Baldy Conference Room in Ketchum.

Saturday, Jan. 9

· 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. "Mindful Awareness for Parents and Teachers: Techniques for Guiding Our Children Through Stressful Times" with Ryan Redman at YMCA in Ketchum, $10.

· 6:30-8 p.m. "Meet Your Greatest Teacher: Stress and the Path to Your Highest Self," lecture with James O'Dea at YMCA in Ketchum, $15.

Sunday, Jan. 10

· 9:30 a.m. "You Were Born for Such a Time as This," a sermon with James O'Dea at Light on the Mountains Spiritual Center in Ketchum.

· 1-4 p.m. "Luminous Wisdom: Distinguishing Authentic Guidance From Ego's Fantasies," workshop with James O'Dea at YMCA in Ketchum, $25.

Friday, Jan. 15

· 6:30 a.m. Global candlelight ceremony to launch the 2010 Winter Feast for the Soul worldwide at Light on the Mountains Spiritual Center in Ketchum.

Tuesday, Feb, 23

· 6:30 p.m. Closing meditation ceremony at Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Sun Valley.

· Winter Feast for the Soul in the Wood River Valley will have several meditation locations every day throughout the valley during the 40-day period. For details, call 788-6373, visit winterfeastforthesoul.com or visit http://mtexpress.com/calendar/events/.




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